Spider monkey is a New World monkey belonging to the genus Ateles , part of the Atelinae subfamily, the Atelidae family. Like other atelines, they are found in tropical forests in Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil. The genus contains seven species, all of which are under threat; black-headed spider monkeys and brown spider monkeys are highly endangered.
Disproportionate long limbs and long bending tails make them one of the largest New World monkeys and give rise to their common names. Spider monkeys live in the upper layers of the rainforest, and feed on the tall canopy, from 25 to 30 m (82 to 98 feet). They mainly eat fruit, but sometimes also consume leaves, flowers, and insects. Due to its large size, spider apes need a lot of wet green forests, and prefer uninterrupted primary rain forest. They are social animals and live in bands of up to 35 individuals but will split up for foraging in the daytime.
Recent meta-analyzes of primate cognition studies indicate that spider monkeys are the most intelligent New World monkeys. They can produce various sounds and will "bark" when threatened; Other vocalizations include a horse-like whimper and a prolonged shout.
They are an important food source because of their large size, so much hunted by the local human population; they are also threatened by habitat destruction due to logging and clearing. Spider apes are susceptible to malaria and are used in laboratory studies of the disease. The population trends of spider monkeys decreased; The IUCN Red List lists one species as vulnerable, four species as endangered and two species as endangered.
Video Spider monkey
History of evolution
Many theories about the evolution of atelines; one theory is that they are most closely related to wool spider monkeys (Brachyteles), and most likely separate from furry monkeys like ( Lagothrix and Oreonax >) in the lowland forests of South America, to develop their unique locomotive systems. This theory is not supported by fossil evidence. Other theories include Brachyteles , Lagothrix and Ateles in an unresolved trichotomy, and two clades, consisting of Ateles and Lagothrix and others Alouatta and Brachyteles. More recent molecular evidence suggests the middle-to-late Miocene Atelinae split, which separates spider monkeys from woolly spider monkeys and wool monkeys.
Taxonomic classification
The genus name Ateles comes from the ancient Greek word ??????? ( atÃÆ' Â © leia ), which means "incomplete, imperfect", refers to the mother spider or absent spider monkeys.
The genus contains seven species, and seven subspecies.
- Atelidae Family
- Subfamily Alouattinae: howler monkeys
- Atelinae Subfamily
- Genus Ateles : spider monkeys
- A red-faced spider monkey, Ateles paniscus
- Spider monkey white spider, Ateles belzebuth
- Peruvian spider monkeys, Ateles chamek
- The brown spider monkey, Ateles hybridus
- White cheek spider monkey, Ateles marginatus
- Black-headed monkey spider, Ateles fusciceps
- The brown-headed spider, Ateles fusciceps fusiciceps
- Colombian spider monkeys, Ateles fusciceps rufiventris
- Geoffroy spider monkeys, Ateles geoffroyi
- Hooded spider monkeys Ateles geoffroyi grisescens
- the Yucatan spider monkey, Ateles geoffroyi yucatanensis
- the spider monkey of Mexico, Ateles geoffroyi vellerosus
- The Nicaraguan spider monkey, Ateles geoffroyi geoffroyi
- Ornate spider monkey, Ateles geoffroyi ornatus
- Genus Brachyteles : muriquis (furry spider monkey)
- Genus Lagothrix : furry monkeys
- The genus Oreonax : yellow-tailed wool monkey
- Genus Ateles : spider monkeys
Maps Spider monkey
Anatomy and physiology
Spider monkeys include the largest New World monkeys; the black-headed spider monkey, the largest spider monkey, weighs an average of 11 kilograms (24 pounds) for men and 9.66 kg (21.3 pounds) for women. Disproportionate and long limbs, inspired the common name of the monkey spider. Their deft tails, which can reach up to 89 centimeters long, have very flexible hairy ends and no hair, and skin dents that are similar to fingerprints. This adaptation to their tight lifestyle in arboreal serves as the fifth hand. When the monkey walked, his arm was practically dragged on the ground. Unlike many monkeys, they do not use their arms for balance when walking, instead of relying on their tails. The hands are long, narrow and hook-like, and have a thumb or no thumb. His fingers elongated and repeated.
Their hair is rough, ranging in color from reddish to brown and black, or white in a rare amount of specimens. Hands and feet are usually black. Small head with a hairless face. Her nostrils are very far apart, which is typical of spider monkeys.
The spider apes are very agile, and they are said to be second only to the gibbons in this case. They have been seen in the wild jumping from tree to tree.
Female spider monkeys have a specially developed clitoris; may be referred to as a fake penis because it has an inner part, or urethra, which makes it almost identical to the penis, and retains and distributes urine droplets when the female moves. The urine is emptied at the base of the clitoris, and collects in the skin folds on both sides of the groove in the perineum. South American spider monkey researchers and observers look for the scrotum to determine the sex of the animal because the female spider monkey has a pendulous clitoris and a long erection to be mistaken for a penis; Researchers can also determine the sex of animals by identifying the glands that mark the fragrance that may exist in the clitoris.
Behavior
Spider monkeys form loose groups, usually with 15 to 25 individuals, but sometimes up to 30 or 40. By day, groups break down into subgroups of two to eight animals. The size of subgroups and levels they avoid each other during the day depend on food competition and risk of predation. The average subgroup size is between 2 and 8 but can sometimes be up to 17 animals. Also less common in primates, women than men spread during puberty to join a new group. Men tend to stay together for their entire lives. Therefore, men in the group are more likely to be related and have closer ties than women. The strongest social bonds are formed between women and their children.
Spider monkeys communicate their intentions and observations using postures and attitudes, such as sexual acceptance postures and attacks. When a spider monkey sees a man approaching, he barks aloud like a dog. When a monkey is approached, he rises to the end of the branch of the tree and shakes it firmly to frighten possible threats. It shakes the branch with legs, hands, or combinations as it hangs from its tail. It can also scratch his limbs or body with various parts of his hands and feet. The sitting monkeys can sway and make noise. Men and occasionally grown women threaten the human approach. If pursuers continue to advance, monkeys often break the live tree members or die weighing up to 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) and drop them toward the intruders. They do not really throw a limb, but twist to cause the branch to fall closer to the threat. The monkey also defecates and urinates in the direction of the intruder.
The spider apes are diurnal and spend the night sleeping in carefully selected trees. The group is considered to be directed by the main woman, who is responsible for planning an efficient meal route every day. Caring is not so important for social interaction, perhaps because of lack of thumbs up.
Spider monkeys have been observed avoiding the canopy over the tree for movers. One of the researchers speculated this was because the thin branch at the top of the tree did not support the monkeys as well.
At 107 grams (3.8 oz), the spider monkey's brain is twice the size of a howler monkey's brain with an equivalent body size; It is considered to be the result of the complex social system of spider monkeys and their diet, consisting mostly of ripe fruit from different types of plants (over 150 species). This requires monkeys to remember when and where fruit can be found. Slow development can also play a role: monkeys can live from 20 to 27 years or more, and females give birth every 17 to 45 months. Gummy, probably the oldest spider monkey living in captivity, is thought to have been born wild in 1962 and is currently at the Fort Rickey Childrens Discovery Zoo located in Rome, NY.
Diet
Spider monkey food consists of about 70 to 85 percent of fruits and nuts. They can live long only on one or two kinds of fruits and nuts. They eat the fruits of many large forest trees, and because they swallow whole fruit, the seeds are finally removed and fertilized by impurities. Studies show the spider monkey diet changes their reproductive, social, and physical patterns of behavior. Most meals occur from dawn to 10 am. After that, adults rest while playing young. Throughout the day, they rarely feed until about 10 pm. If food is scarce, they can eat insects, leaves, bird eggs, bark and honey.
Spider monkeys have a unique way of getting food: female leaders are generally responsible for finding food sources. If he can not find enough food for the group, he is divided into small groups that feed separately. The travel group has four to nine animals. Each group is closely related to its territory. If the group is large, it spreads.
Reproduction
Women choose men from her group to marry. Both men and women use "anogenital inhalation" to check their partner for readiness for copulation. The period of pregnancy ranges from 226 to 232 days. Every woman on average gives birth to one offspring, every three to four years.
Until the age of six to ten months, babies depend entirely on their mothers. Men are not involved in raising their children.
A mother takes her baby around her stomach for the first month after birth. After this, he took it on his lower back. The baby wraps its tail around its mother and closely reaches for the center of her body. Mothers are very protective of their children and are generally caring mothers. They are seen holding their children and protecting them from behind to help them navigate from tree to tree. They help the more independent youth to cross by pulling the branches closer. Mothers also took care of their children.
The male monkey spider is one of the few primates that do not have baculum.
In Mesoamerican culture
Spider monkeys are found in many aspects of Mesoamerican culture. In the Aztec 260 day calendar, Spider Monkey (Nahua Ozomatli ) functions as a name for the 11th day. In the appropriate Mayan calendar, Howler Monkey (Batz) is replaced for Spider Monkey. In today's Mayan religious festival, imitators of spider monkeys function as a sort of devil's clown. In Classical Maya art, they are everywhere, often displayed with cocoa fruit.
References
External links
- Black Spider Monkey (Ateles paniscus)
- Primata Net Info Ateles Factsheets
- Monkey Spider Image
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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