Brazilian Amazon Plants: An Overview of Chemical Composition and Biological Activity

Cunha, Reinaldo Martins; Domingues, Pâmella Buenos Aires; Ambrósio, Rafael de Oliveira; Martins, Caio Augusto Freitas; Silva, Jéssica Genoveva Boline Passarelli Capaz Pinto da; Pieri, Fábio Alessandro

doi:10.5772/intechopen.91255

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Members of the genus Chiropotes have diets dominated by immature seeds from hard‐husked fruits (Pinto et al, 2018). In such fruits, the husk, in addition to a low water content, is often rich in tannins and highly sclerified or fibrous (Cunha Junior et al, 2020; van Roosmalen, 1985), which may account for low frequency of their infestation by insects, compared to pulp or seeds (AA Barnett, unpublished data). However, pulpy fruits accounted for nearly half the species eaten (51 of the 117 species reported for the C. albinasus diet by Pinto, 2008).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beans with bugs: Covert carnivory and infested seed selection by the red‐nosed cuxiú monkey

et al. 2023

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Members of the Neotropical primate genus Chiropotes eat large volumes of immature seeds. However, such items are often low in available proteins, and digestion of seeds is further inhibited by tannins. This suggests that overall plant‐derived protein intake is relatively low. We examined the presence of insect larvae in partially eaten fruits, compared with intact fruit on trees, and examined fecal pellets for the presence of larvae. We found that red‐nosed cuxiú (Chiropotes albinasus) individuals may supplement their limited seed‐derived protein intake by ingesting seed‐inhabiting insects. Comparison of fruits partially eaten for their seeds with those sampled directly from trees showed that fruits with insect‐containing seeds were positively selected in 20 of the 41 C. albinasus diet items tested, suggesting that fruits with infested seeds are actively selected by foraging animals. We found no differences in accessibility to seeds, that is, no differences in husk penetrability between fruits with infested and uninfested seeds excluding the likelihood that insect‐infestation results in easier access to the seeds in such fruits. Additionally, none of the C. albinasus fecal samples showed any evidence of living pupae or larvae, indicating that infesting larvae are digested. Our findings raise the possibility that these seed‐predating primates might provide net benefits to the plant species they feed on, since they feed from many species of plants and their actions may reduce the populations of seed‐infesting insects. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%