Animal Profiles
Mammals

Capuchin

Cebidae

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Capuchins are agile American monkeys with grasping tails and varied diets. This account describes white-faced capuchins using the older, broad species treatment in the cited Animal Diversity Web account.

Colombian white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus) at the Bronx Zoo; the source text uses a broader historical species treatment.

Colombian white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus) at the Bronx Zoo; the source text uses a broader historical species treatment.

Postdlf · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Location
White-faced capuchins inhabit tropical forests in Central America and northwestern South America. Some authors distinguish Central American Cebus imitator as a separate species, while the Mammal Diversity Database provisionally includes it within Cebus capucinus. This account follows the broader treatment.
Habitat
Rainforest
Diet
Omnivore
Food
Fruit is a major food, with seeds, insects and small vertebrates adding variety.

Classification

Common name
Capuchin
Browse group
Mammals
Scientific name or taxon
Cebidae
Taxon rank
family
Order
Primates
Family
Cebidae
Source classification
Mammalia

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • White-faced capuchins have pale fur around the face.
  • Their grasping tails provide support while climbing.
  • They eat fruit as well as insects and small animals.

Habitat and range

White-faced capuchins inhabit tropical forests in Central America and northwestern South America. Some authors distinguish Central American Cebus imitator as a separate species, while the Mammal Diversity Database provisionally includes it within Cebus capucinus. This account follows the broader treatment.

Appearance and adaptations

White-faced capuchins contrast a dark back and crown with pale fur around the face, shoulders and upper chest. They climb and leap through trees, using a grasping tail for extra support. The photograph shows a Colombian white-faced capuchin.

Diet and behaviour

Fruit is a major food, with seeds, insects and small vertebrates adding variety. These monkeys search actively for food during daylight. They live in social groups, where young animals spend time playing and watching older individuals.

Sources

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