How Many Monkey Species Exist? The Current Count Explained

There are approximately 260 to 270 recognised monkey species alive today — around 160 Old World monkeys in Africa and Asia and around 110 New World monkeys in Central and South America. The exact figure shifts every year because genetics keeps splitting populations that once looked like a single species.

Key takeaways

• Total monkey species: ~260-270, out of roughly 500 primate species overall.
• Old World monkeys (family Cercopithecidae): about 160 species in 24 genera.
• New World monkeys (five families): about 110 species.
• The count rises most years — new species are still being described in the Amazon and Southeast Asia.
• Nearly half of all monkey species are listed as threatened.

The breakdown by family

Family	Group	Approx. species	Examples
Cercopithecidae	Old World	~160	Macaques, baboons, mandrills, guenons, colobus, langurs
Cebidae	New World	~30	Capuchins, squirrel monkeys
Callitrichidae	New World	~45	Marmosets, tamarins
Atelidae	New World	~30	Howlers, spider monkeys, woolly monkeys, muriquis
Pitheciidae	New World	~55	Titis, sakis, uakaris
Aotidae	New World	~11	Night monkeys

Note that family totals vary between authorities — Pitheciidae in particular has ballooned as titi monkeys were split. That is why “about 260” is more honest than a single precise number.

Why the number keeps changing

Genetic splitting

DNA sequencing routinely shows that what looked like one widespread species is actually three or four with separate evolutionary histories. Titi monkeys, marmosets and guenons have all been split this way.

Genuinely new discoveries

Remote parts of the Amazon, the Congo Basin and Myanmar still produce genuinely new primates. Several monkeys new to science have been described in the last two decades.

Competing species concepts

Some primatologists use a strict biological species concept; others use a phylogenetic one that recognises smaller distinct lineages. The second approach produces higher totals.

Extinctions and rediscoveries

A handful of species are known only from tiny fragments of forest and may already be functionally lost. See Endangered Monkey Species and Rare Monkey Species.

How many monkey species by region

• Africa — roughly 80 species: guenons, baboons, mangabeys, colobus, mandrills, geladas, patas. See African Monkeys.
• Asia — roughly 80 species: macaques, langurs, snub-nosed monkeys, proboscis monkeys, doucs. See Asian Monkeys.
• South and Central America — roughly 110 species: capuchins, howlers, spider monkeys, marmosets, tamarins, sakis, uakaris, titis, night monkeys. See South American Monkeys.

Europe has one wild population — the Barbary macaques of Gibraltar — and Australia and Antarctica have none.

How many are threatened?

Assessments consistently find that around 45 to 60 percent of primate species are threatened with extinction, with monkeys heavily represented. Deforestation is the leading driver, followed by hunting and the pet trade. Read Threats to Monkey Habitats and Illegal Wildlife Trade.

Frequently asked questions

How many types of monkeys are there in total?

About 260 to 270 species, grouped into six families and roughly 60 genera.

Which country has the most monkey species?

Brazil, with well over 100 primate species, most of them monkeys.

Are new monkey species still being discovered?

Yes. Several have been formally described in the last twenty years, mostly from the Amazon and Southeast Asia.

How many monkey species live in Africa?

Around 80, concentrated in the Congo Basin and West African forests.

Is the monkey count the same as the primate count?

No. Primates total roughly 500 species and include lemurs, lorises, tarsiers and apes as well as monkeys.

More context in the Ultimate Guide to Monkeys, Types of Monkeys and Monkey Species Around the World.