Determinants of daily path length in black and gold howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) in northeastern Argentina.

Models used to explain the social organization of primates suggest that variation in daily path length (DPL) is a response to variation in resource distribution and the intensity of intragroup feeding competition. However, daily path length may be affected by a number of other factors including the availability and distribution of nutritionally complementary food items, temperature which can influence activity budget, patterns of subgrouping, and the frequency and function of intergroup encounters. In this 6-month study (total 495 hr of quantitative data), we examined daily path lengths in two neighboring groups of black and gold howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) inhabiting a semi-deciduous gallery forest in San Cayetano (27° 30'S, 58° 41'W), in the northwest province of Corrientes, Argentina. Both study groups were of similar size and composition. We identified relationships across groups between time spent feeding on fruits, leaves, and flowers, the number of trees visited, group spread, frequency of intergroup encounters, mean daily temperature, and DPL. Our results suggest that variation in food availability had a significant impact on howler ranging behavior by increasing DPL under conditions of high immature and mature fruit availability, and by decreasing DPL with increased availability and increased time invested in feeding on mature leaves. These results do not support the contention that a reduction in food availability or an increase in within-group feeding competition increased DPL in black and gold howler monkeys. DPL in black and gold howlers is influenced by several interrelated factors. In this regard we suggest that models of socio-ecology and ecological constraints need to reconsider how factors such as individual nutritional requirements, social tolerance and group cohesion, and the spatial and temporal availability of preferred and nearby food resources influence primate ranging behavior. Am. J. Primatol. 78:825-837, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Extra group copulation in Alouatta caraya (Primates, Atelidae) living on an island of urban forest from southeast São Paulo, Brazil

Extra group copulations are rarely observed among the Alouatta genus, which lives in a fragmented area in Brazil. Here, we describe the second extra group copulation in A. caraya in literature, which was the first from Brazil. This happened in the southeast urban island forest, which measures 25 ha. In this forest there are two troops: one of them with thirteen howlers and the other with four. These howlers may be extinct in a few years since in the region there is only 3.89 % of native forests and high anthropic action due to agribusiness. We discuss the possible issues that led to the extra group copulation.(AU)

Cópulas extra grupo raramente são observados em animais do gênero Alouatta, que vivem em áreas fragmentadas do Brasil. Aqui, descrevemos a segunda cópula extra grupo em A. caraya na literatura, que foi a primeira do Brasil. Isso aconteceu na floresta ilha urbana sudeste, que mede 25 ha. Nesta floresta existem dois bandos: um deles com treze bugios e o outro com quatro. Estes bugios podem ser extintos em poucos anos, uma vez que na região há apenas 3,89% de florestas nativas e alta ação antrópica, devido ao agronegócio. Nós discutimos os possíveis aspectos que levaram à cópula extra grupo.(AU)

Extra group copulation in alouatta caraya (primates, atelidae) living on an island of urban forest from southeast São Paulo, Brazil

Extra group copulations are rarely observed among the Alouatta genus, which lives in a fragmented area in Brazil. Here, we describe the second extra group copulation in A. caraya in literature, which was the first from Brazil. This happened in the southeast urban island forest, which measures 25 ha. In this forest there are two troops: one of them with thirteen howlers and the other with four. These howlers may be extinct in a few years since in the region there is only 3.89 % of native forests and high anthropic action due to agribusiness. We discuss the possible issues that led to the extra group copulation.

Cópulas extra grupo raramente são observados em animais do gênero Alouatta, que vivem em áreas fragmentadas do Brasil. Aqui, descrevemos a segunda cópula extra grupo em A. caraya na literatura, que foi a primeira do Brasil. Isso aconteceu na floresta ilha urbana sudeste, que mede 25 ha. Nesta floresta existem dois bandos: um deles com treze bugios e o outro com quatro. Estes bugios podem ser extintos em poucos anos, uma vez que na região há apenas 3,89% de florestas nativas e alta ação antrópica, devido ao agronegócio. Nós discutimos os possíveis aspectos que levaram à cópula extra grupo.

Valores hematológicos de bugios pretos (Alouatta caraya) de vida livre da região do Alto Rio Paraná, sul do Brasil / Hematologic values of free-ranging black-and-gold howlers monkeys (Alouatta caraya) from the region of Upper Paraná River, Southern Brazil

Descreveram-se os valores hematológicos de bugios pretos (Alouatta caraya) e estabeleceram-se diferenças entre sexo e idade, de 36 animais aparentemente saudáveis, de vida livre da região do Alto Rio Paraná, sul do Brasil. Os animais foram capturados e contidos quimicamente com cloridrato de tiletamina e cloridrato de zolazepam, na dose média de 5,5mg/kg, por via intramuscular. Na comparação entre os sexos, houve diferença para número de hemácias (4,48±1,36 e 3,58±0,91 x10(6)/mm³), maior nas fêmeas, e volume globular médio (90,99±27,65 e 118,36±44,63fL) e número de eosinófilos (0,30±0,24 e 0,76±0,85 x10³/mm³), maior nos machos. O volume globular (39,46±3,53 e 36,69±3,54 por cento) e a proteína total plasmática (7,91±0,53 e 7,40±0,63g/dL) foram significativamente mais baixos nos animais jovens.

The hematologic values and the influence of gender and age were described in 36 free-ranging healthy black-and-gold howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) from the region of Paraná river, Southern Brazil. The animals were caught with trap models and intramuscularly anesthetized with 5.5mg/kg tilitamine/zolazepam hydrochlorides. The red blood cells were higher in females (4.48±1,36 vs. 3.58±0.91x10(6)/mm³) while mean corpuscular volume (90.99±27.65 and 118.36±44.63 fL) and eosinophils (0.30±0.24 and 0.76±0.85x10³/mm³) were significant higher in males. The packed cell volume (39.46±3.53 and 36.69±3.54 percent) and plasma total protein (7.91±0.53 and 7.40±0.63g/dL) were lower in juveniles.