Alouatta

Alouatta 

a genus of platyrrhines of the family Cebidae. The length of the body is 40‣70 cm, the length of the tail is 50‣75 cm, and the weight is 6‣8 kg. The tail is prehensile, and the underside of its tip is naked and ridged. The fur is long and variously colored. The face and ears are naked. The laryngeal sacs are well developed and function as resonators. There are five species, distributed in the rain and mountain forests of Central and South America. The most commonly known species are the red howler monkey (A. seniculus), which is native to Venezuela and Guiana, and the Guatemalan howler (A. villosa), which is from Mexico and the northern parts of South America. Howler monkeys live in trees, forming family troops of 15 to 18 members. They feed on leaves, buds and fruit. The female has a single young per birth, which is weaned after 18 to 24 months. Howler monkeys reach maturity at three or four years of age.