Editing Squirrel monkey (section)

{{Short description|Genus of mammals belonging to the capuchin and squirrel monkey family of primates}}
{{Automatic taxobox 
| name = Squirrel monkeys<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Groves|pages=138–139|id=12100284}}</ref>
| fossil_range = [[Miocene]] ([[Laventan]] to recent<br/>{{fossil range|13.8|0}}
| image = Saimiri sciureus-1 Luc Viatour.jpg
| image_caption = [[Common squirrel monkey]]
| parent_authority = [[Gerrit Smith Miller Jr.|Miller]], 1912 (1900)
| taxon = Saimiri
| authority = [[Friedrich Sigmund Voigt|Voigt]], 1831
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = 
*''[[Saimiri boliviensis]]''
*''[[Saimiri cassiquiarensis]]''
*''[[Saimiri collinsi]]''
*''[[Saimiri oerstedii]]''
*''[[Saimiri sciureus]]''
*''[[Saimiri ustus]]''
*''[[Saimiri vanzolinii]]''
* † ''[[Saimiri annectens]]''
* † ''[[Saimiri fieldsi]]''
| type_species = ''[[Common squirrel monkey|Simia sciurea]]''
| type_species_authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]]
| synonyms = 
* ''Laventiana'' {{small|Rosenberger, 1991<ref name=PDBSaimiri>[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon_no=40847 ''Saimiri''] – Paleobiology Database</ref>}}
* ''Neosaimiri'' {{small|Stirton, 1951<ref name=PDBSaimiri/>}}
}}
[[File:Wild-57.jpg|thumb|Squirrel monkey in Yacuma Park, Bolivia]]
'''Squirrel monkeys''' are [[New World monkey]]s of the genus '''''Saimiri'''''. ''Saimiri'' is the only genus in the subfamily '''Saimiriinae'''. The name of the genus is of [[tupi languages|Tupi]] origin (''sai-mirím'' or ''çai-mbirín'', with ''sai'' meaning 'monkey' and ''mirím'' meaning 'small')<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.2307/1374677|jstor=1374677|title=Vernacular Names of South American Mammals|year=1941|last1=Simpson|first1=George Gaylord|journal=Journal of Mammalogy|volume=22|issue=1|pages=1–17}}</ref> and was also used as an English name by early researchers.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Palmer, T. S. |year=1897|title=Notes on the Nomenclature of Four Genera of Tropical American Mammals|journal=Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington|volume= 11|pages= 173–174}}</ref><ref>Leclerc, Georges-Louis, Comte de Buffon (1797). [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/45820/45820-h/45820-h.htm "The Saimiri."] In: ''Barr's Buffon. Buffon's Natural History''. pp. 251–252. London: J. S. Barr.</ref>

Squirrel monkeys live in the tropical forests of [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]] in the canopy layer. Most species have [[parapatric]] or [[allopatric]] ranges in the [[Amazon Rainforest|Amazon]], while ''S. oerstedii'' is found [[Disjunct distribution|disjunctly]] in [[Costa Rica]] and [[Panama]].

There are two main groups of squirrel monkeys recognized. They are differentiated based on the shape of the white coloration above the eyes. In total there are five recognized species.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Squirrel monkeys have short and close fur colored black at the shoulders, yellow or orange fur along the back and extremities, and white on the face.<ref name=":2" />

Squirrel monkeys have determined breeding seasons which involve large fluctuations in [[hormone]]s and there is evidence of [[sexual dimorphism]] between males and females.<ref name=":3" />

Squirrel monkeys can only sweat through the palms of their hands and feet. This can have the effect of making their hands and feet feel damp to the touch. Squirrel monkeys must make use of other [[thermoregulation]] techniques such as behavioral changes and urine washing. <ref name=":4" /> These monkeys live in habitats of high temperatures and high humidity, making it essential for them to maintain proper [[osmoregulation]] if conditions pass certain thresholds.<ref name=":5" /> Color vision studies have also been performed on squirrel monkeys for the purpose of better understanding vision ailments in humans.<ref name="Neitz" />

The [[common squirrel monkey]] is commonly captured for the pet trade and for medical research,<ref>Rhines, C. (2000). "[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Saimiri_sciureus.html Saimiri sciureus]", [[Animal Diversity Web]]. Accessed November 26, 2007</ref> but it is not [[Threatened species|threatened]]. Two squirrel monkey species are endangered: the [[Central American squirrel monkey]] and the [[black squirrel monkey]] are listed as [[vulnerable species|vulnerable]] by the [[IUCN]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite iucn | author = Boubli, J.-P. | author2 = Rylands, A.B. | name-list-style = amp | title = Saimiri vanzolinii | volume = 2008 | page = e.T19839A9023022 | date = 2008 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T19839A9023022.en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite iucn | author = Wong, G. | author2 = Cuarón, A.D. | author3 = Rodriguez-Luna, E. | author4 = de Grammont, P.C. | name-list-style = amp | title = Saimiri oerstedii | volume = 2008 | page = e.T19836A9022609 | date = 2008 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T19836A9022609.en }}</ref>