Old World monkey

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Definition

Noun: * An Old World monkey is a type of primate belonging to the family Cercopithecidae. These monkeys are native to Africa and Asia and are characterized by having nonprehensile tails (tails that cannot grasp) and nostrils that are close together and point downward.

Usage

The term "Old World monkey" is used to classify and describe a specific biological family of primates, distinguishing them from New World monkeys (found in Central and South America) and apes. It is primarily used in scientific, zoological, and educational contexts.

Examples
  • The baboon, with its dog-like snout, is a well-known Old World monkey.
  • Old World monkeys, such as macaques and mandrills, have cheek pouches for storing food.
  • Unlike their New World cousins, Old World monkeys lack a gripping, prehensile tail.
Advanced Usage
  • The term is often used in comparative anatomy and evolutionary biology to discuss primate traits.
  • It can be part of a taxonomic hierarchy: Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Mammalia > Order: Primates > Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys).
Variants and Related Words
  • Cercopithecid (n.): The formal scientific term for an Old World monkey.
  • Catarrhine (n./adj.): A broader primate group including Old World monkeys, apes, and humans, characterized by downward-facing nostrils.
Synonyms
  • Cercopithecid (scientific synonym)
  • Catarrhine monkey (in a broader taxonomic context)
Antonyms
  • New World monkey (a primate of the parvorder Platyrrhini, found in the Americas, with sideways-facing nostrils and often a prehensile tail).
  • Ape (a primate of the superfamily Hominoidea, lacking a tail, e.g., gorillas, chimpanzees, humans).
Related Phrases/Concepts
  • Nonprehensile tail: A tail that is not adapted for grasping or holding objects, typical of Old World monkeys.
  • Ischial callosities: Bare, hardened patches of skin on the buttocks, a common feature in Old World monkeys for sitting on hard surfaces.
  • Bilophodont molars: Molars with two transverse ridges, a dental characteristic of Old World monkeys.
Noun
  1. of Africa or Arabia or Asia; having nonprehensile tails and nostrils close together

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