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Wedge-capped Capuchin - Cebus olivaceus
Wedge-capped Capuchin - Cebus olivaceus

[Image: C._olivaceus_Zoo_SP_2.jpg]

Scientific classification 
Kingdom: Animalia 
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cebidae
Genus: Cebus
Species: C. capucinus

Description: Adult wedge-capped capuchins weight approximately 3 kg, but weight varies moderately with sex. They receive their name from a black triangle of dark fur centered on their foreheads. Generally this species is light brown to brown with yellow and gray tinges on varying parts of their bodies. Their “wedge cap” starts between the eyes and extends backwards to cover the top of the head. Their faces are hairless and surrounded by light brown or blonde fur. 
Wedge-capped capuchins show similar levels of sexual dimorphism as other capuchin monkeys. On average, males weigh about 30% more than females. Additionally, males have relatively longer canines than females (even after overall body size is accounted for). Male maxillary and mandibular (upper and lower) canines of males are on average 70% and 40% larger than female canines respectively. This may be indicative of male competition for females.
Wedge-capped capuchins have been compared to tufted capuchins to discern the relationship between locomotion and skeletal proportions. Wedge-capped capuchins spent relatively more time running and jumping through the forest canopy while tufted capuchins spent more time walking and moving slowly. As such, wedge-capped capuchins have relatively longer limbs (particularly the hind limbs) than tufted capuchins.

Habitat and range: Wedge-capped capuchins prefer undisturbed primary forests in which they can move through the canopy (locomotion and limb morphology). They occupy the rainforests of northern Brazil and Venezuela, as well as the drier forests along riverbeds in Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. These habitats vary in terms of forest height, composition, and continuity. When wedge-capped capuchins have the option between dense high-canopy primary forests and more fragmented, lower forests, they generally inhabit the primary forests.

[Image: Cebus_olivaceus_distribution.svg]

Diet: Wedge-capped capuchins are omnivorous and eat both animal and plant foods. Foraging behavior varies seasonally, as well as with age and sex. In general, these monkeys spend approximately equal amounts of time exploiting animal and plant resources. The exception to this are infants that spend far more time foraging for plants foods than animals. Most of the plant food consumed is ripe fruit, the majority of which are figs. Their animal prey is almost exclusively invertebrates. Their prey consists of snails, wasps, caterpillars, grasshoppers, ants, birds eggs and many insects that inhabit palm crowns.
While males and females spend about the same amount of time foraging for insects, they exploit different types of resources. Males spend more time searching for insects on the surface of branches, while females search for most of their insects atop palm trees. There is little variation in plant material consumed between males and females. Also, adults and sub-adults eat more animal material than juveniles and infants.

[Image: Cebus_olivaceus.jpg]


Predation: Wedge-capped capuchins have been observed to give alarm calls if they observe a potential predator. Such predators include Jaguars, Ocelots, Tayras, boa constrictors, caimans, and Collared Peccaries. In addition, alarm calls have been observed when the capuchin sees one of several birds, such as hook-billed kites, black vultures, green ibises, rufous-vented chachalacas, Harpy Eagles, or Ornate Hawk-Eagles. Due to these predators, the wedge-capped capuchin has taken to living in groups; as group size increases, vigilance per animal decreases, though it has not yet been demonstrated that capuchins in larger groups are any less vulnerable than those in smaller groups.
the only confirmed predators are the Margay (by stomach analysis) and the Harpy Eagle.
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