Energy Requirements of Captive Cotton-Top Tamarins (Saguinus oedipus oedipus)

Abstract

Food intake of captive cotton-top tamarins was measured at various stages of the life cycle and energy intake was calculated from the results. The intake of adults for maintenance was found to vary around 500 kj kg-^¾ day^-1 and to decrease with age. During the last 8 weeks of pregnancy, females increased in weight by about 2 g day^-1 but energy intake did not show a marked rise above the maintenance range. During lactation, their energy intake appeared to double. Measurements of intake at various stages of growth were compared with a model of the energy requirements for growth which predicted intake quite closely. Compared with non-primate mammals of similar size, the growth rate of this species is slow, and because of this, the energy intake during growth and lactation is also comparatively low.

Opportunistic mothers: female marmosets (Callithrix kuhlii) reduce their investment in offspring when they have to, and when they can

“…This care is energetically costly for females. Lactation is the most energetically expensive component of reproduction for female mammals (see review in Gittleman and Thompson, 1988), and callitrichid females have been observed to lose weight (cotton-top tamarins: Sánchez et al, 1999) and significantly increase their energetic intake (cotton-top tamarins: Kirkwood and Underwood, 1984;saddle-back tamarins: Goldizen, 1987) during lactation. Carrying callitrichid infants comes at a 21% increase in the caloric cost (per minute) of traveling (Tardif, 1996).…”

Hormonal changes related to paternal and alloparental care in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

“…For older offspring, it might improve their infant care skills by gaining experience with siblings (Hoage, 1978;Epple, 1978;Tardif et al, 1984;Cleveland and Snowdon, 1984;Pryce, 1988Pryce, , 1993Baker and Woods, 1992;Snowdon, 1996;Sousa et al, 1997), increase the likelihood of inheriting a breeding position by staying in the social group (Goldizen and Terborgh, 1989;Ferrari and Diego, 1992;Baker et al, 1993), especially in saturated areas, since breeding opportunity outside the group may be limited and increase inclusive fitness gains through caring for and improving the survival of relatives (Garber et al, 1984). On the other hand, the costs for fathers and older offspring related to caring behavior seem to be the energetic cost of infant transport during traveling (Kirkwood and Underwood, 1984;Goldizen, 1987;Price, 1992;Sanchez et al, 1999), the increased risk of predation leading to the use of anti-predator strategy by caretakers (Caine, 1993;Tardif, 1994Tardif, , 1997Snowdon, 1996), and reduced foraging time during infant transport (Goldizen, 1987;Price, 1992;Digby and Barreto, 1996). The final outcome of infant care is the reproductive success of the father and inclusive fitness of the siblings.…”

Energy intake, energy expenditure, and reproductive costs of female wild golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia)

“…The efficiency with which animals obtain, process, and allocate energy is expected to influence their chances of survival and reproductive success [Blay & Yuval, 1997;Koteja, 1996]. Energy budgets may be used to assess the costs of reproductive events (e.g., pregnancy, lactation, and infant carrying), since energy intake and expenditure may be influenced by these reproductive events [Kirkwood & Underwood, 1984;Leutenegger, 1980;Tardif, 1994;Terborgh, 1983;Terborgh & Goldizen, 1985]. Energy budgets may also be used to test the relationship between reproductive costs and the degree of reproductive suppression [Creel & Creel, 1991].…”