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The prehensile-tail of a mantled howler monkey. A prehensile tail is the tail of an animal that has adapted to grasp or hold objects. [1] Fully prehensile tails can be used to hold and manipulate objects, and in particular to aid arboreal creatures in finding and eating food in the trees.
A prehensile tail. Prehensility is the quality of an appendage or organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. The word is derived from the Latin term prehendere, meaning "to grasp". The ability to grasp is likely derived from a number of different origins. The most common are tree-climbing and the need to manipulate food. [1] Giraffe's ...
The curled, prehensile tail is a distinctive characteristic of the common spotted cuscus. The upper part of the tail closest to the body is covered in fur, while the lower half is covered in rough scales on the inside surface to grip branches. [5]
The primary distinguishing feature of the atelines is their long prehensile tails, which can support their entire body weight. Atelines live on the American continent from southern Mexico through central Brazil and Bolivia. Diurnal and arboreal, they move speedily and acrobatically through the trees using their tails.
A common misconception is that lemurs have a prehensile tail, a trait found only in New World monkeys, particularly atelids, among primates. [63] Lemurs also rely heavily on their sense of smell, a trait shared with most other mammals and early primates, but not with the visually oriented higher primates. [22]
Compared to Old World monkeys, apes have more mobile shoulder joints and arms due to the dorsal position of the scapula, broad ribcages that are flatter front-to-back, a shorter, less mobile spine, and with lower vertebrae greatly reduced - resulting in tail loss in some species. [6] Prehensile tails are found in the New World atelids ...
Kinkajou using its prehensile tail Kinkajou skull Skeleton. The kinkajou has a round head, large eyes, a short, pointed snout, short limbs, and a long prehensile tail. The total head-and-body length (including the tail) is between 82 and 133 cm (32 and 52 in), and the tail measures 39 to 57 cm (15 to 22 in). [2]
Some New World species also practice suspensory behaviors by using their prehensile tail, which acts as a fifth grasping hand. [2] Evidence has shown that the extinct ape Proconsul from the Miocene of East Africa developed an early form of suspensory behaviour, and was therefore referred to as a probrachiator. [3]