First record of tool use by wild populations of the yellow‐breasted capuchin monkey (Cebus xanthosternos) and new records for the bearded capuchin (Cebus libidinosus)

Abstract

Reports on use of stones as hammers and anvils to open hard nuts by wild capuchin monkeys are scarce and limited to Cebus libidinosus. Here, we report for the first time data on tool use-stones as hammer and anvils to open nuts-in wild C. xanthosternos and a description of new tool using sites for C. libidinosus. Our records were made by visiting anvil sites and by information obtained from local residents. We surveyed three different biomes: Caatinga (dry forest and thorn scrub), Cerrado (Brazilian bush savannah), and Atlantic forest (wet forest), all records of tool use were from Caatinga or transitional areas between habitats. The behavior is suggested to be routinely performed and widespread among several populations. The fruits of six plant species in different localities were opened with hammer stones by C. xanthosternos. Hammer stones were of similar weigh as those described in other studies of C. libidinosus. Conditions found in Caatinga, such as a more frequent use of the ground by the monkeys and/or food scarcity, may play an important role in the acquisition of nut-cracking behavior. The absence of more reports of nut cracking and other forms of tool use in other species of wild Cebus is likely to result from a lack of surveys in very dry and food-limited habitats or intrinsic characteristics of other Cebus species.

Descrição morfológica de duas espécies de Sapajus encontradas na Paraíba: S. libidinosus e o recém-redescoberto e já criticamente ameaçado S. flavius

“…Apesar de mais numerosa e conhecida que S. flavius, não existem estudos biométricos para o S. libidinosus, apenas estudos comportamentais, visto que ambas as espécies utilizam-se de ferramentas rudimentares, fato raro, mesmo para primatas (Canale et al 2009, Falótico et al 2011.…”

Hand Preference during Tool Use in Wild Bearded Capuchins

“…Ecological factors, for example, are an important aspect that can affect tool use and the selective pressures that might promote handedness. The ability to use tools is particularly important for obtaining essential food resources during lean times or in impoverished habitats [Yamakoshi, 1998;Moura and Lee, 2004], and capuchin monkeys inhabiting the dry forest areas of central and north-eastern Brazil use tools customarily [Ottoni and Izar, 2008;Canale et al, 2009]. Individuals living under these conditions are probably under strong pressure for improved neural circuits associated with skilled actions and finer motor control.…”

Predation of adult palms by black-capuchin monkeys (<i>Cebus nigritus</i>) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

“…In others areas we have worked, as the Iguaçu National Park (Araucaria Forest and Semidecidual Atlantic Forest, 185,262 ha continuous area, Paraná state, Brazil) and Semidecidual Atlantic Forest fragments in São Paulo state ("Mata São José" and "Mata Santa Genebra", both approximately 250 ha), this behavior or predation signals were never recorded. It is possible that the use of this resource may be related to the group cultural inheritance, such as tool use and food-processing (Antinucci and Visalberghi, 1986;Rocha et al, 1998;Fragaszy et al, 2004;O'Malley and Fedigan, 2005;Canale et al, 2009). The group cultural inheritance in Cebus species, as well as other primate species, involves social learning, when the animals observe and interact with other group members, acquiring behaviors (Panger et al, 2002;Dindo et al, 2008;Dindo et al, 2009).…”