Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
SpringerLink
Log in

Why Is It Important to Continue Studying the Anatomy, Physiology, Sensory Ecology, and Evolution of Howler Monkeys?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Howler Monkeys

Part of the book series: Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects ((DIPR))

  • 1036 Accesses

Abstract

The goals of this first chapter to our volume Howler Monkeys: Adaptive Radiation, Systematics, and Morphology are to highlight the importance of morphological, genetic, and physiological studies for understanding the evolutionary adaptations of this highly successful genus. Many questions continue to exist regarding the systematics, anatomy, and physiology of Alouatta. Despite being one of the most commonly studied primate taxa in the Neotropics, the number of howler species is unresolved, and the distribution of many species and subspecies is poorly documented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Amato KR, Righini N (2014) The howler monkey as a model for exploring host-gut microbiota interactions in primates. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Behie AM, Pavelka MSM (2012) Food selection in the black howler monkey following habitat disturbance: implications for the importance of mature leaves. J Trop Ecol 28:153–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Behie AM, Pavelka SM (2014) Fruit as a key factor in howler monkey population density: conservation implications. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: behavior, ecology and conservation. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Behie AM, Pavelka MSM, Chapman CA (2010) Ecological sources of variation in fecal cortisol levels in howler monkeys in Belize. Am J Primatol 72:600–606

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bonvicino CR, Lemos B, Seuánez HN (2001) Molecular phylogenetics of howler monkeys (Alouatta, Platyrrhini): a comparison with karyotypic data. Chromosoma 110:241–246

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brown AD, Zunino GE (1994) Habitat, density and conservation problems of Argentine primates. Vida Silvestre Neotrop 3(1):30–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Camacho JH, Defler TR (1985) Some aspects of the conservation of non-human primates in Colombia. Primate Conserv 6:42–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Canales-Espinosa D, Rovirosa-Hernández M, de Thoisy B, Caba M, García-Orduña F (2014) Hematology and serum biochemistry in wild howler monkeys. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Cortés-Ortiz L, Bermingham E, Rico C, Rodríguez-Luna E, Sampaio I, Ruiz-García M (2003) Molecular systematics and biogeography of the Neotropical monkey genus, Alouatta. Mol Phylogenet Evol 26:64–81

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cortés-Ortiz L, Agostini I, Aguiar LM, Kelaita M, Silva FE, Bicca-Marques JC (2014a) Hybridization in howler monkeys: current understanding and future directions. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Cortés-Ortiz L, Rylands AB, Mittermeier RA (2014b) The taxonomy of howler monkeys: integrating old and new knowledge from morphological and genetic studies. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Crockett CM (1998) Conservation biology of the genus Alouatta. Int J Primat 19(3):549–578

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crockett CM, Eisenberg JF (1987) Howlers: variations in group size and demography. In: Smuts BB, Cheney DL, Seyfarth RM, Wangham RW, Struhsaker TT (eds) Primate societies. University of Chicago, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • da Cunha RGT, Oliveira DAG, Holzmann I, Kitchen DM (2014) Production of loud and quiet calls in howler monkeys. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • de Oliveira EHC, Neusser M, Figueiredo WB, Nagamachi C, Pieczarka JC, Sbalqueiro IJ, Wienberg J, Müller S (2002) The phylogeny of howler monkeys (Alouatta, Platyrrhini): reconstruction by multi-color cross-species chromosome painting. Chromosome Res 10:669–683

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DeGusta D, Milton K (1998) Skeletal pathologies in a population of Alouatta palliata: behavioral, ecological and evolutionary implications. Int J Primatol 19(3):615–650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Fiore A, Link A, Campbell CJ (2010) The atelines: Behavioral and socioecological diversity in a New World radiation. In: Campbell CA, Fuentes A, MacKinnon K, Bearder S, Stumpf R (eds) Primates in Perspective, 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Dias PAD, Rangel-Negrin A (2014) Diets of howler monkeys. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: behavior, ecology and conservation. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dominy NJ (2004) Color as an indicator of food quality to anthropoid primates: ecological evidence and an evolutionary scenario. In: Ross CF, Kay RF (eds) Anthropoid origins: new visions. Kluwer Academic, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dominy NJ, Lucas PW (2001) Ecological importance of trichromatic vision to primates. Nature 410:363–366

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Emmons LH, Feer F (1990) Neotropical rainforest mammals. A field guide. University of Chicago, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Garber PA, Kowalewski MM (2014) New challenges in the study of howler monkey behavioral ecology and conservation: where we are and where we need to go? In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: behavior, ecology and conservation. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Garber P, Righini N, Kowalewski M (2014) Evidence of alternative dietary syndromes and nutritional goals in the genus Alouatta. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: behavior, ecology and conservation. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Glander KE, Pinto LP (2013) Subfamily Alouattinae, Alouatta Lacépède, 1799. In: Mittermeier RA, Rylands AB, Wilson DE (eds) Handbook of the mammals of the world. Primates, vol 3. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregorin R (2006) Taxonomy and geographic variation of species of the genus Alouatta Lacépède (Primates, Atelidae) in Brazil. Rev Bras Zool 23:64–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Groves CP (2001) Primate taxonomy. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Groves CP (2005) Order primates. In: Wilson DE, Reeder DM (eds) Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference, vol 1, 3rd edn. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Hernández-Salazar LT, Dominy NJ, Laska M (2014) The sensory systems of Alouatta: evolution with an eye to ecology. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill WCO (1962) Primates: comparative anatomy and taxonomy. V. Cebidae, Part B. Edinburgh University, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs GH (2007) New world monkeys and color. Int J Primatol 28(4):729–759

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs GH, Neitz M, Deegan JF, Neitz J (1996) Trichromatic colour vision in New World monkeys. Nature 382:156–158

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kitchen DM, Teixeira da Cunha RG, Holzmann I, Gonçalves de Oliveira DA (2014) Function of loud calls in howler monkeys. Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kowalewski M, Garber P (2014) Solving the collective action problem during intergroup encounters: the case of black and gold howler monkeys. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: behavior, ecology and conservation. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Leigh SR (1994) Ontogenetic correlates of diet in anthropoid primates. Am J Phys Anthropol 94:499–522

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malinow MR (1968) Biology of the howler monkey (Alouatta caraya). Bibl primatol 7. Karger AG, Basel

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez-Mota R, Kowalewski MM, Gillespie TR (2014) Ecological determinants of parasitism in howler monkeys. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Mittermeier RA, Rylands AB, Coimbra-Filho AF (1988) Systematics: species and subspecies – an update. In: Mittermeier RA, Rylands AB, Coimbra-Filho AF, Fonseca GA (eds). Ecology and behavior of Neotropical primates. vol 2. World Wildlife Fund, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Mudry MD, Nieves M, Steinberg ER (2014) Cytogenetics of howler monkeys. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Neville MK, Glander KE, Braza F, Rylands AB (1988) The howling monkeys, genus Alouatta. In: Mittermeier RA, Rylands AB, Coimbra-Filho AF, da Fonseca GAB (eds) Ecology and behavior of neotropical primates, vol 2. World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowak RM (1999) Walker’s primates of the world. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Raguet-Schofield M, Pavé R (2014) An ontogenetic framework for Alouatta: infant development and evaluating models of life history. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Rangel-Negrín A, Dias PAD, Chavira R, Canales-Espinosa D (2011) Social modulation of testosterone levels in male black howlers (Alouatta pigra). Horm Behav 59:159–166

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Regan BC, Juliot C, Simmen B, Viénot F, Charles-Dominique PC, Mollon JD (2001) Fruits, foliage and the evolution of primate colour vision. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 356:229–283

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberger AL, Strier KB (1989) Adaptive radiation of the ateline primates. J Hum Evol 18:717–750

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberger AL, Cooke SB, Halenar LB, Tejedor MF, Hartwig WC, Novo NM, Muñoz-Saba Y (2014) Fossil alouattines and the origins of Alouatta: craniodental diversity and interrelationships. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Rylands AB, Mittermeier RA (2009) The diversity of the New World primates (Platyrrhini). In: Garber PA, Estrada A, Bicca-Marques JC, Heymann EW, Strier KB (eds) South American primates: comparative perspectives in the study of behavior, ecology, and conservation. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Rylands AB, Schneider H, Langguth A, Mittermeier RA, Groves CP, Rodríguez-Luna E (2000) An assessment of the diversity of New World primates. Neotrop Primates 8:61–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Rylands AB, Groves CP, Mittermeier RA, Cortés-Ortiz L, Hines JJ (2006) Taxonomy and distributions of Mesoamerican primates. In: Estrada A, Garber P, Pavelka M, Luecke L (eds) New perspectives in the study of Mesoamerican primates: distribution, ecology, behavior and conservation. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Schön MA (1968) The muscular system of the red howling monkey. US Natl Mus Bull 273:1–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schön Ybarra MA (1984) Locomotion and postures of red howlers in a deciduous forest-savanna interface. Am J Phys Anthropol 63(1):65–76

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schön Ybarra MA (1998) Arboreal quadrupedalism and forelimb articular anatomy of red howlers. Int J Primatol 19(3):599–613

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schön Ybarra MA, Schön MA III (1987) Positional behavior and limb bone adaptations in red howling monkeys (Alouatta seniculus). Folia Primatol 49(2):70–89

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg ER, Nieves M, Mudry MD (2014) Multiple sex chromosome systems in howler monkeys (Platyrrhini, Alouatta). Comp Cytogen 8:43–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern JT (1971) Functional myology of the hip and thigh of Cebid monkeys and its implications for the evolution of erect posture. Bibl Primatol 14:1–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern JT Jr, Wells JP, Jungers WL, Vangor AK, Fleagle JG (1980) An electromyographic study of serratus anterior in atelines and Alouatta: implications for hominoid evolution. Am J Phys Anthropol 52:323–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sumner P, Mollon JD (2000) Catarrhine photopigments are optimised for detecting targets against a foliage background. J Exp Biol 203:1963–1986

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sumner P, Mollon JD (2002) Did primate trichromacy evolve for frugivory or folivory? In: Mollon JD et al (eds) Normal and defective colour vision. Oxford University, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Belle S (2014) Endocrinology of howler monkeys: review and directions for future research. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Belle S, Bicca-Marques JC (2014) Insights into reproductive strategies and sexual selection in howler monkeys. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: behavior, ecology and conservation. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Belle S, Estrada A, Strier KB (2008) Social relationships among male Alouatta pigra. Int J Primatol 29:1481–1498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfheim JH (1983) Primates of the World. University of Washington, Seattle

    Google Scholar 

  • Youlatos D, Couette S, Halenar LB (2014) Morphology of howler monkeys: a review and quantitative analyses. In: Kowalewski M, Garber P, Cortés-Ortiz L, Urbani B, Youlatos D (eds) Howler monkeys: adaptive radiation, systematics, and morphology. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

M.K. thanks Mariana and Bruno for their support during the edition of these volumes. P.A.G. wishes to acknowledge Chrissie, Sara, and Jenni for their love and support and for allowing him to be himself. While writing this paper L.C.O. was supported by NSF grant BCS-0962807. B.U. thanks his family and Padmini for always being there.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Estación Biológica Corrientes, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Martín M. Kowalewski

  2. Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

    Paul A. Garber

  3. Museum of Zoology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Liliana Cortés-Ortiz

  4. Centro de Antropología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, Venezuela

    Bernardo Urbani

  5. Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Dionisios Youlatos

Authors
  1. Martín M. Kowalewski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul A. Garber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Liliana Cortés-Ortiz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Bernardo Urbani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dionisios Youlatos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martín M. Kowalewski .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Estación Biológica Corrientes, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Martín M. Kowalewski

  2. Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA

    Paul A. Garber

  3. Museum of Zoology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Liliana Cortés-Ortiz

  4. Centro de Antropología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, Venezuela

    Bernardo Urbani

  5. Department of Zoology, Aristotle University of Thessalonik, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Dionisios Youlatos

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kowalewski, M.M., Garber, P.A., Cortés-Ortiz, L., Urbani, B., Youlatos, D. (2015). Why Is It Important to Continue Studying the Anatomy, Physiology, Sensory Ecology, and Evolution of Howler Monkeys?. In: Kowalewski, M., Garber, P., Cortés-Ortiz, L., Urbani, B., Youlatos, D. (eds) Howler Monkeys. Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1957-4_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation