A monkey belonging to the genus Ateles (family Atelidae) that has very long, thin limbs and a long, prehensile tail with a naked tip. These monkeys are highly arboreal and jump from tree to tree; they feed on fruit and nuts. Spider monkeys live in troupes of 15–25 individuals, sometimes more, troupes breaking into smaller groups during the day and meeting again in the evening. They are highly intelligent and very communicative. There are seven species, found in Central and South American forests.