A Picture of a Monkey

Monkey Facts

  • Common Name: Monkey
  • Order: Primates
  • Suborder: Haplorhini
  • Infraorder: Simiiformes
  • Pravorders (living): Catarrhini, Cercopithecidae and Platyrrhini
  • Pravorders (extinct): Parapithecidae
  • Number of Species: Over 260

14 Monkey Facts for Kids

  1. Monkey is a common name for a group of primate mammals in infraorder Simiiformes.
  2. There are over 260 different species of monkeys worldwide.
  3. Monkeys are divided into two different groups, Old World Monkeys and New World Monkeys.
  4. Old World Monkeys live in Africa and Asia.
  5. New World Monkeys lived in South America.
  6. A crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) is considered a Old World Monkey.
  7. A southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides) is considered a New World Monkey.
  8. The mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) is the largest monkey, males have an average weight of 71 pounds.
  9. The pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) is the smallest monkey, with an average weight of just 3.5 ounces.
  10. Monkeys are mostly omnivores and eat fruit, leaves, nuts and insects.
  11. All species of monkeys have opposable thumbs just like humans.
  12. Monkeys live both on the ground and in trees.
  13. Monkeys that spend their entire lives in trees are called arboreal.
  14. A group of monkeys is referred to as a mission, tribe and/or troop.

More Animal Facts

Additional Resources on Monkeys