Communication among black tufted-ear marmosets (Callithrix penicillata)
identification and description of sounds and behavioral responses
Keywords:
Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Ethology, Primates, VocalizationAbstract
Vocalization among arboreal primates is particularly important as a means of communication within the dense forest environments, which make it difficult for
these animals to maintain visual contact. The vocal repertoire of the species of the genus Callithrixis always linked to a particular type of behavior, which is
responsible for the coordination of the whole group. The objective of this essay is to become acquainted with the vocal repertoire of Callithrix penicillata (black
tufted-ear marmosets), their responses, the behavioral situations involved as well as with a subsequent analysis of the morphological structure of each vocalization. The study took place between March and August 2007, with the aim of recording the vocalizations of a group of seven individual marmosets, in a section of a forest, located in the city of Jundiaí, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The observations were recorded from a distance of 5 meters from the individual marmosets, with the aid of a Panasonic PV-GS9 digital camera, with a total of 83 observation sessions and 1,832 vocalization recordings. The Avisoft SasLab Light program was used for analyzing the morphological structure of the vocalizations (calls). The vocal repertoire of the Callithrix penicillata included the following sounds: “phe”, “tseek”, “nga”, “hihihi” and alarm sounds, in adults; “phe”, “tseek” and “hihihi”, in the young adults; and “phe” and “tseek”, in infants. The vocalizations (calls) were related to: cohesion of the group, stress due to the defense of food or the protection of an infant, competitiveness, foraging and anti-predatory behavior.
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