Which family contains Old World monkeys such as baboons and macaques?

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Which family contains Old World monkeys such as baboons and macaques? Cercopithecidae contains them.

Cercopithecidae is the family of Old World monkeys, including baboons, macaques, guenons, colobus monkeys, langurs, mandrills, and vervets. It is part of the catarrhine branch of the primate family tree, which also contains the apes and humans, although apes belong to a separate superfamily rather than to Cercopithecidae.

The family is commonly divided into two subfamilies: Cercopithecinae and Colobinae. Cercopithecines include baboons, macaques, vervets, guenons, mangabeys, mandrills, and geladas. Colobines include colobus monkeys, langurs, lutungs, doucs, proboscis monkeys, and snub-nosed monkeys. This division reflects major differences in anatomy, diet, and evolutionary history.

Old World monkeys are native today to Africa and Asia and occupy habitats ranging from rainforests to savannas and mountains. Unlike New World monkeys, they generally have downward- or forward-facing nostrils and lack prehensile tails. Another common mistake is choosing Hominidae, the family of great apes, which includes humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans—not baboons or macaques.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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