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Background: There are few studies on the physiology and haematology of rescued bearded capuchin monkeys. These are necessary to better understand the health and welfare status of the animals, including when performing reintroductions, and to avoid zoonoses. Methods: We aimed to obtain physiological and haematological values, morphometry and parasitological status of 26 bearded capuchins in two rescue centres in Northeast Brazil. Results: We found sex‐ and age‐related differences in respiratory rate, body weight and body mass index, but not haematology. The haematological values obtained were significantly different from published data but within the reference intervals for the species. Animals infected with Ancylostoma spp. had significantly lower values in the parameters: haemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration than non‐infected individuals. Conclusion: Physiological and haematological values of rescued capuchins were similar to those found in previous studies. Ancylostomiasis appears to cause alterations to haematological values of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patterns of coalitionary behavior observed in a semifree-ranging group of Cebus apella is presented and the effects of kinship, spatial proximity and rank on behavior are explored. Kinship does not influence coalitionary behavior, although individuals tend to help those in close proximity, but rank is most influential on behavior and most coalitions are protective interventions involving immatures, although there is evidence of knowledge of harmony among individuals.

The use of set theory and the graph theory concept of directed tree as a more general method for describing dominance organization is presented. The dominance tree analysis method is illustrated by analyzing hypothetical data sets that were devised to mimic the complexities generally found in real data sets.

Studies on diverse species indicate the existence of individual differences in stress coping strategies labelled as ‘proactive’ and ‘reactive’. Identifying taxonomic distribution of such coping strategies is fundamental to evolutionary models and to management of captive animals. Capuchin monkeys ( Sapajus spp.) are neotropical primates noted for their cognitive skills and behavioural plasticity. The capuchin clade faces increasing threats from Human Induced Rapid Environment Change, and a growing number of animals are kept in rescue centers and zoos. Based on an ethogram with 28 behavioural categories, we employed Principal Component Analysis to explore differences in behaviour potentially indicative of stress (BPIS) in a sample of 123 captive brown capuchins. We identified five principal components summarising BPIS and labelled as: Restless, Self-narcotizing/fear, Self-protection, Stereotyped, and Help-seek. Multivariate GLM and regression analyses indicated no sex differences. It was not possible to map the five components onto the five personality dimensions recently described for capuchins. However, two of the patterns (Restless and Self-protection) parallel the two coping strategies described in several other species (Proactive and Reactive), and may reflect stress-reactivity that is conserved across species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fission-fusion dynamics seem to reflect individual decisions as well as temporal and spatial variations in the organization of groups of the same species. To understand the group dynamics of the Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, at Pipa Bay, Brazil, we investigated the three dimensions of a fission-fusion social system: (1) variation in spatial cohesion, (2) variation in party size, and (3) variation in party composition. Sampling took place from December 2007 to February 2009 over 176 d and we analyzed the behavioral patterns of 658 groups. Within subgroups, animals remained cohesive, particularly in groups of adults and calves. Greater cohesion was also observed during resting and fission-fusion rates were higher during milling and feeding. Groups composed of adults and juveniles showed a higher dynamics index (group size variation as a function of time) than groups composed only of adults and the fission-fusion rate was higher during dry periods. Guiana dolphin groups frequently changed their group size and composition every 20 min on average. Taking these factors into consideration, we suggest that the Guiana dolphin demonstrates fission-fusion dynamics, a pattern of behavior similar to what has been observed in other coastal odontocete species, such as Tursiops spp. and Lagenorhynchus obscurus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'Capuchin research community roundtable: working together towards a comparative biology of Cebus and Sapajus' was held at the International Primatological Society Congress in Cancún, Mexico, August 2012. Goals of the roundtable were to strengthen interactions among the capuchin research community, and to prioritize and coordinate research and training in a more systematic and interactive way in light of increasing conservation urgency. New phylogenetic and biogeographic evidence highlights the distinct evolutionary histories of the two radiations of capuchin monkeys, Cebus (untufted or gracile capuchins) and Sapajus (tufted or robust capuchins), that were formerly lumped under Cebus, and points to a higher number of species, or Evolutionarily Significant Units, in each compared to past capuchin taxonomies. Many of the lesser-known species face increasing fragmentation and destruction of habitat, and most populations of still non-threatened species face encroachment from human settlements. Here, we present capuchin research priorities and urgent issues based on the discussion by capuchin researchers in the roundtable. These include a call for the immediate end to the use of the name Cebus apella and the employment of the term Sapajus spp. instead for captive robust capuchins of unknown origin; for the implementation of rapid assessments for previously unstudied capuchin species or populations in biomes of interest; for the development of standardized methods to allow for comparative analyses across capuchin field sites; and for the creation and maintenance of an open-access website for capuchin monkey data. Finally, we planned the creation of an international Capuchin Action Network, to help disseminate research information; to work as a research community in a more efficient, collaborative manner; to help prioritize research and conservation goals as a community of experts; and to strengthen our political voice. Am. J. Primatol. 76:705-720, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]