Bald Uakari: Why This Monkey Is Red-Faced

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The bald uakari, found in the Amazon rainforest, is a small primate with a striking bald head and bright red face

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It has a long, shaggy coat that can range from white to red, orange, brown, or blonde, depending on the subspecies

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Their faces are red and they have short, bob-like tails that are about half the length of their head and body combined

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The red face is due to the lack of skin pigments and plentiful capillaries that run under their facial tissue

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When the blood vessels are full, the redness is more noticeable. The face colour could indicate the monkey's health, and sexual state

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The bald uakari's face has four times as many blood vessels per square millimeter as other primates

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The blood vessels are also larger and more tortuous than in other neotropical primates

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