Esterase D in Cebus apella from the Amazonian region*

Research programs involving the study of genetic variation of proteins have been carried out both in humans and catarrhine primates but rarely in New World species. Considering the great possibilities offered by protein variations as genetic markers in systematic and evolutionary studies in this group of organisms, the authors are specially interested in the investigation of genetic polymorphisms of blood proteins in Amazonian primates. In this paper we describe the electro phoretic patterns of erythrocyte esterases obtained from blood samples of 57 Cebus apella specimens. Blood hemolysates from Cebus display four main set of bands in azo-coupled stained gels. These bands are identified as esterases P, A1, A2 and B by their electro phoretic migration, substrate specificity and eserine reaction. The use of the fluoregenic reagent 4-methylumbelliferyl acetate revealed the presence of a fifth set of enzymes not detected by the azo-coupled staining method. This ser of enzymes, probably a polymorphic genetic system, was named ESD as in humans.     

Coping with Acute Crowding by Cebus apella

Traditionally, scientists believed that crowded housing conditions increased aggression in animals. Recent research on captive primates fails to support a linear relationship between population density and aggressive behavior. Our study is the first to investigate the effects of acute crowding on a New World primate. We observed brown capuchins (Cebus apella) under 2 different spatial conditions: a control that offered the full indoor space in the enclosure and a short-term experimental condition that restricted the capuchins to approximately half the amount of space of the control condition. We compared rates of self-grooming, aggression, contact sitting, social grooming, and play between both conditions. We conducted a mixed factorial ANOVA at the individual level while taking subject sex and age class into account. Intense aggression, play, and social grooming decreased significantly in crowded conditions, suggesting that capuchins avoid social encounters if spatially confined. Their strategy for coping with acute crowding via a decrease in all forms of social behavior is intermediate between chimpanzee and macaque strategies in similar experiments. The only behavior to increase under crowding was a nonsocial, self-directed behavior with the potential of reducing arousal: self-grooming.     

Two girls for every boy: The effects of group size and composition on the reproductive success of male and female white-faced capuchins

Many factors have been hypothesized to affect the size and adult sex ratios of primate groups and these, in turn, have been argued to influence birth rates. Using park-wide census data collected on a population of capuchins over a 25-year period, we examined whether group size and adult sex ratio affect the per capita reproductive success of male and female white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica. We found that the reproductive success of females (measured as the observed minus the expected ratio of immatures to adult females in the group) decreased with increasing group size, whereas that of males was independent of group size. The proportion of adult males residing in groups had significant, yet contrasting effects on males and females. Male reproductive success was negatively associated with the proportion of males residing in groups whereas female reproductive success increased with the proportion of males. The latter finding supports the intersexual conflict hypothesis, which suggests that a conflict of interest occurs between males and females over adult sex ratios. The effects of group size and composition on the reproductive success of capuchins, a male-dispersed omnivorous species, are similar to those reported for howlers, a bisexually-dispersed folivorous species. One common factor between these taxa is that groups with low ratios of males to females are at greater risk of takeovers and resultant infanticide. Our results suggest that regardless of dietary preference and dispersal pattern, the threat of infanticide can constrain primate group size and composition.     

Conceptual thresholds for same and different in old-(Macaca mulatta) and new-world (Cebus apella) monkeys

Learning of the relational same/different (S/D) concept has been demonstrated to be largely dependent upon stimulus sets containing more than two items for pigeons and old-world monkeys. Stimulus arrays containing several images for use in same/different discrimination procures (e.g. 16 identical images vs. 16 nonidentical images) have been shown to facilitate and even be necessary for learning of relational concepts ( [Flemming et al., 2007], [Wasserman et al., 2001] and [Young et al., 1997]). In the present study, we investigate the threshold at which a new world primate, the capuchin (Cebus apella) may be able to make such a discrimination. Utilizing a method of increasing entropy, rather than conventional procedures of decreasing entropy, we demonstrate unique evidence that capuchin monkeys are readily capable of making 2-item relational S/D conditional discriminations. In another experiment, we examine the supposed level of difficulty in making S/D discriminations by rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Whereas pigeons (Columba livia) and baboons (Papio papio) have shown marked difficulty simultaneously discriminating same from different arrays at all when composed of fewer than 8 items each, rhesus monkeys seem to understand that pairs of stimuli connote sameness and difference just the same (Flemming et al., 2007). With sustained accurate performance of 2-item S/D discriminations, both experienced and task-naïve rhesus monkeys appear quite certain in their conceptual knowledge of same and different. We conclude that learning of the same/different relational concept may be less dependent upon high levels of entropy contrast than originally hypothesized for nonhuman primates.     

Polyspecific associations between squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) and other primates in eastern Amazonia

One of the most common types of polyspecific association observed in Neotropical primate communities is that between squirrel monkeys (Saimiri) and capuchins (Cebus). The present study focused on association patterns in two Saimiri sciureus groups in eastern Brazilian Amazonia, between March and October, 2009. The associations were analyzed in terms of the species involved, the degree of association, and niche breadth and overlap. The study involved two S. sciureus groups (B4 and GI) on the right and left bank of the Tocantins River, respectively, within the area of the Tucuruí reservoir in southeastern Pará. Relations between species were classified as associations (individuals within 50 m and moving in the same direction), and encounters (individuals within 50 m and no coordinated movement). Group B4 was in association with Cebus apella during 100% of monitoring, and with Chiropotes satanas in 20.2%. By contrast, Group GI associated with Cebus 54.8% of the time, and with Chiropotes utahickae 2.5%. Encounters with Alouatta belzebul and Saguinus niger were recorded at both sites, with Aotus azarae and Dasyprocta prymnolopha at B4, and with Callicebus moloch, Dasyproct aleporina, Mazama gouazoubira, and Nasua nasua at GI. Overall, Saimiri had a broader niche than Cebus in terms of vertical spacing and diet, but not for substrate use. This pattern did not appear to be affected by association. While group GI spent significantly (P < 0.05) more time in association with Cebus during the wet season, group B4 associated with Chiropotes more during the dry season. Despite the higher association rates, niche overlap was greater for all variables at B4. This may reflect differences in the ranging and foraging patterns at the two sites, and the varying potential benefits of association for Saimiri.     

High density of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) and habitat quality in the Taboga Forest of Costa Rica

Across the globe, primates are threatened by human activities. This is especially true for species found in tropical dry forests, which remain largely unprotected. Our ability to predict primate abundance in the face of human activity depends on different species' sensitivities as well as on the characteristics of the forest itself. We studied plant and primate distribution and abundance in the Taboga Forest, a 516-ha tropical dry forest surrounded by agricultural fields in northwestern Costa Rica. We found that the density of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) at Taboga is 2–6 times higher than reported for other long-term white-faced capuchin sites. Using plant transects, we also found relatively high species richness, diversity, and equitability compared with other tropical dry forests. Edge transects (i.e., within 100 m from the forest boundary) differed from interior transects in two ways: (a) tree species associated with dry forest succession were well-established in the edge and (b) canopy cover in the edge was maintained year-round, while the interior forest was deciduous. Sighting rates for capuchins were higher near water sources but did not vary between the edge and interior forest. For comparison, we also found the same to be true for the only other primate in the Taboga Forest, mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata). Year-round access to water might explain why some primate species can flourish even alongside anthropogenic disturbance. Forest fragments like Taboga may support high densities of some species because they provide a mosaic of habitats and key resources that buffer adverse ecological conditions.