Spider Monkeys

Spider Monkeys are New World primates that live in Central America, South America and as far north as MexicoNational Geographic: Spider Monkey There are seven species of spider monkeys, although some taxonomists say there are only four species and three subspecies. Primate Info Net:Black Spider Monkey

Spider monkeys have long, lanky arms and gripping tails used to help them move from tree to tree.National Geographic: Spider Monkey One characteristic of the spider monkey that is different from Old World monkeys is the presence of only four fingers on each hand .MSN Encarta: Spider Monkey Spider monkeys also have smaller bodies, less complex brains and wider set nostrils than Old World monkeys.Honolulu Zoo: Spider Monkey The hairless patch on the tip of their tails is unique, similar to human fingerprints.Primate Info Net: Spider Monkey

Spider monkeys spend most of their lives in trees, sleeping at night and being active during the day.Animal Diversity Web: Brown Headed Spider Monkey When approached by humans, black-handed spider monkeys jump up and down, shake limbs and "bark" in attempts to scare them away.Animal Diversity Web: Central American Spider Monkey They are social animals, frequently seen in groups of two to three dozen. Group size diminishes to six or less for sleeping.National Geographic: Spider Monkey