Sexual bias in probe tool manufacture and use by wild bearded capuchin monkeys

Autor(es)

Falotico, Tiago ^[1] ; Ottoni, Eduardo B. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Psychol, Dept Expt Psychol, BR-05508030 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Behavioural Processes; v. 108, p. 117-122, OCT 2014.
• Citações Web of Science: 21

Resumo

Here we examine data from a two-year research on the use of sticks as probes by two groups of wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) in Serra da Capivara National Park (PI), Brazil. The use of sticks as probes is not usually observed among wild tufted capuchin (Sapajus spp.) populations, having been reported as a customary behavior only in SCNP groups. Probe tools are used to access small prey (insects or lizards) in rock cracks or tree trunks, or honey from wasps' nests, and also to poke toads and poisonous snakes. Probe use is, so far, the only known case in which wild capuchins modify objects used as tools: branches are trimmed off, and tips, thinned. Tool preparation episodes involved up to four modification steps. Contrary to the stone tools used to crack hard nuts, probe tools don't present any weight constraint for use by females, but there is nevertheless a strong male bias (97%) in the occurrence of probe tool use. There are also no diet biases that could explain this difference. Although males hunt more often than females, the latter main prey items are lizards, which are also the main targets of probe tool use. One possibility is that females may have fewer social opportunities to learn about probe tools. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 06/07190-6 - Estudo do uso de ferramentas em populações de macacos-prego (Cebus libidinosus) do Parque Nacional da Serra da Capivara, PI
• Beneficiário: Eduardo Benedicto Ottoni
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 06/07187-5 - Estudo do uso de ferramentas em populações de macacos-prego (Cebus libidinosus) do Parque Nacional da Serra da Capivara - PI
• Beneficiário: Tiago Falótico
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado