Black-headed Night Monkey

• Common Name: Black-headed Night Monkey
• Taxonomy Classification Year: 1909
• Monkey Size: 24 to 37 cm (9.4 to 14.5 in)
• Skin Color(s): Grey-black
• Habitat: Forest, rainforest
• Diet: Herbivorous
• Native Countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru

The black-headed night monkey^[1] is a nocturnal monkey species native to South America. The monkeys are small primates about the size of a small squirrel.

• Their coats are thick and short. The adult Aotus nigriceps has dark gray-black agouti fur on the upper back and front legs and orange-tan fur on the tail, outer hind legs, and lower back.
• They also have three distinctive black bands that almost converge on the forehead.
• Two of these bands follow the sides of the face to the upper jaw, with the central band extending to the bridge of the nose.
• In addition, they have white patches above each eye, under the mouth, and on the cheeks.

• The black-headed night monkeys in Peru have mainly inhabited degraded areas. Sometimes, these areas have been disturbed by human activities or natural phenomena in the ecosystem.
• It is known as nu’nu’ in the Shawi language of Peru and ausisiti in the Kwaza language of Rondônia, Brazil.
• Although there is little data on the mass of Aotus nigriceps in particular, both male and female, Aotus species weigh an average of 750 g when fully grown, reaching this size by 14 months of age.
• These primates are serially monogamous; mates can be evicted due to violence by a same-sex intruder.
• Aotus nigriceps individuals are very territorial and defend their range with sexually specific vocalizations and aggression.