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Intra and Interspecific Variation in Cranial Morphology on the Southernmost Distributed Cebus (Platyrrhini, Primates) Species

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Abstract

Capuchin monkeys (Cebus) are one of the genera with the widest distribution among Neotropical primates (New World Monkeys, Platyrrhini), accompanied by an elevated genetic, phenotypic, behavioral, morphological, and ecological diversity, both at the interspecific and population levels. Despite being one of the most studied primate genera, this high diversity has led to a particularly complex and controversial taxonomy. In this contribution, we explored the patterns of skull size and shape variation among the southernmost distributed populations of Cebus using three-dimensional geometric morphometric techniques. Results showed a marked morphological differentiation (in size and shape) between previously recognized species (C. nigritus and southern C. libidinosus), and also among C. libidinosus populations, which were quantitatively related with the geographic distance between them. This pattern supports a differentiation between the northwestern Argentina and southern Bolivia and Paraguay forms. Other taxonomic implications are also discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. David Flores (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”) and Dr. Diego Verzi (Museo de La Plata) for granting us access to the collections under their care. We also thank two anonymous reviewers whose comments helped improve this work. This research was supported by grants from CONICET (MDM PIP 112) and UBACyT (X154).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo de Investigación en Biología Evolutiva (GIBE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Int. Guiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Leandro Arístide, Marta D. Mudry & Mariela Nieves

  2. Laboratorio de Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Int. Guiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Ignacio M. Soto

  3. IEGEBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Leandro Arístide, Ignacio M. Soto, Marta D. Mudry & Mariela Nieves

Authors
  1. Leandro Arístide
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  2. Ignacio M. Soto
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  3. Marta D. Mudry
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  4. Mariela Nieves
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Correspondence to Leandro Arístide.

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Arístide, L., Soto, I.M., Mudry, M.D. et al. Intra and Interspecific Variation in Cranial Morphology on the Southernmost Distributed Cebus (Platyrrhini, Primates) Species. J Mammal Evol 21, 349–355 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-013-9249-y

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