Life span in captive squirrel monkeys (Saimiri) with pathological and reproductive records

Five squirrel monkeys survived for 8 to 14.5 years in captivity. The male reached at least 16 years of age. He was considered to be quite aged and was sterile at time of death. Senile plaques were found in his brain. The females had experienced between five and eight pregnancies and raised between three and six offspring. At least three of the females were fertile in their last year of life. The main findings at autopsy were renal and cardiovascular changes and two tumors (one of them a squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth). None of the females, including the at least 18-year-old one, seemed as aged as the male. These data give a clue to the life span of the species.