Monkey Mugs
Telltale facial colour
Monkeys in Central and South America have amazingly diverse faces, from the white-mustached visage of the baby emperor tamarin (shown here) to the boiled-lobster-red skin of the bald uakari.
Monkeys in Central and South America have amazingly diverse faces, from the white-mustached visage of the emperor tamarin to the boiled-lobster-red skin of the bald uakari. Now, research reveals that New World monkeys rely on facial coloration mostly to recognize their own species. "We found that species that live in smaller groups have evolved more complex patterns of facial color," study researcher Sharlene Santana wrote in an email to LiveScience. "This (more complex faces) is also true for species that share their habitat with many other closely related species." In other words, the less likely a monkey is to run into one of its own, the more complicated its facial patterns. For example, bald uakaris have a striking, but simple, pure red face. These monkeys live in large communities that can number up to 100 individuals. In contrast, the three-striped night monkey, or owl monkey, lives in small family groups with mates and offspring only. These nocturnal monkeys sport masklike white-eye markings against a background of black fur, a much more complicated pattern. For monkeys who live in small groups, complex patterns may offer more ways to differentiate between species, which is important given how rare it is for one of these monkeys to meet one of its own. For monkeys living in larger groups, simple facial patterns might allow for better recognition of individuals and better communication via facial expressions an important skill in a big community.
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