Types of Monkeys
| Types of Monkeys Strepsirrhini Indriidae Sifaka Lemuridae Alaotran Gentle Lemur Bamboo Lemur Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur Collared Lemur Crowned Lemur Mongoose Lemur Red-ruffed Lemur Ring-tailed Lemur Haplorrhini Tarsiidae Tarsiers Old World Monekys genus Cercocebus Red-capped Mangabey genus Cercopithecus Blue Monkey genus Chlorocebus Ververt Monkey genus Colobus Black-and-white Colobus genus Erythrocebus Patas Monkey genus Macaca Barbary Macaque Japanese Macaque Long-tailed Macaque Rhesus Macaque genus Mandrillus Mandrill genus Nasalis Proboscis Moneky genus Papio Chacma Baboon Hamadryas Baboon Olive Baboon genus Presbytis Langur genus Theropithecus Gelada Apes Chimpanzee Facts Gorilla Facts Orangutan Facts Lesser Apes New World Monkeys Family Aotidae Night Monkeys Family Atelidae: Howler Monkeys Spider Monkey Facts Woolly Monkeys Family Cebidae Capuchin Monkeys Family Callitrichidae Marmoset Monkeys Tamarin Monkeys Family Pitheciidae Pale-faced Saki Monkey Facts Types of Animals |
The types of monkeys or members of the Primate order that inhabit the fields and forests of Africa, Asia and Central and South America.
Organizing the family and species diversity within the primate order often begins by splitting it into two suborders:
- Strepsirrhini: non-tarsier prosimians
- Haplorrhini: the tarsiers, great apes and monkeys
These two primate suborders differ in many ways, with the relative size of the brain to the body serving as a key physiological difference. Haplorrhini are considered the higher primates because of their larger brain to body size ratio.
AT the outset of the taxonomic explanation, it needs to be noted that taxonomies are always subject to change. The recent import of DNA analysis into primate studies, for example, has recently led to a increase in species numbers.
Given the usual taxonomic caveats, a discussion of the Strepsirrhini often begins by associated them with lemurs and Madagascar. In the larger taxonomic picture, that association rings true.
Strepsirrhini often get divided into large groupings, or infraorders that are still subject to debate. Formalities aside, general consensus exists about Strepsirrhini containing seven separate families, most of which are indigenous to Madagascar. However, two families, Galagidae and Lorisida, which inhabit Africa and Asia, also currently fit into the infraorder.
The one hundred and twenty different Strepsirrhini species in the families listed below, were taken from a 2010 IUCN estimate. As DNA techniques improve, the number of species can either increase or decrease, depending on the degree of species preference differentiation held by the taxonomists.
- Daubentoniidae are a single family and species, the aye-aye, that inhabit Madagascar.
- Cheirogaleidae: Twenty nine species of dwarf lemurs and mouse lemurs identified as inhabitants of Madagascar.
- Indriidae: Eighteen species of indris, sifakas and woolly lemurs, all indigenous to Madagascar.
- Lemuridae: Twenty species of true lemurs indigenous to Madagascar.
- Lepilemuridae: Twenty four sportive lemurs inhabit Madagascar.
- Galagidae, Eighteen Galago species (also called bushbabies) are indigenous to Africa.
- Lorisidae: Ten species, with seven lorise species in Asia, one potto and two Angwantibo species in Africa.
Most people tend to associate the term monkey with the Haplorrhini order, which not only contains monkeys, but also contains the Hominidae family, the taxonomic home of Homo sapiens, along with a separate and distinct family the Tarsiidae.
Putting the Tarsiidae, Great Apes and Lesser Apes aside for a minute, geography serves as the distinctive mark of the Haplorrhini, because the bulk of Haplorrhini species are identified as either old world monkeys of Africa and Asia, which consists of close to one hundred and twenty five species, or new world monkeys of Central and South America, which consists of close to one hundred and thirty five species.
Physical and behavioral differences between the old world and new world monkeys has been thoroughly documented. Perhaps the old world monkeys are best known for their lack of prehensile tails and their tendency to have opposable thumbs.
Catarrhini - (Old World monkeys and apes)- Family Tarsiidae: Eight species native to Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Two South American species.
- Family Cercopithecidae: One hundred and twenty two species of old World monkeys is divided into twenty two genera.
- Hominidae (Great Apes): Bonobos, Chimpanzees, Gorillas and Orangutans
- Family Hylobatidae (gibbons and siamang)
- Family Aotidae (eleven night monkey species)
- Family Atelidae: twenty eight howler, spider and woolly monkeys.
- Family Cebidae: seventeen capuchin, and squirrel monkeys
- Family Pitheciidae: forty three species of titi monkeys, sakis, and uakaris.
- Family Callitrichidae: forty two species of Marmosets and Tamarins
The behavioral revolution in primatology, begun in the 1960s, extends to today. While conflict exists over the appropriateness of primate laboratory testing, little conflict exists over either the appropriateness or necessity of primate field studies.
Like many species in the animal kingdom, economic development continues to place great stress on primate populations around the world. Primate field studies help primatologists learn more about primate social structures and evolutionary patterns. Additionally, they can help with the development of species survival plans.
The links in the box on the right point to articles covering different primate families, genera and species that incorporate some of latest related behavioral research.
© 2010 Patricia A. Michaels