Behavioural ecology
The behavioural and sensory ecology of two New World primates
During my BSc, I was lucky enough to experience the magical Amazon rainforest. I spent two field seasons in the Peruvian Amazon with Field Projects International (FPI). I am part of two projects in collaboration with Dr. Mrinalini Erkenswick Watsa, Samantha López Clinton, Dr. Amanda D. Melin and Dr. Gideon Erkenswick.
Polymorphic colour vision and behaviour: the use of sight, smell and taste in two species of free-ranging tamarins in southeastern Peru
FPI set up a unique field site where two free-ranging species of sympatric tamarin species are habituated to human observers and regularly visit feeding platforms. Colour vision in platyrrhines, including tamarins, varies due to a cone opsin polymorphism. Where 100% of males are dichromatic, 50-66% of female platyrrhines are trichromatic. We experimentalally tested whether dichromats rely more on olfactory and gustatory cues during foraging and trichromats rely more on visual cues. By putting ripe bananas in green banana rinds, we experimentally tested whether trichromatic females get ‘tricked’ more often than dichromatic tamarins do. This project is still ongoing.
Differential use of olfactory information among free-ranging tamarins of different sexes and breeding statuses
The social dynamics of tamarins are complex: groups typically consist of one or a few breeding individuals, sexually mature non-breedings and sexually immature offspring. Reproduction is limited to a single, or sometimes two primary breeding females and one or several breeding males. Individuals can rapidly respond to changes in reproductive opportunities, and when the conditions are right they can disperse from their natal group. Due to the high reproductive skew, and therefore very low chance of a subordinate mating, it is expected that subordinate individuals have more to gain from emigrating.
In our experiment, we investigated whether responses to scent marks, which contain information about an individual’s sex, age, social status and familiarity in respect to the recipient. Scent marks likely play a role in sexual advertising and might therefore play an important role in decision-making regarding dispersal.
We therefore tested differences in responses to urine samples among individuals of different breeding statuses, sexes and territories. This project is still ongoing.