Very little research has been done on Pithecia monacha, perhaps for two reasons: they do not survive well in captivity, and are very difficult to view in the wild, due to shyness and a very high habitat.
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
This species is rated "Least Concern" by the IUCN, as there are still believed to be substantial populuations in the upper Amazon basin. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES, so there are restrictions on international trade of the animals or their parts.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix ii
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
The diet of the monk saki is frugivorous but also includes seeds, nuts, and some insect material. They have also been documented to prey on bats (Moynihan, 1976; Hershkovitz, 1977). They use their large canines to break their food before ingesting it. The monk saki's high quality diet restricts their range in that they must be able to sequester enough high-protein food for their immediate family group (Terborgh, 1983).
Animal Foods: mammals; insects
Plant Foods: seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit
Primary Diet: herbivore (Frugivore )
Also known as Pithecia hirsuta, Pithecia monachus can be found in northwestern Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru (Nowak, 1999). Members of this species occur in the Colombian trapezius north of the Amazon, and extend from north of the Putumayo River to the southern bank of the Yari, Caqueta and Orinoco rivers. The range of Pithecia monachus is limited to the upper elevations of well-developed rain forests of these regions (Hernandez-Camacho and Cooper, 1976).
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
Arboreal, high canopy dwellers. They are very nervous around humans and disturbance, thus very little data has surfaced on the lifestyle of P. monacha. However, scientists agree that the tallest trees available (from 10-35 meters tall) are the habitat of choice for these animals, and in most instances they are the sole primate inhabiting this niche.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 14.0 years.
Average lifespan
Sex: female
Status: captivity: 24.6 years.
Sakis are characterized by their small size of 30-50 cm and very heavy, thick and nonprehensile tail which adds 25-55 cm to their body length (Nowak, 1999). The face of the monk saki is partly bald but bearded with a hood of curly black hair covering the forehead. The nostrils are laterally positioned on the face (Flannery 2004). Sakis are generally black, but their hands and feet are light in color.
The skull morphology is distinctive: the orbits are separated from the brain case by a frontal depression. The incisors are forward-facing, long canines are present and used to break the hard skin of fruits. They have quadritubercular molars with deep basins (Seth & Seth, 1986).
The hands are similar to those of Aloutta spp. in that they exhibit a split between the second and third digits (Moynihan, 1976). Each digit has a nail, and the front limbs are shaped for gripping branches after a leap. The hind legs are modified for fast and far leaping. Vision is stereoscopic for an arboreal habitat.
Range mass: 1 to 2 kg.
Range length: 30 to 50 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Adult, monogamous pairs breed for life.
Mating System: monogamous
Pairs raise a maximum of a single offspring per breeding season. Monk sakis typically retain a family group size of 4.5 individuals on average. Females are in estrus for approximately 18 days, and after conception members of this genus gestate for approximately 170 days (Nowak, 1999).
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average gestation period: 170 days.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
Average birth mass: 120.67 g.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Young cling to female's belly when young, and then move to her back as they approach weaning age (Britannica, 1981).
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); extended period of juvenile learning
The monk saki (Pithecia monachus) also known as Geoffroy's monk saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in forested areas of northwestern Brazil and northeastern Peru.[3]
The hairy saki (P. hirsuta), Miller's saki (P. milleri), Napo saki (P. napensis), and burnished saki (P. inusta) were previously considered conspecific but were split from this species in 2014. P. monachus is now known to occupy a much smaller range than it was thought to before the split.[3][4]
This species is found in the interfluvial between the Solimoes River, lower to middle Ucayali River and lower Javary River, in northwestern Brazil and northeastern Peru.[2]
This monkey can grow up to be 30 to 50 centimetres (12 to 20 in) long and weigh about 1 to 2 kilograms (2 lb 3 oz to 4 lb 7 oz), approximately the same as a large rabbit. The thick, bushy tail can be up to 25 to 55 centimetres (10 to 22 in) long. It has coarse fur, which is long and shaggy around the face and neck.[5]
A shy, wary animal, it is totally arboreal, living high in the trees and sometimes descending to lower levels but not to the ground. It generally moves on all fours but may sometimes walk upright on a large branch and will leap across gaps. During the day, it moves in pairs or small family groups, feeding on fruits, berries, honey, some leaves, small mammals such as mice and bats, and birds. The female gives birth to 1 young per mating season with the average family size being 4.5.[5]
The monk saki (Pithecia monachus) also known as Geoffroy's monk saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in forested areas of northwestern Brazil and northeastern Peru.
