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Seasonal versatility in the feeding ecology of a group of titis ( Callicebus coimbrai ) in the northern Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Author(s) -
SouzaAlves João Pedro,
Fontes Isadora P.,
Chagas Renata R.D.,
Ferrari Stephen F.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
american journal of primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.988
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1098-2345
pISSN - 0275-2565
DOI - 10.1002/ajp.20990
Subject(s) - ecology , geography , atlantic forest , biology
The feeding behavior of a group of titis ( Callicebus coimbrai ) was monitored over an annual cycle at a site in northeastern Brazil. Behavioral data were collected in scan samples (1‐min scan at 5‐min intervals), and complementary data on fruit availability and new leaf cover were collected. Feeding time accounted for 28.9% of daily activity. Fruit was the principal item of the diet (61.2% of records) and the primary category in all months except September, when it was surpassed by leaves. Young leaves were the second most important category (20.0%). The consumption of seeds and insects was prominent in November and December. Fifty‐two plant species were exploited, and the Elaeocarpaceae, Myrtaceae, Sapotaceae, and Passifloraceae provided the vast majority (86.0%) of plant feeding records. The phenological record did not provide a good measure of fruit availability, but a strong correlation ( r s =0.902, P <0.0001, n =12) was found between the consumption of leaves and the exploitation of lianas each month. Lianas accounted for 28.2% of plant feeding records, and predominated between August and December. This suggests that lianas may represent a key factor in the ability of the species to tolerate the intense habitat fragmentation found throughout its geographic range. Am. J. Primatol. 73:1199–1209, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.