Monk Saki (Pithecia monachus)

MORPHOLOGY: The average body mass of the adult monk saki is about 2 kilograms. The nostrils of this species face laterally. The tail of the monk saki is not prehensile. The facial hair color is sexually dimorphic (Kinzey, 1997). The monk saki has robust incisors and canines that it uses to break through the tough pericarp of fruit (Fleagle, 1988). RANGE: The monk saki is found in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. This species is found in primary forests in the middle to upper levels of the canopy (Soini, 1986).

ECOLOGY:
The monk saki is primarily frugivorous, but seeds and nuts constitute a large part of diet. This species also consumes leaves and insects, especially ants. The fruits that this species consumes have hard pericarps (Kinzey, 1992).

LOCOMOTION:
The monk saki moves through the forest both quadrupedally and by leaping (Fleagle, 1988).

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR:
The monk saki has a multimale-multifemale social system. These groups of monk sakis are described as closed social units (Soini, 1986). Males do groom their young (Kinzey, 1997).

VOCAL COMMUNICATION:
Duetting between the male and female is important in the maintaining of territorial boundaries and maintaining the social bond between pairs which are monogamous.

hoo-hoo: This is a call used by the monk saki for intergroup communication (Kinzey, 1997).

OLFACTORY COMMUNICATION:

VISUAL COMMUNICATION:

TACTILE COMMUNICATION:



REPRODUCTION:
The monk saki gives birth to single offspring.

REFERENCES:
Burton, F. 1995. The Multimedia Guide to the Non-human Primates. Prentice-Hall Canada Inc.

Fleagle, J. G. 1988. Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press.

Kinzey, W.G. 1992. Dietary and Dental Adaptations in the Pitheciinae. American Journal of Physical Anthropology Vol. 88 (2), 499-514.

Kinzey, W.G. 1997. Pithecia. in New World Primates: Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. ed. Warren G. Kinzey, Aldine de Gruyter, New York.

Soini, P. 1986. A Synecological Study of a Primate Community in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru. Primate Conservation Vol. 7, 63-71.

Last Updated: April 21, 2004.
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