Know the Scientific Name of Monkey
One of the most common examples we cite for mammals is a monkey. It is a generalised term that is used to depict the animals that live on trees. Monkey is the common name for the mammals falling in the infra-order Simiiformes. They are commonly known as Simians in zoological terms. In this article, we will define the scientific name of monkeys and will determine their zoological features.
What are Monkeys?
Monkeys are the animals that dwell on the trees and are called arboreal. Some of the species live on the ground primarily. One such species is baboons. The monkeys are diurnal in nature. It means they graze during the day and rest at night.
The scientific name of monkey depends on the genus and species in the classification. The apes do not fall in this category. They fall in the group named paraphyletic. Apes, on the other hand, fall in the group cladistics. Monkeys are divided into two broader families, the Old World Monkeys and the New World Monkeys.
The New World Monkeys consist of the five families prevailing in South and Central America. The families are Callitrichidae, Aotidae, Cebidae, Atelidae, and Pitheciidae. The Old World Monkeys are considered to be primates. The taxonomical name is Cercopithecidae. There are 138 species in this family and 24 genera. Baboons and macaques fall into this family.
The New World Monkeys are called Platyrrhini, and the Old World Monkeys are called Catarrhini. All these species are considered to be intelligent in terms of using natural tools and survival techniques they use. The Old World Monkeys are smarter than the New World ones in terms of intelligence.
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What is the Scientific Name of the Monkey?
Monkeys evolved almost 60 million years ago. Apes also emerged as a sister of the Cercopithecidae family. This is why sometimes they are also called monkeys too. The prime features that distinguish monkeys from the other primates are the presence of pectoral nipples, the absence of sensory whiskers, and an external pendulous penis.
The zoological name of the monkey depends on the classification or taxonomical features. As mentioned earlier, these primates emerged and developed to form multiple genera and species, their scientific name of monkey can be broadly divided into two types.
Simiiformes catarrhini (Old World Monkeys)
Simiiformes platyrrhini (New World Monkeys)
We already know that the biological name of monkey that is simians has been derived from the infra-order Simiiformes. In Latin, Simia means an ape or a monkey. Let us take a deeper look into the species names of these two genera.
The word ‘Catarrhini’ evolved from Latin, meaning ‘hook nosed’. It refers to the nostrils of these species that point downwards. On the other hand, Platyrrhini means broad-nosed. This term refers to the species that have broader and flattened nostrils.
Behavior and Appearance of Monkeys
Monkeys are related to apes such as gorillas and chimpanzees. These great apes do not have a tail and have larger brains than monkeys. More than 250 species exist in this classification of monkeys. The best examples are tamarinds, macaques, marmosets, etc.
They come in different colours and sizes. For instance, pygmy marmosets are less than 6 inches in height and weigh as much as 100 grams only. Mandrill with a colourful nose weighs up to 37 kg and is 3 feet in size. To compare them with apes, gorillas can weigh up to 136 to 227 kg, and their height can stretch up to 2.6 m.
To be precise, the old world monkeys have tails but cannot use them to grab branches or objects. The best example is a baboon. They have noses that face forward and resemble humans. They have longer snouts with brown, grey, or tan fur colours.
On the other hand, the monkey group name Platyrrhini depicts simians with flatter noses and nostrils facing sideways. These monkeys have prehensile tails that can be used for grabbing branches, trees, and any object for stability and convenience. They can also hang from trees based on their tail’s strength. One of the best examples that show extreme diversity in fur and skin colour is the spider monkey. It has long black fur with a small pink face poking out. The distinctive colour of the fur and skin make these species look different from the rest.
There are species that avoid travelling or grazing on the ground. They move from one point to the other using branches of trees. It is called brachiation. This term depicts a type of locomotion where monkeys swing to the next branch for perching and proceed to the next one. This is an evolutionary feature that monkeys of certain kinds have adopted to avoid predators on the ground and trees. These monkeys have bigger arms and tails, leading to easy grabbing of the branches. This type of locomotion does not even slow down these species. A gibbon can move from one branch to the other at a speed of 54.7 km per hour. It is the same speed a racehorse attains in a track.
Conclusion
This article is about what is the scientific name of monkeys and the difference between the two broad divisions of monkeys, according to their scientific names. Understanding the importance of the zoological name of monkey has been explained in this article.
FAQs on Scientific Name of Monkey
1. What is the general scientific classification for monkeys?
Monkeys belong to the infraorder Simiiformes. This large group is then divided into two main parvorders based on key characteristics: Platyrrhini, which includes the New World monkeys found in the Americas, and Catarrhini, which includes the Old World monkeys of Africa and Asia. As there are over 250 species, each has a unique two-part scientific name.
2. What is the scientific name of the common Indian monkey?
The most common monkey found across India is the Rhesus macaque. Its official scientific name, following the binomial system, is Macaca mulatta. This species is part of the Old World monkey family, known as Cercopithecidae.
3. How do the scientific names 'Catarrhini' and 'Platyrrhini' describe the key differences between monkey groups?
These names, derived from Greek, describe the distinct nasal structures that are a primary way to differentiate the two major monkey groups:
- Catarrhini translates to “hook-nosed.” This refers to Old World monkeys, which have narrow nostrils that point downwards, much like those of humans.
- Platyrrhini translates to “broad-nosed.” This refers to New World monkeys, which have wider, flatter noses with nostrils that face sideways.
This anatomical detail is a fundamental part of their scientific classification.
4. Why are monkeys and apes classified separately even though they are closely related primates?
Monkeys and apes are classified separately due to significant anatomical and evolutionary differences. The three main distinguishing factors are:
- Tail: The most apparent difference is that most monkey species have a tail, whereas apes (such as chimpanzees and gorillas) do not.
- Body Structure and Locomotion: Apes generally have larger brains, broader chests, and longer arms than monkeys. They often move by knuckle-walking or swinging (brachiation), while monkeys typically run along the tops of branches on all fours.
- Taxonomic Grouping: Monkeys form a paraphyletic group, while apes (including humans) form a monophyletic group or clade called Hominoidea.
5. What is the evolutionary advantage of a prehensile tail in certain New World monkeys?
A prehensile tail, found in species like the spider monkey, functions as a highly effective fifth limb. This provides a major evolutionary advantage in their arboreal (tree-dwelling) environment by allowing them to securely grasp branches. This adaptation frees their hands for other tasks like gathering food, improves stability and balance, and enables more agile movement through the forest canopy, helping them to both find resources and escape predators.
6. How is the scientific name of a monkey structured according to binomial nomenclature?
The scientific name of every monkey species follows the universal system of binomial nomenclature. This name consists of two Latinised parts:
- The first part is the Genus name, which is always capitalised (e.g., Alouatta for the howler monkey).
- The second part is the species name, which is always in lowercase (e.g., palliata).
The complete scientific name is written in italics, such as Alouatta palliata. This system ensures every species has a unique and universally understood name.
