Physical Traits of a Monkey
3rd February 2009 by Monkey Breeders No CommentsPhysical Traits of a Monkey
All kinds of monkeys have common physical features which are related to their lifestyle of tree-climbing. One among the special trait is the forward-facing eyes that help the monkeys to have a precise measure of the distances while climbing over the ground. Monkeys’ feet and hands are also specially tailored to climb trees and other huge buildings.
Their toes and fingers are very much flexible and supple, and its soles and palms—same as that of humans—are generally covered in hair-less non-slip skin. Majority of the monkeys will have plain and flat nails, yet species like marmosets are having claws, a special character that they share among various primeval primates.
Many species of monkeys will have capable big toes and opposable thumbs that could be set closed against the opposite toes or finger to makeup a firm grip. The magnitude of this prominent feature changes significantly amidst species. The Old World monkeys will basically be characterized with remarkable skills and who can make use of their fingers for picking any tiny parasites.
But the New World monkeys will be little contrast and are not blessed with opposable thumbs, but most of them are characterized with big toes. Astonishingly, one section of the old world monkey known as the colobus monkeys will never possess thumbs by any means. Despite having this disadvantage, they do not find any difficulty in climbing the tree.
In many species of monkeys, the difference in size between male and female are apparent. For instance, the mandrill which is the West African baboon and the Female mandrills will weigh only up to 11kg and possess dark face, yet the male mandrills can posses a weight up to 50kg and they have a brilliant blue face. The world’s heaviest monkeys are the male mandrills, which climb tree rarely dissimilar to the females.
