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The alarm call system of wild black-fronted titi monkeys, Callicebus nigrifrons

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Abstract

Upon encountering predators, many animals produce specific vocalisations that alert others and sometimes dissuade the predators from hunting. Callicebus monkeys are known for their large vocal repertoire, but little is known about the function and meaning of most call types. We recorded a large number of natural predator responses from five different groups of black-fronted titi monkeys in their Atlantic forest habitat in South Eastern Brazil. When detecting predatory threats, adult group members responded with call sequences that initially consisted of two brief, high-pitched calls with distinct frequency contours. Call A was mainly given to raptors but also to predatory capuchin monkeys and other threats within the canopy, while call B was given to predatory or non-predatory disturbances on the ground. In later parts of the sequences, we also recorded a high-pitched unmodulated call C and various low-pitched loud calls. Results therefore suggest that calls A and B provide listeners with rapid and reliable information about the general classes of danger experienced by the caller, while obtaining more specific information through other call types and combinations and behavioural responses. We discuss these findings in relation to current evolutionary theory of primate communication.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Luke Rendell and Will Hoppitt for their statistical advice and Robert Seyfarth and three other referees for their helpful comments. We are grateful to Priests Marcos, Lauro, Wilson, and Sebastião for allowing us to work in the reserve and to Aline Abreu for her support. We are thankful to Vandilso Farias for his assistance in the field and to Marina Bonde de Queiróz, Julianne Cosse de Azevedo, and Belmiro Damas for their help. This research was funded by FAPEMIG-Brazil and a doctoral dissertation scholarship by CAPES-Brazil to CC. Additional financial support was by the L.S.B. LEAKEY TRUST and the University of St Andrews. We thank John Robinson for helping with call classifications. Finally, our gratitude goes all previous members of this research project: Guedes, D., Ferreira, S.Q.C., Nahur, A.C., Assunção, M.L, Silva, P.H.N., Sena, M.L.C., Marcolino, C.P., Franco, E.S., Soares, G.C.N., Viegas, L,R.F., Afonso, C.G., Santos, R.V, Lima, B.S.S, Santos, G.P., Morais, C.M.F., Queiróz, M.B.

Ethical Standards

We received full ethical approval to conduct this study from the University of St Andrews' (School of Psychology) Ethics Committee.

Lawfulness

This work was performed in compliance with all Brazilian laws.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have a financial relationship with the organisation that sponsored the research, i.e., FAPEMIG-Brazil and CAPES-Brazil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, St Andrews, KY16 9JP, Scotland, United Kingdom

    Cristiane Cäsar, Richard Byrne & Klaus Zuberbühler

  2. Conservation, Ecology and Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Post-Graduate Studies in Zoology, Prédio 41, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar 500, Coração Eucarístico, 30535-610, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Cristiane Cäsar & Robert J. Young

  3. Instituto Cultural Inhotim, Rua B 20, 35460-000, Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Cristiane Cäsar

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  1. Cristiane Cäsar
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  4. Klaus Zuberbühler
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Correspondence to Klaus Zuberbühler.

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Communicated by M. Charpentier

Appendix

Appendix

Table 6 List of type and number of potential predatory events for which the focal groups called in Caraça Private Reserve during two field seasons (May–October 2009 and May–July 2010)
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Cäsar, C., Byrne, R., Young, R.J. et al. The alarm call system of wild black-fronted titi monkeys, Callicebus nigrifrons . Behav Ecol Sociobiol 66, 653–667 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-011-1313-0

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