Knowra Spider monkey Spider monkey A New World monkey in the genus Ateles, native to Central and South American forests. Its long limbs and prehensile tail make it well suited to moving through the canopy.
Prehensile tail : A tail adapted for grasping and supporting an animal, often by wrapping around branches. Spider monkeys use this muscular fifth limb to grip branches while climbing and reaching.
Seed dispersal : The movement of seeds away from parent plants, often by animals that eat fruit. By swallowing fruit and moving between trees, spider monkeys carry seeds across forest habitats.
Geoffroy's spider monkey : A spider monkey species found from southern Mexico through Central America into northwestern Colombia. This species illustrates the genus's broad Central American range and conservation pressures.
Howler monkey : A New World monkey in the genus Alouatta, known for loud calls and a prehensile tail. Howlers share forest habitats and grasping tails but rely more on leaves than spider monkeys do.
Brachiation : A form of arboreal locomotion in which an animal swings from one hand to the other. Their long arms support suspensory travel through the canopy, alongside more varied climbing and leaping.
Frugivory : A diet consisting primarily or substantially of fruit. Fruit dominates spider monkey diets and shapes their daily ranging and seasonal movements.
Black-headed spider monkey : A spider monkey species native to northwestern South America, including parts of Colombia and Ecuador. Its restricted regional populations face habitat loss and hunting.
Woolly monkey : A large, densely furred New World monkey of the genus Lagothrix, native to South American forests. Woolly monkeys are close relatives with robust bodies, contrasting with Ateles's especially long limbs.
Atelidae : A family of New World monkeys that includes howler, spider, woolly, and woolly spider monkeys. Spider monkeys belong to this family of long-tailed, mostly arboreal primates.
Tropical rainforest : A warm, wet forest ecosystem with high rainfall and dense, layered vegetation. Spider monkeys depend on forest canopies for food, shelter, and travel.
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