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Squirrel Monkey are small New World
monkeys. Squirrel monkeys are members
of the same family as marmosets,
tamarins and capuchin monkeys.
Squirrel Monkey Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primate
Family: Cebidae
Genus: Saimiri
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Squirrel Monkey in Foreign
Languages:
Dutch: doodshoofdaapje
Finnish: saimiri
German: Totenkopfaffchen
Navajo: magiltsooi
binaazhini
Spanish: mono ardilla
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Species: Squirrel monkeys
are divided into a number of species
and sub-species.
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Squirrel
Monkey species include:
Central
American Squirrel Monkey
- Saimiri Oerstedii
Black-crowned Central American
Squirrel Monkey - Saimiri
Oerstedii Oerstedii
Grey-crowned Central American
Squirrel Monkey - Saimiri
Oerstedii Citrinellus
Common Squirrel Monkey
- Saimiri Sciureus
Humboldt's Squirrel Monkey
- Saimiri Sciureus Cassiquiarensis
Ecuadorian Squirrel Monkey
- Saimiri Sciureus Macrodon
Bare-eared Squirrel Monkey
- Saimiri Ustus
Black-capped Squirrel Monkey
- Saimiri Boliviensis Bolivian
Squirrel Monkey - Saimiri
Boliviensis Boliviensis
Peruvian Squirrel Monkey
- Saimiri Boliviensis Peruviensis
Black Squirrel Monkey -
Saimiri Vanzolini
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Size: Squirrel monkeys are
one of the smallest New World monkey
species. Squirrel monkeys are 9.8
to 14 inches in length and weigh
1.7 to 2.4 lbs., there tails are
13.8 to 15.5 inches long. Male squirrel
monkeys are larger than their female
coutnerparts.
Habitat: Squirrel monkeys
reside in the tropical forests of
Central and South America. Squirrel
monkeys are typically found in the
primary and secondary forest, near
rivers, mangroves and swamps. Squirrel
are most common in Panama and Costa
Rica.
Description: Squirrel monkeys
have a grayish-green coat with patches
of yellow. Squirrel monkeys have
a white face with black nose and
mouth, and a long nonprehensile
tail.
Behavior: Squirrel monkeys
are diurnal and arboreal, spending
the majority of their time in the
trees. Squirrel monkeys mark their
territory with urine.
Diet: Squirrel monkeys primarily
subsist on a diet of fruit and insects
but will also eat seeds, leaves,
flowers, buds, nuts, eggs and small
vertebrates.
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Communication: Squirrel
monkeys use vocalizations
to communicate.
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Did
You Know?
Squirrel Monkey
are thought to be
one of the most intelligent
primate species, it
has the largest brain
to body mass ratio
of all the monkey
species in the world.
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Gestation: Squirrel monkeys
carry their young for approximately
150-170 days.
Birth: Baby squirrel monkeys
cling to their mother's back for
the first several weeks after birth.
Female squirrel monkeys are solely
reponsible for the care of the young.
Sexually Mature: Female
squirrel monkeys sexually mature
around tage of 2.5-3. Male squirrel
monkeys sexually mature around the
age of 5.
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Life Span: Squirrel
monkeys live approximately
15-20 years in the wild. Birds
of prey and snakes are natural
predators of the squirrel
monkey. Squirrel monkeys can
live up to 30 years in captivity.
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Did
You Know?
A squirrel monkey
named Baker was
a part of the US
space program. Baker
was sent into space,
and safely returned
to earth.
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Social Structure: Squirrel
monkeys are social and spend time
in troops of 30-50 members. A squirrel
monkey troop can consist of a number
of sub-groups of monkeys. and the
troops numbers can sometimes swell
to as many as a couple hundred members.
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