Adelmar F. Coimbra-Filho

Conservation Program for the Golden Lion Tamarin: Captive Research and Management, Ecological Studies, Educational Strategies, and Reintroduction

The future conservation of most threatened species will require not only the preservation and management of critical habitats but also scientifically managed propagation programs for captive animals by zoos. Zoos will undoubtedly have primary responsibility for the preservation and protection of genetic diversity through the maintenance of viable captive populations (or their deep-frozen equivalents). However, they should also have a role to play in supporting and contributing to the preservation of natural habitats through research and public education on environmental issues. Conservation programs by zoos, by international and national conservation organizations, and by governments should converge, as the size of critical habitats and refuges becomes smaller and the amount of land available to zoos and their involvement with endangered species becomes greater.

Morphology, Taxonomic Status and Affinities of the Lion Tamarins, Leontopithecus (Callitrichinae, Cebidae)

A survey of craniodental variability of the three allopatric populations of Leontopithecus reveals that they are morphologically heterogeneous and individually distinctive, with a n

Distribution and ecology of the genusLeontopithecus lesson, 1840 in Brazil

The three forms of the genusLeontopithecus are found only in restricted localities in the States of Rio de Janeiro (Leontopithecus rosalia rosalia), Bahia and Espirito Santo (Leontopithecus rosalia chrysomelas) and São Paulo (Leontopithecus rosalia chrysopygus) in southeastern Brazil. All three are gravely threatened with extinction, mainly by destruction of primitive forest habitat. Diet ofLeontopithecus ssp. consists of fruit, buds, small vertebrates and insects. Group size varies from two to eight, but temporary congregations of up to 15–16 have been observed. Within the forest, the animals frequent the middle layers of the canopy, between three and ten meters above the ground.

The Systematics and Distributions of the Marmosets (Callithrix, Callibella, Cebuella, and Mico) and Callimico (Callimico) (Callitrichidae, Primates)

The New World primate family Callitrichidae includes seven genera of marmosets, tamarins, lion tamarins and callimico. They are small, arboreal, diurnal, insectivore/frugivores of the forests, chaco, and scrub of tropical Central and South America. Some 60 species and subspecies of the family Callitrichidae are now recognized, 22 of which are considered to be marmosets, the “short-tusked” genera with dental and behavioral adaptations for tree-gouging and exudate-feeding. The marmosets are divided into four taxonomic groups, which we recognize as genera: Callithrix (eastern Brazilian marmosets of the Jacchus-group), Cebuella (the Amazonian pygmy marmosets), Callibella (the Amazonian dwarf marmoset), and Mico (the Amazonian marmosets of the Argentata-group). Studies over the last decade have demonstrated that Goeldi’s monkey or callimico is a sister species to these marmosets. Here we review the most recent information concerning the taxonomy of these 23 species and what is known of their geographic distributions in the wild.

Reproduction in captive lion tamarins (Leontopithecus): Seasonality, infant survival, and sex ratios

Diversity in reproductive and social systems characterizes the primate family Callitrichidae. This paper contributes to our appreciation of this diversity by presenting the first detailed comparative analysis of captive breeding in three species of lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysomelas, L. chrysopygus, and L. rosalia) housed at the Centro de Primatologia do Rio de Janeiro. The annual pattern of reproduction in all three species of Leontopithecus was markedly seasonal, with births occurring during the spring, summer, and fall months from August through March. While modal number of litters produced per female per year was 1, approximately 20% of breeding females produced two litters per year. The onset of breeding activity in years when two litters are produced was significantly earlier than in years when only one litter was produced. The cumulative number of offspring surviving to 3 months of age did not differ between years with one vs. two breeding attempts. Like other callitrichids, postnatal mortality was highest during the first week of life, and there were pronounced species differences in offspring survival through 1 year, with significantly lower survivorship in L. chrysomelas. Infant survivorship was affected by a number of experiential factors. Survivorship up to 30 days of life was higher in groups in which the breeding female had previous experience with infants as a nonbreeding helper than in groups in which the female lacked previous helping experience. Likewise, survivorship to 30 days of life was higher for infants born to multiparous females than for infants born to primiparous females. When parity and previous helping experience were analyzed concurrently, the lowest survivorship was associated with offspring produced by inexperienced primiparous females. Genus‐wide, there was no significant departure from a 50:50 sex ratio at any point during the first year of life, nor was there evidence for differential mortality for male and female infants. However, L. chrysopygus produced significantly more male infants at birth (65:44) and had male‐biased litters (approximately 60% males) throughout the first year of life, while L. chrysomelas showed a nonsignificant tendency toward female‐biased litters.

The Taxonomic Status of Wied's Black-tufted-ear Marmoset, Callithrix kuhlii (Callitrichidae, Primates)

Abstract In this paper we provide a description of Wieds black tufted-ear marmoset, or the Southern Bahian marmoset, Callithrix kuhlii Coimbra-Filho, 1985, from the Atlantic forest of southern Bahia in Brazil. It was first recorded by Prinz Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied during his travels in 1815–1816. Its validity was questioned by Hershkovitz (1977, Living New World Monkeys [Platyrrhini], Chicago University Press, Chicago), who considered it a hybrid of two closely related marmosets, C. penicillata and C. geoffroyi. Vivo (1991, Taxonomia de Callithrix Erxleben 1777 [Callitrichidae, Primates], Fundação Biodiversitas, Belo Horizonte), on the other hand, while demonstrating it was not a hybrid, argued that it was merely a dark variant of C. penicillata. We discuss a number of aspects concerning the taxonomic history of the forms penicillata, jordani, and kuhlii and the validity of the form kuhlii, examining the supposition that it may be a hybrid, besides the evidence concerning vocalizations, morphology, pelage, and ecology. We also discuss the use of the taxonomic category of subspecies to classify the different forms of the Atlantic forest marmosets, and the circumstances prevailing for the correct assignation of the authorship of the name kuhlii. We conclude that Callithrix kuhlii is a distinct and valid taxon, today restricted to the Atlantic forest between the Rio de Contas and Rio Jequitinhonha in southern Bahia, Brazil.

A comparative study of eleven protein systems in tamarins, genus Saguinus (Platyrrhini, Callitrichinae)

A variabilidade genetica de seis taxa de tamarins, genero Saguinus, foi analisada comparativamente usando-se dados proteicos de onze sistemas codificados por quinze loci. S. fuscicollis weddelli e S. midas midas foram os taxa mais polimorficos, enquanto S. bicolor foi o menos. Os resultados da analise filogenetica (UPGMA e neighbor-joining) e as distâncias geneticas entre os taxa foram em geral consistentes com suas relacoes geograficas e filogeneticas. As analises das populacoes de S. bicolor e S. midas indicaram que eles podem representar nao mais do que tres subespecies de uma unica especie, S. midas, com as formas de bicolor pertencendo a uma unica subespecie, S. midas bicolor. Se apoiado por estudos adicionais, este fato teria implicacoes importantes para a conservacao da forma de bicolor, que esta em perigo de extincao. A similaridade genetica de S. fuscicollis e S. mystax foi tambem consistente com sua proximidade geografica e morfologica, embora mais dados sobre um numero maior de taxa seriam necessarios antes de se definirem as relacoes taxonomicas dentro do genero.

Distribution and Conservation of New World Primate Species Used in Biomedical Research

The New World monkeys have achieved a position of considerable importance in biomedical research over the past two decades. One species, the squirrel monkey, is second only to the rhesus monkey in frequency of use in the laboratory; several others, notably the night monkey and several species of tamarins, are the preferred animal models for certain kinds of research; and still another, the common marmoset, possesses characteristics that, in all probability, will make it a valuable general laboratory primate of the future.