Cyber Flashcards

10 primate species yOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF

#3

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Photo credit: Paulo B. Chaves/ Creative Commons
what is thIS PRIMATE'S common name?
MURIQUI
also known as the woolly spider monkey
What is the scientific name?
Brachyteles hypoxanthus (Northern muriqui)
Brachyteles arachnoides (Southern muriqui)
​WHAT KIND OF PRIMATE IS THIS?
MONKEY
Where do they live?
Native to Brazil, muriquis live in isolated fragments of Atlantic coastal forest in the southeastern region of the country.
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Where northern muriquis live (in red). Map: Chermundy & IUCN/Creative Commons
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Latin America
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Where southern muriquis live (in brown). Map: Chermundy & IUCN/Creative Commons
New world or old world?
NEW WORLD
fascinating facts
  • Muriquis are South America's largest monkeys
  • They are sometimes referred to as "hippie monkeys" because of their peaceful lifestyle
  • Their typically day begins with a group hug, they are constantly touching and showing affection to one another, and their social system lacks a dominance hierarchy
  • Only about 1,000 of each species remains
What threatens their future?
Both muriqui species are in peril due to anthropogenic (human-caused) activities. Severe habitat destruction has greatly reduced their range, forcing them into fragmented populations (the situation is especially dire for northern muriquis). The logging industry has had a devastating effect on what was once pristine forest. Northern muriquis face another grave threat: humans hunt them. An outbreak of yellow fever that began in 2016 caused the deaths of many northern muriquis.
​WHAT IS their CONSERVATION STATUS?
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
What Does this Conservation Status mean?
Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
Any species categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable is considered by conservation scientists to be a threatened species
​HERE'S A SNAPSHOT AND THE SPECIES' PROFILE
Click or tap on the graphic to enlarge it
​LEARN MORE ABOUT Muriquis
Go to the muriqui Primate Species Profiles page
are muriquis good pets?
NO
  1. Muriquis are wild monkeys that require a great deal of space to swing through trees. Their diet and environmental needs cannot be adequately met or replicated in human living conditions. 
  2. To become pets, baby primates are stolen from their mothers. As a result, they do not develop normally emotionally.
  3. When taken from the wild, their mothers are killed to capture the baby.
  4. Primates are never domesticated. They always remain wild. 
  5. Caged primates are very unhappy and frustrated. They are likely to resist confinement. They are quick and cause damaging bites and scratches. Some die as a result of their captivity.
  6. Many locations have strict regulations that prohibit trading in or keeping primates and endangered species are pets.
  7. Muriquis belong with other muriquis in the Atlantic forests of Brazil. They and their habitats must be protected, not exploited.
#PrimatesAreNotPets
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​Common names are not officially defined. They are based on everyday conversational language and may differ by country, region, profession, community, or other factors. As a result, it is not unusual for a species to have multiple common names.

Scientific names, on the other hand, are standardized and constant. They are Latinized and rule-bound by a formal naming system called binominal nomenclature. Scientific names prevent misidentification. They typically only change if a species is officially redesignated.
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The biological order of Primates is divided into these classifications:​
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​​New World monkeys are native to Central and South America.

Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia.
Learn about the differences between New World monkeys and Old World monkeys
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  • ​Extinct (EX) – No known individuals remaining.
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity.
  • Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
  • Near Threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future.
  • Least Concern (LC) – Widespread and abundant.
  • Data Deficient (DD) – Not enough data to assess the species' risk of extinction.
  • Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated.
Learn more about ​Conservation Statuses
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