Cyber FlashCards

10 of the most well-known primate species

#2

what is thIS PRIMATE'S common name?
WHITE-THROATED CAPUCHIN

Also called white-headed and white-faced capuchin
What is the scientific name?
Cebus capucinus
​WHAT KIND OF PRIMATE IS THIS?
MONKEY
Where do they live?
White-throated capuchin monkeys are native to the rainforests of Central America and a small section of South America. In Central America, their range includes Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In South America, they are found in the extreme northwestern strip between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains in Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. 
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Latin America
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Where white-throated capuchins live
New world or old world?
NEW WORLD
fascinating facts
  • Capuchin monkeys are among the most intelligent of the New World monkeys, and white-throated capuchins are no exception
  • They fashion tools for foraging and as weapons against predators
  • They demonstrate innate knowledge of herbal medicine
What threatens their future?
Although resilient, white-throated capuchin monkeys remain susceptible to habitat degradation, deforestation, being hunted for food, and capture for the pet trade.
​WHAT IS their CONSERVATION STATUS?
ENDANGERED
What Does this Conservation Status mean?
Endangered (EN) = 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 wHITE-throated cAPUCHINS
Go to the white-throated capuchin Primate Species Profiles page
Are Capuchins Good pets?
NO
  1. As capuchin monkeys become mature, they become destructive to property, feisty, and unmanageable.
  2. To become pets, capuchins are stolen from their mothers as babies. As a result, they do not develop normally emotionally.
  3. Monkeys are never domesticated. They always remain wild. 
  4. In many places, there are strict regulations against keeping monkeys as pets.
  5. Caged monkeys are very unhappy and frustrated. They are likely to resist confinement. They are quick and cause damaging bites and scratches.
  6. Capuchins monkeys should live with other capuchin monkeys in their natural habitats in Central and South America. We must protect them and their habitats.
#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
Copyright © New England Primate Conservancy 2019. You may freely use and share these learning activities for educational purposes. 
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