Common Name
White-Bellied Spider Monkey
Species
Ateles belzebuth
IUCN Status
Vulnerable
Common Classification
New World
Monkey Range Countries
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela
Habitat
Inhabit lowland tropical rainforest, montane tropical rainforest, high tropical rain forest and riverine, marsh and semi-deciduous forest
Physical Characteristics
- Head and Body length: 416-582 mm
- Tail length: 680-899 mm
- Weight: male – 7264-9800 g; female – 7491-10,400 g
Distinguishing features
Common name "white-bellied spider monkey" is given because they have pale underparts that contrast with their black back, the brow may have a white triangular patch, characteristics vary with different individuals
Diet
Primarily eat fruits, but supplement diet with decaying wood that is used by termites, leaves, epiphytes and flowers
Behavior
Prehensile tail used as a fifth limb, diurnal, arboreal, form groups of 3 to 22 individuals and will break into smaller groups of 3 or 4 to forage for food, males travel together, when two smaller groups reunite the greeting display includes vocalizations, hugging, and chasing
Threats
Major threats include habitat destruction and fragmentation due in part to logging, and hunted for food
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