Antilles monkey

Skull of Paralouatta marianae in the Museo de Historia Natural in Havana.

The Antilles monkeys ( Xenotrichini ) are a group of extinct primates, which lived at least until a few thousand years on the islands of the Greater Antilles.

On the islands of the Caribbean, there are now no more primates, the species usually found in the recent period show, however, that these animals at least until the settlement by Native Americans occurred there as well. The relationship of these species is suggested by details in the structure of the skull and the lower jaw, such as a reduction in the number of teeth.

The exact timing and causes of extinction nothing definite is known, the species, however, have at least survived until around 2000 BC, in the case of Jamaica monkeys, it is conceivable that he even by the Europeans still existed at the time of colonization.

System

The blood relationship with the living New World monkeys are still not entirely clear. It is controversial whether they are more likely with the owl monkey ( Aotus ) are related or whether the titi monkeys ( Callicebus ) are their closest living relatives and are thus classified into the family of Sakiaffen ( Pitheciidae ).

To date, four genera and five species of the Antilles monkeys are known:

• Genus Xenothrix The Jamaican Monkey ( Xenothrix mcgregori ) is the oldest known type, he lived in Jamaica.

• The Cuba Monkey ( Paralouatta varonai ) had very large eyes, similar to the recent owl monkeys ( Aotus ).
• Paralouatta marianae was the largest member of the group.

• The Hispaniola Monkey ( Antillothrix bernensis ) is known by finds from the Dominican Republic.

• Insulacebus toussaintiana was described only in 2011 by finds from the southwestern Haiti.