| Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Haplorhini |
| Infraorder: | Simiiformes |
| Family: | Cebidae |
| Genus: | Cebus |
| Species: | C. albifrons |
| Binomial name | |
| Cebus albifrons | |
| Subspecies | |
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Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin (Cebus albifrons) is a species of gracile capuchin monkey. It is found in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, and potentially the island of Trinidad.
The species name Cebus albifrons was formerly considered to also include several types of white-fronted capuchin monkey which are now regarded as separate species based on genetic studies by Boubli and Lynch Alfaro. [1] [3]
Boubli et al. found in a 2012 study that the capuchins on Trinidad, previously classified as C. albifrons trinitatis, had derived from within C. olivaceus brunneus (or more specifically, the mitochondrial genes of the single Trinidad specimen they sampled derived from brunneus). [4] [3] [5] However, the physical differences amongst Trinidad populations have cast doubt on this categorization. Further complicating this taxonomy is the fact that subsequent morphological inspection of the C. brunneus specimens used for the study found them to be distinct from the actual type specimen of C. brunneus. [6] Due to this controversy, taxonomic authorities take differing views on the Trinidad capuchins; the IUCN Red List classifies them as a distinct, critically endangered species (C. trinitatis), the American Society of Mammalogists recognizes them as conspecific with C. brunneus, and the ITIS considers them a subspecies of the white-fronted capuchin (C. a. trinitatis). [7] [8]
Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin is found in eastern Colombia, southern Venezuela, northern Brazil, and potentially Trinidad. [9] [10] It prefers primary forest but is also found in various types of secondary forest. [9] It tends to prefer moister and less disturbed forest than other capuchin species. [9]
The species has been classified as "least concern" from a conservation standpoint by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. [1] However, the Trinidad subspecies is classified as Critically Endangered, having a population of only 50 mature individuals. [11]
The head and body length of Humboldt's white-fronted capuchins is about 37.5 cm (14.8 in). [9] [10] Tail length for males is about 42.5 cm (16.7 in) and it is between 41 and 46 cm (16 and 18 in) for females. [9] Males weigh about 2.40 kg (5.3 lb) and females weigh about 2.23 kg (4.9 lb). [10] They have grayish brown fur on the back with darker limbs and yellowish brown hands and feet. [9] The front is cream colored. [9] Their face is pink and they have a dark brown wedge-shaped cap which is clearly separated from the lighter forehead. [9] [10]
The diet is varied, including fruits (such as palm nuts and figs), [12] insects, insect larvae, other invertebrates, reptiles such as lizards, birds, bird eggs, small mammals, flowers, nectar, [13] honey, leaves, nuts, palms, stems, seeds and tree frogs. [10] Individuals in Jaú National Park in Brazil have been observed eating Podocnemis turtle eggs by raiding nests on the Igapó floor when the Igapó is not flooded. [10] Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin has been known to rub or bang food items against hard surfaces. [10] It sometimes associates with squirrel monkeys, tufted capuchins, brown woolly monkeys and Venezuelan red howler monkeys. [10] [14] Both the Humboldt's squirrel monkey and the Ecuadorian squirrel monkey live within the range of Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin. [15] Predators include the black-and-white hawk-eagle, the ornate hawk-eagle, the tayra and the harpy eagle. [9]
Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin has a maximum lifespan of about 44 years. [9] [10] It lives in multi-male groups and males form dominance hierarchies. [10] Males participate in caring for and protecting infants. [9] [10] Infants are born at any time of year after a gestation period of between 162 and 180 days. [9] [10]
Thomas Defler studied Humboldt's white-fronted capuchins in El Tuparro National Natural Park. [9] [14] [16] Adult males were tolerant of each other in the group, but were very aggressive towards males of other groups. [16] Defler observed intergroup aggressive behavior, which resulted in one group fleeing towards the central parts of their territory. [16] All members of the group were conscious of and responded to the alpha male's actions. [16] The alpha male protected the rest of the group in the presence of any danger. [16] Other members of the group also sought physical contact with the alpha male when threatening other group members. [16]
Defler observed Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin in the presence of both three-striped night monkeys and Venezuelan red howlers. [14] He observed no direct interaction between the capuchins and night monkeys, other than the night monkeys watching when capuchins passed their nests, although he observed that there was some competition between the two for the fruit of certain Ficus and Plumeriensis trees – the night monkeys would eat the fruit at night and the capuchins would eat fruit from the same tree during the day. [14] In interactions with the red howlers, sometimes the howlers moved away from the capuchins but other times they would eat together in the same tree. [14]
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 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.
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.
White-faced capuchin, or white headed capuchin, can refer to either of two species of gracile capuchin monkey:
The Colombian white-faced capuchin, also known as the Colombian white-headed capuchin or Colombian white-throated capuchin, is a medium-sized New World monkey of the family Cebidae, subfamily Cebinae. It is native to the extreme eastern portion of Panama and the extreme north-western portion of South America in western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador.
The Río Cesar white-fronted capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey from the Río Cesar Valley in northern Colombia. It had previously been considered a subspecies of the white-fronted capuchin. Genetic analysis by Jean Boubli in 2012 revealed that the Río Cesar white-fronted capuchin is actually more closely related to the Colombian white-faced capuchin than it is to C. albifrons. Some authors regard it to be a subspecies of the varied white-fronted capuchin.
The brown weeper capuchin or Venezuelan brown capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey endemic to Venezuela, although some sources also consider it to occur on Trinidad.
The Trinidad white-fronted capuchin is a subspecies or species of gracile capuchin monkey. It is found on the island of Trinidad.
The varied white-fronted capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey from Colombia. It had been classified as a subspecies of the white-fronted capuchin Genetic analysis by Jean Boubli in 2012 revealed it to be a separate species. Some authors regard the Río Cesar white-fronted capuchin to be a subspecies of the varied white-fronted capuchin.
The Santa Marta white-fronted capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey from Colombia. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Cebus albifrons or a synonym of the Colombian white-faced capuchin, but Mittermeier and Rylands elevated it to a species in 2013, following previous work by Rylands, Hershkovitz, Cooper and Hernandez-Camacho. The IUCN follows this taxonomy.
The Sierra de Perijá white-fronted capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey from Colombia and Venezuela. It had formerly been regarded as a subspecies of the Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin but was reclassified by Mittermeier and Rylands as a separate species in 2013, based on genetic studies by Jean Boubli.
The Marañón white-fronted capuchin also or known as Peruvian white-fronted capuchin or Andean white-fronted capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey from the upper Amazon Basin. It had been regarded as synonymous with the shock-headed capuchin, which was then considered a subspecies of Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin, but it was classified as a separate species by Mittermeier and Rylands based on genetic studies by Boubli.
The shock-headed capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey from Bolivia and Peru. It was previously classified as a subspecies of the Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin, but in 2013 Mittermeier and Rylands elevated it to a separate species, following genetic studies by Boubli et al. in 2012 and Lynch Alfaro et al. in 2010.
Spix's white-fronted capuchin is a species of gracile capuchin monkey. It had previously been classified as a subspecies of the Humboldt's white-fronted capuchin. Following genetic studies by Boubli, et al, Mittermeier and Ryland elevated it to a full species.
Humboldt's squirrel monkey is a species of squirrel monkey from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. It had previously been considered a subspecies of the common squirrel monkey, S. scuireus, but was elevated to full species status based on a genetic study by Carretero-Pinzón in 2009. A genetic study by Jessica Lynch Alfaro, et al indicated that the Ecuadorian squirrel monkey may be synonymous with Saimiri cassiquiarensis. As of 2018, the Ecuadorian squirrel monkey is generally regarded as a subspecies of Humboldt's squirrel monkey, S. cassiquiarensis macrodon.
The Guianan squirrel monkey is a species of squirrel monkey from Guiana, Venezuela and Brazil. S. sciureus formerly applied to Humboldt's squirrel monkey and Collins' squirrel monkey, but genetic research in 2009 and 2015 revealed that these are distinct species.
