Field Guide No. 01

About Monkeys

Monkeys are members of the primate order, split across two lineages found on opposite sides of the Atlantic. There are approximately 264 known species — almost all tropical or subtropical, and most of them arboreal.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorrhini

Natural History

Old World & New World

Olive baboon sitting on a termite mound on the African savanna — Old World
Africa · Asia

Nostrils close together and facing down. No prehensile tail. Cheek pouches. Usually one offspring per birth.

Spider monkey hanging from a rainforest branch by its long arms and tail — New World
Central & South America

Flat nose with nostrils set wide apart. Prehensile tail in many species. No cheek pouches. Often more than one offspring per birth.

Size

The smallest monkey is the pygmy marmoset, 4.6 to 6 inches long and weighing 3 to 5 ounces. The largest is the mandrill, which can reach 3 feet in height and up to 80 pounds.

Habitat

Old World monkeys range across rainforests, islands, steppes, mountains and savannas. New World monkeys favor tropical rainforest and scrubland, apart from high-altitude regions.

Behavior

Most monkeys are arboreal, though some species, including macaques and baboons, are largely terrestrial. Adaptations vary widely by habitat.

Diet

Diet depends on species, but commonly includes fruit, grass, leaves, eggs, insects and spiders.

Life Cycle & Society

Birth: Helpless at birth
Sexually Mature: 18 months – 8 years
Life Span: 10–50 years
Social Structure: Live in troops

Groups of monkeys are called troops. Monkeys are highly social, and grooming one another serves double duty — keeping fur free of dirt and parasites while reinforcing social bonds. Monkeys communicate through vocalizations, facial expressions and body movements, tuned to their social structure and habitat. Listen to monkey sounds.

Monkey, in other languages

FrenchGuenon
GermanAffe
SpanishMono
ItalianScimmia
PortugueseMacaco
DutchAap
SwedishApa
PolishMalpa
TurkishMaymun
SwahiliTumbili
WelshMwnci
IndonesianMonyet
FinnishApina
HungarianMajom
IcelandicApi
AfrikaansAap