White-faced Capuchin
⚡ Key Facts & Quick Answers (AEO Summary)
- Taxonomic Class: Mammals
- Dietary Niche: Omnivore (Fruits, nuts, insects, frogs, small birds)
- Max Speed: 35 km/h (22 mph)
- Adult Weight: 2 - 4 kg (4.4 - 8.8 lbs)
- Typical Lifespan: 15 - 25 years
- Primary Habitat: Tropical rainforests, dry deciduous forests, mangroves
- Native Region: Central and South America
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern
📊 Physical & Biological Metrics
🧬 Scientific Taxonomy & Biological Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Primates |
| Family | Cebidae |
| Genus | Cebus |
| Species Binomial | Cebus capucinus |
📖 1. Species Overview
The White-faced Capuchin is renowned as one of the most intelligent New World monkeys. They are famous for using stone tools to crack open hard nuts and using medicinal plants to rub on their fur.
🦿 2. Physical Appearance, Anatomy & Adaptations
Black body and limbs, contrasting cream-white chest and face, a dark cap on top of the head, and a semi-prehensile tail.
🗺️ 3. Habitat, Geographic Distribution & Territorial Range
Highly social, living in troops of 15-20 individuals led by an alpha male. They spend most of their time in forest canopies.
🥩 4. Diet, Feeding Strategy & Hunting Tactics
Forage for fruits and insects, using rocks as anvils to smash open hard-shelled nuts.
🐣 5. Reproduction, Lifecycle & Social Hierarchy
Females give birth to a single baby after a 5-month gestation. The baby clings to the mother's back for up to 6 months.
🛡️ 6. Conservation Status, Population Threats & Protection
Least Concern, though threatened locally by deforestation and capture for the pet trade.
💡 Fascinating Facts & Trivia
- Capuchins are proficient tool users, using flat stones as anvils and heavy rocks as hammers to crack palm nuts.
- They rub citrus fruits and crushed millipedes on their fur as natural insect repellents.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Direct authoritative answers regarding the biology, feeding habits, and habitat of the White-faced Capuchin.
The White-faced Capuchin is scientifically classified as Cebus capucinus. It belongs to the genus Cebus within the family Cebidae, class Mammalia, and phylum Chordata.
In the wild, White-faced Capuchins inhabit Tropical rainforests, dry deciduous forests, mangroves. Their native geographic range primarily spans Central and South America.
The White-faced Capuchin is classified as a Omnivore. It feeds primarily on specialized nutrients suited to its ecological niche in Tropical rainforests, dry deciduous forests, mangroves.
A White-faced Capuchin can achieve top speeds of 35 km/h (22 mph) and weighs approximately 2 - 4 kg (4.4 - 8.8 lbs). Its expected natural lifespan is 15 - 25 years.
The White-faced Capuchin (Cebus capucinus) is currently designated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Cite this Article
FaunaWiki Zoological Database (2026). "White-faced Capuchin (Cebus capucinus) Species Profile."
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