Approximately when did the *Sapajus* genus diverge from the *Cebus* genus?
Answer
10 to 12 million years ago
The evolutionary lineage that includes the white-faced capuchin, belonging to the genus *Cebus*, has a significant branching point within its history concerning the robust capuchins classified under the genus *Sapajus*. Detailed analysis of primate evolutionary divergence places the separation event between these two distinct capuchin groups at a substantial time depth. This split, occurring roughly ten to twelve million years in the past, resulted in the development of different body plans and potentially influenced the selective pressures acting on foraging methodologies for each lineage.
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