Atelidae[1] Temporal range: Middle Miocene[citation needed] to present
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The four extant atelid genera, from left to right: Ateles (spider monkey), Alouatta (howler monkey), Brachyteles (muriqui), Lagothrix (woolly monkey). | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Primates |
Suborder: | Haplorhini |
Infraorder: | Simiiformes |
Parvorder: | Platyrrhini |
Family: | Atelidae Gray, 1825 |
Type genus | |
Ateles E. Geoffroy, 1806
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Genera | |
The Atelidae are one of the five families of New World monkeys now recognised. It was formerly included in the family Cebidae. Atelids are generally larger monkeys; the family includes the howler, spider, woolly, and woolly spider monkeys (the latter being the largest of the New World monkeys). They are found throughout the forested regions of Central and South America, from Mexico to northern Argentina.