Cultural variation in robust capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.)

• Grant number: 18/01292-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Animal Behavior
• Principal Investigator: Tiago Falótico
• Grantee: Tiago Falótico
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Lucas Henriques Viscardi ; Maria Cátira Bortolini ; Mariana Dutra Fogaça ; Michele Pereira Verderane ; Tomos Sion Hopkins Proffitt
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/01992-9 - Cultural Variation in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp) - TT4, BP.TT; 23/04186-3 - Behavioral analysis and ground use by capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) from Ubajara National Park, BP.IC; 22/00237-0 - Cultural variation in robust capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) - TT3, BP.TT; + associated scholarships 21/12415-7 - Behavioral variation on bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) from Ubajara National Park, BP.IC; 21/08762-3 - Behavioral variation on bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) from Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, BP.IC; 20/10412-8 - Field experiments to identify tool use variations in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus), BP.MS; 20/04478-6 - Cultural variation in robust capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) - TT3(2), BP.TT; 19/10155-8 - Cultural variation in robust capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) - TT3, BP.TT; 19/00716-2 - Cultural variation in robust capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp), BP.JP - associated scholarships

Abstract

Culture was for a long time believed to be uniquely human. Across primates, culture is known to be present in several species, ranging from object tool use for foraging to social conventions. Chimpanzees have been long studied and there is a long catalogue of their cultural variations, showing that even when ecological and genetic variations are ruled out, they exhibit cultural behavioral variance maintained across generations by socially biased learning. Robust capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) also present great behavioral variation, especially regarding tool-using behaviors, between and within species, but no comprehensive comparison between species and populations have been done so far. The "Cultural variation in robust capuchin monkeys" project has the objective to identify cultural variance on capuchin monkeys. We are going to compare 10 populations of robust capuchin monkeys, from two species (Sapajus libidinosus and S. xanthosternos). Differently from previous studies, we will have comparable behavioral and ecological data from all sites, ranging from indirect surveys and remote observation (camera-traps) to direct observation and field experiments. Finally, we will map genetic diversity across populations and species, an approach neglected in previous comparative works on capuchin behavior. In particular, we will target genes linked to manipulative and exploratory behaviors, to correlate with the tool use behavior and problem-solving skills. Together, the three variables - behavioral, ecological and genetic - will be used to compare species and populations, allowing us to produce the first broad cultural chart on robust capuchin monkeys. (AU)

Scientific publications

(13)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

THAYNARA LIMA; BIBIANA FAM; GUSTAVO MEDINA TAVARES; TIAGO FALÓTICO; CAMILA CANTELE; LUCCA FANTI; LUANE LANDAU; LUCAS HENRIQUES VISCARDI; PEDRO VARGAS-PINILLA; OSSMAN BARRIENTOS-DIAZ; et al. Insights into the evolutionary history of the most skilled tool-handling platyrrhini monkey: Sapajus libidinosus from the Serra da Capivara National Park. GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, v. 46, n. 3, 2023-11-10. (18/01292-9, 19/00716-2)

PROFFITT, TOMOS; REEVES, JONATHAN S.; FALOTICO, TIAGO; ARROYO, ADRIAN; DE LA TORRE, IGNACIO; OTTONI, EDUARDO B.; LUNCZ, LYDIA, V. Identifying intentional flake production at the dawn of technology: A technological and 3D geometric morphometric study. JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE, v. 152, p. 11-pg., 2023-02-24. (19/00716-2, 18/01292-9, 14/04818-0)

FALOTICO, TIAGO; VALENCA, TATIANE; VERDERANE, MICHELE P.; SANTANA, BEATRIZ C.; SIRIANNI, GIULIA. Mapping nut-cracking in a new population of wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) at Ubajara National Park, Brazil. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, v. 86, n. 4, p. 17-pg., 2024-01-15. (19/00716-2, 20/04478-6, 19/10155-8, 18/01292-9, 18/18900-1)

LUNCZ, LYDIA, V; ARROYO, ADRIAN; FALOTICO, TIAGO; QUINN, PATRICK; PROFFITT, TOMOS. A primate model for the origin of flake technology. Journal of Human Evolution, v. 171, p. 15-pg., 2022-10-01. (13/05219-0, 18/01292-9)

LUNCZ, LYDIA V.; SLANIA, NORA E.; ALMEIDA-WARREN, KATARINA; CARVALHO, SUSANA; FALOTICO, TIAGO; MALAIVIJITNOND, SUCHINDA; ARROYO, ADRIAN; DE LA TORRE, IGNACIO; PROFFITT, TOMOS. Tool skill impacts the archaeological evidence across technological primates. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 14, n. 1, p. 11-pg., 2024-07-17. (18/01292-9, 18/18900-1)

ARROYO, ADRIAN; FALOTICO, TIAGO; BURGUET-COCA, AITOR; EXPOSITO, ISABEL; QUINN, PATRICK; PROFFITT, TOMOS. Use-wear and residue analysis of pounding tools used by wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) from Serra da Capivara (Piaui, Brazil). JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS, v. 35, FEB 2021. (13/05219-0, 18/01292-9)

FALOTICO, TIAGO; OTTONI, EDUARDO B.. Greater tool use diversity is associated with increased terrestriality in wild capuchin monkeys. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, v. N/A, p. 6-pg., 2023-04-17. (18/01292-9, 06/07187-5)

VALENCA, TATIANE; FALOTICO, TIAGO. Life and death of a disabled wild capuchin monkey infant. PRIMATES, v. 64, n. 2, p. 7-pg., 2023-02-15. (18/01292-9)

LIMA, THAYNARA; FAM, BIBIANA; TAVARES, GUSTAVO MEDINA; FALOTICO, TIAGO; CANTELE, CAMILA; FANTI, LUCCA; LANDAU, LUANE; VISCARDI, LUCAS HENRIQUES; VARGAS-PINILLA, PEDRO; BARRIENTOS-DIAZ, OSSMAN; et al. Insights into the evolutionary history of the most skilled tool-handling platyrrhini monkey: Sapajus libidinosus from the Serra da Capivara National Park. GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, v. 46, n. 3, p. 11-pg., 2023-01-01. (18/01292-9, 19/00716-2)

RUFO, HENRIQUE P.; FERREIRA, LUIZA G.; OTTONI, EDUARDO B.; FALOTICO, TIAGO. Toxic tasting: how capuchin monkeys avoid grasshoppers' chemical defenses. PRIMATES, v. 65, n. 4, p. 7-pg., 2024-05-25. (19/00716-2, 18/01292-9, 23/01992-9, 21/04771-8)

FALOTICO, TIAGO; VALENCA, TATIANE; VERDERANE, MICHELE P.; FOGACA, MARIANA D.. Stone tools differences across three capuchin monkey populations: food's physical properties, ecology, and culture. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 12, n. 1, p. 14-pg., 2022-08-23. (19/10155-8, 19/00716-2, 18/01292-9)

VALENCA, TATIANE; AFFONCO, GABRIELA OLIVEIRA; FALOTICO, TIAGO. Wild capuchin monkeys use stones and sticks to access underground food. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 14, n. 1, p. 10-pg., 2024-05-06. (18/01292-9)

FALOTICO, TIAGO. Vertebrate Predation and Tool-Aided Capture of Prey by Savannah Wild Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, v. N/A, p. 12-pg., 2022-07-25. (06/07187-5, 18/01292-9)