Panamanian white-faced capuchin
| White-headed Capuchin[1] | |
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| Species: | C. capucinus
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| Cebus capucinus (Linnaeus, 1758)
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The White-headed Capuchin (Cebus capucinus), also known as the White-faced Capuchin or White-throated Capuchin, is a small New World monkey of the family Cebidae, subfamily Cebinae. Native to the forests of South and Central America, White-throated Capuchins are important to rainforest ecology by their role in dispersing seeds and pollen.
Among the best known monkeys, the White-headed Capuchin is recognized as the typical companion to the organ grinder and for the role of "Marcel" in the popular television series Friends. It is a highly intelligent monkey and has been trained to assist for paraplegic persons.
Physical description
Like other monkeys in the genus Cebus, the White-headed Capuchin is named after the order of Capuchin friars: the cowls worn by these friars closely resemble the monkey's head coloration. The White-headed Capuchin has mostly black fur, with white to yellowish fur around the naked, pinkish face and on the shoulders; and, of course, a white throat. A V-shaped area of black fur on the crown of the head is distinctive. The tip of the tail is often held coiled, giving the White-headed Capuchin the nickname "ringtail".
Adults may reach a length of 435 millimetres and a weight of 3.9 kilograms. The tail is prehensile, dextrous, and longer than the body, at up to 551 millimetres in length. Males are perceptibly larger than females, becoming heavier in build with age. The brain of a White-throated Capuchin is circa 79 grams.
Behaviour and reproduction
Forming troops of up to 20 individuals, the White-headed Capuchin is polygamous: the sex ratio is unbalanced, with females always outnumbering males. The troop is led by a dominant male and female; hierarchy is determined by lineage to this pair. It is a diurnal and arboreal animal; highly active, most of its time is spent searching for food. The White-throated Capuchin is characterised as being vociferous; loud calls are used to communicate threat warnings, with softer calls used in intimate discourse. Facial expressions and scent are also important to communication, with urine being a primary "perfume".
Claiming territories of between 320,000 to 860,000 square metres and covering up to 2 kilometres of these territories daily, the White-headed Capuchin is highly inquisitive with proportionately large brains. Capuchins are considered among the smartest of the New World monkeys; they have been the subject of many behavioural and intelligence studies. The capuchins' intelligence is thought to be a result of their feeding habits; they rely on ephemeral food sources which may be hard to find. The White-headed Capuchin is known to practice a sort of herbal medicine, rubbing plants into their fur; this may deter parasites such as ticks.
Elder males are the principal defenders of territory, with all members of the troop watching for threats (such as large birds, boas, and carnivorous mammals). Grooming pervades social interaction, with the amount of grooming received directly dependent on rank. Females associate closely among themselves, forming "coalitions" against potentially aggressive males.
Only one female is in estrous at a time; while no fights break out over her, it is usually only the dominant male who mates with her. The birthing season spans from December to April; gestation lasts for 157-167 days, usually resulting in a single birth. There is a minimum period of 19 months between births, although this period is much less if the infant dies.
The grey-faced infants stay close to their mothers, who habitually groom and carry their infants on their backs. Weaning occurs at 12 months with the infants gradually becoming more independent with age; they play among themselves, chasing and wrestling each other. Sexual maturity is reached at 2-3 years, with full adult size reached at 8 years. The White-headed Capuchin typically lives for 15-25 years or more in the wild, but may live for twice as long in captivity.
The White-headed Capuchin is among the most commonly seen monkeys in Central America's national parks, such as Manuel Antonio National Park, Corcovado National Park, Santa Rosa National Park and Soberania National Park.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 137. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
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