Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part 3

CONTINUING EDUCATION


Special Topic: Intern Dana- Chapter Summary


Ryland’s Marmosets and Tamarins
Systematics, Behavior and Ecology


Chapter 1 Summary

Ryland begins by discussing the taxonomy and classification of marmosets and tamarins, which is still under considerable debate. Most of the controversy surrounds the marmosets (genus Callithrix.) There are multiple ways that taxonomists have classified the callitrichids, especially at the species/subspecies level.
The callitrichid geographic distributions are still poorly understood, and there isn’t much detailed information on the conservation status of many of the marmosets and tamarins. The most information available relates to the most critically endangered species.

Ryland goes on to discuss each species separately in chapter one, and describes their geographic distributions as well as their current status in the wild. Species living at PPS include:

Callithrix jaccus - Common or white tufted eared marmoset. Endemic to Brazil. Widespread and common in many localities, and even replacing other Callithrix species when it has been introduced. However, populations are declining due to habitat destruction.
Callithrix penicillata - Black-tufted-ear marmoset. Endemic to Brazil. Very wide distribution, but still faces habitat destruction. C.penicillata is taking hold and probably replacing other species in numerous locations.
Callithrix kuhli - Weid’s marmoset. Endemic to the Atlantic coastal forest of Brazil. Very abundant and adaptable, but threatened by widespread forest destruction.
Saguinus fuscicollis - Saddleback tamarin - Endemic to Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Regarded as common in Peru and parts of Brazil.
Saguinus oedipus - Cotton-top tamarin. Endemic to northwestern Colombia. 75% of the original distribution of S.oedipus has been cleared for agriculture and pasture. On the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals - Endangered.

Chapter 2 Summary

There are many proposed taxonomic schemes for how to classify Callitrichids. Charles Snowden argues that vocalizations may be a useful tool for figuring out some of these phylogenetic relationships. Studies have shown that you can differentiate a species depending on subtle aspects of their long calls. Snowden and others used a spectogram to analyze the frequencies and durations of vocalizations.

Long calls have many purposes, like defending a group against intruders of the same species, maintaining cohesion of the group, making contact to an animal separated from the group, or possibly to attract a mate. The calls might also have to do with the monkey’s location in the forest. In the Amazon, there is a great deal of competing noise from insects, birds, and other sounds, so a higher frequency range for vocal communication may be beneficial. Therefore, callitrichid long calls appear to be an adaptation to environmental noise.

References:

Rylands, A. B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behaviour, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Special Topic-Erin: Species Spotlight


White-Throated Capuchin Cebus capucinus

Capuchin Monkeys get their name from their unique coloration, and its resemblance to Capuchin Monks. Capuchins have a black cap on the top of their head, which resembles the “capuche” or cowl worn by Franciscan Capuchin Monks. White-Throated Capuchins also have white faces, throats and shoulders, with the rest of their bodies being black. They have opposable thumbs on both hands and feet, and a prehensile tail. They are sexually dimorphic (males look different from females), with the males having a receding hairline, larger canine teeth, and a slightly larger body size.

White-Throated Capuchins are found in a large portion of Central America, and in a small part or South America. They are they only species of Capuchins that are found in Central America. These monkeys can be found in a wide variety of forests, including evergreen (trees that keep their foliage year round), deciduous (trees that lose their foliage for part of the year), mangrove (trees grow in saline coastal areas) and montane forests (forests above 1,200 ft elevation).

Capuchins live in troops of up to 39 monkeys, with more females than males in each group. There is one Alpha Male (dominant) in each group, and the males defend the territory, the larger body size and tooth size of the males helps them to provide better protection. They are diurnal (active during the day) and arboreal (they live in the trees). When the males mature, they leave to find a group of their own, but occasionally remain solitary for a while before finding another group. Females usually spend their entire life with the troop they were born into. White-Throated Capuchins are found in the same area as Black-Handed Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi geoffroyi), and are known to associate with this species in the wild. They have been known to travel with, and even groom each other!

Capuchins are considered by many to be the most intelligent of the New World Monkeys. Two great examples of Capuchin intelligence are tool use and fur rubbing. Capuchins have been observed using rocks as a “stone and anvil” to crack open nuts, and have used sticks to defend themselves against snakes. Capuchins use plants with antibacterial and insect-repelling properties. They pound and bite the fruits to extract the oils, and then rub them all over their bodies. Here at Pacific Primate Sanctuary, we have 4 White-Throated Capuchins, and we have seen them engage in fur rubbing on many occasions.

References:

Causado, J., Cuarón, A.D., Shedden, A., Rodríguez-Luna, E. & de Grammont, P.C. 2008. Cebus capucinus. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. . Downloaded on 25 February 2010

Long, J. and K. Francl. 2009. "Cebus capucinus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed February 25, 2010 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cebus_capucinus.html.

Rowe, Noel. 1996. The pictorial guide to the living primates / Noel Rowe; foreword by Jane Goodall ; introduction by Russell A. Mittermeier Pogonias Press, East Hampton, N.Y.

White-headed Capuchin. (2010, February 14). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 08:07, February 25, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White-headed_Capuchin&oldid=344026624

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 70 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and smugglers. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

“Nature does nothing uselessly.” –Aristotle 


This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—
© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material
You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.