Who are monkeys: learn about some species (with images)

Monkeys are mammalian animals classified in the order of Primates, however, primates are divided into two suborders: Strepsirrhini and Haplorrhini.

Strepsirrhini: lemurs, lorises and galagos;
Haplorrhini: divided into Tarsiiforme (Tarsus) and Simiiforme (the Catarrhini It is Platyrrhini).

Animals known as monkeys are in the group (parvordem) Platyrrhini It is Catarrhini (some).

To make it easier, to be considered a monkey you need to have tail (tail). Therefore, gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos no They are monkeys, but rather, Hominoids.

Characteristics of monkeys

We can say that all the monkeys they are primates, but Not every primate is a monkey. True monkeys are the tailed primates of:

New World (Americas): the Platyrrhini;
Old World (Asia, Africa, Europe, etc.): the Catarrhini.

Platyrrhini

New World monkeys have separate nostrils positioned to the sides, a flat snout, and a relatively long tail compared to their body. They have three pairs of premolar teeth, one more than the Catarrhini.

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They are quadrupeds, but sometimes walk on two legs (optional bipedalism). They live in trees (arboreal habit) and are found in tropical forests on the American continent.

Bald monkey (*Cacajao calvus*): species of New World Monkey (*Platyrrhini*)

The animals in this group are subdivided into 5 families. In general, they feed on leaves, flowers, fruits, insects and small vertebrates. They may have a prehensile tail, that is, some representatives can hang by their tail, others cannot.

Catarrhini

Old World monkeys are the most numerous in the world. They are found in Asia, Europe and Africa. They have nostrils close together and facing downwards, they feed on fruits, flowers, leaves, seeds, insects, birds, reptiles and small mammals.

Golden Langur (*Trachypithecus geei*): species of Old World Monkey (*Catarrhini*)

They have 32 teeth, sometimes facial pouches, to reserve food, a tail, when present, is short and never prehensile. Muzzle more or less straight and ischial calluses (calluses between the anus).

Catarrhini live in open places, such as savannas or savannas, as well as tropical forests and mountains. The true monkeys in this group are from the Cercopithecidae family.