Pitheciinae

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Pitheciinae
Bald Saki (Pithecia pithecia), male

Bald Saki ( Pithecia pithecia ), male

Systematics
Order : Primates (Primates)
Subordination : Dry- nosed primates (Haplorrhini)
Partial order : Monkey (anthropoidea)
without rank: New World Monkey (Platyrrhini)
Family : Sakia monkeys (Pitheciidae)
Subfamily : Pitheciinae
Scientific name
Pitheciinae
Mivart , 1865

The Pitheciinae are a subfamily of the South American sakia monkeys (Pitheciidae). The subfamily consists of three kinds , the Uakaris ( Cacajao ) with three kinds, the Bartsakis ( Chiropotes ) with five kinds and the Sakis ( Pithecia ) with 16 kinds. All three genera occur in the rainforests of the Amazon basin and guayanas , the Bartsakis also in semi-arid forests in the northern Cerrado . They are the least explored group of New World monkeys.

features

The Pitheciinae reach a weight of 1.4 to 5 kg, with the Sakis as the smallest member of the subfamily only weighing 1.4 to 1.9 kg. Their sexual dimorphism is relatively low, the males weigh on average 25% more than the females. With the Bartsakis and the Uakaris, who mainly move on more or less horizontal branches on all fours, arms and legs are the same length, Sakis have longer legs in adaptation to their often jumping movement between vertical branches.

Skull of a bartsaki

Skull and tooth morphology are specially adapted to the diet through hard-shelled seeds and stone fruits . These adaptations are more pronounced with the Uakaris and Bartsakis than with the Sakis. This includes large and wide canines and strong incisors to break up hard seeds and stone fruits. Premolars and molars are relatively small because the interior of drupes is usually soft. The insertion of the masseter muscle in the high lower jaw is extensive. The monkeys have an overbite with maxillary incisors that protrude far in front of the mandibular incisors. Uakaris and Bartsakis also have a crest as an abutment for the masticatory muscles. The tails are bushy in all three genera, the fur is long.

Way of life

Red uakari ( Cacajao calvus )

Sakis live in small family groups consisting of parents, young animals and young animals that are already adult but still remain in the family group. The territories they use are 20 to 200 hectares in size and in them they cover 500 meters to 3 kilometers a day. Uakaris and Bartsakis live in large groups of up to 200 animals and inhabit areas of up to 1000 hectares in which they move daily over a distance of 3 to 4, a maximum of 7 kilometers. Larger groups usually cover longer distances.

nutrition

The species of the Pitheciinae feed mainly on hard-shelled seeds and stone fruits and are the primate group most adapted to this diet. By slowly ripening the seeds, this diet protects the Pitheciinae from the effects of seasonal food shortages that the mostly fruit-eating monkeys have to grapple with. Most species of Pitheciinae eat the seeds of more than 100 plants, some also eat the seeds of more than 200 plant species. Many of these species belong to the golden plum family (Chrysobalanaceae), legume family (Fabaceae) and potted fruit tree family (Lecythidaceae). In addition to hard-shell seeds, more or less large quantities of leaves, flowers, fruits, pulp or insects are also consumed. Sakis spend less time consuming hard-shelled seeds and stone fruits and consume more ripe fruits, leaves, flowers, and insects than bartsakis and uakaris. In areas where Bartsakis and Sakis coexist, they move on different tree heights and eat different plants.

Danger

Although the three genera of the Pitheciinae are largely found in the least human-affected and least-populated areas, some species, particularly the uakaris, are endangered by hunting and deforestation.

supporting documents

  1. ^ Adrian A. Barnett, Sarah A. Boyle, and Cynthia L. Thompson. 2016. Pitheciid Research Comes of Age: Past Puzzles, Current Progress, and Future Priorities. American Journal of Primatology, 78: 487-492. DOI: 10.1002 / ajp.22491
  2. ↑ a b c d Christopher Shaffer: Pitheciinae. DOI: 10.1002 / 9781119179313.wbprim0204 in Agustín Fuentes: The International Encyclopedia of Primatology. Wiley-Blackwell Verlag, 2017, ISBN 978-0470673379
  3. ↑ Stephen F. Ferrari, Liza M. Veiga, Liliam P. Pinto, Laura K. Marsh, Russell A. Mittermeier & Anthony B. Rylands: Family Pitheciidae (Titis, Sakis and Uacaris). Page 436 in Russell A. Mittermeier , Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson : Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 3: Primates. Lynx Editions, 2013 ISBN 978-8496553897
  4. ^ Sarah A. Boyle, Cynthia L. Thompson, and A. Deluycker. 2016. Geographic Comparison of Plant Genera Used in Frugivory among the Pitheciids Cacajao, Callicebus, Chiropotes, and Pithecia. American Journal of Primatology, 78: 493-506. DOI: 10.1002 / ajp.22422