Peruvian Spider Monkey

Peruvian Spider Monkey

Black-faced black spider monkey

Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Suborder
Infraorder
Family
Subfamily
Genus
SPECIES
Ateles chamek
Population size
Unknown
Life Span
20-48 years
Weight
9
20
kglbs
kg lbs 
Length
700
276
cminch
cm inch 

The Peruvian spider monkey (Ateles chamek ) also known as the black-faced black spider monkey, is a species of spider monkey that lives in Peru, as well as in Brazil and in Bolivia. At 60 centimetres (2 feet) long, they are relatively large among species of monkey, and their strong, prehensile tails can be up to 1 m (3 ft) long. Unlike many species of monkey, they have only a vestigial thumb, an adaptation which enables them to travel using brachiation. Peruvian spider monkeys live in groups of 20–30 individuals, but these groups are rarely all together simultaneously. The size and dynamics of the resulting subgroups vary with food availability and sociobehavioral activity. They prefer to eat fleshy fruit, but will change their diet in response to scarcity of ripe fruit. Individuals of this species also eat small animals, insects and leaves based on availability. Females separate from the band to give birth, typically in the fall. These females inhabit a group of core areas where resources are abundant in certain seasons. Typically, males exhibit ranging over longer distances than females, with movement of individuals enhancing the fluidity of subgroup size. Peruvian spider monkey are independent at about 10 months, with a lifespan of about 20 years.

Di

Diurnal

He

Herbivore

Fo

Folivore

Fr

Frugivore

Ar

Arboreal

Al

Altricial

Br

Browsing

Zo

Zoochory

Sc

Scansorial

Te

Terrestrial

Po

Polygynandry

So

Social

Do

Dominance hierarchy

No

Not a migrant

P

starts with

Appearance

Peruvian spider monkeys are relatively large among species of monkey, and their strong, prehensile tails can be up to 1 meter long. Their fur and face are black in color. Peruvian spider monkeys have four elongated fingers and virtually no thumb, which is typical for spider monkeys but unusual for other monkeys. They can move easily through the trees and have a prehensile tail, which these monkeys use to assist with brachiation (swinging from one branch to another using only their arms).

Video

Distribution

Geography

Peruvian spider monkeys are found in central-northern of Bolivia, north-eastern Peru, and the central-western Brazilian Amazon. They were recently found to occur in the northern bank of Solimões River, at the Mamirauá Reserve (Brazil). Peruvian spider monkeys live primarily in lowland forests, occupying the canopy and the sub-canopy, but they may use various habitat types, including dry and hilly areas such as the piedmont and cerrado forests. They were also observed living in Amazonian seasonally flooded forests.

Peruvian Spider Monkey habitat map

Climate zones

Peruvian Spider Monkey habitat map
Peruvian Spider Monkey
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Habits and Lifestyle

Peruvian spider monkeys arboreal and diurnal creatures. During the day they spend their time feeding, resting, moving around and grooming. When these monkeys travel around their territory they spend most of the time climbing, hanging from branches, moving by brachiation and arm swinging. They rarely walk or run on all fours. Peruvian spider monkeys live in bands of 20-30 individuals, but these bands rarely stay all together and average size is usually 3 individuals. Band size is somewhat seasonal, probably because of food availability and because females separate themselves from the band for a few months to give birth, primarily in the fall. In order to communicate with each other Peruvian spider monkeys use grunts, howls, or screams. Mates usually recognize each other through smell. These spider monkeys also shake tree branches and may signal each other by swinging their arms.

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Peruvian spider monkeys are herbivores (frugivores, folivores). They feed on fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, and honey. These monkeys will also eat insects, birds, baby birds, bird eggs, frogs, termites, and grubs.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
year-round
PREGNANCY DURATION
140 days
BABY CARRYING
1 infant
INDEPENDENT AGE
10 months
FEMALE NAME
female
MALE NAME
male
BABY NAME
infant

Peruvian spider monkeys are polygynandrous (promiscuous) and both males and females have multiple partners each breeding season. These monkeys can breed throughout the year though most infants are born at the start of the autumn season. Females give birth to a single baby after the gestation period of about 140 days. The pregnant female leaves the group to have her baby and returns 2-4 months later. Newborn infants spend most of the first 10 months of their life with their mothers. Young either cling to mothers' bellies or ride on their backs. Mothers protect and nurse them. When infants are 10 months old, they can travel independently, but still stay not far from their mothers. Peruvian spider monkeys become reproductively mature at 4-5 years of age.

Population

Population threats

Peruvian spider monkeys are threatened due to exploitation by humans and habitat loss. The decline in their populations is partially due to the fact that these monkeys are targeted by hunters for sale and consumption in the Amazonian bushmeat trade. Furthermore, habitat in the southern part of their range is being developed for agriculture and habitat in the southwestern Peruvian region of Madre de Dios is being polluted and destroyed by illegal mining activity. In Peru, illicit extraction of timber and wildlife products remain issues even in protected areas.

Population number

The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Peruvian spider monkey total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.

Ecological niche

Due to their foraging habits, Peruvian spider monkeys are the vital seed dispersers for many tree species in Amazonia.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Peruvian Spider Monkey on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_spider_monkey
2. Peruvian Spider Monkey on The IUCN Red List site - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_spider_monkey

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