Do monkeys have opposable thumbs?

…lemurs and lorises have an opposable thumb. Primates are not alone in having grasping feet, but as these occur in many other arboreal mammals (e.g., squirrels and opossums), and as most present-day primates are arboreal, this characteristic suggests that they evolved from an ancestor that was arboreal. read more

Primates that do not have use of an opposable thumb include the marmoset and the tarsier. Many monkeys, such as spider monkeys, have a thumb, but it is not opposable. The colobus has thumbs that do not move in the same way as an opposable thumb. read more

Humans, apes, and most monkeys have this type of thumb. Humans have more flexibility for manipulating small objects and they can move their thumbs across their hands much better and farther than any other primate giving humans the most dexterity of all primates. read more

Polar bears do not have opposable thumbs. Opposable thumbs are ableto bend so it can touch the other digits on the hand or foot. Thisfeature is a signature to primates. read more