of the passive males, and the act can be done with the displayer leaning over the passive monkey or the displayer doing the action from a distance in a more upright position. This form of dominance interaction, as well as several types of aggression, increase during the mating season when males want to emphasize their rank and strength and gain more control over other males in relation to access to females. Genital displays may also define male-male alliances when the males participate in "joint genital displays". Habits Common squirrel monkeys are diurnal. They are usually quiet, but will utter loud cries when alarmed. They use different types of calls for specific situations. Some of their common call types include caws, bawls, and shrieks. Squirrel monkeys utter caws mostly when they are trying to defend a territory. They may use bawls prior to a fight, as well as after one. Shrieks are mainly heard when the monkeys are fighting for dominance. Squirrel monkeys’ most common calls are determined by their genetics. Squirrel monkeys that have been isolated since infancy are able to produce the same calls as those that have been exposed to the calls. Few variations exist between the frequencies of the calls of infants that were raised differently. A squirrel monkey that was deaf since birth was also able to produce the same calls, proving that the calls come from their genes. It is arboreal, but sometimes it comes down to the ground. Bands or troops can number from 12-100. Occasionally, troops as large as 500 have been seen in undisturbed forests. Conservation status Prior to the taxon being splits, common squirrel monkeys were rated as "least concern" by IUCN, but subject to being harmed by deforestation. They have also been captured extensively for the pet trade and for medical research. As pets Due to their inquisitive and playful nature these common squirrel monkeys are popular pets. They require a large amount of space and food. Gallery References Mammals of Colombia Mammals of Brazil Mammals of Guyana Squirrel monkeys Space-flown life Mammals of Ecuador Mammals of French Guiana Mammals of Suriname Mammals of Venezuela Primates of South America Paraphyletic groups