White-cheeked spider monkey
| White-cheeked spider monkey | ||||||||||||
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White-cheeked clamp monkey ( Ateles marginatus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Ateles marginatus | ||||||||||||
| ( É. Geoffroy , 1809) |
The white-cheeked spider monkey ( Ateles marginatus ) is a species of primate that lives in South America and belongs to the family of spotted monkeys (Atelidae).
features
The coat of the white-cheeked spider monkey is almost entirely black, with white markings on the cheeks and forehead. The hairless parts of the face around the eyes and the muzzle are colored reddish, which results in a striking mask drawing. As with all spider monkeys , the physique of these animals is slender, the limbs are long and thin. The long hands are hook-shaped, the thumb is missing. The tail, which is longer than the body, is designed as a grasping tail, the underside is hairless at the rear end.
distribution and habitat
White-cheeked spider monkeys are only found in northern Brazil . Their relatively small distribution area is limited in the north by the Amazon , in the west by the Rio Tapajós and in the east by the Rio Xingu . Their habitat are lowland rainforests .
Way of life
Little is known about the way of life of the white-cheeked spider monkey, presumably it corresponds to that of the other spider monkeys. As a result, they are diurnal tree dwellers who often stay in the upper canopy. They move four-legged or swinging swinging through the branches and are quick and dexterous, they use the prehensile tail as a fifth limb when moving. They live in groups that split up into smaller subgroups during their daily foraging. Their diet consists mainly of fruits, to a small extent they also eat other parts of the plant.
Danger
The main threats to the white-cheeked spider monkey are habitat destruction and hunting for their meat. Over the past 45 years, the total population has declined by more than 50%, the IUCN lists the type so called "high risk" ( endangered ).
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
- Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .