Research Interests:
Research Interests: Ecology and Subtropics
As road infrastructure networks rapidly expand globally, especially in the tropics, previously continuous habitats are being fragmented, resulting in more frequent wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVC). Primates are widespread throughout many... more
As road infrastructure networks rapidly expand globally, especially in the tropics, previously continuous habitats are being fragmented, resulting in more frequent wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVC). Primates are widespread throughout many sub-/tropical countries, and as their habitats are fragmented, they are increasingly at risk of WVC. We created the Global Primate Roadkill Database (GPRD), the largest available standardized database of primate roadkill incidents. We obtained data from published papers, un-published and citizen science databases, anecdotal reports, news reports, and social media posts. Here, we describe the collection methods for the GPRD and present the most up-to-date version of the database in full. For each primate roadkill incident, we recorded the species killed, the exact location, and the year and month the roadkill was observed. At the time of publication, the GPRD includes 2862 individual primate roadkill records from 41 countries. As primates range in m...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Figure 6. Pie chart depicting proportion of each type of of prey ant captured and consumed by Corythalia conferta in this study. The "Leaf-cutting ants" are represented by ants of the genera Atta Fabricius and Acromyrmex Mayr.
Figure 4. Hypothetical phylogeny of nine Corythalia species based on the neighbor-joining method for analysis of molecular data (barcode sequences).
La competencia y la agresión, son consideradas fundamentales para entender el origen de la vida social en grupos de humanos y primates no-humanos. En este marco, las jerarquías de dominancia determinadas a través de interacciones... more
La competencia y la agresión, son consideradas fundamentales para entender el origen de la vida social en grupos de humanos y primates no-humanos. En este marco, las jerarquías de dominancia determinadas a través de interacciones agonistas, son relacionadas con el éxito reproductivo de los machos. Por otro lado, el rango de dominancia en muchos primates se relaciona con la cantidad de acicalamiento recibido. Existe un nuevo enfoque para estudiar la organización social de los primates, que incluye los comportamientos de coordinación, negociación, reconciliación y cooperación. El objetivo de este estudio preliminar fue comparar las relaciones de dominancia que se obtuvieron mediante interacciones agonistas, con las que se obtuvieron mediante un comportamiento cooperativo como el acicalamiento. Estudiamos un grupo de Alouatta caraya durante 164 horas en el verano de 2002, en la "Isla Brasilera" (27º 20' S-58º 40' W). El macho dominante recibió una mayor frecuencia de ...
Research Interests:
La socioecología de primates no humanos provee un marco para comprender la evolución de varios aspectos de la conducta de nuestros antepasados. Un aspecto relevante de la evolución de los sistemas sociales es la descripción de los... more
La socioecología de primates no humanos provee un marco para comprender la evolución de varios aspectos de la conducta de nuestros antepasados. Un aspecto relevante de la evolución de los sistemas sociales es la descripción de los sistemas de apareamiento, que dependen de una combinación de estudios genéticos y comportamentales. Los estudios genético-moleculares, en particular los STRs han permitido dilucidar sistemas de apareamiento y detallar el éxito reproductivo de los individuos. En platirrinos es necesario desarrollar STRs específicos. En el presente trabajo se detectaron STRs para Alouatta caraya. Estos monos aulladores habitan en el Noreste de nuestro país y países limítrofes, y sus tropas pueden tener uno o varios machos adultos. Se espera que el rango del macho juegue un papel importante en el acceso a hembras. Sin embargo, en varias especies de primates las hembras son promiscuas. Varias hipótesis explicarían este comportamiento desde asegurarse la fertilización, hasta ev...
Research Interests:
Baigorria, Julián E., Rubio, Gonzalo D., Stolar, Cristian E., Oklander, Luciana I. (2021): Notes on the jumping spider Corythalia conferta (Araneae: Salticidae), a possible myrmecophagous specialist in Argentina. Peckhamia 230 (1): 1-12,... more
Baigorria, Julián E., Rubio, Gonzalo D., Stolar, Cristian E., Oklander, Luciana I. (2021): Notes on the jumping spider Corythalia conferta (Araneae: Salticidae), a possible myrmecophagous specialist in Argentina. Peckhamia 230 (1): 1-12, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5093484
Research Interests:
The selection of sleeping sites and sleeping trees in nonhuman primates is related to social and ecological factors. We investigate the role of body stability, risk of parasite infection, access to food, and range defense in the sleeping... more
The selection of sleeping sites and sleeping trees in nonhuman primates is related to social and ecological factors. We investigate the role of body stability, risk of parasite infection, access to food, and range defense in the sleeping behavior of black-and-gold howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) in northern Argentina. We collected data for 4 groups over 12 mo (198 study days). Black-and-gold howlers used 12 of 36 available tree species as sleeping trees. In comparison to the available trees, sleeping trees had a larger diameter at breast height, greater total height, and greater height of the lowest branch. Monkeys used large branches to sleep more frequently than small branches. Our results suggest that howlers avoided using the same sleeping tree on consecutive nights. At sleeping trees, individuals descended to lower branches to defecate. Sleeping sites were close to morning feeding sites. More sleeping sites were located in areas of range overlap between groups (75%) than in exclusive-use areas (25%), and sleeping sites located in overlapping areas were used more frequently when neighboring groups were nearby than when they were far away. Our results suggest that body stability, parasite avoidance, access to food, and range defense all affect the selection of sleeping sites.
Research Interests:
Primates play an important role in ecosystem functioning and offer critical insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and emerging infectious diseases. There are 26 primate species in the Atlantic Forests of South America, 19 of... more
Primates play an important role in ecosystem functioning and offer critical insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and emerging infectious diseases. There are 26 primate species in the Atlantic Forests of South America, 19 of them endemic. We compiled a dataset of 5,472 georeferenced locations of 26 native and 1 introduced primate species, as hybrids in the genera Callithrix and Alouatta. The dataset includes 700 primate communities, 8,121 single species occurrences and 714 estimates of primate population sizes, covering most natural forest types of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina and some other biomes. On average, primate communities of the Atlantic Forest harbor 2±1 species (range=1-6). However, about 40% of primate communities contain only one species. Alouatta guariba (N=2,188 records) and Sapajus nigritus (N=1,127) were the species with the most records. Callicebus barbarabrownae (N=35), Leontopithecus caissara (N=38), a...
Research Interests:
Black-and-gold howler monkeys Alouatta caraya, are arboreal primates, inhabitants of Neotropical forests, highly susceptible to the yellow fever virus, considered early 'sentinels' of outbreaks, and thus, of major epidemiological... more
Black-and-gold howler monkeys Alouatta caraya, are arboreal primates, inhabitants of Neotropical forests, highly susceptible to the yellow fever virus, considered early 'sentinels' of outbreaks, and thus, of major epidemiological importance. Currently, anthropogenic habitat loss and modifications threatens their survival. Habitat modification can prevent, reduce or change dispersal behavior, which, in turn, may influence patterns of gene flow. We explored past and contemporary levels of genetic diversity, elucidated genetic structure and identified its possible drivers, in ten populations (n = 138) located in the southernmost distribution range of the species in South America, in Argentina and Paraguay. Overall, genetic variability was moderate (ten microsatellites: 3.16 ± 0.18 alleles per locus, allelic richness of 2.93 ± 0.81, 0.443±0.025 unbiased expected heterozygosity; 22 haplotypes of 491-bp mitochondrial Control Region, haplotypic diversity of 0.930 ± 0.11, and nucleo...
Research Interests:
Of the 385 mammal species of Argentina, 81 of them are in some category of threat. The main factors of threat: the loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitat, hunting, conflict with productive activities, illegal trafficking of... more
Of the 385 mammal species of Argentina, 81 of them are in some category of threat. The main factors of threat: the loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitat, hunting, conflict with productive activities, illegal trafficking of wildlife and disease.
Research Interests:
The black and gold howler monkey (<em>Alouatta caraya</em>) is a neotropical primate that faces the highest capture pressure for illegal trade in Argentina. Here, present a Genotype reference database (GRDB) this species.... more
The black and gold howler monkey (<em>Alouatta caraya</em>) is a neotropical primate that faces the highest capture pressure for illegal trade in Argentina. Here, present a Genotype reference database (GRDB) this species. Overall, we were able to correctly assign 73% of the individuals in the database to nearest population of origin, and 93.3% to their cluster of origin.
La socioecología de primates no humanos provee un marco para comprender la evolución de varios aspectos de la conducta de nuestros antepasados. Un aspecto relevante de la evolución de los sistemas sociales es la descripción de los... more
La socioecología de primates no humanos provee un marco para comprender la evolución de varios aspectos de la conducta de nuestros antepasados. Un aspecto relevante de la evolución de los sistemas sociales es la descripción de los sistemas de apareamiento, que dependen de una combinación de estudios genéticos y comportamentales. Los estudios genético-moleculares, en particular los STRs han permitido dilucidar sistemas de apareamiento y detallar el éxito reproductivo de los individuos. En platirrinos es necesario desarrollar STRs específicos. En el presente trabajo se detectaron STRs para Alouatta caraya. Estos monos aulladores habitan en el Noreste de nuestro país y países limítrofes, y sus tropas pueden tener uno o varios machos adultos. Se espera que el rango del macho juegue un papel importante en el acceso a hembras. Sin embargo, en varias especies de primates las hembras son promiscuas. Varias hipótesis explicarían este comportamiento desde asegurarse la fertilización, hasta ev...
La socioecología de primates no humanos provee un marco para comprender la evolución de varios aspectos de la conducta de nuestros antepasados. Un aspecto relevante de la evolución de los sistemas sociales es la descripción de los... more
La socioecología de primates no humanos provee un marco para comprender la evolución de varios aspectos de la conducta de nuestros antepasados. Un aspecto relevante de la evolución de los sistemas sociales es la descripción de los sistemas de apareamiento, que dependen de una combinación de estudios genéticos y comportamentales. Los estudios genético-moleculares, en particular los STRs han permitido dilucidar sistemas de apareamiento y detallar el éxito reproductivo de los individuos. En platirrinos es necesario desarrollar STRs específicos. En el presente trabajo se detectaron STRs para Alouatta caraya. Estos monos aulladores habitan en el Noreste de nuestro país y países limítrofes, y sus tropas pueden tener uno o varios machos adultos. Se espera que el rango del macho juegue un papel importante en el acceso a hembras. Sin embargo, en varias especies de primates las hembras son promiscuas. Varias hipótesis explicarían este comportamiento desde asegurarse la fertilización, hasta ev...
papel das matas particulares. In: A Primatologia no Brasil – 4, M. E. Yamamoto and M. B. C. de Sousa (eds.), pp.129–137. Sociedade Brasileira de Primatologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal. Karanth, K. U. and Nichols,... more
papel das matas particulares. In: A Primatologia no Brasil – 4, M. E. Yamamoto and M. B. C. de Sousa (eds.), pp.129–137. Sociedade Brasileira de Primatologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal. Karanth, K. U. and Nichols, J. D. 1998. Estimating tiger densities in India from camera trap data using photographic captures and recaptures. Ecology 79: 2852–2862. Konstant, W. R., Mittermeier, R. A., Rylands, A. B., Butynski, T. M., Eudey, A. A., Ganzhorn, J. and Kormos, R. 2002. The world’s top 25 most endangered primates – 2002. Neotrop. Primates 10(3): 128–131. Kierulff, M. C. M. 1993. Avaliação das populações selvagens de mico-leão-dourado, Leontopithecus rosalia, e proposta de estratégia para sua conservação. Master’s thesis, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte. Mendes, S. L. 1993. Distribuição geográfica e estado de conservação de Callithrix flaviceps (Primates: Callitrichidae). In: A Primatologia no Brasil – 4, M. E. Yamamoto and M. B. C. de Sousa (e...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Despite strong support from the media, the reintroduction of animals into natural environments does not always achieve its goal. Alouatta caraya is the primate species facing the greatest hunting pressure due to the illegal pet trade in... more
Despite strong support from the media, the reintroduction of animals into natural environments does not always achieve its goal. Alouatta caraya is the primate species facing the greatest hunting pressure due to the illegal pet trade in Argentina. Confiscations of this species are common, as is the voluntary surrender of animals by owners no longer able or willing to care for them. These animals ultimately arrive at rehabilitation centers and, in many cases, are released into natural environments that may differ from the original sites where they were captured. Until recently, the lack of genetic analysis of the individuals involved led to biased relocation decisions. We followed the reintroduction of 12 A. caraya individuals in a protected area (Isla Palacio, Misiones, Argentina). The presence of potential predators such as pumas (Puma concolor) and jaguars (Panthera onca) in this area was confirmed by camera traps, footprints and feces. After the disappearance of four A. caraya at...
Research Interests:
La competencia y la agresión, son consideradas fundamentales para entender el origen de la vida social en grupos de humanos y primates no-humanos. En este marco, las jerarquías de dominancia determinadas a través de interacciones... more
La competencia y la agresión, son consideradas fundamentales para entender el origen de la vida social en grupos de humanos y primates no-humanos. En este marco, las jerarquías de dominancia determinadas a través de interacciones agonistas, son relacionadas con el éxito reproductivo de los machos. Por otro lado, el rango de dominancia en muchos primates se relaciona con la cantidad de acicalamiento recibido. Existe un nuevo enfoque para estudiar la organización social de los primates, que incluye los comportamientos de coordinación, negociación, reconciliación y cooperación. El objetivo de este estudio preliminar fue comparar las relaciones de dominancia que se obtuvieron mediante interacciones agonistas, con las que se obtuvieron mediante un comportamiento cooperativo como el acicalamiento. Estudiamos un grupo de Alouatta caraya durante 164 horas en el verano de 2002, en la “Isla Brasilera” (27o 20’ S-58o 40’ W). El macho dominante recibió una mayor frecuencia de acicalamiento (45....
Research Interests:
Human-induced habitat fragmentation might seriously affect behavioural patterns and the survival of species whose ecological requirements strongly depend on specific environmental conditions. We compared the genetic structure and... more
Human-induced habitat fragmentation might seriously affect behavioural patterns and the survival of species whose ecological requirements strongly depend on specific environmental conditions. We compared the genetic structure and dispersal patterns of 2 populations of Alouatta caraya (Plathyrrhini, Atelidae) to understand how habitat reduction and fragmentation affect gene flow in this species. We sampled individuals from 7 groups living in continuous forest (CF, n=46, 22 males and 24 females), and 11 groups that inhabit a fragmented forest (FF, n=50, 24 males and 26 females). FST values based on 11 microsatellite loci showed a recent genetic differentiation among groups in the FF. In contrast, the CF showed no differentiation among groups. Further, FST values between sexes, as well as kinship relationships, also exhibited differences between habitats. In the CF, both males and females disperse, leading to nondifferentiated groups composed of adults that are not close relatives. Con...
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Zoology and Primatology
The black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) is a neotropical primate threatened by habitat loss and capture for illegal trade in Argentina. Using multilocus microsatellite genotypes from 178 A. caraya individuals sampled from 15... more
The black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) is a neotropical primate threatened by habitat loss and capture for illegal trade in Argentina. Using multilocus microsatellite genotypes from 178 A. caraya individuals sampled from 15 localities in Argentina, we built a genotype reference database (GRDB). Bayesian assignment methods applied to the GRDB allowed us to correctly re-assign 73% of individuals to their true location of origin and 93.3% to their cluster of origin. We used the GRDB to assign 22 confiscated individuals (17 of which were reintroduced), and 3 corpses to both localities and clusters of origin. We assigned with a probability >70% the locality of origin of 14 individuals and the cluster of origin of 21. We found that most of the confiscated individuals were assigned to one cluster (F-Ch-C) and two localities included in the GRDB, suggesting that trafficked A. caraya primarily originated in this area. Our results reveal that only 4 of 17 reintroduced individua...
The black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) is a neotropical primate threatened by habitat loss and capture for illegal trade in Argentina. Using multilocus microsatellite genotypes from 178 A. caraya individuals sampled from 15... more
The black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) is a neotropical primate threatened by habitat loss and capture for illegal trade in Argentina. Using multilocus microsatellite genotypes from 178 A. caraya individuals sampled from 15 localities in Argentina, we built a genotype reference database (GRDB). Bayesian assignment methods applied to the GRDB allowed us to correctly re-assign 73% of individuals to their true location of origin and 93.3% to their cluster of origin. We used the GRDB to assign 22 confiscated individuals (17 of which were reintroduced), and 3 corpses to both localities and clusters of origin. We assigned with a probability >70% the locality of origin of 14 individuals and the cluster of origin of 21. We found that most of the confiscated individuals were assigned to one cluster (F-Ch-C) and two localities included in the GRDB, suggesting that trafficked A. caraya primarily originated in this area. Our results reveal that only 4 of 17 reintroduced individua...
The black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) is a neotropical primate threatened by habitat loss and capture for illegal trade in Argentina. Using multilocus microsatellite genotypes from 178 A. caraya individuals sampled from 15... more
The black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) is a neotropical primate threatened by habitat loss and capture for illegal trade in Argentina. Using multilocus microsatellite genotypes from 178 A. caraya individuals sampled from 15 localities in Argentina, we built a genotype reference database (GRDB). Bayesian assignment methods applied to the GRDB allowed us to correctly re-assign 73% of individuals to their true location of origin and 93.3% to their cluster of origin. We used the GRDB to assign 22 confiscated individuals (17 of which were reintroduced), and 3 corpses to both localities and clusters of origin. We assigned with a probability >70% the locality of origin of 14 individuals and the cluster of origin of 21. We found that most of the confiscated individuals were assigned to one cluster (F-Ch-C) and two localities included in the GRDB, suggesting that trafficked A. caraya primarily originated in this area. Our results reveal that only 4 of 17 reintroduced individua...
We present data from a new study of Corythalia conferta Bayer, Höfer & Metzner, a recently described species that inhabits southern South America. A distribution update, morphological illustrations, and phylogeny of related Corythalia C.... more
We present data from a new study of Corythalia conferta Bayer, Höfer & Metzner, a recently described species that inhabits southern South America. A distribution update, morphological illustrations, and phylogeny of related Corythalia C. L. Koch species are presented. Also, we present data that suggest that this species may be the first Corythalia known to specialize in hunting ants (Formicidae). We describe its hunting behavior and habitat. During a 300 hour field study, we recorded 86 prey items, 98.8% of which were ants of 11 different species.
Research Interests:
In South America, yellow fever (YF) is an established infectious disease that has been identified outside of its traditional endemic areas, affecting human and nonhuman primate (NHP) populations. In the epidemics that occurred in... more
In South America, yellow fever (YF) is an established infectious disease that has been identified outside of its traditional endemic areas, affecting human and nonhuman primate (NHP) populations. In the epidemics that occurred in Argentina between 2007-2009, several outbreaks affecting humans and howler monkeys (Alouatta spp) were reported, highlighting the importance of this disease in the context of conservation medicine and public health policies. Considering the lack of information about YF dynamics in New World NHP, our main goal was to apply modelling tools to better understand YF transmission dynamics among endangered brown howler monkey (Alouatta guariba clamitans) populations in northeastern Argentina. Two complementary modelling tools were used to evaluate brown howler population dynamics in the presence of the disease: Vortex, a stochastic demographic simulation model, and Outbreak, a stochastic disease epidemiology simulation. The baseline model of YF disease epidemiology predicted a very high probability of population decline over the next 100 years. We believe the modelling approach discussed here is a reasonable description of the disease and its effects on the howler monkey population and can be useful to support evidence-based decision-making to guide actions at a regional level.
Research Interests:
Given their great variability, microsatellites or STRs became the most commonly used genetic markers over the last 15 years. The analysis of these markers requires minimum quantities of DNA, allowing the use of non invasive samples, such... more
Given their great variability, microsatellites or STRs became the most commonly used genetic markers over the last 15 years. The analysis of these markers requires minimum quantities of DNA, allowing the use of non invasive samples, such as feces or hair. We amplified the microsatellite Ap74 in blood and hair samples in order to analyze the levels of genomic conservation among a wide range of primates including: Lemur catta, Alouatta caraya, Ateles belzebuth, Ateles chamek, Pan troglodytes, Papio sp., and Homo sapiens. In all cases we obtained amplification products that exhibited similar size both in monkeys and human (oscillating between 126 and 176 bp), except in the lemur where the detected fragment presented a size of approximately 1000 bp. The analysis of the nucleotide sequences permitted the evaluation of the molecular modifications experienced during the evolutionary process in primates.
Research Interests:
Page 1. Abstract Habitat loss and fragmentation can influ-ence the genetic structure of biological populations. We studied the genetic consequences of habitat frag-mentation in Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) populations.... more
Page 1. Abstract Habitat loss and fragmentation can influ-ence the genetic structure of biological populations. We studied the genetic consequences of habitat frag-mentation in Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) populations. ...