Animal Profiles
Mammals

Spider Monkey

Ateles

Living

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

Spider monkeys are long-limbed forest primates. This account describes Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), a canopy forager that uses its prehensile tail during movement.

Ateles geoffroyi (spider monkey)

Representative species: Ateles geoffroyi.

Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Habitat
Rainforest
Diet
Herbivore
Food
Mostly ripe fruit.

Classification

Common name
Spider Monkey
Browse group
Mammals
Scientific name or taxon
Ateles
Taxon rank
genus
Order
Primates
Family
Atelidae
Genus
Ateles
Source classification
Mammalia

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

Three things to know

  • The tail can grip branches.
  • Fruit is the main food.
  • Communities divide into smaller feeding parties.

Habitat and range

Geoffroy’s spider monkeys inhabit tropical forests in Mexico and Central America. Mature forest canopy provides fruit, travel routes and resting places. The older source’s Colombian limit is not applied to this representative without a modern taxonomic review.

Appearance and adaptations

Long arms, legs and tail surround a relatively small body. The tail can grasp branches, and the dark hands and feet contrast with variable body colouring.

Diet and behaviour

Ripe fruit supplies most food, with leaves, flowers and occasional other items also eaten. Communities split into smaller feeding parties, which can reunite as food conditions change. Much activity occurs high in the trees.

Sources

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