Pitheciinae is a subfamily of the

New World monkey New World monkeys are the five families of primates that are found in the tropical regions of Mexico, Central and South America: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, and Atelidae. The five families are ranked together as the Ceboid ...

family

Pitheciidae The Pitheciidae () are one of the five families of New World monkeys now recognised. Formerly, they were included in the family Atelidae. The family includes the titis, saki monkeys and uakaris. Most species are native to the Amazon region of B ...

. It contains three genera and 14 species. Pitheciines are forest dwellers from northern and central

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

, east of the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

. They are small to medium-sized

primate Primates are a diverse order (biology), order of mammals. They are divided into the Strepsirrhini, strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the Haplorhini, haplorhines, which include the Tarsiiformes, tarsiers and ...

s, with a stocky build due to their close

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other cuticle, animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have diffe ...

. The skin is covered in shaggy

fur Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket ...

, its coloring varies depending upon species from black to grey and brown up to white. Parts of the face can be bald. The

tail The tail is the section at the rear end of certain kinds of animals’ bodies; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals ...

, which is not used for grasping but for balance, is also hairy, although the

uakari Uakari (, ) is the common name for the New World monkeys of the genus ''Cacajao''. Both the English and scientific names are believed to have originated from indigenous languages. The uakaris are unusual among New World monkeys in that the tail ...

's tail is only a stub. Like most New World monkeys, they are diurnal and

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. The habitats pose num ...

. They are good climbers and spend the majority of their life in the trees. They live in groups ranging in number from small groups (such as with the

saki monkey Sakis, or saki monkeys, are any of several New World monkeys of the genus ''Pithecia''. They are closely related to the bearded sakis of genus ''Chiropotes''. Range Sakis' range includes northern and central South America, extending from the s ...

s ) to as many as 50 animals. They communicate with a set of sounds which typically includes high cries and a nearly bird-like twitter. Pitheciines are generally

omnivore An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nut ...

s, the main part of their diet coming from fruits and insects. This is supplemented by flowers, buds, nuts and small vertebrates. Large canines help them to break through the hard rind of the unripe fruits. Births are typically of single offspring with a gestation time of about 5 to 6 months. They typically reach maturity at approximately 3 to 4 years and can become up to 15 years old.

Classification

* Family

: titis, sakis and uakaris ** Subfamily Pitheciinae *** Genus ''

Pithecia Sakis, or saki monkeys, are any of several New World monkeys of the genus ''Pithecia''. They are closely related to the bearded sakis of genus ''Chiropotes''. Range Sakis' range includes northern and central South America, extending from the s ...

'' **** Equatorial saki, ''Pithecia aequatorialis'' **** White-footed saki or buffy saki , ''Pithecia albicans'' **** Cazuza's saki, ''Pithecia cazuzai'' **** Golden-faced saki, ''Pithecia chrysocephala'' **** Hairy saki, ''Pithecia hirsuta'' **** Burnished saki, ''Pithecia inusta'' **** Rio Tapajós saki or

Gray's bald-faced saki ''Gray's Anatomy'' is a reference book of human anatomy written by Henry Gray, illustrated by Henry Vandyke Carter, and first published in London in 1858. It has gone through multiple revised editions and the current edition, the 42nd (Octobe ...

, ''Pithecia irrorata'' **** Isabel's saki, ''Pithecia isabela'' **** Monk saki, ''Pithecia monachus'' **** Miller's saki, ''Pithecia milleri'' ****

Mittermeier's Tapajós saki Mittermeier's Tapajós saki (''Pithecia mittermeieri'') is a disputed species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey. It is endemic to west-central Brazil. Taxonomy Populations in this species were formerly classified within the Rio Tapaj� ...

, ''Pithecia mittermeieri'' (disputed) **** Napo saki, ''Pithecia napensis'' ****

Pissinatti’s saki Pissinatti's saki or Pissinatti's bald-faced saki (''Pithecia pissinattii'') is a disputed species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey. It is endemic to Brazil. Taxonomy Populations in this species were formerly classified within th ...

, ''Pithecia pissinattii'' (disputed) ****

White-faced saki The white-faced saki (''Pithecia pithecia''), called the Guianan saki and the golden-faced saki, is a species of the New World saki monkey. They can be found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela. This species lives in the und ...

, ''Pithecia pithecia'' **** Rylands' bald-faced saki, ''Pithecia rylandsi'' (disputed) **** Vanzolini's bald-faced saki, ''Pithecia vanzolinii'' *** Genus '' Chiropotes'' ****

Black bearded saki The black bearded saki (''Chiropotes satanas'') is a species of New World monkey, native to the Amazon rainforest of South America, specifically to an area of north-eastern Brazil. It is one of five species of bearded saki. Bearded sakis are ...

, ''Chiropotes satanas'' ****

Red-backed bearded saki The red-backed bearded sakiBonvicino, C. R., Boubli, J. P., Otazú, I. B., Almeida, F. C., Nascimento, F. F., Coura, J. R. and Seuánez, H. N. (2003). ''Morphologic, karyotypic, and molecular evidence of a new form of Chiropotes (primates, pithec ...

, ''Chiropotes chiropotes'' ****

Brown-backed bearded saki The brown-backed bearded saki (''Chiropotes israelita'') is one of five species of bearded saki, a type of New World monkey. It is endemic to the Amazon in north-western Brazil (north of the Rio Negro and west of the Branco River) and southern ...

, ''Chiropotes israelita'' **** Uta Hick's bearded saki, ''Chiropotes utahickae'' **** White-nosed saki, ''Chiropotes albinasus'' *** Genus ''

Cacajao Uakari (, ) is the common name for the New World monkeys of the genus ''Cacajao''. Both the English and scientific names are believed to have originated from indigenous languages. The uakaris are unusual among New World monkeys in that the tail ...

'' ****

Black-headed uakari The golden-backed uakari (''Cacajao melanocephalus'') or black-headed uakari, is a New World primate from the family Pitheciidae. It lives in the Amazon Rainforest, and is found in the countries of Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. It has black ...

, ''Cacajao melanocephalus'' ****

Bald uakari The bald uakari (''Cacajao calvus'') or bald-headed uakari is a small New World monkey characterized by a very short tail; bright, crimson face; a bald head; and long coat. The bald uakari is restricted to várzea forests and other wooded habita ...

, ''Cacajao calvus'' ****

Aracá uakari The Aracá uakari (''Cacajao ayresi''), also known as the Ayres black uakari, is a newly described species of monkey from the northwest Brazilian Amazon. It was found by Jean-Phillipe Boubli of the University of Auckland after following native ...

, ''Cacajao ayresii'' ****

Neblina uakari The Neblina uakari (''Cacajao hosomi'') or black-headed uakari, is a newly described species of monkey from the far northwest Brazilian Amazon and adjacent southern Venezuela. It was found by Jean-Phillipe Boubli of the University of Auckland a ...

, ''Cacajao hosomi'' ** Subfamily

Callicebinae The titis, or titi monkeys, are New World monkeys of the subfamily Callicebinae, which contains three extant genera: ''Cheracebus'', ''Callicebus'', and ''Plecturocebus.'' This subfamily also contains the extinct genera ''Miocallicebus, Homunc ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q268969 Extant Miocene first appearances