Southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides)

Southern muriqui sleeping in tree
Southern muriqui sleeping in tree

Southern muriqui fact file

Southern muriqui description

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderPrimates
FamilyAtelidae
GenusBrachyteles (1)

The muriqui, or woolly spider monkey, is the largest New World primate, and in the late 1980s was recognised as two distinct species: the southern (Brachyteles arachnoides) and northern muriqui (B. hypoxanthus) respectively (4). One of the differences between these species is the presence of a small thumb in the northern variety (2), which is lacking in the southern species. Muriquis have long limbs and a long prehensile tail, allowing them to be particularly agile amongst the trees (5). The thick coat is greyish-brown in colour; males may have a more yellow tinge (6) and they have particularly large testicles, which may be related to sperm competition (5).

Also known as
southern woolly spider monkey, woolly spider monkey.
French
Atèle Arachnoïde, Eroïde, Singe-araignée Laineux.
Spanish
Mono Carvoeiro, Mono Grande, Muriki.
Size
Male head-body length: 55 – 78 cm (2)
Female head-body length: 46 – 63 cm (2)
Male tail length: 74 – 80 cm (2)
Female tail length: 65 – 74 cm (2)
Male weight: 12 – 15 kg (2)
Female weight: 9.5 – 11 kg (2)
Top

Southern muriqui biology

Muriquis are arboreal and active during the day (7). They live in multimale-multifemale groups that may number between 5 and 25 individuals (5). Groups are not territorial; there is little aggression between members and related males often cooperate with each other (5). There is no evidence of social grooming between group members but embracing is thought to help maintain bonds (5). Females tend to give birth to a single offspring in the dry season that runs between May and September (7). Males remain with their natal group but once they have reached adolescence at 5 – 7 years old, female offspring will disperse to join other groups (7).

Young leaves and fruits constitute a large component of the muriqui diet; individuals often feed by hanging from the branches of a tree with their prehensile tail (5). Fruits and seeds are also eaten during the more abundant rainy season (7).

Top

Southern muriqui range

Found in south-eastern Brazil, in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo (2).

Top

Southern muriqui habitat

Inhabit primary and secondary Atlantic coastal forest that comprises Brazil’s Atlantic Forest Region (4), and found at altitudes from sea level to 1,000 metres (6).

Top

Southern muriqui status

Classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List (1), and listed on Appendix I of CITES (3).

IUCN Red List species status – Endangered

Top

Southern muriqui threats

The muriqui was once widespread in the Atlantic Forest Region, but today the southern species is thought to number just under 1,000 individuals (4). This region of Brazil has been devastated by habitat destruction as it is the most populated and industrialised region of the country (4). Vast tracts of forest have been lost. In addition, these large primates were an important food source for people in the region and have been widely hunted (4).

Top

Southern muriqui conservation

The muriqui has been a flagship species for the conservation of Brazil’s fragile Atlantic Forest Region (8). Conservation efforts are still imperative and “Programme Muriqui” will continue to undertake research on populations within the Serra dos Organos National Park; the possibility of reintroductions is being investigated and an ongoing education programme has been established (9).

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Top

Authentication

Authenticated (13/02/2006) by Matt Richardson, independent primatologist and writer.

Top

Glossary

Arboreal
Living in trees.
Natal
Site of birth.
Prehensile
Capable of grasping.
Top

References

  1. IUCN Red List (June, 2003)
    http://www.redlist.org
  2. Richardson, M. (2006) Pers. comm.
  3. CITES (June, 2003)
    http://www.cites.org
  4. Mittermeier, R.A., Myers, N. and Mittermeier, C. (1999) Hotspots: Earth’s biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial ecoregions. Cemex, South Africa.
  5. Primate Info Net (June, 2003)
    http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/factsheets/brachyteles_arachnoides.html
  6. Macdonald, D. (2001) The New Encyclopedia of Mammals. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  7. Animal Info (June, 2003)
    http://www.animalinfo.org/species/primate/bracarac.htm
  8. Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (June, 2003)
    http://www.cbsg.org
  9. Programme Muriqui (June, 2003)
    http://www.programamuriqui.org.br/index2.htm

More »Related species

Northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus)Peruvian spider monkey (Ateles chamek)Colombian woolly monkey (Lagothrix lugens)Geoffroy’s woolly monkey (Lagothrix cana)Black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi)Guatemalan black howler (Alouatta pigra)Common woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha)Variegated spider monkey (Ateles hybridus)

This species is featured in:

This species is featured in the Atlantic forest eco-region

Please donate to ARKive today

Help us share the wonders of the natural world. Donate today!

Sign up to our newsletter

Get the latest wild news direct to your inbox.

Get involved

ARKive relies on its media donors to donate photos and videos. Can you help? There are plenty of other ways you can get involved too!

X
Close

Image credit

Southern muriqui sleeping in tree  
Southern muriqui sleeping in tree

© Mike Powles / gettyimages.com

Getty Images
101 Bayham Street
London
NW1 0AG
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 800 376 7981
sales@gettyimages.com
http://www.gettyimages.com

X
Close

Link to this photo

ARKive species - Southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides) Embed this ARKive thumbnail link by copying and pasting the code below.

Terms of Use - The displayed thumbnail may be used as a link from your website to ARKive's online content for private, scientific, conservation or educational purposes only. It may NOT be used within Apps.

Read more about

X
Close

MyARKive

MyARKive offers the scrapbook feature to signed-up members, allowing you to organize your favourite ARKive images and videos and share them with friends.

X
Close

Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials

Copyright in this website and materials contained on this website (Material) belongs to Wildscreen or its licensors.

Visitors to this website (End Users) are entitled to:

  • view the contents of, and Material on, the website;
  • download and retain copies of the Material on their personal systems in digital form in low resolution for their own personal use;
  • teachers, lecturers and students may incorporate the Material in their educational material (including, but not limited to, their lesson plans, presentations, worksheets and projects) in hard copy and digital format for use within a registered educational establishment, provided that the integrity of the Material is maintained and that copyright ownership and authorship is appropriately acknowledged by the End User.

End Users shall not copy or otherwise extract, alter or manipulate Material other than as permitted in these Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials.

Additional use of flagged material

Green flagged material 

Certain Material on this website (Licence 4 Material) displays a green flag next to the Material and is available for not-for-profit conservation or educational use. This material may be used by End Users, who are individuals or organisations that are in our opinion not-for-profit, for their not-for-profit conservation or not-for-profit educational purposes. Low resolution, watermarked images may be copied from this website by such End Users for such purposes. If you require high resolution or non-watermarked versions of the Material, please contact Wildscreen with details of your proposed use.

Creative commons material

Certain Material on this website has been licensed to Wildscreen under a Creative Commons Licence. These images are clearly marked with the Creative Commons buttons and may be used by End Users only in the way allowed by the specific Creative Commons Licence under which they have been submitted. Please see http://creativecommons.org for details.

Any other use

Please contact the copyright owners directly (copyright and contact details are shown for each media item) to negotiate terms and conditions for any use of Material other than those expressly permitted above. Please note that many of the contributors to ARKive are commercial operators and may request a fee for such use.

Save as permitted above, no person or organisation is permitted to incorporate any copyright material from this website into any other work or publication in any format (this includes but is not limited to: websites, Apps, CDs, DVDs, intranets, extranets, signage, digital communications or on printed materials for external or other distribution). Use of the Material for promotional, administrative or for-profit purposes is not permitted.