Capuchin

The coat is mostly black, but the neck, chest, throat and shoulders are yellowish white. ^[2] The face is pink or light cream, sometimes there are dark marks above the eyes. ^{[2] [3] [4]} The tail is long, adapted for grasping. ^[5] There is a hairless surface at its end.

Adult animals reach a length of 335 to 453 mm without a tail, weigh up to 3.9 kg. ^{[2] [6]} Tail up to 551 mm long. ^{[2] [6]} Males are on average 27% larger than females. ^[7]

They are found almost throughout Central America and in the north of South America . In Central America, the range covers Honduras , Nicaragua , Costa Rica and Panama . ^[8] Also known in eastern Guatemala and southern Belize . ^[8] In South America are found in the northeast of Colombia and in northwestern Ecuador . ^[eight]

It is inhabited by various types of forests, including secondary forests , evergreen and deciduous forests, dry and rain forests, and mangroves. ^[9]

Daytime animals that spend most of their time in trees. ^[2] However, they descend to earth more often than many other New World monkeys. ^[10] Move mainly on four limbs. ^[11] Forms large groups of up to 40 animals, ^{[12] the} ratio of the number of males to the number of females in the group averages 0.71. ^[12] With rare exceptions, females spend their whole lives with their relatives. ^{[12] [13] [14]}

Capuchins are omnivores. The basis of the diet are fruits and insects. ^{[15] [16]} Fruits comprise between 50% and 67% of the diet. ^{[15] [17]} From plant foods also consumes flowers, plant sprouts, young leaves, seeds. ^{[15] [18]} Of the insects, it prefers larvae of beetles, caterpillars, ants and their larvae, as well as wasps. ^{[15] It} also hunts small vertebrates, such as birds, bird eggs, frogs, lizards. ^[19] Cases of hunting for squirrels and parrots are known. ^[20]

Polygamous animals. A male can mate with several females. ^{[16] [21]} Although the female can also mate with several males, the dominant male has the highest chance of mating. ^{[21] [22]} However, there is evidence that dominant males avoid sexual contact with their own daughters. ^[23]

Mating takes about 2 minutes. Pregnancy lasts from five to six months. ^[16] In the litter there is usually one cub, but twins are not uncommon. Most often, labor occurs in the dry season from December to April. ^{[6] [16] A} mother carries a newborn on her back up to six weeks of age. ^[16] Upon reaching the age of five weeks, the cub may be weaned for short periods of time and by three months the cub will move independently. Cubs feed on mother’s milk for up to 6-12 months. ^[16] Both males and females participate in the offspring education. ^{[14] [16]}

Like other capuchins, these primates mature relatively slowly. Puberty occurs at the age of three years. ^[9] However, on average, females give birth to only seven years of age. ^[7] Males become reproductive only by the age of ten. ^[7] Life expectancy is long enough for primates of this size and in captivity can reach 54 years. ^[7]

Among primatologists, there is no unequivocal opinion about subspecies of ordinary capuchin. Some distinguish three subspecies: ^[8]

• Cebus capucinus capucinus - Ecuador, Colombia, eastern Panama.
• Cebus capucinus imitator - Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Western Panama
• Cebus capucinus limitaneus - Honduras, south Nicaragua

However, some experts do not distinguish subspecies and consider C. c. imitator and C. c. limitaneus synonymous with C. capucinus . ^[24]

• Thomas Geissmann: Vergleichende Primatologie. Springer-Verlag, Berlin ua 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .