Themes > Science > Zoological Sciences > Animal classification > Primate Taxonomy > Cercopithecoids

The Old World monkeys occupy the infraorder Catarrhini along with apes and humans, and are distinguished within a separate superfamily Cercopithecoidea composed of a single all-inclusive family the Cercopithecidae. This taxon is divided into two subfamilies, Colobinae and Cercopithecinae.

The Old World monkeys are the most diverse of all the catarrhines. There are 17 cercopithecid genera, and different species occupy a diversity of habitats within tropical Africa and Asia, merging into the colder climates of the Mediterranian and Japan. This distribution is the most extensive of any primate group, other than humans, and reflects an adaptive radiation involving the exploitation of numerous arboreal habititats and expansion into terrestrial niches.

General Cercopithecoid characteristics

  1. quadrapedal locomotion,
    posture is pronograde utilizing tails for balance;
  2. 2:1:2:3 dentition is a catarrhine feature, shared with apes and humans;
    unique bilophodont cusp pattern on molar teeth, exhibiting a four-pointed square shape.
The Old World monkeys are subdivided into two subfamilies: Colobinae and Cercopithecinae.

Examples

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Pygathrix nemaeus, Subfamily:Colobinae
Colobine monkeys are predominantly arboreal leaf-eaters.

  

Nasalis larvatus, Subfamily:Colobinae
A colobine species with a distinctive nose.

  

Macaca sinica, subfamily:Cercopithecinae
Macaques are the most typical and numerous of the cercopithecine species. The are know for their complex social organizations. The group here is involved in grooming, a typical social activity.

  

Mandrillus sphinx, subfamily:Cercopithecinae
A drill. These distinctive looking monkeys are terristrial and are notable for their striking colouring and prominent canine teeth.

  

Papio anubis, subfamily:Cercopithecinae
Baboons of the genus Papio are terristrial monkeys who live in large complex social groups. The picture, taken from DeVore's baboon social organization film series, shows two males fighting to establish a dominance postion.


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