White-footed Saki

Kingdom Order Family Genus Species
Animalia Primates Pitheciidae Pithecia Pithecia albicans
IUCN Status: Least-Concern
  • Common Names: Buffy Saki, White-footed Saki
  • Taxonomy Classification Year: 1860
  • Monkey Size: 40.4 to 56 cm (15 to 18 in)
  • Skin Color(s): White or cream
  • Habitat: Forests
  • Diet: Herbivorous
  • Native Countries: Brazil

White-footed Saki Distribution

White-footed Saki Characteristics

The white-footed Saki[1], also called the white Saki or buff saki, is a species of saki monkey, a New World species native to western Brazil.

  • White-footed sakis are characterized by their long, thick, fluffy hair. Their hair is mostly white or cream, with tan-black hair extending from the elbows to the wrists.
  • The tail is all black. Small patches of black or brown fur are also seen on the hind legs, from the nape to the tail.
  • However, their feet and hands remain cream or white colored. The hair on the tail and rump is longer than on the forearms and hind legs. Their lower abdomen is very lightly draped with fur.
  • Both the male and female white-footed sakis have a sexually dimorphic color.
  • The skin of the male face is mainly black with small patches of pink skin over the eyes and prominent white to cream eyebrows and cream hair on the upper lip.
  • The facial skin of females is also black with white to cream eyebrows but with cream or white cheek stripes (from the base of the mouth to the side of the neck) that extend to the cheeks.

White-footed Saki Facts

  • While eating, white-footed Saki will grab as much food as they can with their fingers, hands, and toes and eat quickly while searching the area for more.
  • They hang from branches and hold on with their hind legs while eating seeds and fruits.
  • This species is known to “hop” when moving, caused by the propulsion of all 4 limbs.
  • Although white-footed sakis can be shy and wary primates, they are highly territorial. They will defend their territory against invading groups.
  • Sakis are diurnal monkeys that spend most of the day in the trees, rarely descending to the forest floor.

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BioExplorer.net. (2024, March 28). White-footed Saki. Bio Explorer. https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/white-footed-saki/.
BioExplorer.net. "White-footed Saki" Bio Explorer, 28 March 2024, https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/white-footed-saki/.
BioExplorer.net. "White-footed Saki" Bio Explorer, March 28 2024. https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/white-footed-saki/.
Key References
  • [1]“Notes on the Ecology of Buffy Saki Monkeys ( Pithecia albicans , Gray 1860 ) : A Canopy Seed-Predator | Semantic Scholar”. Accessed December 11, 2022. Link.

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