Monkey: Difference between revisions

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Monkeys are found in both the "New" and the "Old" World. The name "monkey" is actually a laypersons term for any one of the generally small-bodied primates that do not fall into the classification of prosimian primates or the generaly larger bodied apes. There are two basic types of monkeys - platyrrhines and catarrhines. [[South America|South American]] monkeys are known as platyrrhines and differ substantially from the catarrhines monkeys, having evolved largely in isolation<ref name="Fleagle"/><ref name="Szalay"/>.       
Monkeys are found in both the "New" and the "Old" World. The term "monkey" is actually a laypersons term for any one of the generally small-bodied andoften distantly related primates that do not fall into the classification of prosimian primates or the generaly larger bodied apes. There are two basic types of monkeys - platyrrhines and catarrhines<ref name="Fleagle">{{cite book|title=Primate Adaptation and Evolution|accessdate=|author=J. Fleagle|authorlink= |coauthors= |date=1998 |format= |work= |publisher=Academic Press: New York|pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref><ref name="Szalay">{{cite book |title=Evolutionary History of the Primates|accessdate=|author=F. Szalay and E. Delson|authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2001 |format= |work= |publisher=Academic Press, New York|pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref>.. [[South America|South American]] monkeys are known as platyrrhines and differ substantially from the catarrhines monkeys, having evolved largely in isolation<ref name="Fleagle"/><ref name="Szalay"/>.       


===Platyrrhine monkeys===
===Platyrrhine monkeys===


The name platyrrhine is derived as a descriptive term since South American monkeys have broad, flat noses.  All platyrrhine monkeys are small - the largest is only around 10kg<ref name="Fleagle"/>.  They also exhibit many [[primitive]] dental and skeletal features including having three [[pre-molars]] in each side of their mandible and maxilla thus they have a total of twelve<ref name="Szalay"/>.   
The name platyrrhine is derived as a descriptive term of the monkeys faces, since South American monkeys have broad, flat noses.  All platyrrhine monkeys are small - the largest is only around 10kg<ref name="Fleagle"/>.  They also exhibit many [[primitive]] dental and skeletal features including having three [[pre-molars]] in each side of their mandible and maxilla thus they have a total of twelve<ref name="Szalay"/>.   


All platyrrhines have a [[tail]] of some sort and five [[genera]] have [[prehensile tails]]<ref name="Fleagle"/>, the most well known of these probably being the spider monkey. Interestingly, the spider monkey has no thumb.
All platyrrhines have a [[tail]] of some sort and five [[genera]] have [[prehensile tails]]<ref name="Fleagle"/>, the most well known of these probably being the spider monkey. Interestingly, the spider monkey has no thumb<ref name="Fleagle"/>.


===Catarrhine monkeys===
===Catarrhine monkeys===

Revision as of 07:07, 12 August 2007

Monkeys are found in both the "New" and the "Old" World. The term "monkey" is actually a laypersons term for any one of the generally small-bodied andoften distantly related primates that do not fall into the classification of prosimian primates or the generaly larger bodied apes. There are two basic types of monkeys - platyrrhines and catarrhines[1][2].. South American monkeys are known as platyrrhines and differ substantially from the catarrhines monkeys, having evolved largely in isolation[1][2].

Platyrrhine monkeys

The name platyrrhine is derived as a descriptive term of the monkeys faces, since South American monkeys have broad, flat noses. All platyrrhine monkeys are small - the largest is only around 10kg[1]. They also exhibit many primitive dental and skeletal features including having three pre-molars in each side of their mandible and maxilla thus they have a total of twelve[2].

All platyrrhines have a tail of some sort and five genera have prehensile tails[1], the most well known of these probably being the spider monkey. Interestingly, the spider monkey has no thumb[1].

Catarrhine monkeys

Catarrhines monkeys are "Old World Monkeys" and all fall under the Superfamily Cercopithecidae[2]. They have narrow noses, eight pre-molars and none have prehensile tails[1]. There are two Subfamilies within the Superfamily - Cercopithecinae and Colobinae[2]. There are approximatly sixty species of cercopithicus monkey and about forty species of colobus monkey.

Living species of monkey

INFRAORDER PLATYRHINI
Superfamily Ceboidea
Family Cebidae
Family Callitrichidae
INFRAORDER CATARRHINI
Superfamily Hominoidea
Family Hylobatidae
Family Hominidae
Superfamily Cercopithecoidea
Family Cercopithecidae
Subfamily Cercopithecinae
Subfamily Colobinae

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 J. Fleagle (1998). Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press: New York. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 F. Szalay and E. Delson (2001). Evolutionary History of the Primates. Academic Press, New York. 
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