Southern Muriqui
Encyclopedia
The southern muriqui, Brachyteles arachnoides, is a muriqui
(woolly spider monkey) species
endemic to Brazil
. It is found in the Brazilian states of Paraná
, São Paulo
, Rio de Janeiro
, Espírito Santo
and Minas Gerais
. This New World monkey
is known locally as mono carvoeiro, which translates to charcoal monkey.
Muriquis are the largest New World monkeys. Male muriquis have a head-body length of 55–78 cm (22–31 in), with a tail of 74–80 cm (29–32 in) and a body weight of 9.6–15 kg (21-33 lb). Females have a head-body length of 46–63 cm (18–25 in), a tail length of 65–74 cm (26–29 in) in and a body weight of 8–11 kg (17.6-24.2 lb). The tails are fully prehensile
.
The southern muriqui, B. arachnoides, has a solid black face, distinguishing it from the northern species, B. hypoxanthus, which has a black face mottled with pink.
This species is considered endangered because of habitat destruction hunting pressures and historic population declines. There exists only two captive populations of the southern muriqui. They are housed at the zoo of Curitiba
and at the zoo of Sorocaba, Brazil. The latter is located 80 km from the only long term investigation of the southern muriqui in continuous forest, the Carlos Botelho State Park (8) The wild population was estimated at 1,300 in 2005.
Muriqui
The muriquis, also known as woolly spider monkeys, are the monkeys of the genus Brachyteles. They are closely related to both the spider monkeys and the woolly monkeys. There are two species, the southern and northern muriqui...
(woolly spider monkey) species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
endemic to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It is found in the Brazilian states of Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
, São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
, Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo is one of the states of southeastern Brazil, often referred to by the abbreviation "ES". Its capital is Vitória and the largest city is Vila Velha. The name of the state means literally "holy spirit" after the Holy Ghost of Christianity...
and Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
. This New World monkey
New World monkey
New World monkeys are the five families of primates that are found in Central and South America: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, and Atelidae. The five families are ranked together as the Platyrrhini parvorder and the Ceboidea superfamily, which are essentially synonymous since...
is known locally as mono carvoeiro, which translates to charcoal monkey.
Muriquis are the largest New World monkeys. Male muriquis have a head-body length of 55–78 cm (22–31 in), with a tail of 74–80 cm (29–32 in) and a body weight of 9.6–15 kg (21-33 lb). Females have a head-body length of 46–63 cm (18–25 in), a tail length of 65–74 cm (26–29 in) in and a body weight of 8–11 kg (17.6-24.2 lb). The tails are fully prehensile
Prehensile tail
A prehensile tail is the tail of an animal that has adapted to be able to grasp and/or hold objects. Fully prehensile tails can be used to hold and manipulate objects, and in particular to aid arboreal creatures in finding and eating food in the trees...
.
The southern muriqui, B. arachnoides, has a solid black face, distinguishing it from the northern species, B. hypoxanthus, which has a black face mottled with pink.
This species is considered endangered because of habitat destruction hunting pressures and historic population declines. There exists only two captive populations of the southern muriqui. They are housed at the zoo of Curitiba
Curitiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
and at the zoo of Sorocaba, Brazil. The latter is located 80 km from the only long term investigation of the southern muriqui in continuous forest, the Carlos Botelho State Park (8) The wild population was estimated at 1,300 in 2005.
External links
- Pró-Muriqui Association - Conservation Research of southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides)