Cheracebus is one of three genera of titi monkeys. Monkeys in this genus, particularly the type species Cheracebus lugens, are sometimes referred to as widow titi monkeys. Historically, titis were monogeneric, comprising only the genus Callicebus Thomas, 1903. Owing to the great diversity found across titi monkey species, a new genus-level taxonomy was recently proposed that recognises three genera within the subfamily Callicebinae; Cheracebus Byrne et al., 2016 for the species of the torquatus group (Widow titis); Plecturocebus Byrne et al., 2016 for the Amazonian and Chaco titis of the moloch and donacophilus groups; and Callicebus Thomas, 1903 sensu stricto, for species of the Atlantic Forest personatus group.