squirrel monkey

American  

noun

1. either of two small, long-tailed monkeys, Saimiri oerstedii of Central America and S. sciureus of South America, having a small white face with black muzzle and gold, brown, or greenish fur: S. oerstedii is endangered.

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squirrel monkey British  

noun

1. a small New World monkey, Saimiri sciureus , of N South American forests, having a yellowish-green coat and orange feet and limbs

2. a related species, Saimiri oerstedi , of Central America, having a reddish coat and dark brown limbs

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Etymology

Origin of squirrel monkey

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

The mice given microbes from the humans and squirrel monkeys had similar biology, even though these two larger-brained primate species are not close evolutionary relatives of one another.

From Science Daily

A man has appeared before a French judge on suspicion of stealing 14 endangered squirrel monkeys from a zoo.

From BBC

Estrildid finch songs, Japanese quail calls, squirrel monkey caws and even the ultrasonic vocalizations of house mice were used for comparison in the study.

From Salon

And over in Monkey Village, tiny squirrel monkeys pulled frozen treats out of buckets.

From Reuters

Only a handful of other species have been shown to change their calls when addressing young, including zebra finches, rhesus macaques, and squirrel monkeys.

From National Geographic