Ateles in Costa Rica

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Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffreyi) in Costa Rica

The spider monkey Ateles Geoffreyi in Costa Rica

Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), also known as the black-handed spider monkey, is a New World Monkey (primate suborder Strepsirrhini) which lives in southern Mexico, across Central America, and possibly also in Colombia, representing at least five subspecies. The spider monkey belongs to the Atelidae family, which also contains woolly monkeys, muriquis, and howler monkeys.

Ateles geoffroyi is one of the largest New World monkeys, weighing up to 9 kg (20 lb). Its body is between 30 and 63 cm long, and tail is between 63 and 85 cm. Males and females are approximately the same size. Its arms are significantly longer than its legs, and its prehensile tail can support the entire weight of the monkey and is used as an extra limb. Its hands have only a vestigial thumb, but its long, strong, hook-like fingers allow it to swing by its arms between tree branches. The genus name Ateles means "imperfect", a reference to the vestigial thumb. The species name geoffroyi is in honor of French naturalist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.
Geoffroy's spider monkey lives in group of 20 -40 members. Its diet consists primarily of ripe fruit, comprising 70% to 80% of its food, with leaves making up most of the rest of its diet. It requires large tracts of forest to survive, with home ranges for some groups up to 900 hectares or more. Although they do not use tools, spider monkeys are regarded among the most intelligent primates, behind only orangutans and chimpanzees, and ahead of gorillas and all other monkeys.This mental capacity may result from the need to identify and memorize many different types of foods and their locations across large areas of forest (Byrne and Whitten 1988).
References:
Byrne, R. and A Whiten 1988. Machiavellian intelligence: social expertise and the evolution of intellect in monkeys, apes, and humans. Oxford University Press
Rosenberger, A., L. Halenar, S. Cooke, and W. Hartwig 2008. Morphology and evolution of the spider monkey, genus Ateles. In Campbell, C. (ed.). Spider Monkeys. Cambridge University Press. .

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Copyright © 1996-2020 Rust Family Foundation (All Rights Reserved).

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	Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffreyi) in Costa Rica The spider monkey Ateles Geoffreyi in Costa Rica

	Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), also known as the black-handed spider monkey, is a New World Monkey (primate suborder Strepsirrhini) which lives in southern Mexico, across Central America, and possibly also in Colombia, representing at least five subspecies. The spider monkey belongs to the Atelidae family, which also contains woolly monkeys, muriquis, and howler monkeys. Ateles geoffroyi is one of the largest New World monkeys, weighing up to 9 kg (20 lb). Its body is between 30 and 63 cm long, and tail is between 63 and 85 cm. Males and females are approximately the same size. Its arms are significantly longer than its legs, and its prehensile tail can support the entire weight of the monkey and is used as an extra limb. Its hands have only a vestigial thumb, but its long, strong, hook-like fingers allow it to swing by its arms between tree branches. The genus name Ateles means "imperfect", a reference to the vestigial thumb. The species name geoffroyi is in honor of French naturalist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. Geoffroy's spider monkey lives in group of 20 -40 members. Its diet consists primarily of ripe fruit, comprising 70% to 80% of its food, with leaves making up most of the rest of its diet. It requires large tracts of forest to survive, with home ranges for some groups up to 900 hectares or more. Although they do not use tools, spider monkeys are regarded among the most intelligent primates, behind only orangutans and chimpanzees, and ahead of gorillas and all other monkeys.This mental capacity may result from the need to identify and memorize many different types of foods and their locations across large areas of forest (Byrne and Whitten 1988). References: Byrne, R. and A Whiten 1988. Machiavellian intelligence: social expertise and the evolution of intellect in monkeys, apes, and humans. Oxford University Press Rosenberger, A., L. Halenar, S. Cooke, and W. Hartwig 2008. Morphology and evolution of the spider monkey, genus Ateles. In Campbell, C. (ed.). Spider Monkeys. Cambridge University Press. .
	Athena Review Image Archive™ Main index of Athena Review Copyright © 1996-2020 Rust Family Foundation (All Rights Reserved).

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Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffreyi) in Costa Rica

The spider monkey Ateles Geoffreyi in Costa Rica

References:

Byrne, R. and A Whiten 1988. Machiavellian intelligence: social expertise and the evolution of intellect in monkeys, apes, and humans. Oxford University Press

Rosenberger, A., L. Halenar, S. Cooke, and W. Hartwig 2008. Morphology and evolution of the spider monkey, genus Ateles. In Campbell, C. (ed.). Spider Monkeys. Cambridge University Press. .

Athena Review Image Archive ^™