Types of Capuchin Monkeys

Capuchin monkeys belong to the same family as marmosets and squirrel monkeys. All eight species of capuchin monkeys belong to the scientific genus cebus. The capuchins are small primates that live in tropical regions around the world. Several species, such as the brown capuchin, are taken as pets and even as helpers for people with disabilities.

  1. White-Fronted Capuchin

    • The white-fronted capuchin is among the smallest of the capuchins. It is a light brown monkey with a paler front that is often yellowish to red in color. It lives in the northwest portion of South America in tropical forests found in countries such as Ecuador, Peru and Columbia.

    Brown Capuchin

    • The brown capuchin is one of the most recognizable, as they are the variety most associated with organ grinders. It ranges in color from yellowish-brown to black, with paler shoulders and underbelly. A patch of fur around the top of the head means they are sometimes called tufted capuchins. This species is found in Columbia, Venezuela, Paraguay and Argentina.

    White-Faced Capuchin

    • The white-faced capuchin is also a recognizable species, as it is commonly kept as a pet and in zoos. This species is mainly black in color with a white face, chest and upper arms. It is native to Central America and northern South America. It is one of the most wide-ranging of all capuchin species.

    Golden-Bellied Capuchin

    • The golden-bellied capuchin lives only in the state of Bahia in Brazil. It has a light brown coloring with a white face, chest and upper arms. It also has a tuft running around its head like a crown which looks like horns.

    Weeping and Black Capuchins

    • The weeping capuchin is found in Venezula and parts of the Southern Amazon Basin, living in tropical forests like all capuchins. It has a pale, buff-colored fur with a dark wedge-shaped cap to the top of the head and a whitish face. The black capuchin is found in Brazil and Argentina. The robust tufted capuchin is a subspecies of the black and is found only in Brazil.

    Kaapori and Black-Striped Capuchin

    • The Kaapori capuchin is found only in Brazil. It was originally thought to be a subspecies of the weeping capuchin and it looks similar in appearance and size. The black-striped capuchin is also found in Brazil, but is also present in areas of Argentina and Paraguay.