Titi
Encyclopedia
The titis, or titi monkeys, are the New World monkey
s of the genus
Callicebus. They are the only extant members of the Callicebinae subfamily, which also contains the extinct genera Xenothrix, Antillothrix, Paralouatta, Carlocebus, Homunculus, Lagonimico and possibly also Tremacebus
.
Titis live in South America
, from Colombia
to Brazil
, Peru
and north Paraguay
.
Depending on species, titis have a head and body length of 23–46 cm (9.1–18.1 in), and a tail, which is longer than the head and body, of 26–56 cm (10.2–22 in). The different titi species vary substantially in coloring, but resemble each other in most other physical ways. They have long, soft fur, and it is usually reddish, brownish, grayish or blackish, and in most species the underside is lighter or more rufescent than the upperside. Some species have contrasting blackish or whitish foreheads, while all members of the subgenus Torquatus have a white half-collar. The tail is always furry and is not prehensile.
Diurnal
and arboreal, titis predominantly prefer dense forests near water. They easily jump from branch to branch, earning them their German
name, Springaffen (jumping monkeys). They sleep at night, but also take a midday nap.
Titis are territorial
. They live in family groups that consist of parents and their offspring, about two to seven animals in total. They defend their territory by shouting and chasing off intruders, but rarely engage in actual fighting. Their grooming and communication is important for the co-operation of the group. They can typically be seen in pairs sitting or sleeping with tails entwined.
The diet of the titis consists mainly of fruits, although they also eat leaves, flowers, insects, bird eggs and small vertebrates.
Titis are monogamous, mating for life. The female bears a single young after about a five-month gestation
. Twins occur rarely, having been documented in only 1.4% of all births in captive groups of C. moloch. While the second infant usually does not survive, cases where neighbouring groups have adopted infants are known, suggesting that twins may be reared successfully under certain circumstances. Often it is the father who cares for the young, carrying it and bringing it to the mother only for nursing. The young are weaned after 5 months and are fully grown after two years. After three or more years, they leave their family group in order to find a mate. While the life expectancy of most species is unclear, the members of the subgenus Torquatus may live for up to 12 years in the wild, while members of the C. moloch group have been known to live for more than 25 years in captivity.
since 2000. Furthermore, the most recent review uses the phylogenetic species concept (thereby not recognizing the concept of subspecies
) rather than the 'traditional' biological species concept. The classification presented here is therefore very different from the classifications used twenty years ago. The naming rights to a recently discovered species, based on appearance part of the C. cupreus group, were auctioned off (with the funds going to a nonprofit organization
), and the winner was the online casino GoldenPalace.com
, as reflected in both the common
and scientific name of C. aureipalatii. While this typically is a highly unusual event in scientific classification, the possibility of naming a species of titi in exchange for a sizable donation to a nonprofit foundation was also presented a few years before, resulting in C. bernhardi being named after Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.
New World monkey
New World monkeys are the five families of primates that are found in Central and South America: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, and Atelidae. The five families are ranked together as the Platyrrhini parvorder and the Ceboidea superfamily, which are essentially synonymous since...
s of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Callicebus. They are the only extant members of the Callicebinae subfamily, which also contains the extinct genera Xenothrix, Antillothrix, Paralouatta, Carlocebus, Homunculus, Lagonimico and possibly also Tremacebus
Tremacebus
Tremacebus harringtoni is an extinct species of New World monkey.Tremacebus was about in length, and would have resembled a modern night monkey, to which it may have been related. However, its eyes appear to have been smaller than the modern species, CT scans of the cranium suggest a relatively...
.
Titis live in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, from Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and north Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
.
Depending on species, titis have a head and body length of 23–46 cm (9.1–18.1 in), and a tail, which is longer than the head and body, of 26–56 cm (10.2–22 in). The different titi species vary substantially in coloring, but resemble each other in most other physical ways. They have long, soft fur, and it is usually reddish, brownish, grayish or blackish, and in most species the underside is lighter or more rufescent than the upperside. Some species have contrasting blackish or whitish foreheads, while all members of the subgenus Torquatus have a white half-collar. The tail is always furry and is not prehensile.
Diurnal
Diurnal animal
Diurnality is a plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night.-In animals:Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects, reptiles and birds...
and arboreal, titis predominantly prefer dense forests near water. They easily jump from branch to branch, earning them their German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
name, Springaffen (jumping monkeys). They sleep at night, but also take a midday nap.
Titis are territorial
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
. They live in family groups that consist of parents and their offspring, about two to seven animals in total. They defend their territory by shouting and chasing off intruders, but rarely engage in actual fighting. Their grooming and communication is important for the co-operation of the group. They can typically be seen in pairs sitting or sleeping with tails entwined.
The diet of the titis consists mainly of fruits, although they also eat leaves, flowers, insects, bird eggs and small vertebrates.
Titis are monogamous, mating for life. The female bears a single young after about a five-month gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
. Twins occur rarely, having been documented in only 1.4% of all births in captive groups of C. moloch. While the second infant usually does not survive, cases where neighbouring groups have adopted infants are known, suggesting that twins may be reared successfully under certain circumstances. Often it is the father who cares for the young, carrying it and bringing it to the mother only for nursing. The young are weaned after 5 months and are fully grown after two years. After three or more years, they leave their family group in order to find a mate. While the life expectancy of most species is unclear, the members of the subgenus Torquatus may live for up to 12 years in the wild, while members of the C. moloch group have been known to live for more than 25 years in captivity.
Classification
The number of known species of titis has doubled in recent years, with four, C. stephennashi, C. bernhardi, C. caquetensis, and C. aureipalatii, being described from the Amazon basinAmazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
since 2000. Furthermore, the most recent review uses the phylogenetic species concept (thereby not recognizing the concept of subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
) rather than the 'traditional' biological species concept. The classification presented here is therefore very different from the classifications used twenty years ago. The naming rights to a recently discovered species, based on appearance part of the C. cupreus group, were auctioned off (with the funds going to a nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
), and the winner was the online casino GoldenPalace.com
GoldenPalace.com
GoldenPalace.com is an online casino, hosted at Mohawk Internet Technologies, which is located in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory near Montreal. They are well-known for their publicity stunts. They are also known for large 'bonuses' which must be waged a comparatively excessive fifty times before...
, as reflected in both the common
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
and scientific name of C. aureipalatii. While this typically is a highly unusual event in scientific classification, the possibility of naming a species of titi in exchange for a sizable donation to a nonprofit foundation was also presented a few years before, resulting in C. bernhardi being named after Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.
- Subfamily Callicebinae
- Genus Callicebus
- Subgenus Callicebus
- C. donacophilus group
- White-eared TitiWhite-eared TitiThe white-eared titi, Callicebus donacophilus, also known as the Bolivian titi or Bolivian gray titi, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from eastern Bolivia and a small area of Brazil. The species has a range that extends east from the Manique River in Beni Department, Bolivia to...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) donacophilus - Rio Beni TitiRio Beni TitiRio Beni titi, Callicebus modestus, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Bolivia.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) modestus - Rio Mayo TitiRio Mayo TitiThe Rio Mayo titi, Callicebus oenanthe, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Peru.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) oenanthe - Ollala Brothers' TitiOllala Brothers' TitiThe Ollala Brothers' titi, Callicebus olallae, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Bolivia.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) olallae - White-coated TitiWhite-coated TitiThe white-coated titi, Callicebus pallescens, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.-External links:*...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) pallescens
- White-eared Titi
- C. moloch group
- Baptista Lake TitiBaptista Lake TitiThe Baptista Lake titi, Callicebus baptista, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) baptista - Prince Bernhard's TitiPrince Bernhard's TitiPrince Bernhard's titi is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil. It was formally described in 2002 by Marc van Roosmalen and Russell Mittermeier, and named after Prince Bernard of the Netherlands. This titi has dark orange sideburns and chest, a reddish brown back, and a...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) bernhardi - Brown TitiBrown TitiThe brown titi, Callicebus brunneus, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.-External links:*...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) brunneus - Ashy Black TitiAshy Black TitiThe ashy black titi, Callicebus cinerascens, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) cinerascens - Hoffmanns's TitiHoffmanns's TitiHoffmann's Titi, Callicebus hoffmannsi, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) hoffmannsi - Red-bellied TitiRed-bellied TitiThe red-bellied titi or dusky titi, Callicebus moloch, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil. It lives in forests and thickets....
, Callicebus (Callicebus) moloch
- Baptista Lake Titi
- C. personatus group
- Barbara Brown's TitiBarbara Brown's TitiBarbara Brown's titi, Callicebus barbarabrownae, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey. This critically endangered species is endemic to the Caatinga in northeastern Brazil, and it is estimated that less than 250 mature individuals remain....
, Callicebus (Callicebus) barbarabrownae - Coimbra Filho's TitiCoimbra Filho's TitiCoimbra Filho's titi or just Coimbra's titi is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to forests in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Sergipe. It was first discovered by Shuji Kobayashi. It is considered one of the most endangered of all Neotropical primates. It is named after...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) coimbrai - Coastal Black-handed TitiCoastal Black-handed TitiThe coastal black-handed titi, Callicebus melanochir, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) melanochir - Black-fronted TitiBlack-fronted TitiThe black-fronted titi, Callicebus nigrifrons, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) nigrifrons - Atlantic TitiAtlantic TitiThe Atlantic titi or masked titi, Callicebus personatus, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil.-Distribution and general features:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) personatus
- Barbara Brown's Titi
- C. cupreus group
- Chestnut-bellied TitiChestnut-bellied TitiThe chestnut-bellied titi, Callicebus caligatus, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) caligatus - Caquetá TitiCaquetá TitiThe Caquetá titi , also known as the Red-Bearded Titi or the Bushy-Bearded Titi, is a species of titi monkey endemic to Colombia found in the Department of Caquetá region. Taxonomically, it is a member of the Callicebus cupreus group, following Shunsuke Kobayashi's Callicebus grouping...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) caquetensis - Coppery TitiCoppery TitiThe coppery titi, Callicebus cupreus, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in the Amazon of Brazil and Peru, and perhaps Bolivia.-External links:*...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) cupreus - Madidi Titi, Callicebus (Callicebus) aureipalatii
- White-tailed TitiWhite-tailed TitiThe white-tailed titi, Callicebus discolor, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) discolor - Hershkovitz's TitiHershkovitz's TitiHershkovitz's titi, Callicebus dubius, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. The common name is a reference to American zoologist Philip Hershkovitz....
, Callicebus (Callicebus) dubius - Ornate TitiOrnate TitiThe ornate titi, Callicebus ornatus, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Colombia.-References:...
, Callicebus (Callicebus) ornatus - Stephen Nash's TitiStephen Nash's TitiStephen Nash's titi , also known as just Nash's titi or Stephen Nash's monkey, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to the eastern bank of the Purus River in Brazil. It was discovered by Marc van Roosmalen in 2001 when local fishermen brought specimens to his breeding center....
, Callicebus (Callicebus) stephennashi
- Chestnut-bellied Titi
- C. donacophilus group
- Subgenus Torquatus
- Lucifer TitiLucifer TitiThe Lucifer titi, Callicebus lucifer, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru....
, Callicebus (Torquatus) lucifer - Black TitiBlack TitiThe black titi, Callicebus lugens, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela....
, Callicebus (Torquatus) lugens - Colombian Black-handed TitiColombian Black-handed TitiThe Colombian black-handed titi, Callicebus medemi, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Colombia.-References:...
, Callicebus (Torquatus) medemi - Rio Purus TitiRio Purus TitiThe Rio Purus titi, Callicebus purinus, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil....
, Callicebus (Torquatus) purinus - Red-headed TitiRed-headed TitiThe red-headed titi, Callicebus regulus, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil....
, Callicebus (Torquatus) regulus - Collared TitiCollared TitiThe collared titi, Callicebus torquatus, is a species or a closely related complex of species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from South America.- Taxonomy :...
, Callicebus (Torquatus) torquatus
- Lucifer Titi
- Subgenus Callicebus
- Genus Callicebus