Description

The first detailed collation of the evolution, ecology and conservation of some of South America's least-known, and most endangered, primates. Bringing together every major expert in the field, this book is the first detailed collation of the evolution, ecology and conservation of the pitheciines, some of the oddest and least-known monkeys in South America. It provides authoritative topic reviews and insights into current research that encompass all four pitheciine genera. Bringing together every major expert in the field, this book is the first detailed collation of the evolution, ecology and conservation of the pitheciines, some of the oddest and least-known monkeys in South America. It provides authoritative topic reviews and insights into current research that encompass all four pitheciine genera. The neotropical primate family Pitheciidae consists of four genera Cacajao (uacaris), Callicebus (titis), Chiropotes (bearded sakis) and Pithecia (sakis), whose 40+ species display a range of sizes, social organisations, ecologies and habitats. Few are well known and the future survival of many is threatened, yet pitheciines have been little studied. This book is the first to review the biology of this fascinating and diverse group in full. It includes fossil history, reviews of the biology of each genus and, among others, specific treatments of vocalisations and foraging ecology. These studies are integrated into considerations of current status and future conservation requirements on a country-by-country basis for each species. A state-of-the-art summary of current knowledge, Evolutionary Biology and Conservation of Titis, Sakis and Uacaris is a collective effort from all the major researchers currently working on these remarkable animals. Contributor list; Part I. Fossil History, Zoogeography and Taxonomy of the Pitheciids: 1. Pitheciidae and other Platyrrhine seed predators; 2. The misbegotten: long lineages, long branches and the interrelationships of Aotus, Callicebus and the Saki-Uacaris; 3. A molecular phylogeography of the Uacaris (Cacajao); 4. Taxonomy and geographic distribution of the Pitheciidae; 5. Zoogeography, genetic variation and conservation of the Callicebus personatus group; Part II. Comparative Pitheciid Ecology: 6. Morphological and ecological adaptations to seed predation - a primate-wide perspective; 7. Pitheciines: use of time and space; 8. Functional morphology and positional behaviour in the Pitheciini; 9. Male cooperation in Pitheciines: the reproductive costs and benefits to individuals of forming large multimale/multifemale groups; 10. Evolutionary ecology of the pitheciinae: evidence for energetic equivalence or phylogenetically structured environmental variation?; 11. Competition between Pitheciines and large Ara macaws, two specialist seed-eaters; 12. On the distribution of Pitheciine monkeys and Lecythidaceae trees in Amazonia; Part III. Genus Reviews and Case Studies: 13. Why we know so little: the challenges of fieldwork on the Pitheciids; 14. Ecology and behaviour of Uacaris (genus Cacajao); 15. Annual variation in breeding success and changes in population density of Cacajao calvus ucayalii in the Lago Preto Conservation Concession, Peru; 16. Cacajao ouakary in Brazil and Colombia: patterns, puzzles and predictions; 17. Ecology and behaviour of titi monkeys (genus Callicebus); 18. Costs of foraging in the Southern Bahian Masked Titi Monkey (Callicebus melanochir); 19. Insectivory and prey foraging tec