Cebidae
Aotidae
Pitheciidae
Atelidae
Cercopithecidae
Hylobatidae
Hominidae The simians (infraorder Simiiformes) are the "higher primates" very common to most people: the monkeys and the apes, including humans. Simians tend to be larger than the "lower primates" or prosimians.

Classification and evolution

The simians are split into three groups. The first division is literally as wide as the Atlantic Ocean. The New World monkeys in clade Platyrrhini split from the simian line about 40 million years ago, leaving clade Catarrhini occupying the Old World. This group split about 25 mya between the Old World monkeys and the apes. Earlier classifications split the primates into two large groups: the "Prosimii" (strepsirrhines and tarsiers) and the "Anthropoidea" (simians).

• ORDER PRIMATES
  • Suborder Strepsirrhini: non-tarsier prosimians
  • Suborder Haplorrhini: tarsiers, monkeys and apes
    • Infraorder Tarsiiformes
    • Infraorder Simiiformes
      • Platyrrhini: New World monkeys
        • Family Cebidae: marmosets, tamarins, capuchins and squirrel monkeys
        • Family Aotidae: night monkeys, owl monkeys, douroucoulis
        • Family Pitheciidae: titis, sakis and uakaris
        • Family Atelidae: howler, spider and woolly monkeys
      • Catarrhini
        • Superfamily Cercopithecoidea
          • Family Cercopithecidae: Old World monkeys
        • Superfamily Hominoidea
          • Family Hylobatidae: gibbons
          • Family Hominidae: great apes and humans