Carla B. Possamai

New Sightings of Northern Muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) Females in Forest Fragments Surrounding the Estação Biológica de Caratinga-Rppn Feliciano Miguel Abdala, Minas Gerais, Brasil

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Dispersal Patterns of Female Northern Muriquis: Implications for Social Dynamics, Life History, and Conservation

Like many other primates, including other atelins, female northern muriquis (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) typically disperse from their natal groups, whereas males are philopatric. However, the length of time required to accumulate individual-based data on long-lived females that mature and reproduce slowly has made it difficult to evaluate the variation in age at dispersal or the possible ways in which social, reproductive, and ecological conditions might affect female muriqui dispersal decisions. Here, we present a unique set of data on female dispersal patterns in the northern muriqui population at the Reserva Particular do Patrimonio Natural – Feliciano Miguel Abdala (RPPN-FMA) in Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil. During a 10-year period from April 2002 through July 2012, a total of 44 females dispersed from four natal groups at mean (± sd) age of 5.73 ± 0.50 year (median = 5.72 years). Dispersal was strongly seasonal, with no emigrations occurring during the peak dry season months. At least 12 females visited one or more groups before ultimately dispersing; some females also returned to their natal groups during the dispersal process, but there was no secondary dispersal after they reproduced. Females did not exhibit preferential associations for familiar or maternally related females, and six females (14 % of the dispersing females in this study period) left the reserve to colonize adjacent forest fragments. Median age at first reproduction was 9.00 years across groups. These findings provide insights into northern muriqui dispersal decisions and have important implications for conservation management programs involving translocations for this critically endangered species.

Males follow females during fissioning of a group of northern muriquis

Although well documented in matrilocal primate species, group fission is still a poorly known phenomenon among patrilocal primates. In this paper we describe in detail a group fission event in the population of northern muriquis at the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural‐Feliciano Miguel Abdala in Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil, using Social Network Analyses (SNA). Data on association patterns were collected during systematic observations from May 2002 to September 2005, and analyzed for dry (from May to October) and rainy seasons (from November to April). The fission process started with subgroup formation in the rainy season 2002–2003, and was completed by the dry season of 2003. By the dry season 2003, the parent group (Jaó) had fissioned to form a second mixed‐sex group (Nadir) while a subgroup of males (MU) moved between the parent group and the newly established group. Before the Jaó group fission started (dry season 2002) and during its initial phases (rainy season 2002–2003), females that ultimately composed the daughter group (Nadir) were the most peripheral in the association network. In the rainy season 2002–2003, the median monthly (N = 6) operational sex ratio (OSR) of Jaó group was 2.81. However, once Jaó females initiated the fissioning process to establish the Nadir group, the OSR was more favorable to males in the Nadir group than in the Jaó group. Our results suggest that males followed the females to escape an unfavorable OSR in their natal group. Am. J. Primatol. 76:529–538, 2014.

Demographic monitoring of wild muriqui populations: Criteria for defining priority areas and monitoring intensity

Demographic data are essential to assessments of the status of endangered species. However, establishing an integrated monitoring program to obtain useful data on contemporary and future population trends requires both the identification of priority areas and populations and realistic evaluations of the kinds of data that can be obtained under different monitoring regimes. We analyzed all known populations of a critically endangered primate, the muriqui (genus: Brachyteles) using population size, genetic uniqueness, geographic importance (including potential importance in corridor programs) and implementability scores to define monitoring priorities. Our analyses revealed nine priority populations for the northern muriqui (B. hypoxanthus) and nine for the southern muriqui (B. arachnoides). In addition, we employed knowledge of muriqui developmental and life history characteristics to define the minimum monitoring intensity needed to evaluate demographic trends along a continuum ranging from simple descriptive changes in population size to predictions of population changes derived from individual based life histories. Our study, stimulated by the Brazilian government’s National Action Plan for the Conservation of Muriquis, is fundamental to meeting the conservation goals for this genus, and also provides a model for defining priorities and methods for the implementation of integrated demographic monitoring programs for other endangered and critically endangered species of primates.