Gri毛tte van der Heide (Biological Anthropology, Phd Candidate) publishes,听"Flexibility in the Diet and Feeding Ecology of Nocturnal and Cathemeral Aotus."听in听Owl Monkeys. Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects.
Abstract
Current evidence indicates that owl monkeys (Aotus听spp.) have species-rich, flexible diets. They can switch resources seasonally, consume ephemeral foods of many life forms, and locate food in small, degraded forests. They focus on fruits (20鈥�87%) yet regularly consume flowers, leaves, and/or insects. Common dietary components are听Fabaceae听flowers (and leaves in the South American Chaco), Melastomaceae leaves and fruits (tropics), and Moraceae fruits (all), especially figs. They may use relative food brightness and odor as cues, while resource selection seems to be related to availability. Intergroup differences in diet and resource availability of the Azara鈥檚 owl monkeys of the South American Chaco are small, while diets diverge in more anthropogenic and species-rich habitats. Owl monkeys experience limited competition with other mammals, perhaps aiding dietary flexibility. Unfortunately, due to a dearth in systematic studies, the most ultimate and proximate determinants of听Aotus听diet and feeding ecology largely remain a conundrum.
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