Large-Headed Capuchin
Sapajus macrocephalus
eographic Distribution and Habitat
The large-headed capuchin is a highly intelligent New World monkey species found in the South American countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, living in the Amazon lowland and submontane forests. It is found in an array of different types of lowland and submontane habitats. In Colombia, for example, this species occurs in deciduous and evergreen forests, but the large-headed capuchin prefers habitats with an abundance of palm trees. It does especially well in Colombia, and has been found at elevations as high as 8,860 ft (2700 m). Capuchins are very common, and there are many species and subspecies scattered across Central and South America.
The large-headed capuchin is a highly intelligent New World monkey species found in the South American countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, living in the Amazon lowland and submontane forests. It is found in an array of different types of lowland and submontane habitats. In Colombia, for example, this species occurs in deciduous and evergreen forests, but the large-headed capuchin prefers habitats with an abundance of palm trees. It does especially well in Colombia, and has been found at elevations as high as 8,860 ft (2700 m). Capuchins are very common, and there are many species and subspecies scattered across Central and South America.
Taxonomy in Transition
The large-headed capuchin (S. macrocephalus) was, until quite recently, considered to be either a distinct species or a subspecies of the tufted capuchin (S. apella). Whether a distinct species or a subspecies was an arguable point. That changed in 2020.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed in its July 2020 updates of the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species that evolutionary analyses of the Sapajus genus conducted in 2017 and 2018 lumped several previously-considered species together as a single widespread lineage. Those previously considered separate capuchin species are Azaras's capuchin (S. cay), the bearded capuchin (S. libidinosus), the tufted capuchin (S. apella), the large-headed capuchin (S. macrocephalus), and the blond capuchin (S. flavius).
It is important to note that, for conservation purposes, the IUCN has opted to treat separately the Azaras's capuchin (S. cay) (LC), the bearded capuchin (S. libidinosus) (VU), and the blond capuchin (S. flavius) (CR). The justification is that they each bears distinct external characteristics, they occur in regions with distinct flora and fauna, they occupy distinct adaptive zones, and they each have their particular conservation issues and threats.
However, the large-headed capuchin is now considered to be synonymous with the tufted capuchin (S. apella). Since we wrote this profile in 2019, prior to the 2020 announcement of the results of those studies, please allow us to tell you the story of the life and times of the previously-considered large-headed capuchin.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed in its July 2020 updates of the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species that evolutionary analyses of the Sapajus genus conducted in 2017 and 2018 lumped several previously-considered species together as a single widespread lineage. Those previously considered separate capuchin species are Azaras's capuchin (S. cay), the bearded capuchin (S. libidinosus), the tufted capuchin (S. apella), the large-headed capuchin (S. macrocephalus), and the blond capuchin (S. flavius).
It is important to note that, for conservation purposes, the IUCN has opted to treat separately the Azaras's capuchin (S. cay) (LC), the bearded capuchin (S. libidinosus) (VU), and the blond capuchin (S. flavius) (CR). The justification is that they each bears distinct external characteristics, they occur in regions with distinct flora and fauna, they occupy distinct adaptive zones, and they each have their particular conservation issues and threats.
However, the large-headed capuchin is now considered to be synonymous with the tufted capuchin (S. apella). Since we wrote this profile in 2019, prior to the 2020 announcement of the results of those studies, please allow us to tell you the story of the life and times of the previously-considered large-headed capuchin.
2013 large-headed capuchin geographic range. Map credit: Miguelrangeljr/ IUCN
Tufted capuchin geographic range. Map: IUCN, 2020. The large-headed capuchin is now considered to be synonymous with the tufted capuchin.
|
What Does It Mean?Arboreal:
Physically adapted to living primarily or exclusively in trees. Diurnal: Active during daylight hours. Endozoochory: Dispersal of spores or seeds by animals after passage through the gut. Extractive foraging: The act of finding and processing food sources found embedded in the ground, sometimes with the aid of tools. Taxonomy: A branch of science that encompasses the description, identification, nomenclature, and classification of organisms. Thermoregulation: A process that allows your body to maintain its core internal temperature. |
Size, Weight, and Lifespan
Males are generally larger than females. A typical adult male large-headed capuchin weighs about 6.6 lb (3 kg), though they can be as small as 3 lb (1.35 kg) and as large as 10.5 lb (4.8 kg). Adult females range from 3.9 to 7.5 lb (1.76–3.4 kg), but on average weigh about 5.3 lb (2.4 kg). The body length of these monkeys is typically about 22 in (55.9 cm), and their tails equal their bodies in length. While there is little known about the lifespan of the large-headed capuchin, a tufted capuchin has lived as long as 45 years in captivity.
Males are generally larger than females. A typical adult male large-headed capuchin weighs about 6.6 lb (3 kg), though they can be as small as 3 lb (1.35 kg) and as large as 10.5 lb (4.8 kg). Adult females range from 3.9 to 7.5 lb (1.76–3.4 kg), but on average weigh about 5.3 lb (2.4 kg). The body length of these monkeys is typically about 22 in (55.9 cm), and their tails equal their bodies in length. While there is little known about the lifespan of the large-headed capuchin, a tufted capuchin has lived as long as 45 years in captivity.
Appearance
As of 2012, capuchins are divided into two categories: gracile capuchins and robust capuchins. Robust capuchins are, as the name implies, more sturdily built than gracile capuchins. Their limbs are proportionally shorter, and their canine teeth are shorter and thicker. All capuchins used to be categorized under the genus Cebus—robust capuchins all fell under the umbrella of Cebus apella; now, robust or “tufted” capuchins, like the large-headed capuchin, are taxonomically classified under the genus Sapajus.
Robust capuchins include but are not limited to tufted capuchins—of which the large-headed capuchin is considered a subspecies. These monkeys have long, strong thick tails. The tails are prehensile and can be used like an additional limb. Their fur is coarse and thick. As far as coloration goes, they are mostly dark: their limbs and tail are a dark brown, while the hair about their backs and shoulders is a lighter shade of brown, erring toward tan, and lighter still on their stomachs. Their faces are rimmed with white hair, with black around the eyes and snout, almost resembling a raccoon. Their ears and foreheads and the backs of their heads are dark, like their limbs and tail. This species has intense dark brown eyes, which are even more striking when juxtaposed with the white hair on its face. They have tufts of dark hair on top of their heads.
As of 2012, capuchins are divided into two categories: gracile capuchins and robust capuchins. Robust capuchins are, as the name implies, more sturdily built than gracile capuchins. Their limbs are proportionally shorter, and their canine teeth are shorter and thicker. All capuchins used to be categorized under the genus Cebus—robust capuchins all fell under the umbrella of Cebus apella; now, robust or “tufted” capuchins, like the large-headed capuchin, are taxonomically classified under the genus Sapajus.
Robust capuchins include but are not limited to tufted capuchins—of which the large-headed capuchin is considered a subspecies. These monkeys have long, strong thick tails. The tails are prehensile and can be used like an additional limb. Their fur is coarse and thick. As far as coloration goes, they are mostly dark: their limbs and tail are a dark brown, while the hair about their backs and shoulders is a lighter shade of brown, erring toward tan, and lighter still on their stomachs. Their faces are rimmed with white hair, with black around the eyes and snout, almost resembling a raccoon. Their ears and foreheads and the backs of their heads are dark, like their limbs and tail. This species has intense dark brown eyes, which are even more striking when juxtaposed with the white hair on its face. They have tufts of dark hair on top of their heads.
Diet
The large-headed capuchin is primarily a frugivore and an insectivore. They’ll also eat invertebrates—and even eat small vertebrates, like frogs or small mammals. The brunt of their sustenance is obtained through fruits, leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds. One of the reasons these monkeys prefer habitats with an abundance of palm trees is for the availability of palm fruits. In Colombia they’ll also raid corn crops, which earns them the label of pest.
The large-headed capuchin is primarily a frugivore and an insectivore. They’ll also eat invertebrates—and even eat small vertebrates, like frogs or small mammals. The brunt of their sustenance is obtained through fruits, leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds. One of the reasons these monkeys prefer habitats with an abundance of palm trees is for the availability of palm fruits. In Colombia they’ll also raid corn crops, which earns them the label of pest.
Behavior and Lifestyle
Large-headed capuchins are diurnal, arboreal primates. They leave the trees to forage for their food, and are known as extractive foragers—they look for their food embedded in the ground, and take the necessary measures to obtain it. Capuchins are the only monkeys other than chimpanzees that have been observed using tools to extract their food from the ground in the wild. Additionally, a photo taken in 2015 shows a large-headed capuchin holding a stick that he used as a tool to aggravate a caiman’s nest in Brazil.
When it’s time to eat, the dominant male gets first dibs, and those who he’s closest with—females or younger monkeys—are allowed to eat while the lower-ranked monkeys must wait their turn.
Large-headed capuchins are diurnal, arboreal primates. They leave the trees to forage for their food, and are known as extractive foragers—they look for their food embedded in the ground, and take the necessary measures to obtain it. Capuchins are the only monkeys other than chimpanzees that have been observed using tools to extract their food from the ground in the wild. Additionally, a photo taken in 2015 shows a large-headed capuchin holding a stick that he used as a tool to aggravate a caiman’s nest in Brazil.
When it’s time to eat, the dominant male gets first dibs, and those who he’s closest with—females or younger monkeys—are allowed to eat while the lower-ranked monkeys must wait their turn.
Photo credit: John Mittermeier/Creative Commons
|
Daily Life and Group Dynamics
The typical size for a group of large-headed capuchins is around 18 monkeys, though populations in Brazil have been noted to be as small as 7 individuals and as many as 21. Groups consist of more females than males; both sexes are organized into a separate hierarchies, though the top male is higher on the pecking order than the top female, despite the group being a female majority. Large-headed capuchins are preyed upon by large birds, and keep a look-out for threats from above. They are so wary of birds, they fear them all indiscriminately. Communication
One way this species attracts mates is by urinating on their hands and then rubbing them together—a common practice among tufted capuchins. It was previously thought that this was an act of thermoregulation, but this is no longer believed to be true. They use various vocalizations, including alarm calls and calls to reorganize the group, while foraging. They also utilize facial expressions. High-ranking individuals will bare their teeth at lower ranking individuals as a sign of approval; lower-ranking individuals will bare their teeth at each other as a sign of friendship. Females attract males while in estrus through a variety of postures and facial expressions, such as grimacing. |
Fun FactsThe name “capuchin” comes from the order of Capuchin monks, who wear cowls, or hoods, on top of their heads. Capuchin monkeys have a swath of hair atop their heads, which resembles a Capuchin monk’s cowl. |
Reproduction and Family
Tufted capuchins (of which the large-headed capuchin is a subspecies) have a gestation period of 180 days. Infants are born one at a time, and are extremely small—typically around 0.5 lb (0.25 kg). Because of their small size, they are heavily reliant on their mothers, who feed their young for nine months and carry them around on their backs.
Tufted capuchins (of which the large-headed capuchin is a subspecies) have a gestation period of 180 days. Infants are born one at a time, and are extremely small—typically around 0.5 lb (0.25 kg). Because of their small size, they are heavily reliant on their mothers, who feed their young for nine months and carry them around on their backs.
Ecological Role
Large-headed capuchins are valuable to their ecosystem because of their role as seed dispersers. They disperse seeds via endozoochory.
Large-headed capuchins are valuable to their ecosystem because of their role as seed dispersers. They disperse seeds via endozoochory.
|
Conservation Status and Threats
As of 2015, the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the large-headed capuchin as a species of Least Concern (IUCN, 2020). However, their population is declining, a fact that is attributable to degradation of its habitat. Also, where their habitat coincides with human habitation, they’re hunted heavily, sometimes for food. It has been reported that in some areas of Peru the large-headed capuchin has been hunted so heavily that they no longer occur in that portion of their range. There is also an illegal market for these monkeys, which are sold for anywhere between 20 and 50 dollars apiece. Conservation Efforts
Fortunately, the large-headed capuchin’s range contains a large amount of conservation land. In Bolivia, there is the Manuripi-Heath Wildlife Reserve, which provides 3,861 sq mi (1,000,000 ha) of habitat for the species. There are 19 separate conservation lands in Brazil where these monkeys occur; in Colombia, there are 13, including Serrania de Chiribiquete Natural National Park, which provides 4,942 sq mi (1,280,000 ha) of habitat, and Pure National Park, which offers 3,861 sq mi (1,000,000 ha) of habitat. |
References:
- https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/42696/70613972#habitat-ecology
- https://www.britannica.com/animal/capuchin-monkey
- https://www.nature.com/news/2007/070903/full/070903-18.html
- http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/tufted_capuchin/behav
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226089048_Extractive_foraging_and_the_evolution_of_primate_intelligence
- https://animalcorner.co.uk/animals/capuchin-monkeys/
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/2559229?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=large-headed&searchText=capuchin&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlarge-headed%2Bcapuchin%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bacc%3Don%26amp%3Bgroup%3Dnone%26amp%3Bwc%3Don&ab_segments=0%2Ftbsub-1%2Frelevance_config_with_tbsub&refreqid=search%3A1092905c538d50870e255326489c0075&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
- https://infoamazonia.org/en/2015/11/the-ingenious-capuchin-monkeys-of-mamiraua-reserve-in-brazil/#!/story=post-14061&loc=-3.0091226000000177,-64.9001038899689,7
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large-headed_capuchin
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tufted_capuchin
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robust_capuchin_monkey
Written by James Freitas, February 2019
