Topic > The Cebus Appella or Capuchin monkey species

Brown or Tufted Capuchins are New World monkeys belonging to the Cebus genes. Their species is classified as Cebus apella and they are characterized by black or brown fur on their head and a curled tail held behind their back. These small primates are found in the wilds of South America, in countries such as Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela (Gron, 2009). Their habitats range from tropical to terrestrial, inhabiting nearly every forest type in neotropical countries (Anderson, 2003). They prefer to dwell in the undergrowth, lower and middle canopy of such forests. Regarding sexual dimorphism, adult males of brown capuchins are proportionally larger than females in both body and canine size (Anderson, 2003). They usually use quadrupedalism to travel by swinging, jumping and climbing trees. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay According to Anderson, these monkeys form long-term social groups of 8 to 15 members, mostly made up of females, who are supervised by a dominant male (2003). This male hierarchy influences both access to food resources and mates. Brown capuchins are omnivores whose diet consists primarily of fruit, but also includes: "birds, small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, eggs, carrion, insects, leaves, roots, wood, bark, seeds, grains, nuts and flowers" ( Anderson, 2003). Their reproduction is regulated by breeding throughout the year, without a particular season, in which the average number of offspring is usually 1. Females reach sexual maturity at the age of 4 years and have an ovarian cycle of 21 days. Males, on the other hand, reach sexual maturity later in life, at the age of 7. Finally, brown capuchins have a polygynous mating system. Females prefer the dominant male, although they will mate with other males if the dominant male is not present (Anderson, 2003).