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What the sources say

Geoffroy's Spider MonkeyAteles geoffroyi

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Geoffroy's Spider Monkey profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 36 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Cortes-Ortíz et al. 2021

Cortes-Ortíz et al. (2021). Ateles geoffroyi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T2279A191688782.

The page saysEndangered
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN).Note: stats.conservationStatus; category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List, taxon 2279 (prefetch 2026-10-11)
The page saysThe Red List rates the species Endangered.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN).

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Ateles geoffroyi (Central American spider monkey). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysThe monkey whose tail works as a fifth limb.
The source sayswhich essentially functions as a fifth limbNote: tagline
The page saysA tail that can pick things up and hold the monkey's weight
The source saysoften seen hanging by one limb or by the tail, which essentially functions as a fifth limb. They walk nimbly along the upper surfaces of branches and are able to pick things up with their tailsNote: stats.superpower; 'hold the monkey's weight' rests on hanging by the tail
The page saysMature rainforest and montane forest, from Mexico's coasts south to northwestern Colombia
The source saysinhabits mature rainforest and montane forestNote: stats.habitat
The page saysfrom Mexico's coasts south to northwestern Colombia
The source saysfound along both coasts of Mexico from Tamaulipas in the northeast and Jalisco in the west south to northwestern ColombiaNote: stats.habitat
The page saysMainly ripe fruit, plus leaves, flowers, nuts, seeds, insects, arachnids and eggs
The source saysThese monkeys eat mainly ripe friut and less frequently leaves and flowers. They may also eat some nuts, seeds, insects, arachnids, and eggs.Note: stats.diet
The page saysis often seen dangling from a single arm or leg, or from its tail, which Animal Diversity Web says "essentially functions as a fifth limb"
The source saysoften seen hanging by one limb or by the tail, which essentially functions as a fifth limb
The page saysIt can pick things up with that tail too.
The source saysare able to pick things up with their tails
The page saysThe tail runs 635 to 840 millimetres, against a head-and-body length of 305 to 630.
The source saysHead and body length ranges from 305 to 630mm, and tail length from 635 to 840mm.
The page saysNext to its body, the monkey has extremely long limbs.
The source saysWith respest to body length, Ateles geoffroyi has extremely long limbs and tail.
The page saysFemales mature at four years and males at five.
The source saysMales are sexually mature in five years and females in four.
The page saysA mother carries one baby for 226 to 232 days, and births come two to four years apart.
The source saysGestation lasts 226 to 232 days and one young is born. Ovulation is suppressed by lactation and births occur at two to four year intervals.
The page saysThese monkeys live in mature rainforest and montane forest, mainly in the top of the tree canopy.
The source saysinhabits mature rainforest and montane forest. ... These spider monkeys live mainly in the top of the tree canopy
The page saysGroups tend to hold about thirty animals, and groups of up to 100 have been reported.
The source saystend to form groups of approximately thirty individuals. Groups of up to 100 have been reported.
The page saysThe crowd usually splits into smaller subgroups to forage, and the whole group is together for only a few weeks a year.
The source saysthese large groups split into smaller subgroups to forage and only for a few weeks out of the year is the whole group together
The page saysThey bark when threatened, and when people come close they often throw branches, jump up and down and shake tree limbs.
The source says"bark" when threatened and often throw branches, jump up and down, and shake tree limbs when approached by humans
The page saysSeparated ones call with a sound like a whinny.
The source saysThey emit a sound similar to a whinny when they are separated from one another.
The page saysRipe fruit is the main course, with leaves and flowers less often. Nuts, seeds, insects, arachnids and eggs may turn up too, in smaller amounts.
The source saysThese monkeys eat mainly ripe friut and less frequently leaves and flowers. They may also eat some nuts, seeds, insects, arachnids, and eggs.
The page saysIts range runs from Mexico's two coasts (Tamaulipas in the northeast, Jalisco in the west) down to northwestern Colombia.
The source saysfound along both coasts of Mexico from Tamaulipas in the northeast and Jalisco in the west south to northwestern Colombia
The page saysBig groups of Geoffroy's spider monkeys split into smaller subgroups to forage, and the whole group is together for only a few weeks a year
The source saysthese large groups split into smaller subgroups to forage and only for a few weeks out of the year is the whole group togetherNote: vibe.reason
The page saystags: agile
The source saysThey walk nimbly along the upper surfaces of branches and are able to pick things up with their tailsNote: nimble walking in the canopy

Source
03

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

Ateles geoffroyi (Central American spider monkey). AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysAn adult averages about 7.3 kilograms (7,268 grams).
The source saysAdult weight 7,268 gNote: 7.3 kg from 7,268 g; AnAge 'life history traits (averages)'
The page saysThe ageing database AnAge lists a maximum longevity of 47.1 years in captivity, from one female that was at least that old when she died.
The source saysOne captive female was at least 47.1 years old when it died in captivity
The page saysThe oldest on record in the AnAge ageing database was a female kept in captivity, at least 47.1 years old when she died.
The source saysOne captive female was at least 47.1 years old when it died in captivity
The page saysAnAge lists that as the maximum in captivity and gives no figure for the wild.
The source saysMaximum longevity 47.1 years (captivity)Note: faq 1; the AnAge page gives only the captive maximum, no wild figure
The page saysAdults average about 7.3 kilograms, listed as 7,268 grams in the AnAge ageing database.
The source saysAdult weight 7,268 g
The page saysweightKg: 7.268
The source saysAdult weight 7,268 gNote: typical adult mass

Source
04

Mittermeier 1978

Mittermeier (1978). Locomotion and Posture in Ateles geoffroyi and Ateles paniscus. Folia Primatologica.

The page saysA study in Panama and Surinam, covering this species and its relative Ateles paniscus, sorted spider monkey movement into five patterns: walking and running on all fours, suspensory locomotion (moving while hanging), climbing, walking on two legs, and leaping.
The source saysAteles locomotion can be divided into five patterns on the basis of limb usage: quadrupedal walking and running, suspensory locomotion, climbing, bipedalism and leaping.Note: The study was carried out in Panama and Surinam on Ateles geoffroyi and Ateles paniscus ('locomotor and postural behavior of Ateles geoffroyi and Ateles paniscus was studied in Panama and Surinam')
The page saysWhen feeding, climbing mattered most, especially what the study calls horizontal climbing.
The source saysclimbing (especially 'horizontal climbing') is the most important pattern during feeding
The page saysA field study in Panama and Surinam, covering this species and Ateles paniscus, found five patterns of movement: four-legged walking and running, hanging locomotion, climbing, two-legged walking and leaping.
The source saysAteles locomotion can be divided into five patterns on the basis of limb usage: quadrupedal walking and running, suspensory locomotion, climbing, bipedalism and leaping.

Source
05

González‐Zamora et al. 2008

González‐Zamora et al. (2008). Diet of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) in Mesoamerica: current knowledge and future directions. American Journal of Primatology.

The page saysA review of 22 diet samples from five countries counted 364 plant species from 76 families in the diet, yet the majority of feeding time went to a few species in two families, Moraceae and Fabaceae.
The source saysWe found 22 samples from five countries: Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. ... In spite of showing an overall high dietetic diversity (364 species, 76 families), A. geoffroyi concentrated the majority of feeding time on a few species in the families Moraceae and Fabaceae.
The page saysNo. At every study site reviewed, from Mexico to Panama, fruit topped the list of foods and leaves came next.
The source saysAt all study sites fruits were the most common food item in the diet followed by leaves.
The page saysThe review tallied 364 plant species eaten, but most feeding time was spent on just a few of them.
The source saysWe found 22 samples from five countries: Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. ... overall high dietetic diversity (364 species, 76 families), A. geoffroyi concentrated the majority of feeding time on a few species

Source
06

Chapman, Chapman & McLaughlin 1989

Chapman, Chapman & McLaughlin (1989). Multiple central place foraging by spider monkeys: travel consequences of using many sleeping sites. Oecologia.

The page saysA community in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica, repeatedly used 11 sleeping trees, and the monkeys tended to choose the one closest to where they were feeding.
The source saysSpider monkeys repeatedly used 11 sleeping trees, and they tended to choose the sleeping site closest to their current feeding area.Note: Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica: 'a community of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica'
The page saysCompared with one fixed sleeping site or a random pick, choosing a tree close to the current feeding area gave the lowest travel costs in the researchers' model, and it best predicted how far the monkeys really travelled.
The source saysA comparison of the observed travel distances with distances predicted for a MCPF strategy, a single central place strategy, and a strategy of randomly selecting sleeping sites demonstrated (1) that the MCPF strategy entailed the lowest travel costs, and (2) that the observed travel distance was best predicted by the MCPF strategy.

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.