Pelage short, thick, soft, and brightly colored. Skin on lips and around nostrils is black and almost devoid of hair. Most common coloration is white around eyes, ears, throat, and on sides of neck. Top of head is black to grayish, back forearms, hands, and feet are reddish or yellow with shoulders and hind feet suffused with gray. Thumb is short but well developed.
Underparts whitish to yellowish, tail bicolored with black tip.
Tail is only partially prehensile. Northern South America to Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil. Lives in virgin and secondary forests and in cultivated areas, usually along rivers and streams. Insects, spiders, bird eggs, young birds, fruit and nuts. Zoo diet is usually vegetables, fruit, and monkey chow.