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Glite Dictionary
🐒 Old World monkey-like 🐒 Old World monkey
catarrhine

catarrhine

9.9
A monkey or ape from Africa and Asia with nostrils that face down and a tail that cannot grip
  • noun
  • /kəˈtɑːraɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : catarrino
  • Scientists believe that catarrhines, such as baboons and macaques, display unique social behaviors that fascinate researchers.

Examples

  • Scientists compared the dental patterns of catarrhine and New World monkeys to study their evolution.

  • Unlike platyrrhines, catarrhines have downward-facing nostrils and nonprehensile tails.

  • Gibbons and baboons are examples of catarrhine primates found in Asia and Africa.

  • The catarrhine species are fascinating to study.

  • Many catarrhines live in the forests of Africa.

  • The catarrhine species found in Africa often have distinctive facial features and lively social interactions.

  • Compared to new world monkeys, catarrhines are characterized by their downward-facing nostrils and lack of prehensile tails.

Synonyms

Old World monkey
vscatarrhine
  • Indian
7.0

A monkey from Africa or Asia with a tail that cannot hold things and nostrils close together on the nose

includes both those monkeys and also apes with downward facing nostrils

Surface Forms

catarrhine singular
catarrhines plural

Etymology

Catarrhine as a noun comes from Greek parts cata- 'down' and rhin- 'nose', so it literally means 'down-nosed'. That's why scientists call monkeys and apes from Africa and Asia catarrhines—they have downward-facing nostrils and tails that cannot hold things.