* Brachiation: These monkeys are highly adapted for brachiation, which is swinging from branch to branch using their arms. Long toes help them grip branches securely, providing greater stability and balance.
* Prehensile Tail: Spider monkeys have a prehensile tail, which acts like a fifth limb. Their long toes, along with their tail, allow them to hang upside down and maneuver through the trees with ease.
* Reaching Food: Long toes give them a wider reach for grabbing fruit and other food sources high in the canopy.
* Jumping: Spider monkeys are excellent jumpers, and their long toes help them to land safely and absorb shock.
In essence, their long toes are a key evolutionary adaptation that makes them incredibly efficient arboreal climbers and acrobats, perfectly suited to their life in the rainforest canopy.