New World monkey - Definition and Overview

New World monkeys
White-headed Capuchin
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Primates Suborder: Haplorrhini (unranked) Platyrrhini E. Geoffroy, 1812
Families
Cebidae Nyctipithecidae Pitheciidae Atelidae

The New World monkeys or Platyrrhines are the four families of primates that are found in Central and South America, the Cebidae, Nyctipithecidae, Pitheciidae and Atelidae. All families differ from the Old World monkeys and apes in having long, often prehensile tails. The name means "flat nosed", and this is how they are distinguished from Old World monkeys. Platyrrhine noses are flatter, with side facing nostrils, compared to the narrow noses and downward facing nostrils of Old World Monkeys. Many are small, arboreal and nocturnal, so our knowledge of them is less comprehensive than that of the more easily observed Old World monkeys. Unlike most Old World monkeys, many New World monkeys form monogamous pair bonds, and show substantial paternal care of young.

Classification

• ORDER PRIMATES
  • Suborder Strepsirrhini: non-tarsier prosimians
  • Suborder Haplorrhini: tarsiers, monkeys and apes
    • Infraorder Tarsiiformes
      • Family Tarsiidae: tarsiers
    • Infraorder Simiiformes
      • Platyrrhini: New World monkeys
        • Family Cebidae: marmosets, tamarins, capuchins and squirrel monkeys
        • Family Nyctipithecidae: night monkeys, owl monkeys, douroucoulis
        • Family Pitheciidae: titis, sakis and uakaris
        • Family Atelidae: howler, spider and woolly monkeys
      • Catarrhini: Old World monkeys, apes and humans