Allogrooming by adult Callithrix jacchus in relation to postpartum oestrus

The allogrooming behaviour of the parents (= α-animals) of three family groups of Callithrix jacchus has been studied during 25 days following birth. A total of 22 postpartum periods has been analysed. We recorded significant increase of grooming activity beginning with the 5th day postpartum. Allogrooming initiated by invitation gesture dropped to one-tenth of the total allogrooming frequency within one week, starting from day 5 postpartum. As a rule, allogrooming activity increased abruptly, whereas the decrease was mostly continuous, lasting several days. The maximum of postpartum allogrooming frequency preceded to some extent the maximum of copulatory activity and sexual willingness of the ♀. The ♂ made more attempts to groom the ♀ than vice versa. Up to the 18th day postpartum the ♀ ♀ ended more grooming sessions than the ♂ and than during anoestrus. The ♀ ♀ refused more invitations to grooming than did the ♂ ♂. The analysis of postpartum grooming behaviour in C. jacchus does not allow for accurate determination of the first and last day of the postpartum oestrus.