Monkey Facts for Kids

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

17 Monkey Facts for Kids

  1. Monkey is a common name for a group of primate mammals in the Simiiformes infraorder.
  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 live in South America.
  6. A crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) is considered an 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, or troop.
  15. Baboons (genus Papio) are one of the largest primates that are not classified as apes (hominoid).
  16. The howler monkey (genus Alouatta) can howl so loud that it can be heard over 3 miles away.
  17. The spider monkey (genus Ateles) is named after their long arms, legs and prehensile tails.

Additional Resources on Monkeys

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