There are no wild monkeys in Australia because the separation and extreme distancing of the that continent predated the evolution of monkeys.

Capuchins use a natural insect repellent to keep mosquitoes from biting them. During the mosquito season they will crush giant African millipedes (Archispirostreptus gigas) and spread their secretions on their back to ward off biting insects and parasites.

A ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West and East Africa, the common patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas) is the fastest runner of all the primates, capable of reaching speeds up to 55 km/h (34 mph), or as fast as a racehorse!

The spider monkey has the longest tail of all the primates. Even though its body is only 2 feet long, its tail can reach 3 feet in length. These deftly prehensile tails, which can carry the the monkey's entire body weight and even pick up items as small as peanut, have very flexible, hairless tips and skin grooves similar to fingerprints.

To identify themselves more easily, squirrel monkeys will smear food on their tails, much in the same way that humans wear name tags. Smelly tails are important to help identify close friends and family in the tangle of the forest.

Most monkeys sleep in trees to avoid nighttime predators.

The genus name Ateles derives from an ancient greek word meaning "incomplete" or "imperfect" in reference to the non-existent thumbs of spider monkeys. Fortunately, their long, prehensile tails can be used as a fifth limb.

Owl monkeys, also known as night monkeys, are the only nocturnal New World monkeys. They have very large eyes which allow them to see in the dark, while their ears are mostly hidden, giving them the genus name Aotus, meaning "earless".

On Yakushima island, macaques are known to ride deer like humans ride horses, for fun or transportation--behavior the deer seem to tolerate in exchange for grooming and discarded food.

The Mandrill, which lives only in the rain forests of equatorial Africa, is easy to identify with its distinctly colored face. In The Descent of Man, Charles Darwin wrote, "no other member in the whole class of mammals is colored in so extraordinary a manner as the adult male mandrill." It is also the world's largest monkey, with adult males weighing up to 119 pounds.