Alouatta

The howler monkeys, carayá monkeys or saraguatos (Alouatta) are a genus of platyrrhine primates of the family Atelids that live in the American tropical zone from southern Mexico to northeastern Argentina, and are the only genus of the monotypic subfamily Alouattinae.

Taxonomy and evolution

The genus was described by Lacépède in 1799. In 1962, Hill divided it into 6 species: Alouatta seniculus, Alouatta belzebul, Alouatta fusca, Alouatta palliata, Alouatta caraya and Alouatta villosa. ThenA. villosaand a subspecies of A. palliata were placed within Alouatta pigra, as well as Alouatta coibensis, formerly a subspecies of A. palliata. After genetic analysis, two new species Alouatta sara and Alouatta arctoidea, formerly subspecies of A, were erected. seniculus, the same as Alouatta nigerrima former subspecies of A. belzebul. In 1995, from 2 subspecies ofA. seniculus the species Alouatta macconnelli and Alouatta straminea were erected. In 2000 Rylands et al. accepted nine species: A. seniculus, A. sara, A. nigerrima, A. belzebul, A. guariba, A. palliata, A. coibensis, A. wowand A. pigra, while Groves in 2001 classified the genus into 10 species including, in addition to the previous ones, A. macconnelli.

Genetic studies allow us to calculate that the initial separation of Alouatta in South America could have occurred between 4.8 and 5.1 million years ago. The evidence indicates that Central American species diverged between 6.6 and 6.8 million years ago. In fact, the most basal species of the genus appears to be Alouatta palliata. According to the same analyses, it seems that the earliest division between the current species in the south of the Amazon River occurred between Alouatta guariba and Alouatta belzebul, around 4 million ago. of years. The extinct species Alouatta mauroi apparently was part of this speciation and the most closely related species appears to be A. guariba.

Features

Howlers have short faces and flattened, separated nostrils. Its size ranges between 56 and 92 cm, excluding the tail, which has a similar length. Like the other atelines they have prehensile tails. Unlike other platyrrhines, both males and females have trichromatic vision. This characteristic evolved independently of other platyrrhines due to chromosome duplication.

They generally move in a quadruped position through the canopy of trees, always holding on to the branches with both hands or with one hand and their tail. Its prehensile tail is very strong and can support its entire body weight.

Habitat

It lives in jungle areas, especially in the gallery forests of northern South America. They are the most abundant primates in the Neotropics. The collective howl of large groups of araguatos resembles the whistle of the wind, although much more powerful and sustained.

Species

• Gender Alouatta
  • Red-handed guariba
  • Black-faced monkey
  • Panamanian Aullador
    • Coiba Helper
    • Aullador de Azuero
  • Guariba
    • North Guariba
    • Guariba del Sur
  • Red Aullador del Jurua peruano
  • Guayanese red shiner
  • Black Amazonian Aullor
  • Coaster
  • Black and Caucasian Saraguato
  • Brazilian Jurua Red Hammer
  • Bolivian red bullfighter
  • Red shiner
  • Ursino
  • Maranhão red-handed booster
  • Alouatta mauroi †