Long-haired Spider Monkey - Ateles belzebuth

Long-haired Spider Monkey (Ateles belzebuth)
(aka White-bellied Spider Monkey, Ateles marginatus, A. chamek)

Mato Grosso, Brazil

The taxonomy of Spider Monkeys seems to be quite complicated. Following Emmons, both these photos taken in the state of Mato Grosso are of what she calls White-bellied Spider Monkey Ateles belzebuth, the first photo, taken at Vila Bela de Santíssima Trindade, being of A. b. chamek described as "completely black" while photos 2 and 3, taken at the Cristalino River, are of A. b. marginatus described as "black, with a black belly, white brow patch, and red mask."

Eisenberg & Redford treat each of these sub-species as a full species, A. marginatus and A. chamek but their distribution map for A. chamek does not quite reach to the state of Mato Grosso. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mammals follows Eisenberg & Redford in granting them full species status and giving English names of Black-faced Black Spider Monkey to A. chamek "all glossy black, face black, muzzle pink" and White-whiskered Spider Monkey to A. marginatus "black, with white patch on forehead and white line connecting ears to chin"

Long-haired Spider Monkey, Cristalino, Mato Grosso, Brazil, December 2006 - click for larger image

Spider monkeys are active during the day and are found in various group sizes from singly to about 40 depending on the scarcity or otherwise of the fruits on which it feeds. There are three times as many adult females as adult males in a group. They are found in the upper levels of mature rain forest and deciduous forest.

A. marginatus is classified as Endangered.

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