Old World monkey

Old World monkeys are <a href="/facts/Primate/Hl8RNE2X">primates</a> in the <a href="/facts/Family_(biology)/qTrn6E8E">family</a> Cercopithecidae (/ˌsɜːrkoʊpɪˈθɛsɪdiː/). Twenty-four <a href="/facts/Genus/m8EFjSms">genera</a> and 138 <a href="/facts/Species/oDg6b96r">species</a> are recognized, making it the largest primate family. Old World monkey genera include <a href="/facts/Baboon/qz7J3AoC">baboons</a> (genus <a href="/facts/Papio/qz7J3AoC">Papio</a>), red colobus (genus <a href="/facts/Red_colobus/IClv4nCq">Piliocolobus</a>), and <a href="/facts/Macaque/r2tPXVFu">macaques</a> (genus <a href="/facts/Macaca_(genus)/r2tPXVFu">Macaca</a>). Common names for other Old World monkeys include the <a href="/facts/Talapoin/YU45n1JR">talapoin</a>, <a href="/facts/Guenon/fUmWCaAI">guenon</a>, <a href="/facts/Colobus/vawM9S1h">colobus</a>, <a href="/facts/Douc/SEHnohDu">douc</a> (douc langur, genus <a href="/facts/Pygathrix/SEHnohDu">Pygathrix</a>), <a href="/facts/Vervet/zDTeI9mu">vervet</a>, <a href="/facts/Gelada/GrVUDGmM">gelada</a>, <a href="/facts/Mangabey/bM9KX2w8">mangabey</a> (a group of genera), <a href="/facts/Langur/kQYzXQqM">langur</a>, <a href="/facts/Mandrill/7KjwFQPW">mandrill</a>, <a href="/facts/Drill_(animal)/45ep8tDd">drill</a>, <a href="/facts/Surili/oKraR5bM">surili</a> (<a href="/facts/Presbytis/oKraR5bM">Presbytis</a>), <a href="/facts/Patas/98ckT7Dt">patas</a>, and <a href="/facts/Proboscis_monkey/1aUEDYY4">proboscis monkey</a>.
Phylogenetically, they are more closely related to <a href="/facts/Ape/QdTk4pko">apes</a> than to <a href="/facts/New_World_monkey/RQ1hJY79">New World monkeys</a>, with the Old World monkeys and apes diverging from a common ancestor between 25 million and 30 million years ago. This <a href="/facts/Cladistics/JasKVABk">clade</a>, containing the Old World monkeys and the apes, diverged from a common ancestor with the New World monkeys around 45 to 55 million years ago.[need quotation to verify] The individual species of Old World monkey are more closely related to each other than to apes or any other grouping, with a common ancestor around 14 million years ago.
The smallest Old World monkey is the <a href="/facts/Talapoin/YU45n1JR">talapoin</a>, with a head and body 34–37 centimetres (13–15 in) in length, and weighing between 0.7 and 1.3 kilograms (1.5 and 2.9 lb). The largest is the male mandrill, around 70 centimetres (28 in) in length, and weighing up to 50 kilograms (110 lb) Old World monkeys have a variety of facial features; some have <a href="/facts/Snout/v35EB0xh">snouts</a>, some are flat-nosed, and many exhibit coloration. Most have tails, but they are not <a href="/facts/Prehensile/2kBbz2U6">prehensile</a>.
Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia today, inhabiting numerous environments: tropical <a href="/facts/Rain_forest/IEY5TMEc">rain forests</a>, <a href="/facts/Savanna/M0tPdd1l">savannas</a>, <a href="/facts/Shrubland/TuWUtSYv">shrublands</a>, and mountainous terrain. They inhabited much of Europe in the past; today, the only survivors in Europe are the <a href="/facts/Barbary_macaque/ct712gSW">Barbary macaques</a> of <a href="/facts/Gibraltar/ja2yukgq">Gibraltar</a>. Whether they were native to Gibraltar or were brought by humans is unknown.
Some Old World monkeys are <a href="/facts/Arboreal/6C5AeQ2y">arboreal</a>, such as the <a href="/facts/Colobus/vawM9S1h">colobus</a> monkeys; others are <a href="/facts/Terrestrial_animal/AhP2mont">terrestrial</a>, such as the <a href="/facts/Baboon/qz7J3AoC">baboons</a>. Most are at least partially <a href="/facts/Omnivore/b8zcsuJF">omnivorous</a>, but all prefer plant matter, which forms the bulk of their diets. Most are highly opportunistic, primarily eating fruit, but also consuming almost any food item available, such as flowers, leaves, bulbs and <a href="/facts/Rhizome/wWDKJrSf">rhizomes</a>, insects, snails, small mammals, and garbage and handouts from humans.

Old World monkey open-in-new

Old World monkey