Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 2, Issue 5, Part 3

CONTINUING EDUCATION


Special Topic Dana- Chapter 4, Marmosets and Tamarins


Ryland’s Marmosets and Tamarins
Systematics, Behavior and Ecology


Chapter 4: MAKING SENSE OUT OF SCENTS

During recent years, our knowledge of the role that scent plays in non-human primate communication has increased considerably. Among simian primates (monkeys and apes), callitrichids appear to have the most elaborately developed scent glands and scent marking behaviors, suggesting that chemical communication is of great importance in this family. Marmosets and tamarins possess a rich repertoire of chemosignalling behaviors, which are highly associated with investigation and curiosity. It is common for callitrichids to lick and sniff the bodies, scent glands, and scent marks of others in a variety of sexual and social situations. The main sources of chemical signals come from the sternal (chest) area and the area surrounding the genitals. There are a few basic marking patterns that are used by both males and females.

Circumgenital Marking
• Also termed sit rubbing or anal marking.
• Scent is applied by rubbing the gland in a sitting position
• Lowest intensity marking pattern.

Suprapubic Marking
• Also called pull rubbing.
• Scents are applied when the animal presses the suprapubic pad to the surface, and pulls itself forward with the hands, or pushes up with the feet.
•Epple et al. note that it has not been observed in captive C.jaccus. (marmosets at PPS do this behavior frequently!)

Sternal Marking
• Involves rubbing the sternal gland against items in the environment.
• In most species, sternal marking is shown less frequently.

Chemical signals are important because they can convey species, subspecies, individual, gender, reproductive condition, and may also contain information on the social status and age of the animal. For example, an increase in female scent marking during estrus was reported for Saguinus oedipus (Cotton-top Tamarin.) Increases in female scent marking in C.jacchus (White-tufted Eared Marmoset) have been reported. Scents from pregnant females may promote group cohesion so that helpers are present at the time an infant is born. Scent plays a large role in aggressive behaviors as well. Scent-marking activity increases dramatically when strange conspecifics (animals of the same species) are introduced to established pairs or groups. Territorial marking, identification of resting/roosting places, and marking food resources are all of importance, especially for captive marmosets and tamarins. For example, captive marmosets usually show a high amount of wood gouging, a behavior related to tree exudate consumption in the wild. Scent marking is concentrated at gouge holes and in other specific locations in the enclosure, such as a nest box, sleeping houses or food shelves, possibly to label these things as resources.

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

Special Topic Erin- Species Spotlight


Cotton Top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus)

The most noticeable characteristic of the Cotton Top Tamarin is the long white crest of hair that extends from the forehead and sweeps down past the shoulders. Their smooth faces are black, with hair so fine that their faces look bare. They have white bellies, and white arms and legs. Their backs are brown with a reddish-orange tinge, particularly along their tail. They are small monkeys, typically weighing around 420 grams (just under a pound) in the wild, but often weighing up to 560 grams in captivity.

Historically, Cotton Top Tamarins were found throughout a very small area of Northwestern Columbia. Today, however, the area where they can be found is even more limited to parks and reserves within their original range.

They live in extended family groups of 4-15 individuals. The groups consist of a dominant pair, along with their most recent offspring, and a few young males and females (usually children of the dominant pair). The older offspring help with rearing the young. Tamarins eat a large amount of insects and fruit in the wild, and will also feed on plant exudates (gums).

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, 20,000-30,000 individual Cotton Top Tamarins were taken from their native habitats, and exported to the United States for biomedical research. This species is currently listed as critically endangered, and their numbers are still decreasing.

While it is no longer legal to export this species, their native forests continue to be destroyed. Over the past 18 years, Cotton Top Tamarins have experienced an 80% reduction of their population. It is estimated that there are only 300 to 1,000 Cotton Top Tamarins left in Colombia. There are 1,800 Cotton Top Tamarins in captivity and of those, 64% are found in research laboratories. Pacific Primate Sanctuary is currently home to 20 individuals of these critically endangered primates.

-Cawthon Lang KA. 2005 May 18. Primate Factsheets: Cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) Taxonomy, Morphology, & Ecology. . Accessed 2010 April 19.

-Bridgeman, B. 2002. "Saguinus oedipus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 19, 2010 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Saguinus_oedipus.html.

-Savage, A. & Causado, J. 2008. Saguinus oedipus. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. . Downloaded on 20 April 2010.



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 74 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and smugglers. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation. 



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- Margaret Mead


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