The squirrel monkeys are the New World monkeys of the genus Saimiri. They are the only genus in the subfamily Saimirinae.Squirrel monkeys live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer. Most species have parapatric or allopatric ranges in the Amazon, while S. oerstedii is found disjunctly in Costa Rica and Panama. Female squirrel monkeys have a pseudo-penis that they use to display dominance over smaller monkeys, in much the same way the male squirrel monkeys display their dominance.
Ten Facts about Squirrel Monkeys
- Squirrel monkey fur is short and close, colored olive at the shoulders and yellowish orange on its back and extremities. Their throat and the ears are white and their mouths are black.
- Squirrel monkeys grow to 25 to 35 cm, plus a 35 to 42 cm tail.
- Male squirrel monkeys weigh 750 to 1100 g. Females weigh 500 to 750 g. Remarkably, the brain mass to body mass ratio for squirrel monkeys is 1:17, which gives them the largest brain, proportionately, of all the primates.
- They live together in multi-male/multi-female groups with up to 500 members. These large groups can, however occasionally break into smaller troops.
- Squirrel monkeys are omnivores, eating primarily fruits and insects. Occasionally they also eat seeds, leaves, flowers, buds, nuts, eggs and small vertebrates.
- Females give birth to young during the rainy season, after a 150- to 170-day gestation.
- Female squirrel monkeys reach sexual maturity at age 3 years, while males take until age 5.
- They live to about 15 years old in the wild, about 20 years in captivity.
- They have a number of vocal calls, including warning sounds to protect themselves from large falcons, which are a natural threat to them.
- Their small body size also makes them susceptible to predators such as snakes and felids.
