New World Monkeys: All 164 Species With Photos

New World monkeys including a spider monkey, a marmoset and a uakari, showing flat noses with side-facing nostrils

New World monkeys are the infraorder Platyrrhini. Five families hold them: Pitheciidae, Callitrichidae, Atelidae, Cebidae and Aotidae. They range from southern Mexico to northern Argentina.

The Mammal Diversity Database recognizes 164 living species in 20 genera.^[1] This guide keeps 183 profiles. The difference is taxonomic. Several forms listed separately here are now synonyms.

The name describes the nose. Platy means flat and rhini refers to noses.^[2] Their nostrils are round, far apart and face sideways.^[2][3] Old World monkeys have narrow nostrils pointing down instead.^[2]

The group covers howlers, capuchins, sakis and night monkeys. It also holds the marmoset species and the spider monkey group. For the wider picture, see all types of monkeys. There is also a direct Old World and New World comparison.

New World Monkeys Guide:

How Did Monkeys Get to the Americas?
Why Are There No Wild Monkeys in the United States?
Characteristics
The 20 Genera
All 182 Species
Common Questions

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How Did Monkeys Get to the Americas?

New World monkeys have African ancestors. Fossils from Peru show monkeys were in South America about 36 million years ago. Back then, South America was an island continent. Scientists think the first monkeys crossed the Atlantic by accident. They likely drifted over on floating rafts of plants, when the ocean between the continents was much narrower than it is today.

Why Are There No Wild Monkeys in the United States?

North and South America were separate for tens of millions of years. They joined only about 3 million years ago, when the Isthmus of Panama formed. By then, New World monkeys were adapted to warm, wet tropical forests. They spread north only as far as southern Mexico. North of there, the land gets too dry and too cold for them. That is why no monkeys are native to the United States.

Florida does have wild monkeys, but they are not native. In early 1938, a tour boat operator known as “Colonel Tooey” released rhesus macaques along the Silver River to liven up his jungle boat ride. Rhesus macaques are Old World monkeys from Asia. Their descendants still live in and around Silver Springs State Park today.

Characteristics

Diet

Diets differ sharply between groups. Marmosets and tamarins live largely on gums and saps.^[2] Howler monkeys are the most leaf-eating of the group.^[2] Sakis and uakaris specialize in seeds.^[2]

Spider monkeys sit at the other end. Fruit and nuts make up about 90 percent of their diet.^[3]

Explore more on: What Do Monkeys Eat?

Reproduction

Marmosets and tamarins breed cooperatively. Usually only one female in the group reproduces.^[2] Everyone else helps carry and raise the young.^[2]

Titi monkeys live in pairs instead.^[2] Gestation varies widely by species, so no single figure covers the group. A pygmy marmoset carries for about 4.5 months.^[4]

Tail

A prehensile tail grips like a fifth limb. Only four genera have one. The atelids: spider, woolly spider, woolly and howler monkeys.^[2] Those tails can hold the animal's whole body weight.^[2]

The underside carries a bare tactile pad for grip.^[2] Ridges run across it like a fingerprint.^[2] Most other New World monkeys have a tail that only balances. A marmoset tail cannot grip at all.^[4]

Body Size

These are mostly small to medium monkeys. The pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) is the smallest monkey in the world.^[4] It weighs 3 to 5 ounces.^[4] Body length is 4.6 to 6.2 inches.^[4] The tail is longer again.^[4]

The largest are the atelids. Spider, woolly, woolly spider and howler monkeys reach 9 to 15 kilograms.^[2]

Teeth

Most New World monkeys keep the older primate dental formula, 2.1.3.3.^[2] Each jaw quarter holds two incisors and one canine.^[2] Three premolars and three molars follow.^[2]

Marmosets and tamarins are the exception. They carry one fewer molar, giving 2.1.3.2.^[2] Old World species have one fewer premolar instead, at 2.1.2.3.^[2]

Group size spans a wide range. Tamarin groups often hold only three animals.^[3] A pygmy marmoset troop averages five and tops out near nine.^[4]

Howler groups average about 18.^[3] Spider monkey troops can reach 100.^[3]

Color Vision

Color vision here is unusual. Each X chromosome carries a gene for one wavelength.^[2] Males have one X, so males are always dichromatic.^[2]

Females can be either. A female is dichromatic when both genes match.^[2] Differing genes make her trichromatic.^[2]

Two groups break the pattern. Howler monkeys carry two genes on each X.^[2] Both sexes then see reds and yellows.^[2] Night monkeys are monochromatic and see no color at all.^[2]

Limbs

Quadrupedal walking is the common gait.^[2] All New World monkeys are highly arboreal.^[2]

Spider monkeys are semi-brachiators. They swing below branches and use the tail as a third limb.^[2] Their thumbs are reduced or missing.^[2] The hand works as a hook.^[2][3]

The 20 Genera

Species are spread unevenly. Saguinus alone holds 25, and Plecturocebus follows with 22. At the other end, Callimico holds a single species. Counts follow Mammal Diversity Database v2.5.^[1]

Genus	Family	Common name	Species
Saguinus	Callitrichidae	Tamarins	25
Plecturocebus	Pitheciidae	Titi monkeys	22
Mico	Callitrichidae	Amazonian marmosets	16
Alouatta	Atelidae	Howler monkeys	12
Pithecia	Pitheciidae	Sakis	12
Aotus	Aotidae	Night monkeys	10
Cacajao	Pitheciidae	Uakaris	8
Saimiri	Cebidae	Squirrel monkeys	8
Ateles	Atelidae	Spider monkeys	7
Sapajus	Cebidae	Robust capuchins	7
Callithrix	Callitrichidae	Atlantic marmosets	6
Cheracebus	Pitheciidae	Collared titis	6
Callicebus	Pitheciidae	Atlantic titis	5
Chiropotes	Pitheciidae	Bearded sakis	5
Cebus	Cebidae	Gracile capuchins	4
Leontopithecus	Callitrichidae	Lion tamarins	4
Brachyteles	Atelidae	Muriquis	2
Cebuella	Callitrichidae	Pygmy marmosets	2
Lagothrix	Atelidae	Woolly monkeys	2
Callimico	Callitrichidae	Goeldi’s monkey	1

Pitheciidae is the largest family with 58 species, then Callitrichidae with 54.^[1] Atelidae holds 23, Cebidae 19 and Aotidae 10.^[1] The four prehensile-tailed genera are all atelids.^[2]

All 182 Species

Every New World monkey covered on this site is listed below. Each card carries a photograph and the scientific name. The link opens the full profile.

Alta Floresta Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus grovesi

The Alta Floresta titi is a distinct but unnamed form of titi (Plecturocebus) rediscovered in 2019 in Chapada dos Parecis, a plateau in the far south of the Brazilian state of Rondônia. This species lives exclusively between the Teles-Pires and Juruena rivers in Mato Grosso.

Amazon Black Howler

Species Name: Alouatta nigerrima

Amazon Black Howler is a New World tropical arboreal characterized by densely furry, prehensile tails, all-black faces, a stocky build, relatively large size, and loud howls. According to researchers, its howl sounds like a strong wind blowing through a tunnel can be heard more than two miles away.

Andean Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus miconax

Andean night monkeys are a genus Aotus, commonly known as nocturnal monkeys or the Peruvian night monkey. Species in this genus are the only truly nocturnal monkeys in the world. Andean night monkeys are not sexually dimorphic as males and females look very similar.

Andean Saddle-back Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus leucogenys

The Andean saddle tamarin, also known as the saddleback tamarin (formerly known as the brown-mantled tamarin), is a New World monkey species. Andean saddleback monkeys are considered “phyletic dwarfs,” meaning their small size is related to their evolutionary development.

Aquino's Titi

Species Name: Cheracebus aquinoi

Aquino's titi is a reddish-brown monkey described in 2022, from a strip of Peruvian Amazonia between the Nanay and Tigre rivers. For decades it was filed as the Lucifer titi. A cream collar shaped like a bow tie, stopping at the center of the throat, separates it from every other member of its genus.

Aracá Uakari

Species Name: Cacajao ayresi

The Aracá uakari, also called the Ayres black uakari, is a newly described monkey species endemic to the northwestern Brazilian Amazon. The species was found by Jean-Philippe Boubli of the University of Auckland after following local Yanomamo Indians on their hunts along the Aracá River, a northern tributary of the Negro River.

Ashy Black Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus cinerascens

The Ashy black titi is a species initially described in 1823 as Callicebus cinerascens. Ashy black titi monkeys live in small families comprising a monogamous pair and their young. Adult males tend to carry their infants unless the mother is nursing.

Atlantic Titi

Species Name: Callicebus personatus

The Atlantic titi, also known as the masked titi, inhabits the rainforests of the Atlantic coast of Brazil east of the Andes in the states of Bahia, Espírito Santo, northwest of Minas Gerais, north of Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. This species, found nowhere else in the world, inhabit the tropical forests of Brazil’s Atlantic coast east of the Andes.

Azara's Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus azarae

Azara’s night monkeys, also known as southern night monkeys and Azara’s owl monkeys, are native to the Gran Chaco region of South America, a vast area with many different ecosystems, from savannas to grasslands to dry spiny forests and gallery forests. Genetic testing has shown that the males of this species mated pairs are the fathers of the babies they care for.

Bald Uakari

Species Name: Cacajao calvus

The obscure Bald Uakari (Cacajao Calvus) is an acrobatic Amazonian monkey with a flaming red face uniquely adapted to periodically flooded forests. Surprising insights on its taxonomy, specialized seed-based diet, unusual social life, habitat flexibility, and urgent need to conserve diminishing flooded forest habitat across the Amazon Basin.

Barbara Brown's Titi

Species Name: Callicebus barbarabrownae

Barbara Brown's titi, or blond titi, is a Critically Endangered monkey found only in the dry Caatinga of northeastern Brazil.

Bare-eared Squirrel Monkey

Species Name: Saimiri ustus

The bare-eared squirrel monkey also called the golden-backed squirrel monkey, is a subspecies of the Saimiri sciureus group native to the tropical forests and jungles of South and Central America. The bare-eared squirrel monkey differs from other species because it does not have ear tufts.

Bearded Capuchin

Species Name: Sapajus libidinosus

The bearded capuchin, also called the black-striped capuchin, is a New World monkey in the Cebidae family. They are found in central and northern Brazil. Until recently, the bearded capuchins were considered a subspecies of Tufted Capuchins.

Bearded Emperor Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus subgrisescens

The bearded emperor tamarin is a small monkey of the southwest Amazon, known for a long white moustache and a white chin beard. Scientists raised it from subspecies to full species in 2023. It lives in southeastern Peru, northern Bolivia and western Brazil, and travels in stable mixed troops with saddleback tamarins. The IUCN account still carries it as Least Concern under the former subspecies name and is marked as needing updating, while Bolivia’s 2026 national assessment classifies the full species as Vulnerable.

Bearded Saki

Species Name: Chiropotes chiropotes

The bearded sakis or cuxiús are five species of New World monkeys classified in the genus Chiropotes. Bearded saki shows slight sexual dimorphism: males are usually taller and have longer, more prominent beards than females.

Black Bearded Saki

Species Name: Chiropotes satanas

The black-bearded saki is a species of bearded saki, a species of New World monkey, one of the five remaining monkeys of its kind. Another striking feature is its signature beards. This species prefers primary rainforest, where lush tree canopies provide a relatively safe area out of sight and out of reach of several predators.

Black Capuchin

Species Name: Sapajus nigritus

The black capuchin, also called the black-horned capuchin, is a capuchin monkey native to the Atlantic rainforest of southeastern Brazil and extreme northeastern Argentina. The black capuchin was originally called Cebus nigritus or Cebus apella nigritus. Although this has changed, many sources still name the black capuchin as part of the Cebus genus.

Black Howler monkey

Species Name: Alouatta caraya

Alouatta caraya is found in the tropical rain forests of central South America, extending through eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, southern Brazil, and northern Argentina. Alouatta Caraya monkeys are sexually dimorphic, with males weighing an average of 6.7 kg and females an average of 4.4 kg.

Black Lion Tamarin

Species Name: Leontopithecus chrysopygus

The black lion tamarin, also called the golden-rumped lion tamarin, is a lion tamarin native to the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, almost exclusively in Morro do Diabo State Park. Its limited geographic range makes it the rarest of the New-World monkeys.

Black Spider Monkey

Species Name: Ateles paniscus

Ateles paniscus, the black spider monkey, is one of three sub-species of spider monkeys. Aside from the face, feet, and hands, they are covered in jet-black hair longer than a typical primate. Of all the Ateles species, Ateles paniscus is the largest.

Black Squirrel Monkey

Species Name: Saimiri vanzolinii

The black squirrel monkey, also called the black-headed squirrel monkey or the blackish squirrel monkey is a small New-World monkey native to the central Amazonian region of Brazil. The black squirrel monkey closely resembles the much more common Bolivian squirrel monkey. However, the latter lacks the central black back.

Black Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus niger

Also known as western black-handed tamarind, the black tamarind is a species of tamarin native to Brazil. Black tamarind uses primary and secondary forests during foraging, primarily attaching itself to the canopy and spending little time on the ground.

Black Titi

Species Name: Cheracebus lugens

The Black Titi (Cheracebus lugens) is a species of Titi, a New World monkey endemic to South America. It is found in Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil. It is also known as White-chested Titi.

Black Uakari

Species Name: Cacajao melanocephalus

Also called the golden-backed black uakari, golden-backed uakari, and Homboldt’s black-headed uakari, the black uakari, is a species native to southwestern Venezuela, southeastern Colombia, and northwestern Brazil. The face of Cacajao melanocephalus is black and bare, hence the common name “black uakari” or “black-faced uakari”. The hands and lower limbs are black too.

Black-capped Squirrel Monkey

Species Name: Saimiri boliviensis

The black-capped squirrel monkey is a New-World primate species endemic to the upper Amazon basin in Bolivia, eastern Peru, and western Brazil. Primarily, black-capped squirrel monkeys are arboreal and found in native and plantation forests and some managed areas close to running water.

Black-faced Lion Tamarin

Species Name: Leontopithecus caissara

The black-faced lion tamarin is an Endangered lion tamarin found only on Brazil's Paraná and São Paulo coast. It was discovered on Superagüi Island in 1990.

Black-fronted Titi

Species Name: Callicebus nigrifrons

The black-fronted titi is a New-World monkey native to Brazil. Black-fronted titi monkeys have short faces, fluffy bodies, long legs, and long fluffy tails. The black-fronted titi monkey is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to extensive habitat loss and fragmentation in the remnant Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil.

Black-headed Marmoset

Species Name: Mico nigriceps

The black-headed marmoset is a species of marmoset native to Brazil. It inhabits tropical rainforests, mainly second growth and fringes. Black-headed marmoset lives in large family groups of 4 to 15 individuals. Typically, only one female per group breeds during any given breeding season.

Black-headed Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus nigriceps

The black-headed night monkey is a nocturnal monkey species native to South America. The monkeys are small primates about the size of a small squirrel. The black-headed night monkeys in Peru have mainly inhabited degraded areas.

Black-Headed Spider Monkey

Species Name: Ateles fusciceps

The black-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps) is a species of New-World monkey native to Central and South America. The species name “Ateles” is derived from the Greek word “ateleia” meaning imperfect or incomplete. It was likely chosen because these monkeys do not have a thumb. There are 2 additional sub-species of black-headed spider monkey namely Brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps fusciceps) and Colombian spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps rufiventris).

Black-mantled Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus nigricollis

The black-mantled tamarin is a saddleback tamarin native to northwestern Amazonia in far western Brazil, eastern Ecuador, southeastern Colombia, and northeastern Peru. Leontocebus nigricollis live in small multi-male and multi-female social groups of 4 to 12 and occupy 30 to 50 hectares.

Black-Tailed Marmoset

Species Name: Mico melanurus

The black-tailed marmoset is a New-World monkey species native to central South America. It is distributed from south-central Amazonia in Brazil to the Chaco far north of Paraguay. Black-tailed marmosets are arboreal and diurnal, using their claws for tree climbing.

Black-Tufted Marmoset

Species Name: Callithrix penicillata

The black-tufted marmoset, also called the Black-pencilled marmosets or Mico-estrela in Portuguese is a type of New-World monkey. They live mainly in the neotropical gallery forests of the central Brazilian plateau.

Blond Capuchin

Species Name: Sapajus flavius

The blond capuchin monkey is one of the capuchin monkeys native to northeastern Brazil. These Blonde monkeys get their name from the distinctive golden-blond fur on their bodies. Like other primate species, the blond capuchin is threatened by poaching and trapping for the illegal pet trade.

Bolivian Red Howler

Species Name: Alouatta sara

The Bolivian red howler monkey is a New-World monkey species native to neotropical South America. The Bolivian red howlers live in groups of 1 to 3 males and 2 to 7 females. Males in bachelor groups try to dominate the female group by wrestling the lead male.

Brazilian Bare-Faced Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus bicolor

The pied tamarin, also known as the pied bare-faced tamarin or Brazilian bare-faced tamarin, has one of the smallest home ranges of any primate in the world, located in and around the port city of Manaus.

Brown Howler Monkey

Species Name: Alouatta guariba

The brown howler monkey, also called the brown howler monkey, is a species of New World monkey that lives in the forests of southeastern Brazil and northeastern Argentina. Despite the common name “brown howler”, its color is remarkably variable, with some individuals mainly appearing black or reddish-orange.

Brown Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus brunneus

The brown titi is another species of titi, a New World monkey native to South America. It was initially described in 1842 as Callicebus brunneus and transferred to the new genus Plecturocebus in 2016.

Brown Weeper Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus brunneus

The brown weeper capuchin, or Venezuelan brown capuchin, is a species of graceful capuchin monkey native to Venezuela. Unlike spider monkeys, brown weeper capuchin monkeys can’t hang by their tails because they cannot support their body weight.

Brown-backed Bearded Saki

Species Name: Chiropotes israelita

The brown-backed bearded Saki is one of 5 species of bearded Saki, a New World monkey species. Bearded sakis have a unique appearance. They are born with prehensile tails, which they retain for the first two months of their life. This allows them to cling to their mother’s body. After this time, the tail becomes non-prehensile.

Brown-mantled Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus fuscicollis

The brown-mantled tamarin also called the Spix’s saddleback tamarin, is a species of saddleback tamarin native to South America. The species are considered “phyletic dwarfs,” meaning their small size is linked to their evolutionary development.

Brumback's Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus brumbacki

Brumback’s Night Monkey is a nocturnal monkey species found in Colombia. Still, recently, it has been argued that it should be considered a separate species. The species is named in honor of the American naturalist and physician Roger Brumback.

Buffy-headed Marmoset

Species Name: Callithrix flaviceps

The buffy-headed marmoset is a Critically Endangered marmoset found only in the mountain forests of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Buffy-tufted Marmoset

Species Name: Callithrix aurita

The buffy-tufted marmoset is an Endangered marmoset of the mountain forests of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil.

Burnished Saki

Species Name: Pithecia inusta

The Burnished saki is a species of saki monkey, a species of New World monkey. It is located in central Peru and a small part of adjacent Brazil. The species was described by Johann Baptist von Spix in 1823 but was later merged with the monk saki (Pythecia monachus).

Caquetá Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus caquetensis

The Caquetá titi lives only in southern Colombia. It is Critically Endangered. The IUCN suspects fewer than 100 remain in the wild. Forest loss is the main threat.

Cazuza's Saki

Species Name: Pithecia cazuzai

Cazuza’s Saki is native to northwestern Brazil. Populations of this species were previously classified as Rio Tapajós saki (Pithecia irrorata). Still, a 2014 study found that these populations had a pelage distinct from all other species in the genus and were therefore considered their own species, Pithecia cazuzai.

Central American Squirrel Monkey

Species Name: Saimiri oerstedii

The Central American squirrel monkey also called the red-backed squirrel monkey, is a squirrel monkey type native to the Pacific coast of Panama and Costa Rica. Central American squirrel monkeys spend most of their lives in the middle and upper layers of the tree canopy.

Chacoan Titi Monkey

Species Name: Plecturocebus pallescens

The Chacoan Titi Monkey is a species of titi (also called White-coated Titi), a type of New World monkey native to South America. These diurnal monkeys are stealthy and hard to spot as they navigate the canopy. They move between branches and trees by walking or jumping on four limbs.

Chestnut-bellied Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus caligatus

The chestnut-bellied titi monkey is a New World primate species native to Brazil. The Chestnut-bellied Titi monkeys live in family groups consisting of father, mother, and baby monkeys ranging in size from three to seven with other affiliates.

Coastal Black-handed Titi

Species Name: Callicebus melanochir

The coastal black-handed titi is another species of titi, a New World primate native to the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil. Coastal black-handed Titi monkeys vocalize synchronously early in the morning, possibly to announce their presence in their territory.

Coimbra Filho's Titi

Species Name: Callicebus coimbrai

Coimbra-Filho's titi is an Endangered titi monkey found only in Atlantic Forest fragments of Sergipe and northeastern Bahia, Brazil.

Collared Titi

Species Name: Cheracebus torquatus

The collared titi, also called the widow monkey, or yellow-handed monkey inhabits the lush rainforests of the Amazon and is typically found south of Río Negro and north of Río Solimões. Titi monkeys are often known to “duet” with each other, either between an adult female and an adult male, an adult female and her son, or an adult male and his daughter.

Collins' Squirrel Monkey

Species Name: Saimiri collinsi

Collins’ Squirrel Monkey is a species of squirrel monkey endemic to Brazil. Until a genetic study by Jessica Lynch Alfaro et al. raised them to the species category, Collins’ squirrel monkey had been considered a subspecies of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus).

Colombian Black-handed Titi

Species Name: Cheracebus medemi

The Colombian Black-handed titi is a species of titi, a New World primate native to Colombia. The Colombian black-handed titi is a diurnal and arboreal monkey that prefers to live in dense forests near water.

Common Marmoset

Species Name: Callithrix jacchus

The common marmoset, also known as white-tufted-ear marmoset or white-tufted marmoset, is a type of New World monkey. As they have adapted to life at the forest edge of southeastern Brazil, common marmosets have also learned to take advantage of the region’s plantations.

Coppery Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus cupreus

The coppery titi, or the red titi, is a species of titi, a type of New-World monkey native to South America. Coppery titi monkeys have dense fur that covers most of the body except for the face.

Cotton-Top Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus oedipus

The cotton-top tamarin is another small New-World primate found at the edge of tropical and secondary forests in northwestern Colombia. The common names “cotton-headed tamarin” and “cotton-top tamarin” are derived from the white hairs that spread across the head and flow down the neck.

Cruz Lima's Saddleback Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus cruzlimai

The Cruz Lima saddleback tamarin is a species of saddleback tamarin, a small monkey native to South America. The Cruz Lima saddleback tamarins were formerly thought to be a subspecies of the brown-mantled tamarin (Leontocebus fuscicollis).

Eastern Black-handed Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus ursula

The Eastern black-handed marmoset (Saguinus ursulus) is a species of marmoset native to Brazil. These tamarins are mainly covered in jet-black fur, with only a small area around the nose and eyes and most hairless ears.

Eastern Pygmy Marmoset

Species Name: Cebuella niveiventris

The eastern pygmy marmoset is a species of marmoset, a tiny New World monkey found in the southwestern Amazon rainforest. Notably, at just over 100 grams (3.5 ounces), the eastern pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey and among the smallest primates in the world.

Ecuadorian Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus aequatorialis

The Ecuadorian capuchin, also known as the Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchin, is a species of a graceful capuchin monkey in the Cebidae family. The highest-ranking female dominates all group members except the highest-ranking male.

Ecuadorian Squirrel Monkey

Species Name: Saimiri macrodon

The Ecuadorian squirrel monkey is a species of the squirrel monkey. Although it occasionally ventures to the ground to play or feed, the Ecuadorian squirrel monkey is strictly an arboreal primate.

Emilia's Marmoset

Species Name: Mico emiliae

The Emilia’s marmoset also called the Snethlage’s marmoset, is a marmoset native to Brazil. The species is named after Emilie Snethlage, a German-born Brazilian ornithologist.

Emperor Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus imperator

The Emperor Tamarin is a species of tamarin named for its resemblance to the German Kaiser Wilhelm II. It lives in the states of Acre and Amazonas, western Brazil, and the southwestern Amazon basin.

Equatorial Saki

Species Name: Pithecia aequatorialis

The Equatorial Saki, also known as the red-bearded Saki, is a species of saki monkey and New World monkey. They are most common in riparian, seasonally flooded, and swampy forests but have also been seen in terra firme forests.

Geoffroy's Monk Saki

Species Name: Pithecia monachus

Geoffroy’s monk saki, also called monk saki, is a species of saki monkey, a New-World primate native to South America. A monk saki is one of seven species of New-World arboreal monkeys with a bushy, feathery tail.

Geoffroy's Saddleback Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus nigrifrons

Geoffroy’s Saddleback Tamarin is a saddled tamarin, a species of small monkey native to South America. Geoffroy’s saddleback tamarins often associate and form mixed groups with mustached tamarins (Saguinus mystax). Both species often perch in the same tree, responding to each other’s alarm calls.

Geoffroy's Spider Monkey

Species Name: Ateles geoffroyi

Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) also called the Central American spider monkey or black-handed spider monkey, is a species of spider monkey. The species name geoffroyi is honored by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, a French naturalist. The Geoffroy’s spider monkey consists of five recognized subspecies residing in various parts of Central America and Mexico. These include the Hooded spider monkey (A. g. grisescens) in southern Mexico, the ornately-patterned Ornate spider monkey (A. g. ornatus) in Costa Rica and Panama, the Yucatan spider monkey (A. g. yucatanensis) in the Yucatan Peninsula, the Mexican spider monkey (A. g. vellerosus) in Veracruz, and the nominate Nicaraguan spider monkey subspecies (A. g. geoffroyi) found in Nicaragua, Honduras and northern Costa Rica.

Geoffroy's Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus geoffroyi

Geoffroy’s tamarin, also called the Panamanian tamarin, red-crested tamarin, or rufous-naped marmoset tamarin, is a tamarin, a small monkey found in Colombia and Panama. In what may seem like a role reversal in many monkey species, Geoffroy’s tamarins are led by the oldest female in a group.

Goeldi's Marmoset

Species Name: Callimico goeldii

Goeldi marmoset or Goeldi monkey is a small South American New-World monkey living in the upper Amazon basin region of Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru. Goeldi marmosets generally stay less than 5 meters from the forest floor, moving to higher elevations for fruit.

Gold-And-White Marmoset

Species Name: Mico chrysoleucos

The gold-and-white marmoset, also called the golden-white tassel-ear marmoset, is a species of marmoset, a tiny monkey native to the Amazon rainforest in the eastern Amazonas state of Brazil.

Golden Lion Tamarin

Species Name: Leontopithecus rosalia

The golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia), also called the golden tamarin, is a small New World primate in the Callitrichidae family. The golden lion tamarin derives its name from its vivid reddish-orange coat and extra-long hair around its face and ears, giving it a distinctive mane.

Golden-Bellied Capuchin

Species Name: Sapajus xanthosternos

The golden-bellied capuchin (Sapajus xanthosternos), also called the buff-headed or yellow-breasted capuchin is a New World monkey species. They spend much time grooming one another for socialization, with the alpha species receiving the most attention.

Golden-faced Saki

Species Name: Pithecia chrysocephala

The golden-faced saki (Pithecia chrysocephala) is a New World monkey found on the northern side of the Amazon on both sides of the Rio Negro in Brazil. This species was previously classified as a subspecies of white-faced saki (Pithecia pithecia) but was upgraded to full species status in 2014.

Golden-Headed Lion Tamarin

Species Name: Leontopithecus chrysomelas

The golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas), also known as the golden-headed tamarin, is a lion tamarin native to Brazil. It is only found in fragments of lowland and premontane forests in the state of Bahia and is therefore considered an endangered species.

Golden-mantled Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus tripartitus

The golden-mantled tamarin (Leontocebus tripartius) is native to South America. The golden-mantled tamarin is an arboreal, diurnal species that leaps and walks quadrupedally through the undergrowth.

Gray-bellied Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus lemurinus

The gray-bellied night monkey (Aotus lemurinus) is a rare nocturnal primate found in the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador. Recognizable by its red eyes, gray underbelly, and woolly coat, it thrives in dense canopies where it feeds on fruits, insects, and nectar. Its nocturnal habits reduce competition and help it evade predators like owls and snakes. As both seed disperser and prey, it plays a key ecological role—yet habitat loss continues to threaten its survival.

Gray-handed Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus griseimembra

The gray-handed night monkey (Aotus griseimembra) is a small, nocturnal primate native to Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama. Known for its large owl-like eyes and gray limbs, this tree-dwelling monkey thrives in rainforest canopies and plays a vital role as a seed disperser. Monogamous and family-oriented, it relies on both parents—especially the father—for infant care. Though adaptable, habitat loss, hunting, and the pet trade threaten its survival, earning it a Vulnerable status on the IUCN Red List. Conservation efforts are crucial to preserve this unique night-dweller and its forest ecosystem.

Gray's Bald-faced Saki

Species Name: Pithecia irrorata

Gray’s Bald-faced Saki (Pithecia irrorata), also known as Rio Tapajós saki, is a New World monkey native to South America. These monkeys are renowned for being reclusive because they avoid humans and quiet nature.

Guianan Brown Capuchin

Species Name: Sapajus apella

The tufted capuchin (Sapajus apella), also called the pin monkey, Guianan brown capuchin, or black-headed capuchin is a New World monkey native to South America and the Caribbean islands of Margarita and Trinidad.

Guianan Saki

Species Name: Pithecia pithecia

The white-faced saki (Pithecia pithecia), also known as the golden-faced saki, Guianan saki, and Guyana saki, is a New World saki monkey species. Typically, they have a lifespan of around 14 years in the wild and have lived up to 36 years in captivity.

Guianan Squirrel Monkey

Species Name: Saimiri sciureus

The Guianan squirrel monkey, also called the South American squirrel monkey, is a squirrel monkey found in Guiana, Brazil, and Venezuela. Saimiri sciureus was once thought to belong to the Collins’ squirrel monkey and the Humboldt’s squirrel monkey. Still, genetic research in 2009 and 2015 showed they were different species.

Guianan Weeper Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus olivaceus

The wedge-capped capuchin (Cebus olivaceus), also known as Guianan weeper capuchin, is a capuchin monkey native to South America. Wedge-capped capuchins get their name from a black triangle of dark fur centered on their forehead.

Guyanan Red Howler Monkey

Species Name: Alouatta macconnelli

The Guyanan red howler monkey (Alouatta macconnelli) also known as Guianan Red Howler, is a New World monkey native to Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, Venezuela, and Brazil. Each troop has a hierarchy consisting of a single dominant alpha male, sometimes with 1 or 2 subadult males. The rests are females and their young.

Hairy Saki

Species Name: Pithecia hirsuta

The hairy saki (Pithecia hirsuta) is a species of saki monkey, a New World primate species. The species was identified by Johann Baptist von Spix in 1823 but later merged with the Mönk saki (P. monachus). Then, a 2014 study revived it as a separate species due to differences in fur coloration.

Hershkovitz's Marmoset

Species Name: Mico intermedius

The Hershkovitz marmoset (Mico intermedia), also called the Aripuanã marmoset, is endemic to the Amazon rainforest of south-central Brazil. The common name references Philip Hershkovitz, an American zoologist.

Hoffmann's Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus hoffmannsi

Hoffmann’s Titi (Plecturocebus hoffmannsi) is a New World primate native to Brazil. It was described as Callicebus hoffmannsi in 1908. These primates have small to medium-sized bodies. Hoffmann’s titis are known to live in small, pair-bonded, and territorial groups and are considered monogamous by most biologists.

Hooded Capuchin

Species Name: Sapajus cay

The Azaras capuchin or hooded capuchin (Sapajus cay) is a robust capuchin species. It is found in northern Argentina, southeastern Bolivia, eastern Paraguay, and Brazil. Its habitat consists of humid, subtropical, semi-deciduous, gallery forests and forests in the Pantanales.

Humboldt's Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus trivirgatus

The three-striped night monkey (Aotus trivirgatus), also known as the northern owl monkey, Humboldt’s Night Monkey, or northern night monkey, is one of several currently recognized species of owl monkeys.

Humboldt's Squirrel Monkey

Species Name: Saimiri cassiquiarensis

Humboldt’s squirrel monkey (Saimiri cassiquiarensis) is a species of squirrel monkey found in South America’s tropical rainforests, except for the coastal forests of southeastern Brazil.

Humboldt's White Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus albifrons

Humboldt’s white capuchins, also known as white-fronted capuchins, are a species of New-World monkeys and one of the smallest capuchin groups. Humboldt's squirrel monkeys are usually led by a dominant male and female.

Humboldt's Woolly Monkey

Species Name: Lagothrix lagothricha

Humboldt’s woolly monkey, common woolly monkey, or brown woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagothricha) is a woolly monkey endemic to South America. Humboldt’s woolly monkeys can show subtle mood swings and intentions with various facial expressions.

Illiger's Saddle-Back Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus illigeri

(Leontocebus illigeri) is a species of saddleback tamarin, a type of small monkey native to South America. Illiger’s saddleback tamarin is native to the Peruvian Amazon, and its type locality is in Loreto, Peru, on the left bank of the lower Ucayali River.

Isabel's Saki

Species Name: Pithecia isabela

Isabel’s Saki (Pithecia isabela) is a New World monkey species, native to a small part of northern Peru. The species was named in honor of Isabel Godin des Odonais, an 18th-century Ecuadorian noblewoman who traveled across South America to find her husband.

Kaapori Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus kaapori

The Kaapori capuchin lives only in Brazil's eastern Amazon. It is Critically Endangered. Brazil suspects an 85% decline from 1972 to 2020. Forest clearing is the main threat.

Kanamari White Uakari

Species Name: Cacajao amuna

The Kanamari white uakari was the only animal formally described as a new species in the 2022 revision of the bald uakaris. It is a whitish monkey with a bare red face and a reddish orange beard, living in white-water flooded forest on the right bank of the Rio Tarauacá in western Brazil. Its name honours the Amuna-dyapas, a Kanamari subgroup, and comes from a Katukina word for uakari monkey. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern, with its population trend recorded as stable, and a range the describing paper estimates at 30,028 square kilometers.

Kulinas' Mustached Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus kulina

Kulinas' mustached tamarin was described in January 2023, from a block of Brazilian Amazon between the Juruá and Tefé rivers. Nobody had collected a mustached tamarin there before. A yellow band on each mantle hair separates it from the moustached tamarin, whose band is orange. The description examined nine museum specimens and provides no data on its ecology or social organization in the wild.

Lake Baptista Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus baptista

The Lake Baptista titi, Plecturocebus baptista, is a species of titi, a New World monkey native to Brazil. Lake Baptista Titi was initially described as Callicebus baptista in 1939.

Lesson's Saddle-Back Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus fuscus

Lesson’s Saddle-Back Tamarin (Leontocebus fuscus) is a small New-world monkey endemic to South America. Its type locality is in Colombia, on the plains of Mocoa, Putumayo, between the Caquetá River and the Putumayo River.

Lucifer Titi

Species Name: Cheracebus lucifer

Lucifer Titi (Cheracebus lucifer) is a species of Titi, a New World monkey endemic to South America. It is found in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil. This yellow-handed Titi was described as Callicebus lucifer in 1914.

Madidi Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus aureipalatii

The Madidi titi also called the Golden Palace monkey, is a titi, a New World species of monkey discovered in 2004 in Madidi National Park in western Bolivia. The species got its name, Golden Palace, from an online casino after an auction.

Mantled Howler Monkey

Species Name: Alouatta palliata

The Mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) is a species of howler monkey, a New World monkey native to South and Central America. The species gets its name “mantled” from the long, protective hairs on its sides.

Maranhão Red-Handed Howler

Species Name: Alouatta ululata

The Maranhão red-handed howler is an Endangered howler monkey of the dry forests and mangroves of Maranhão, Piauí and Ceará, Brazil.

Marca's Marmoset

Species Name: Mico marcai

The Marca marmoset (Mico marcai) is a native endemic to the Amazon in the Aripuanã-Manicoré interfluvium of Brazil. Marca marmosets that submit to a dominant individual show this by baring their teeth and laying their ears flat.

Martins' Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus martinsi

Martin’s tamarin (Saguinus martinsi) or Martin’s ochraceous bare-faced tamarin, is native to Brazil. These tamarins are distinguished from other New World monkeys by their small size and modified claws instead of nails on all digits except the big toe.

Maués Marmoset

Species Name: Mico mauesi

The Maués marmoset (Mico mauesi) is a marmoset native to Brazil. It is only found on the western bank of the Maués Açu River in the state of Amazonas. Maués marmosets are arboreal and diurnal, spending most of their lives in trees.

Midas Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus midas

The Midas tamarin (Saguinus midas), also called the red-handed tamarin or golden-handed tamarin is a New-World monkey in the Callitrichidae family. Midas tamarin is also known as golden tamarin or red-handed tamarin. This attests to the remarkably vivid colors of the feet and hands.

Miller's Saki

Species Name: Pithecia milleri

Miller’s Saki (Pithecia milleri), also called Miller’s monk saki, is a species of the saki family, a type of New World monkey. Miller’s sakis are diurnal and quadrupedal leapers. They usually move on all fours but can be seen swinging bipedally on large branches before leaping to another tree.

Milton's Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus miltoni

Milton’s titi (Plecturocebus miltoni) also called the fire-tailed titi monkey, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey from the Amazon rainforest of southern Brazil.

Mittermeier's Tapajós Saki

Species Name: Pithecia mittermeieri

Mittermeier’s Tapajós Saki (Pithecia mittermeieri) is a disputed species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey. Populations of this species were previously classified as Tapajós River saki (Pithecia irrorata). Still, a 2014 study described these populations as a separate species, Pithecia mittermeieri, based on their distinctive fur.

Mottle-faced Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus inustus

The Mottle-faced tamarin (Saguinus inustus) is endemic to South America. The Mottle-Faced tamarin monkey gets its name from its mottled face, which means their faces have spots.

Moustached Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus mystax

Moustached tamarins, also known as black-chested moustached tamarins and Spyx’s moustached tamarins, are native to Peru and Brazil. These monkeys are found in all strata of the lowland Amazon rainforest. The moustached tamarin gets its name from the lack of coloration in the facial hair around the mouth, which resembles a mustache.

Munduruku Marmoset

Species Name: Mico munduruku

The Munduruku marmoset (Mico munduruku) is a marmoset native to Brazil. It is only found in the southern Amazon over an area of about 120,000 km square, from the right bank of the Jamanxim River below the mouth of the Novo River to the mouth of the Tapajós River.

Nancy Ma's Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus nancymaae

Nancy Ma’s Night Monkey (Aotus nancymaae) is a species of night monkey from South America. Nancy Ma’s night monkeys are social. They form small groups of 2 to 5 individuals, all directly related to each other.

Napo Saki

Species Name: Pithecia napensis

The Napo saki (Pithecia napensis), also called the Napo monk saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey. The species’ common name is derived from the Napo River in its locality.

Neblina Uakari

Species Name: Cacajao hosomi

The Neblina uakari (Cacajao hosomi), black-headed uakari, is a recently described monkey species from the extreme northwest of the Brazilian Amazon and adjacent southern Venezuela. Neblina uakari’s English name refers to the Pico da Neblina, which marks its known distribution approximate center.

Northern Muriqui

Species Name: Brachyteles hypoxanthus

The northern muriquí (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) is an endangered species of woolly spider monkey or muriquí endemic to Brazil. When searching for fruit and leaves in tall trees, these monkeys use their tails for support.

Novaes' Bald Uakari

Species Name: Cacajao novaesi

The Novaes' bald uakari was named as a subspecies in 1987 and raised to a full species by a 2022 genomic revision. It lives in one stretch of Amazonas forest between the Rio Gregório and the Rio Tarauacá, an extent of occurrence of about 3,757 square kilometers, and its southern limit has never been mapped. The IUCN lists it as Near Threatened, citing a small range, low genetic diversity, and a population thought to number fewer than 2,500 and falling.

Olalla Brothers' Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus olallae

The Olalla brothers' titi is a small monkey found only in Bolivia. It is Critically Endangered. Its known range covers just 383.4 km² of forest along the Yacuma River.

Ornate Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus ornatus

The ornate titi (Plecturocebus ornatus) is a species of titi and the smallest member of the Pitheciidae family, including the uakari and saki monkeys. Ornate titis have a monogamous mating system. A couple has a strong bond and stays together for years.

Panamanian Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus zonalis

The Panamanian night monkey or Chocoan night monkey (Aotus zonalis) is a species of night monkey formerly considered a subspecies of the grey-bellied night monkey in the Aotidae family. Panamanian night monkeys are sympatric with other species. They do not compete for resources with other animals in their range due to their alternate schedules.

Panamanian White-faced Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus imitator

The Panamanian white-faced capuchin (Cebus mimic), also called the Panamanian white-headed capuchin or the Central American white-faced capuchin is a mid-sized New World monkey in the Cebidae family. Native to Central American forests, the Panamanian white-faced capuchin is vital to rainforest ecology for its role in seed and pollen dispersal.

Parecis Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus parecis

The Parecis titi (Plecturocebus parecis) is a species of titi, a New World monkey native to Brazil. The range of the new species is in the deforestation arc of the Amazon, where large tracts of forest are being destroyed for timber, settlements, and industrial agriculture.

Peruvian Spider Monkey

Species Name: Ateles chamek

Peruvian spider monkeys, like other Ateles species, have a prehensile tail that can be used to facilitate brachiation. Typically, Peruvian spider monkeys have completely black fur and complexions, unlike the lighter red-faced black spider monkey.

Peruvian White-fronted Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus yuracus

The Peruvian white-fronted capuchin or Marañón white-fronted capuchin (Cebus yuracus) is a species of gracile capuchin monkey native to the upper Amazon basin. Peruvian white-fronted capuchin monkeys live in multi-male, multi-female groups of 5 to 18 individuals, with approximately equal numbers of males and females.

Peruvian Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey

Species Name: Lagothrix flavicauda

The Peruvian yellow-tailed woolly monkey is a Critically Endangered primate found only in the Andean cloud forests of northern Peru.

Pissinatti's Bald-faced Saki

Species Name: Pithecia pissinattii

Pissinatti’s Sakior or Pissinatti’s bald-faced saki (Pithecia pissinattii), is a controversial species of saki monkey, a New World monkey. This species is named after Alcides Pissinatti, a Brazilian veterinarian who pioneered the breeding of endangered Brazilian primates.

Prince Bernhard's Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus bernhardi

Prince Bernhard’s Titi (Plecturocebus bernhardi) is a species of titi in the subfamily Callicebinae. It is a species of New World monkey native to Brazil. The species is named after Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, a naturalist who established the Order of the Golden Ark to honor conservationists worldwide.

Pygmy Marmoset (Finger Monkey)

Species Name: Cebuella pygmaea

The pygmy marmoset (smallest monkey), genus Cebuella (also known as Finger Monkey), is a small genus of New-World monkeys endemic to the tropical rainforests of the western Amazon Basin in South America. Pygmy marmosets are also highly territorial, using scent glands to mark territories of up to 100 hectares.

Red Bald Uakari

Species Name: Cacajao rubicundus

The red bald uakari was described as a species in 1848. Hershkovitz reduced it to a subspecies of Cacajao calvus in 1987, and a 2022 genomic revision restored species rank. It lives in three separate patches of flooded forest along the middle Solimões, and the animals in each patch wear a different coat. Its bare red face gets its color from blood vessels rather than pigment.

Red Howler Monkey

Species Name: Alouatta seniculus

The Colombian red howler or Venezuelan red howler is a South American species of howler monkey, a New World species of monkey found in the western Amazon basin. Colombian red howler monkeys live in relatively large social groups composed of around 10 individuals, with just one or possibly two of the individuals being male.

Red-backed Bearded Saki

Species Name: Chiropotes sagulatus

The red-backed bearded saki (Chiropotes chiropotes), also known as Guianan Bearded Saki, is a New World monkey native to South America. They live in groups of about 40 members of both sexes, sometimes separated into groups when traveling or foraging, their primary occupation.

Red-bellied Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus moloch

The Red-bellied titi (Plecturocebus moloch) is a marmoset species of New World monkey native to Brazil. It lives in thickets and forests. Like other titis, red-bellied titi is territorial and emits vocal cries to mark its territory and scare other animals.

Red-cap Mustached Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus pileatus

The red-cap mustached tamarin is a small monkey endemic to Amazonas, Brazil. A 2023 genomic review recognized it as a full species, ending a twenty-year disagreement. It holds two subspecies split by the Rio Coari, and only the nominate form carries the rusty red cap that names it. Fruit made up 70.6 percent of its diet at the Rio Urucu. No Red List assessment covers the species, and Brazil does not list it as threatened.

Red-Chested Mustached Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus labiatus

The Red-chested mustached tamarin (Saguinus labiatus), also known as Red-bellied Tamarin, is a tamarin that lives in the Amazon region of Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. The red belly of these New World monkeys is their most striking external feature.

Red-handed Howler

Species Name: Alouatta belzebul

The red-handed howler monkey (Alouatta belzebul) is an endangered species of howler monkey, a New World species. Red-handed howler monkeys are diurnal, although they spend most of the day (up to 80%) sleeping on tree branches with members of their squad.

Red-headed Titi

Species Name: Cheracebus regulus

The red-headed titi (Cheracebus regulus) (also known as Juruá Collared Titi) is a marmoset species of New World monkey endemic to Brazil. Red-headed titi monkeys are diurnal and arboreal, waking up and sleeping with the sun.

Red-mantled Saddle-Back Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus lagonotus

The Red-mantled saddleback tamarin (Leontocebus lagonotus) is a species of saddleback tamarin, a species of small South American monkey. The Red-mantled saddle-back tamarin lives in Peru and Ecuador, and its type locality is in Peru, near the confluence of the Amazon and Napo.

Rio Acari Marmoset

Species Name: Mico acariensis

The Rio Acari marmoset (Mico acariensis) is endemic to Brazil. It was first described in the year 2000. These Brazilian monkeys use their specialized claws to forcefully grip tree trunks and gnaw small holes in the bark with their lower incisors and canines.

Rio Beni Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus modestus

The Rio Beni titi is an Endangered titi monkey found only in the forest islands of Bolivia's Beni savannas, one of just two primates endemic to Bolivia.

Río Cesar White-fronted Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus cesarae

The Río Cesar white-fronted capuchin is an Endangered capuchin found only in northern Colombia. It is the palest white-fronted capuchin of the region, and its diet is still undocumented.

Rio Mayo Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus oenanthe

The Rio Mayo titi is a Critically Endangered monkey found only in Peru's San Martín region. It survives mostly in small forest fragments among farms.

Robust Capuchin Monkey

Species Name: Sapajus robustus

Robust capuchin monkeys, also called crested capuchin monkeys, are capuchin monkeys of the Sapajus genus. Some crested capuchin species are known to use stone tools in the wild. These are used to crack nuts and other seeds, dried fruits, and even oysters.

Rondon's Marmoset

Species Name: Mico rondoni

Rondon’s Marmoset (Mico rondoni), also called the Rondônia marmoset, is a small species of monkey in the Callitrichidae family found in the southwestern Amazon of Brazil. Rondon’s marmoset was only described in 2010, and its name refers to the famous Amazon explorer Cândido Rondon.

Roosmalens' Dwarf Marmoset

Species Name: Mico humilis

The Roosmalens dwarf marmoset, also called the black-crowned pygmy marmoset or black-crowned dwarf marmoset, is a New-World monkey endemic to the Amazon rainforest.

Ryland's Bald-faced Saki

Species Name: Pithecia rylandsi

The Ryland’s Bald-Faced Saki (Pithecia rylandsi) is a controversial species of saki monkey, a New World monkey species. It is one of the largest sakis. This South American monkey was named after Brazilian primatologist Anthony Rylands, a former professor of vertebrate zoology at the Federal University of Minas Gerais and founding editor of the journal Neotropical Primates.

Santa Marta White-fronted Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus malitiosus

The Santa Marta white-fronted capuchin is an Endangered monkey found only around Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is barely studied.

Santarem Marmoset

Species Name: Mico humeralifer

The Santarem marmoset (Mico humeralifer), also called the black-and-white tassel marmoset, is a marmoset native to the Amazon and Pará states of Brazil. Santarem marmosets make long cries with their rapidly vibrating tongue, designed to sound like a cricket, and shorter chirps.

Satéré Marmoset

Species Name: Mico saterei

The Satéré marmoset (Mico saterei) is native to Brazil and its genus is characterized by claw-like nails rather than the flat nails of other primates, long lower incisors, a specialized caecum, and squirrel-like movements in trees.

Schneider's Marmoset

Species Name: Mico schneideri

Schneider's marmoset (Mico schneideri) is a tiny Amazonian monkey discovered only in 2021. Endemic to Brazil's Mato Grosso forests, it lives in one of the most threatened rainforest regions. With a diet of fruits, insects, and flowers, it plays key ecological roles. Social and territorial, this marmoset breeds within tight-knit groups. Unfortunately, rampant deforestation threatens its survival. Urgent conservation is needed to protect this rare species and the rapidly vanishing habitat it calls home.

Shock-headed Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus cuscinus

The shock-headed capuchin (Cebus cuscinus) is a gracile capuchin monkey native to Peru and Bolivia. This New-world monkey was previously classified as a subspecies of the Humboldt’s capuchin (Cebus albifrons), but in 2013 Rylands and Mittermeier raised it to a separate species, following genetic studies done by Boubli et al. in 2012, and Lynch Alfaro et al. in 2010.

Sierra De Perijá White-fronted Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus leucocephalus

The Sierra de Perijá white-fronted capuchin monkey (Cebus leucocephalus) is a species of gracile capuchin monkey native to Venezuela and Colombia. The Sierra de Perijá white-fronted capuchin range is restricted to northwestern Venezuela and northern Colombia forests.

Silvery Brown Bare-face Tamarin

Species Name: Saguinus leucopus

The white-footed tamarin (Saguinus leucopus), the silvery-brown bare-faced tamarin, is native to Colombia. It is silvery brown with pale stripes and reddish underparts. It closely resembles the cotton-tipped tamarin from which it is separated by the Atrato River.

Silvery Marmoset

Species Name: Mico argentatus

The Silvery marmoset (Mico argentatus) is a New-World monkey living in the eastern Amazon rainforest of Brazil. True to its name, the silvery marmoset’s body is a striking silver-grey color. Silvery marmosets are primarily arboreal species and can spend their entire lives in trees without descending to the ground.

Southern Muriqui

Species Name: Brachyteles arachnoides

The southern muriqui or woolly spider monkeys (Brachyteles arachnoides) are scattered across southeastern Brazil, from Bahia north to Sao Palo south. The southern muriqui is one of the largest primates in South America, with males weighing around 15 kg and females around 12 kg.

Spix's Night Monkey

Species Name: Aotus vociferans

The Spix’s night monkey (Aotus vociferans), also called the Spix’s owl monkey, Colombian gray nocturnal monkey, and noisy night monkey is a species of night monkey native to South America.

Spix's Red-handed Howler

Species Name: Alouatta discolor

Spix’s Red-Handed Howler (Alouatta discolor) is a species of howler monkey endemic to the southeastern Amazon in Brazil. Spix’s Red-headed Howler is currently on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Endangered Species List based on a population decline of more than 30% over the last 3 generations, mainly due to habitat loss.

Spix's White-fronted Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus unicolor

Spix’s White-fronted Capuchin (Cebus unicolor) is a species of a gracile capuchin monkey. The species is widespread in the upper Amazon basin in Peru and Brazil. It is also present in northern Bolivia. According to the genetic studies by Boubli et al., Ryland and Mittermeier elevated it to a distinct species.

Stephen Nash's Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus stephennashi

Stephen Nash’s Titi (Plecturocebus stephennashi), also known as Stephen Nash’s monkey or Nash’s Titi, is a species of Titi in the family Pitheciidae. This Brazilian monkey was discovered by Marc van Roosmalen in 2001 when local fishermen brought specimens to his breeding center. It was officially described in 2002.

Toppin's Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus toppini

Toppin’s Titi (Plecturocebus toppini) is a species of Titi, a species of New World monkey endemic to Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil. It got its name from Captain Toppin, who collected the type specimen of this species near the Tahuamanu River in Peru.

Ucayali Bald Uakari

Species Name: Cacajao ucayalii

The Ucayali bald uakari is a red-faced Amazonian monkey, raised from subspecies to full species rank in 2022. Its face and crown are bare skin, colored by blood vessels rather than pigment, and its tail is the shortest in proportion of any New World monkey. It lives between the Ucayali and Javari rivers in Peru, and in Acre, Brazil.

Ursine Howler

Species Name: Alouatta arctoidea

The Ursine howler (Alouatta arctoidea) is a species of howler monkey endemic to Venezuela and possibly Colombia. These howlers are famous for their “morning chorus”.

Urubamba Brown Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus urubambensis

The Urubamba brown titi (Plecturocebus urubambensis) is a species of Titi, a New World monkey native to Peru. This species is found east of the Tambo River and west of the Urubamba, Manú, and Madre de Dios rivers.

Uta Hick's Bearded Saki

Species Name: Chiropotes utahicki

Uta Hick’s Bearded Saki (Chiropotes utahicki) is an endangered species of bearded saki, a New World monkey species. It was named after Uta Hick, a German primatologist who cared for bearded sakis at Cologne Zoo.

Vanzolini's Bald-faced Saki

Species Name: Pithecia vanzolinii

Vanzolini’s Bald-Faced Saki (Pithecia vanzolinii) is a species of saki monkey, a species of New World monkey. Vanzolini’s bald-faced saki monkey was first cataloged by naturalist Alfonso Ollala in 1936. His account describes a monkey with a long, fluffy tail and golden fur on its limbs.

Varied White-fronted Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus versicolor

The varied white-fronted capuchin is an Endangered capuchin found only in Colombia. It lives in the middle Magdalena River valley, where most of its forest is gone.

Variegated Spider Monkey

Species Name: Ateles hybridus

The variegated spider monkey is a Critically Endangered spider monkey found only in northern Colombia and northern Venezuela. It eats mostly ripe fruit and breeds slowly.

Vieira's Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus vieirai

The Vieira’s titi monkey (Plecturocebus vieirai) is a species of Titi, a New World monkey species native to north-central Brazil. They have bright reddish-brown faces with yellowish cheek hairs.

Weddell's Saddle-Back Tamarin

Species Name: Leontocebus weddelli

The Weddell’s saddle-back tamarin (Leontocebus weddelli) is a species of saddle-back tamarin, a species of small South American monkey. Weddell’s saddle-back tamarins are tree dwellers. As such, they are phenomenal climbers with sharp claws that allow them to cling to the sides of trees.

Weeping Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus castaneus

The Weeping capuchin, also known as the chestnut capuchin and chestnut weeper capuchin (Cebus castaneus), is a capuchin monkey endemic to northeastern Brazil, southern Guyana, French Guiana, and Suriname. This primate is also known as Wedge-capped capuchin.

White Marmoset

Species Name: Mico leucippe

The white marmoset (Mico leucippe), also called the golden-white bare-eared marmoset, is an endangered marmoset native to the Amazon rainforest of Pará, Brazil.

White-bellied Spider Monkey

Species Name: Ateles belzebuth

The white-bellied spider monkey (Ateles belzebuth), also called the long-haired or white-fronted spider monkey, is an endangered species of spider monkey, a species of New-World monkey. These arboreal monkeys spend most of their time in the canopy. They rarely go down. When they do, they drink water, eat dirt, traverse a treeless area, or run away from an aggressive opponent.

White-cheeked Spider Monkey

Species Name: Ateles marginatus

The white-cheeked spider monkey is an Endangered black spider monkey with a white brow. It lives only in Brazil, between the Tapajós and Xingu rivers.

White-eared Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus donacophilus

The white-eared Titi, Plecturocebus donacophilus, also known as the Bolivian gray Titi or Bolivian Titi, is a marmoset species, a New World monkey endemic to eastern Bolivia and a region of western Brazil.

White-footed Saki

Species Name: Pithecia albicans

The white-footed Saki, also called the white Saki or buff saki, is a species of saki monkey, a New World species native to western Brazil. They hang from branches and hold on with their hind legs while eating seeds and fruits.

White-Headed Marmoset

Species Name: Callithrix geoffroyi

The Geoffroy’s marmoset, also called Geoffrey’s marmoset, white-headed marmoset, or tufted-ear marmoset is a marmoset native to the forests of eastern Brazil, where it is native to Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, and Bahia. Geoffroy’s marmosets are said to follow swarms of army ants to catch insects expelled by the ants.

White-nosed Saki

Species Name: Chiropotes albinasus

The white-nosed saki (Chiropotes albinasus) is bearded, a New World monkey species native to the Amazon rainforest of south-central Brazil. White-nosed sakis are sometimes found in large social groups of 18-30 individuals. Their main reason for traveling is the food search.

White-tailed Titi

Species Name: Plecturocebus discolor

White-tailed titi monkeys, also called red titi monkeys or red-crowned titis and not to be confused with coppery titi (Callicebus cupreus), also commonly known as red titi, are endemic to the dense rainforest and gallery forests of Peru and Ecuador.

White-Throated Capuchin

Species Name: Cebus capucinus

White-throated capuchins, also called the white-headed capuchins, Colombian white-throated capuchins, and white-faced capuchins, are New World monkeys native to the tropical rainforests of western Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.

Wied's Marmoset

Species Name: Callithrix kuhlii

The Wied’s marmoset (Callithrix kuhlii), also called the Wied’s black-tufted-ear marmoset, is a New World monkey that lives in the tropical and subtropical forests of eastern Brazil. Unlike other common marmosets, Wied’s marmosets live in groups consisting of 4 or 5 females and 2 or 3 males (plus juveniles).

Yucatan Black Howler

Species Name: Alouatta pigra

The Yucatan black howler, also called the Guatemalan black howler or Central American black howler, is a New-World monkey native to Central America. The Yucatan black howler monkey is the largest species of howler monkey and among the largest monkeys in the New-World.

Common Questions

How many New World monkey species are there?

The Mammal Diversity Database recognizes 164 living species in 20 genera. Pitheciidae is the largest family with 58 species. Totals move as taxonomists split, merge and describe species.

What is the difference between New World and Old World monkeys?

The nose is the quickest test. New World monkeys have flat noses with round nostrils that face sideways. Old World monkeys have narrow nostrils that point down. Four New World genera can also grip with the tail. No Old World monkey can do that.

Which New World monkeys have prehensile tails?

Only four genera, all of them atelids. They are the spider, woolly spider, woolly and howler monkeys. Those tails can hold the whole body weight. A bare gripping pad runs underneath. Other New World monkeys use the tail only for balance.

What is the smallest New World monkey?

The pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world. It weighs 3 to 5 ounces. Body length is 4.6 to 6.2 inches, tail excluded. It is not the smallest primate. That title goes to a mouse lemur.

Where do New World monkeys live?

They range from southern Mexico south to northern Argentina. Nearly all are highly arboreal and live in forest. The Amazon basin holds the greatest number of species.

Can New World monkeys see color?

It depends on the individual. Males are always dichromatic because the gene sits on the X chromosome. Females may be dichromatic or trichromatic. Howler monkeys see reds and yellows in both sexes. Night monkeys see no color at all.

Cite this page

BioExplorer. (2026, November 7). New World Monkeys: 164 Species, 183 Profiles. https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/new-world/

Key References

^[1] – “Mammal Diversity Database (v2.5)”. Accessed October 13, 2026. Link.
^[2] – “Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology, Chapter 5: Meet the Living Primates”. Accessed October 13, 2026. Link.
^[3] – “New World Monkeys, University of South Florida”. Accessed October 13, 2026. Link.
^[4] – “Pygmy Marmoset, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance”. Accessed October 13, 2026. Link.

About the author

4 yrs

research

Arjun Jayakrishna

Wildlife Writer and Photographer, BioExplorer.net

Arjun is a science writer and wildlife photographer at BioExplorer.net. He turns new research on animals into clear, accurate reads for curious readers. His work covers animal behavior, ecology, and newly described species. He holds a Cornell Lab of Ornithology certificate in bird biology. He is pursuing an HBSc at the University of Toronto Mississauga.