Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey
Encyclopedia
The Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii oerstedii) is a subspecies of the Central American Squirrel Monkey
. Its range is restricted to the Pacific
coast of western Panama
to the western portion of the Chiriqui Province
and of southern Costa Rica
, south of the Rio Grande de Terraba, including the Osa Peninsula
. It is the subspecies of Central American Squirrel Monkey seen in Corcovado National Park
in Costa Rica. Its type locality is David, Panama
, but its range apparently no longer extends that far east.
The Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey is orange or reddish-orange in color, with a black cap. It differs from the Grey-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey
, which replaces it in central Costa Rica, in that the limbs and underparts of the Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey are more yellowish. Some authorities also consider the cap on the Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey to be more black than that of the Grey-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey (C. o. citrinellus), but other authorities regard this as a feature that varies by age rather than by subspecies.
Adults reach a length of between 266 and 291 mm (10.5 and 11.5 in), excluding tail, and a weight between 600 and 950 g (21.2 and 33.5 oz). The tail is longer than the body, and between 362 and 389 mm (14.3 and 15.3 in) in length. Males have an average body weight of 829 g (29.2 oz) and females have an average body weight of 695 g (24.5 oz).
The Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey is arboreal and diurnal. It lives in groups containing several adult males, several adult females and juveniles. It is omnivorous
, with a diet that includes insects and insect larvae (especially grasshopper
s and caterpillar
s), spiders, fruit, leaves, bark, flowers and nectar. It also eats small vertebrate
s, including bats, birds, lizards and frogs. It finds its food foraging through the lower and middle levels of the forest, typically between fifteen and thirty feet high.
The Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey is one of the few squirrel monkey
taxa that has been the subject of a long term study. Primatologist
Sue Boinski has made several long term studies of the subspecies.
As of 2008, the Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey was assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as "endangered". This was consistent with prior assessments. It is listed as endangered to a small and fragmented range amounting to only about 4000 square kilometres (1,544.4 sq mi), and continuing habitat loss. A reforestation project within Panama tries to preserve the vanishing population of the Chiriqui Province.
Central American Squirrel Monkey
The Central American squirrel monkey is a squirrel monkey species from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and Panama. It is restricted to the northwestern tip of Panama near the border with Costa Rica, and the central and southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, primarily in Manuel Antonio and Corcovado...
. Its range is restricted to the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast of western Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
to the western portion of the Chiriqui Province
Chiriquí Province
Chiriquí is a province of Panama, it is located on the western coast of Panama, and it is also the second most developed province in the country, after the Panamá Province. Its capital is the city of David. It has a total area of 6,490.9 km², with a population of 416,873 as of the year 2010...
and of southern Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, south of the Rio Grande de Terraba, including the Osa Peninsula
Osa Peninsula
The Osa Peninsula is a peninsula located in southwestern Costa Rica, in the Puntarenas Province, on the Pacific Ocean, at . The peninsula was formed geologically by a faulting system that extends north into California....
. It is the subspecies of Central American Squirrel Monkey seen in Corcovado National Park
Corcovado National Park
Corcovado National Park is a National Park on the Osa Peninsula in the South West of Costa Rica , which is part of the Osa Conservation Area. It was established on 24 October 1975, and encompasses an area of 425 km² . It is widely considered the crown jewel in the extensive system of national...
in Costa Rica. Its type locality is David, Panama
David, Panama
David is a city located in the west of Panama. It is the capital of the province of Chiriquí and has an estimated population of 144,858 inhabitants as confirmed in 2010. It is a relatively affluent city with most families and houses having basic living requirements, such as concrete houses, clean...
, but its range apparently no longer extends that far east.
The Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey is orange or reddish-orange in color, with a black cap. It differs from the Grey-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey
Grey-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey
The Grey-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey is a subspecies of the Central American Squirrel Monkey. Its range is restricted to the Pacific coast of central Costa Rica. The northern end of its range is the Rio Tulin and the southern end of its range is the Rio Grande de Terraba...
, which replaces it in central Costa Rica, in that the limbs and underparts of the Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey are more yellowish. Some authorities also consider the cap on the Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey to be more black than that of the Grey-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey (C. o. citrinellus), but other authorities regard this as a feature that varies by age rather than by subspecies.
Adults reach a length of between 266 and 291 mm (10.5 and 11.5 in), excluding tail, and a weight between 600 and 950 g (21.2 and 33.5 oz). The tail is longer than the body, and between 362 and 389 mm (14.3 and 15.3 in) in length. Males have an average body weight of 829 g (29.2 oz) and females have an average body weight of 695 g (24.5 oz).
The Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey is arboreal and diurnal. It lives in groups containing several adult males, several adult females and juveniles. It is omnivorous
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, with a diet that includes insects and insect larvae (especially grasshopper
Grasshopper
The grasshopper is an insect of the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera. To distinguish it from bush crickets or katydids, it is sometimes referred to as the short-horned grasshopper...
s and caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s), spiders, fruit, leaves, bark, flowers and nectar. It also eats small vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
s, including bats, birds, lizards and frogs. It finds its food foraging through the lower and middle levels of the forest, typically between fifteen and thirty feet high.
The Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey is one of the few squirrel monkey
Squirrel monkey
The squirrel monkeys are the New World monkeys of the genus Saimiri. They are the only genus in the subfamily Saimirinae.Squirrel monkeys live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer. Most species have parapatric or allopatric ranges in the Amazon, while S...
taxa that has been the subject of a long term study. Primatologist
Primatology
Primatology is the scientific study of primates. It is a diverse discipline and researchers can be found in academic departments of anatomy, anthropology, biology, medicine, psychology, veterinary sciences and zoology, as well as in animal sanctuaries, biomedical research facilities, museums and zoos...
Sue Boinski has made several long term studies of the subspecies.
As of 2008, the Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey was assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as "endangered". This was consistent with prior assessments. It is listed as endangered to a small and fragmented range amounting to only about 4000 square kilometres (1,544.4 sq mi), and continuing habitat loss. A reforestation project within Panama tries to preserve the vanishing population of the Chiriqui Province.