Food transfers to young and mates in wild owl monkeys (Aotus azarai)

Abstract

Accounts of food sharing within natural populations of mammals have focused on transfers to offspring or transfers of food items that are difficult to obtain (such as meat). Five groups of socially monogamous owl monkeys (Aotus azarai azarai) in Formosa, Argentina were observed during 107 hr to determine the pattern of food sharing under natural conditions. There were a total of 42 social interactions involving food with food being transferred on eight occasions. Adult males transferred food to young more often than did adult females. All types of food that were readily obtained and eaten by all age/sex classes were transferred to young. Adult females also transferred food to their mates. This type of food sharing is very rare among animals and may have social benefits specific to monogamous mammals with paternal care.

When Dads Help: Male Behavioral Care During Primate Infant Development

“…In captivity, a few studies have examined parental behavior and infant development in different owl monkey species (Dixson and Fleming 1981 ;Jantschke et al 1998 ;Wolovich et al 2007Wolovich et al , 2008Wright 1984 ) . Birth seasonality has been reported in wild, as well as in some captive owl monkey populations (Fernandez-Duque 2002, 2011aGozalo and Montoya 1990 ) .…”

“…Infants start to explore, manipulate, and fi nally consume solid food during their second month of life in both captive and wild populations. Food sharing with infants, in both captive and wild owl monkeys (Rotundo et al 2005 ;Wolovich et al 2006Wolovich et al , 2007Wolovich et al , 2008 , is not as frequent as it is among the callitrichines (Feistner and Price 2000 ;Huck et al 2004 ;Porter 2001 ;Price and Feistner 2001 ). It also appears to be less frequent than in wild titi monkeys ( Callicebus torquatus ), where it was observed with a frequency of 0.08 begging events/h, mainly directed toward the male and less often to an older juvenile or the mother (Starin 1978 ) .…”

An Optimized Microsatellite Genotyping Strategy for Assessing Genetic Identity and Kinship in Azara’s Owl Monkeys (Aotus azarai)

“…They live in small, socially monogamous groups containing a single pair of reproducing adults [Fernandez-Duque, 2011], where the adult male is heavily involved in offspring care, carrying the infant most of the time, and playing, grooming and even sharing food with it [Rotundo et al, 2005;Wolovich et al, 2006Wolovich et al, , 2008Fernandez-Duque et al, 2009]. It has long been assumed that Aotus males provide care for offspring that they have sired, but this assumption has yet to be formally tested.…”

Natal dispersal in monogamous owl monkeys (Aotus azarai) of the Argentinean Chaco

“…When the solitary individual is successful, he/she soon begins interacting affiliatively with other group members and within few days is fully accepted into the group. Male owl monkeys show intense care of the infants (Dixson & Fleming, 1981;Wright, 1984;Rotundo et al, 2005;Wolovich et al, 2008). Most owl monkey species are strictly nocturnal, but the Azara's owl monkeys (A. azarai) of Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay regularly show both diurnal and nocturnal activity (Wright, 1989;Fernandez-Duque, 2003;Fernandez-Duque & Erkert, 2006).…”

“…Most owl monkey species are strictly nocturnal, but the Azara's owl monkeys (A. azarai) of Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay regularly show both diurnal and nocturnal activity (Wright, 1989;Fernandez-Duque, 2003;Fernandez-Duque & Erkert, 2006). The diurnal activity of this species has enabled researchers to examine the behavioural ecology of owl monkeys in some detail (FernandezDuque, 2003;Fernandez-Duque & Erkert, 2006;Fernandez-Duque et al, 2008;Wolovich et al, 2008).…”