The Life of Animals | Squirrel Monkey | The squirrel monkeys are the New World monkeys of the genus Saimiri. Squirrel monkeys live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer Squirrel monkey fur is short and close, colored olive at the shoulders and Yellowish orange on its back and extremities. This black-and-white face Gives Them the name "death's head monkey" in Several Germanic languages (eg, German Totenkopfaffen, dödskalleapor Swedish, Dutch doodshoofdaapjes) and Slovenian (smrtoglavka). Squirrel monkeys grow to 25 to 35 cm, plus a 35 to 42 cm tail. Male squirrel monkeys weigh 750 to 1100 g. Females weigh 500 to 750 g.
Female squirrel monkeys have a pseudo-penis That They use to display dominance over Smaller monkeys, in much the same way the male squirrel monkeys display Their dominance. Like most of Their New World monkey relatives, squirrel monkeys are diurnal and arboreal. For marking territory, squirrel monkeys rub tail and Their Their Their own skin with urine. Squirrel monkeys are omnivores, eating primarily fruits and Insects. They occasionally also eat seeds, leaves, flowers, buds, nuts, eggs and small vertebrates.
The ing of the squirrel monkeys is subject to seasonal influences. Female squirrel monkeys reach sexual maturity at age 3 years, while males take until age 5. Two squirrel monkey species are Threatened: S. oerstedti and S. vanzolinii are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Until 1984, all South American squirrel monkeys were the resource persons Generally Considered part of a single widespread species, and many zoologists Considered the Central American Squirrel Monkey to be a member of That single species as well. The two main groups can be Recognized currently separated by the white above the eyes; it being shaped as a Gothic ("pointed") Arch in the S. sciureus group, while it is shaped as a Roman ("rounded") Arch in the S. boliviensis group
Color vision in squirrel monkeys has been extensively studied as a stand-in for human ailments In Humans, two genes for color vision are found on the X chromosome. Typically, one gene (OPN1LW) That produces a pigment is most sensitive to the 564 nm wavelength, while the other gene (OPN1MW) produces pigment most sensitive to 534 nm. Recently, gene therapy has given the human gene OPN1LW to adult male squirrel monkeys, producing behavior is consistent with trichromatic color vision
