Morphology

The red uakari has no or little hair on the face and the forehead. There is sexual dimorphism of size in this species. This species has a dental formula of 2:1:3:3 on the upper and lower jaw (Hershkovitz, 1987). The incisors of this species are narrow and elongated (Hershkovitz, 1987). This species has relatively robust and divergent canines as compared to other primates (Barnett and Brandon-Jones, 1997). The molars of the red uakari are simple and low-crowned (Kinzey, 1992; cited in Norconk et al., 1998). Males have larger canines and lower first premolars (Hershkovitz, 1987). The tail of this species is one-third the length of the head and body which is unique amongst New World primates (Barnett and Brandon-Jones, 1997).

This species has four subspecies and each one distinguished by a different pelage coloration:

• Cacajao calvus ucayalii: The overall pelage color of this subspecies is reddish orange or reddish golden (Hershkovitz, 1987). The nape or the midback do not contrast sharply with the overall coloration (Hershkovitz, 1987). The dorsal side of the tail is black in color with the rest of the tail being reddish (Hershkovitz, 1987). The beard is orange or reddish orange proximally becoming blackish or brownish orange distally (Hershkovitz, 1987). The face, ears and genitalia are naked, with the face being unpigmented and the genitalia being a blackish color (Hershkovitz, 1987).
• Cacajao calvus rubicundus: The overall pelage is reddish or reddish chestnut, with the area from the nape to between the shoulders colored buffy or whitish with the basal hairs colored red (Hershkovitz, 1987). From the midback to the rump in this subspecies the tips of the hairs have a mixture of buffy or pale orange color (Hershkovitz, 1987). The tail is reddish or reddish orange sometimes mixed with pale golden tipped hairs (Hershkovitz, 1987). The beard of this subspecies is reddish proximally that becomes darker almost to black distally (Hershkovitz, 1987). The face, ears, and genitalia are naked, with the face and ears being either lightly pigmented, mottled, or unpigmented, and the genitalia being a blackish coloration (Hershkovitz, 1987).
• Cacajao calvus novaesi: The overall pelage color of this subspecies is orange with the hairs from the nape to the tip of the tail being a paler orange, buffy, or whitish (Hershkovitz, 1987). The sides of the trunk and the ventral side have a reddish orange coloration (Hershkovitz, 1987). The beard of this subspecies has a color that ranges from orange to brownish orange (Hershkovitz, 1987). The face is basically bare, with the ears and genitalia also naked (Hershkovitz, 1987). The face and the ears are unpigmented or freckled, with the genitalia being a blackish color (Hershkovitz, 1987).
• Cacajao calvus calvus: The overall pelage color of this subspecies is pale orange, buffy, grayish, or whitish (Hershkovitz, 1987). The ventral surfaces are orange to yellowish in color (Hershkovitz, 1987). The tail can either be pale in color or have an orange color like the ventral surfaces (Hershkovitz, 1987). The beard of this subspecies is reddish or reddish brown and becomes darker distally (Hershkovitz, 1987). The face, ears, and genitalia are naked, with the ears and face being unpigmented, lightly pigmented, or mottled, and the genitalia having a blackish coloration (Hershkovitz, 1987).

Last Updated: October 9, 2003.
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