Nasal, oral and rectal microbiota of Black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus)

Black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) are endangered callithrichids. Their conservation may require future translocations or reintroductions; however these approaches involve risks of pathogen introduction in the environment and stress-related opportunistic infections in these animals. In order to screen for opportunistic and potential pathogenic bacterial and fungal microbiota, ten free-ranging and ten captive Black lion tamarins were studied and the results compared. Nasal, oral and rectal swabs were collected and cultured for aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria and fungi, and a total 203 bacterial and 84 fungal isolates were obtained. Overall, the most frequent organisms were Staphylococcus spp., Bacillus spp., Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. Microbiota of free-ranging and captive animals were similar in composition. A number of potentially pathogenic organisms were identified, emphasizing the importance of microbiological screening in future translocation or reintroduction conservation management programs.

Informative microsatellites for genetic population studies of black-faced lion tamarins (Leontopithecus caissara)

Leontopithecus caissara is a critically endangered primate species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Nineteen microsatellite loci, previously developed for congeneric species, were tested with 34 L. caissara individuals from Superagüi Island. Of the 19 loci, 17 (89.4 percent) produced robust alleles, nine (47.4 percent) of these proved to be polymorphic, with a total of 23 alleles and an average of 2.56 alleles per locus. Expected and observed heterozygosity averaged 0.483 and 0.561, respectively. The exclusion power for identifying the first parent of an arbitrary offspring was 0.315 over all loci. The results thus indicate both the usefulness and limitations of these nine microsatellite loci in the genetic analysis of L. caissara, as well as their potentiality for genetic investigation in other congeneric species.

Behavior of tamarins, tanagers and manakins foraging in a strangler fig (Ficus sp.) in Suriname, South America: implications for seed dispersal / Comportamiento de los tamarins, de los tanagers y de los manakins forrajeando en un higo del estrangulador (Ficus sp.) en Suriname, Suramérica: implicaciones para la dispersión de semilla

The behavior of foragers can directly affect the dispersal of seeds. Strangler figs are keystone resources throughout the tropics and are important resources for both primates and birds. We examined the foraging behavior of golden-handed tamarins and four bird species in a strangler fig to see how these behaviors might affect the dispersal of fig seeds. Tamarins removed fruit at a faster rate than did any of the bird species examined. Additionally, tamarins tended to swallow figs whole whereas birds tended to drop figs once they were processed. Tamarins visiting fig trees ingest large quantities of fig seeds that may be deposited throughout the forest. Birds on the other hand tended to slowly process fruits near the fig tree and drop processed fruit containing large quantities of seeds. Future studies need to be conducted to ascertain differences in post dispersal seed fate.

El comportamiento de foragers puede afectar directamente la dispersión de semillas. Los higos del estrangulador son recursos trapezoidales a través de las zonas tropicales y son recursos importantes para los primates y los pájaros. Examinamos el comportamiento del forraje de tamarins de oro-dados y cuatro especies del pájaro en un higo del estrangulador para ver cómo estos comportamientos pudieron afectar la dispersión de las semillas del higo. Fruta quitada Tamarins en una tarifa más rápida que la especie ua de los del pájaro examinada. Además, los tamarins tendieron para tragar los higos enteros mientras que los pájaros tendieron para caer los higos que fueron procesados una vez. Los árboles de higo de Tamarins que visitan injieren cantidades grandes de semillas del higo que se puedan depositar a través del bosque. Los pájaros por otra parte tendieron para procesar lentamente las frutas cerca del árbol de higo y la gota procesó la fruta que contenía cantidades grandes de semillas. Los estudios futuros necesitan ser conducidos para comprobar diferencias en sino de la semilla de la dispersión del poste.

Ocorrência de Acanthocephala em Leontopithecus (Lesson, 1840), cativos: aspectos clínico-patológicos. Callitrichidae-Primates / Acanthocephala infections in captives lion tamarins Leontopithecus (Lesson, 1840): clinical pathologic aspects. Callitrichidae-Primates

Estudaram-se achados de necropsia de 454 espécimens de Leontopithecus. Quatorze (3,1 por cento) apresentaram-se infectados por acantocéfalos intestinais identificados como Prosthenorchis elegans (Diesing, 1861). Não foram observadas diferenças na ocorrência do parasito quanto à espécie, origem - cativos ou selvagens - e sexo. Clinicamente os animais apresentaram-se com o pelame eriçado, apatia, inapetência, dores abdominais e diarréia. Em dois animais parasitados (14,2 por cento), observou-se perfuração da parede intestinal. As lesões encontradas caracterizaram-se por uma grave enterite ulcerativa. A ocorrência desses parasitos reforça a necessidade do estabelecimento de protocolos sanitários rígidos no manejo das espécies de primatas do neotrópico

This study assessed the autopsy findings of 454 Leontopithecus specimens, 14 of which (3.1 percent) were infected by intestinal Acanthocephala identified as Prosthenorchis elegans (Diesing, 1861). No difference in the occurrence of the parasite was observed regarding the species, origin (captive or wild) and sex of the lion tamarins. Clinically, the animals had spiked coat, apathy, inappetence, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Two of the parasitized animals (14.2 percent) had perforation of the intestinal wall. The lesions found were characterized as a severe ulcerative enteritis. The occurrence of such parasites highlights the need for establishing strict sanitary protocols for the management of the neotropical primate species

Alterações orais em três espécies de Leontopithecus mantidas em cativeiro (Callitrichidae, Primates) / Dental changes in three species of Leontopithecus maintained in captivity (Callitrichidae, Primates)

Foram estudadas as alterações orais que ocorrem em primatas não humanos, cativos, do gênero Leontopithecus, suas diferenças entre espécies, suas freqüências e a influência do cativeiro. Sessenta crânios de Leontopithecus, do acervo do Museu Primatológico do Centro de Primatologia do Rio de Janeiro (CPRJ-FEEMA), foram examinados. O teste do x² foi utilizado para avaliar as diferenças nas incidências das alterações orais e o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson para o estudo da correlação entre o número de alterações e o tempo de cativeiro dos animais. Entre as três espécies estudadas, L. chrysomelas, L. rosalia e L. chrysopygus, as diferenças nas alterações orais foram estatisticamente significativas para cáries, crazing, doença pulpar e maloclusão. O complexo canino-incisivo foi mais afetado do que a série molar. A incidência de alterações orais aumentou à medida que aumentou o tempo de cativeiro dos micos e diferiu nas três espécies de Leontopithecus estudadas, sendo L. chrysopygusi a mais suscetível.

The dental changes occurring in captive non-human primates of the genus Leontopíthecus and its differences among three species, L. chrysomelas, L. rosalía and L. chrysopygus, regarding frequency and captivity influence, were studied. Sixty skulls of the Leontopíthecus, trom the collection of the Museum of Centro de Primatologia do Rio de Janeiro (CPRJ-FEEMA) were examined. The x² test was used to evaluate the differences between incidence of changes observed and Pearson's coefficient of correlation to evaluate the number of changes observed and the time of captivity. The differences among the three species were significant for caries, crazing, pulpar disease and malocclusion. The complex canine-incisors were more affected than the molars. The incidence of oral changes was high in animais maintained more time in captivity conditions and was different in the three species of the Leontopíthecus studied; L. chrysopygus was the most susceptible.