Use of Alternative Plant Resources by Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) in the Semi‐Arid Caatinga Scrub Forests of Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is amply distributed in the Brazilian Northeast, but little is known of its ecology in the semi-arid Caatinga scrublands. The present study provides the first detailed data on the composition of the diet of C. jacchus in Caatinga ecosystems, derived from observations at four sites in the state of Sergipe. While exudate sources were gouged at all four sites in a manner typical of the species, fruit was the principal component of the diet at the main study site during most months, and a number of unusual items were eaten, including leaves, and the reproductive parts of cacti and bromeliads. These plants are rarely recorded in marmoset diets, but are common in caatinga habitats. Leaves were ingested during 5 of the 8 months monitored at the main study site, reaching 39.74% of the diet in 1 month, and appeared to be an alternative fallback food to plant exudates during periods when fruit was scarce. Three species of cactus provided both flowers and fruits, while the terrestrial bromeliad, Encholirium spectabile, provided nectar (30.81% of the diet in November). Approximately half of the plant species (and three families) identified in this study had not been recorded previously in the diet of Callithrix. Overall, the data suggest that, while the marmosets exploit the same types of plant foods in the Caatinga, the resource base is quite distinct from that of the Atlantic Forest. Other differences, such as relatively small groups and large home ranges, may contribute to divergent ecological patterns, which require more systematic investigation. Am. J. Primatol. 75:333-341, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Can a Non-Native Primate Be a Potential Seed Disperser? A Case Study on Saimiri sciureus in Pernambuco State, Brazil

“…Depending on the habitat (Atlantic forest or Caatinga dry and deciduous vegetation) and the seasonality of the resources, they can consume more fruits, gum (exudate), or small vertebrates and invertebrates. The rate of consumption of these items appears to be correlated with the availability of fruits in the area [Alonso and Langguth, 1989;Amora et al, 2013;De la Fuente et al, 2014;Pinheiro and Mendes Pontes, 2015]. In our study area, there is not any ecological study focussed on the common marmoset's diet.…”

Vegetable Exudates as Food for Callithrix spp. (Callitrichidae): Exploratory Patterns

“…; Astronium fraxinifolium Schott, which are used by C. jacchus . However, the use of only one plant species differs from the results in the Caatinga and Cerrado, where Callithrix jacchus and C. penicillata exploited a larger number of gum trees species [20], [28], [29], [49]. The greater number and size of holes in the canopy compared with those in the trunk can be explained by the smaller branch diameter in the canopy.…”

“…peregrina (L.) Speg. [19], [20], [27]–[29]. Species of the genus Anadenanthera are widely distributed in the phytogeographical areas of the Caatinga, Cerrado (Brazilian savannah), and Atlantic Forests in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast regions of Brazil [30].…”

“…However, these characteristics do not appear to dismay certain Callithrix species in obtaining exudate a from this plant. Such species include C. penicillata É Geoffroy, 1812 [18], [20], [38], Callithrix jacchus L., 1758 [18], [19], [28], [29] and Callithrix flaviceps Thomas, 1903 (Primates: Cebidae) [27], [39]. Callithrix species are well known for consuming exudates from plants, but their exploitation of gum produced by trees, in particular, is poorly studied.…”

Effects of climate and forest structure on palms, bromeliads and bamboos in Atlantic Forest fragments of Northeastern Brazil

“…These plants can influence animals either directly, providing resources, or indirectly by influencing other organisms. Bromeliads can be valuable resources for forest dwelling animals, providing fruits, nectar, water, shelter and adequate conditions for reproduction (Richardson et al, 2000;Craynet al, 2004;Alves-Silva and Silva, 2009;Amora et al, 2013;Ferrari and Hilário, 2012). Palms can modify forest structure and composition due to their morphological characteristics, large amount of litter formation and leaf dropping, which may damage seedlings and hamper the recruitment of new trees (Farris-Lopez et al, 2004;Aguiar and Tabarelli, 2010).…”