Golden-bellied capuchin [1] | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Primates |
Suborder: | Haplorhini |
Infraorder: | Simiiformes |
Family: | Cebidae |
Genus: | Sapajus |
Species: | S. xanthosternos |
Binomial name | |
Sapajus xanthosternos Wied-Neuwied, 1826 | |
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Geographic range | |
Synonyms | |
Cebus xanthosternos |
The golden-bellied capuchin (Sapajus xanthosternos), also known as the yellow-breasted or buff-headed capuchin, is a species of New World or neotropical monkey. It lives mainly in trees and are omnivorous, eating a wide variety of both plant and animals as food. Golden-bellied capuchin normal home range is in the Atlantic forest of Brazil and it is critically endangered due to forest fragmentation and habitat loss mainly due to agriculture, there are currently efforts to protect them by the local government.
Although there are differences between individuals as well as between the sexes and across age groups, S. xanthosternos is described as having a distinctive yellow to golden red chest, belly and upper arms. [3] Its face is a light brown and its cap for which the capuchins were first named is a dark brown/black or light brown. Formerly thought to be a subspecies of tufted capuchin (S. apella), it was elevated to the status of species. [3] [4] Despite this previous classification, S. xanthosternos does not have very evident tufts, as they are oriented towards the rear of the skull and are hardly noticeable. A band of short hair around the upper part of the face with speckled colouring contrasts with the darker surrounding areas. The limbs and tail are also darkly coloured.
Capuchins males stand around 40 cm (16 in) tall weighing an average of 4 kg (8.8 lb). Females are 37 cm (15 in) tall at round 2.5 kg (5.5 lb). Their prehensile tails are about the same length as their bodies and is helpful for swinging and climbing through the canopy. Capuchins have opposable big toes and long fingers assisting with climbing as well.
Capuchins life span is around 15–25 years when living in the wild. They can live much longer in captivity to about 50 years. [5]
Capuchins falling under the genus of Sapajus and Cebus are believed to have a common ancestor originating in the Atlantic forest. Primates under the genus Sapajus then continued to live and occupy the Atlantic forest evolving into the species we know today such as Sapajus xanthosternos. [6]
Populations of S. xanthosternos are restricted to the Atlantic forest of south-eastern Bahia, Brazil, due possibly to high degrees of interference from humans. Historically they probably would have inhabited the entire area east of, and north to, the Rio São Francisco. [7]
The largest continuous area of forest in its known range, the Una Biological Reserve in Bahia, is estimated to contain a population of 185 individuals. [8] As of 2004, there were 85 individuals in zoos and breeding facilities in Europe and Brazil. [8]
The native biome of S. xanthosternos, the Atlantic forest of Brazil, is heavily fragmented with the majority of remaining forest fragment smaller than 50 hectares. Some of the remaining forests are maintained due to the presence of agroforests called cabrucas. The presence of these agroforests provide a habitat for local flora and fauna including S. xanthosternos. The remaining forest fragments tend to be surrounded by human activity such as farms, this is both beneficial and detrimental to the capuchins since they are able to raid crops to supplement their diet. This behavior, however, may lead to more confrontation and hunting by humans. [9]
The ideal size of a forest fragment in order to properly sustain a population of S. xanthosternos is deemed to be larger than a range of approximately 400 to 700 hectares depending on local conditions, with currently approximately 2% of forest fragments being over 400 hectares this poses an issue for conservation. [10]
Capuchins are arboreal, living mainly in trees. [11]
Capuchins live in groups consisting of about 3-30 individuals with a hierarchy determining their social status. There is usually an equal number of males to females living together with a male and female alpha. The rest of the individuals are lower in rank. The alpha male will defend his territory if approached by another group. Capuchins spend much of their time grooming each other as a means of socialization with the alpha getting the most attention. They often participate in “urine washing” by covering themselves in their own urine to mark their territory. This scent will travel with them.
Capuchins communicate making short and frequent yipping whines similar to a newborn pup. When in danger, they emit a two-toned clunking noise. Many of the noises Capuchins make are similar to bird sounds. They also communicate through chemical signals to express territory boundaries as well as during mating rituals. [5]
S. xanthosternos will use forest areas with more cover and protection from predators, even if it means avoiding areas of high food availability. There are also behavioral differences when the capuchins are within different types of forest, such as being more spread out in the capruca while staying lower in the canopy and closer together in secondary forests. Capuchins will change strategies in order to reduce the risk that they perceive within their habitats. [12]
Their coloration makes them camouflage into their habitat making them more difficult to spot by a predator. When capuchins are on the ground or near water, they can fall prey to predators such as snakes, large raptors, crocodiles, or large carnivorous mammals. The larger the group, the less chance they have of becoming prey due to a higher number of vigilant individuals. If a predator is spotted, the Capuchin will alert the others using their alarm call. Capuchins have acute olfactory senses helping them to distinguish scent marks left behind by other groups.
Hunting is a major threat to S. xanthosternos and its ability to have populations survive long-term in forest fragments. Hunting is especially problematic in areas close to human activity such as agroforests (cabrucas) and farmland. [10] [12] There is an elevated perceived risk of predation in the capuchins behavior when it is in an area of forest that give a greater advantage to predators, such as reduced canopy coverage in cabruca and in areas that transition from other forest types to a cabruca. [12]
Golden-bellied capuchins feed on both plant and animal origins making them omnivores. They mostly feed on plants such as fruits, seeds, flowers, nuts, leaves and stems, and nectar. They also eat insects, bird eggs, frogs, small reptiles, birds, bats, or other small mammals. Capuchins residing near marine areas will feed on oysters, crabs or other shellfish. Sapajus xanthosternos has been known to hunt and eat various small lizards, sometimes ripping limbs off of the lizards before consuming them. [13]
Capuchins can mate year-round but females will give birth every two years. A female's gestation period is 150–180 days and give birth to one infant. Newborns are 100% reliant on their mothers for their first year of life and become independent around 6–12 months. Female Capuchins reach maturity around 4–5 years old and start mating and giving birth at 7–8 years old. Males reach maturity and are fertile around 6–8 years. [7]
Capuchins mate with more than one partner making them polygynandrous. The alpha-male of the group always has first choice of which female will be his mate. The other males of the group are also sexually active but the alpha has the most reproductive success. The alpha-male is most desired by the females as he will provide the most protection to his young. Unique mating rituals occur in order for the female to attract a male. She will first raise her eyebrows and move her head back and forth. She will touch him and runaway while murmuring noises. The male will make eye contact with her and also make noises. They perform a dance just before mating by jumping and spinning in the air. Just after mating, they will continue the dance for several seconds. [11]
The Capuchin is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as critically endangered. [2] The population of the Capuchin within the last 50 years has declined over 50%. Any remaining habitats are protected including the largest place called Una Biological Reserve in Bahia, Brazil, home to about 185 Capuchin.
Capuchins are endemic to Brazil's rainforests which are in danger of deforestation for agriculture and logging. This is causing fragmentation of the forests threatening their habitat. Groups of Capuchins are being separated from one another causing interbreeding which results in biodiversity loss ultimately causing an extinction vortex. Capuchins are also in danger of being hunted.
Capuchins are regularly captured in order to be sold in the illegal pet trade. [12] In relation to species conservation it has been noted that the capture of a female creates a negative impact on a group's ability to survive than if a male is captured. Infants may also be sold into the pet trade, however this can be seen as a byproduct of hunting the mothers. [10]
There is an effort in place by the Brazilian National Action Plan for the Conservation of the Northeastern Primates to protect a number of endangered primate species including S. xanthosternos. [10]
The Cebidae are one of the five families of New World monkeys now recognised. Extant members are the capuchin and squirrel monkeys. These species are found throughout tropical and subtropical South and Central America.
The golden lion tamarin, also known as the golden marmoset, is a small New World monkey of the family Callitrichidae. Endemic to the Atlantic coastal forests of Brazil, the golden lion tamarin is an endangered species. The range for wild individuals is spread across four places along southeastern Brazil, with a recent census estimating 3,200 individuals left in the wild and a captive population maintaining about 490 individuals among 150 zoos.
The Panamanian white-faced capuchin, also known as the Panamanian white-headed capuchin or Central American white-faced capuchin, is a medium-sized New World monkey of the family Cebidae, subfamily Cebinae. Native to the forests of Central America, the white-faced capuchin is important to rainforest ecology for its role in dispersing seeds and pollen.
The capuchin monkeys are New World monkeys of the subfamily Cebinae. They are readily identified as the "organ grinder" monkey, and have been used in many movies and television shows. The range of capuchin monkeys includes some tropical forests in Central America and South America as far south as northern Argentina. In Central America, where they are called white-faced monkeys ("carablanca"), they usually occupy the wet lowland forests on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and Panama and deciduous dry forest on the Pacific coast.
The tufted capuchin, also known as brown capuchin, black-capped capuchin, or pin monkey, is a New World primate from South America and the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Margarita. As traditionally defined, it is one of the most widespread primates in the Neotropics, but it has recently been recommended considering the black-striped, black and golden-bellied capuchins as separate species in a new genus, thereby effectively limiting the tufted capuchin to the Amazon basin and nearby regions. However, the large-headed capuchin (S. a. macrocephalus), previously defined as a distinct species, has been reclassified as a subspecies of the tufted capuchin, expanding its range east to Peru and Ecuador and south to Bolivia.
White-fronted capuchin can refer to any of a number of species of gracile capuchin monkey which used to be considered as the single species Cebus albifrons. White-fronted capuchins are found in seven different countries in South America: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The golden-headed lion tamarin, also the golden-headed tamarin, is a lion tamarin endemic to Brazil. It is found only in the lowland and premontane tropical forest fragments in the state of Bahia, and therefore is considered to be an endangered species. It lives at heights of 3–10 metres (9.8–32.8 ft). Its preferred habitat is within mature forest, but with habitat destruction this is not always the case. Several sources seem to have different information on the number of individuals within a group, and the type of social system that may be apparent. The golden-headed lion tamarin lives within group sizes ranging from 2 to 11 individuals, with the average size ranging from 4 to 7. According to various sources, the group may consist of two adult males, one adult female, and any immature individuals, one male and one female and any immature individuals, or there may be one producing pair and a varying number of other group members, usually offspring from previous generations. There is not much known on its mating system, but according to different sources, and information on the possible social groups, it can be assumed that some may practice monogamous mating systems, and some may practice polyandrous mating systems. Both males and females invest energy in caring for the young, and all members of the group also help with juvenile care.
The Kaapori capuchin, also known as the Ka'apor capuchin, is a species of frugivorous, gracile capuchin endemic to the Brazilian Amazon. Their geographical home range is relatively small and is within the most densely populated region of the Amazon. With the strong human presence nearby,C. kaapori has had to deal with very large amounts of disturbances to their habitat and is one of the most endangered of the neotropical primates.
The black capuchin, also known as the black-horned capuchin, is a capuchin monkey from the Atlantic Forest in south-eastern Brazil and far north-eastern Argentina. Historically, it was included as a subspecies of the tufted capuchin.
The black-striped capuchin, also known as the bearded capuchin, is a New World monkey in the family Cebidae. They can be found in northern and central Brazil. These capuchins mostly live in dry forests, and savannah landscapes between the Rio Araguaia and the Rio Grande. Known for its tool use, the black-stiped capuchin has been shown to use tools in a wide variety of situations, ranging from using rocks for nut cracking to using sticks for digging. They were, until recently, considered a subspecies of the tufted capuchin, but because of more research and insights, they are considered their own species by many.
Barbara Brown's titi monkey, also popularly known as the blond titi monkey or northern Bahian blond titi, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey. This critically endangered species is endemic to the Caatinga in northeastern Brazil, and it is estimated that less than 250 mature individuals remain. It is named after the zoologist Barbara Elaine Russell Brown.
The blond capuchin is a species of capuchin monkey endemic to northeastern Brazil. This endangered species was rediscovered in 2006. It can live in exceptionally large groups of over 150 individuals, and like other capuchin species, exhibits a complex and high level of sociality. It is threatened by loss of habitat due to agriculture, primarily sugarcane fields. In many cases this has caused sugarcane to make up a large portion of their diet, which would otherwise consist of mostly fruit and small animals. The blond capuchin is known to inhabit both the Atlantic forest and Caatinga biomes, although the habitation of the Caatinga may be a recent choice caused by human encroachment into its former habitats. Like other primate species, the blond capuchin is also threatened by poaching and capture for the illegal pet trade.
The northern brown howler is the type subspecies of the brown howler, native to Brazil. It is listed as critically endangered, with fewer than 250 individuals restricted to the vicinity of the Jequitinhonha River. The species feeds on fruits, flowers, and by preference immature leaves which are easier to digest than mature leaves; foraging for these foods in hillside habitats was shown to require more energy expenditure than in valley habitats.
The Ecuadorian capuchin, or Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey of the family Cebidae. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the white-fronted capuchin . Mittermeier and Rylands elevated it to a separate species in 2013. The primary physical distinction between C. albifrons and C. aequatorialis is their coloration. Due to low density and distribution researchers have not been able to make a confident molecular genetic assessment of the C. aequatorialis population, but assign it species status based on geographical isolation, morphological characteristics, and the phylogenetic species concept. The location range of the Ecuadorian Capuchin is from Western lowland Ecuador to North West Peru. The conservation status of the Ecuadorian Capuchin was originally near threatened but was revised in 2008 by the IUCN to critically endangered due to the population's rapid decline. Anthropogenic factors such as habitat fragmentation from rapid deforestation, creation of agricultural lands, and persecution from farmers are to blame for the species' critically endangered status.
Robust capuchin monkeys are capuchin monkeys in the genus Sapajus. Formerly, all capuchin monkeys were placed in the genus Cebus. Sapajus was erected in 2012 by Jessica Lynch Alfaro et al. to differentiate the robust (tufted) capuchin monkeys from the gracile capuchin monkeys, which remain in Cebus.
Gracile capuchin monkeys are capuchin monkeys in the genus Cebus. At one time all capuchin monkeys were included within the genus Cebus. In 2011, Jessica Lynch Alfaro et al. proposed splitting the genus between the robust capuchin monkeys, such as the tufted capuchin, and the gracile capuchins. The gracile capuchins retain the genus name Cebus, while the robust species have been transferred to Sapajus.
The crested capuchin or robust tufted capuchin is a species of robust capuchin monkey. It is endemic to Brazil. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the black capuchin but is now considered by some to be a separate species.
Azaras's capuchin or hooded capuchin is a species of robust capuchin. It occurs in eastern Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia, northern Argentina, and Brazil, at Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso states, in Pantanal. Its habitat consists of subtropical, humid, semi-deciduous, gallery forests and forested regions of the Pantanals. Formerly, it was considered a subspecies of black-striped capuchin, according to Groves (2005) with the name Cebus libidinosus paraguayanus, but Silva Jr. (2001) considered it a separated species. They are considered as frugivores-insectivores which means that their diet mainly consists of a variety of fruits, seeds, arthropods, frogs, small mammals, etc.
Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey. It is found in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, and potentially the island of Trinidad.
The Margarita Island capuchin, also known as the tufted Margarita Island capuchin or mono de margarita is a subspecies of the tufted capuchin that only resides in the Caribbean Sea on Margarita Island, Venezuela.