[1] The gracile capuchins retain the genus name Cebus, while the robust species have been transferred to Sapajus.

[1][3] Following Groves (2005), taxa within the genus Cebus include:[4] Subsequent revisions have split some of these into additional species:[5] The placement of the Trinidad white-fronted capuchin is controversial; the American Society of Mammalogists classifies it as conspecific with C. brunneus based on a 2012 study later found to be flawed, while the IUCN Red List classifies it as a distinct species (Cebus triniatis) due to debate over the aforementioned study, and the ITIS classifies it as a subspecies of C. albifrons, also due to debate over the aforementioned study.

[6][7][8][9] Philip Hershkovitz and William Charles Osman Hill published taxonomies of the capuchin monkeys in 1949 and 1960, respectively.

[3][10] Cebus kaapori had been considered a subspecies of C. olivaceus but Groves (2001 and 2005) and Silva (2001) regarded it as a separate species.

[1] According to genetic studies led by Lynch Alfaro in 2011, the gracile and robust capuchins diverged approximately 6.2 million years ago.

The Panamanian white-headed capuchin is the most northern species, occurring in Central America from Honduras to Panama.

[5] The white-fronted capuchin is found over large portions of Colombia, Peru and western Brazil, as well as into southern Venezuela and northern Bolivia.

[13] Intrasexual selection, or male-male competition, occurs when males invoke contests in order to gain the opportunity to reproduce with a female and maximize their reproductive success.

[17] Direct benefits that would apply to females of the genus Cebus would include; vigilance from males,[18] protection from predators and conspecifics,[17] and increased resources.

[18] Capuchin infants are born in an altricial state, which means they need a lot of parental care in order to survive.

[21] In agreement with kin selection theory, kin of the mother are more likely to provide care to the infant compared to other females in the group; siblings were four times as likely to provide infant care compared to other group females.