titi

primate
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Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
Also known as: Callicebus, teetee
Also spelled:
teetee
Related Topics:
Pitheciidae

titi, (genus Callicebus), any of about 20 species of small arboreal monkeys that have long furred tails and are found in South American rainforests, especially along the Amazon and other rivers. Titis have long, soft, glossy fur and rather flat, high faces set in small, round heads. Even the largest species weighs less than 2 kg (4.4 pounds), and they measure about 25–60 cm (10–24 inches) long, with a tail of about the same length. Titis may be dark brown, gray, reddish, or blackish, depending on the species, with lighter or differently coloured underparts, face, limbs, and tail. They live in monogamous, territorial groups and are active during the day. When resting together in trees, titis intertwine their tails, but the tail is used for balance while foraging for fruit, bird eggs, insects, and small vertebrates. Breeding is not seasonal. The single offspring clings to the male except when being fed. Titis are New World monkeys belonging to the family Pitheciidae, order Primates.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.