Abstract
This chapter reviews the positional behavior and grasping tail use in Alouatta with the specific goal of exploring behavioral diversity among members of this genus. Despite long-term studies, data on positional behavior derive mainly from five species (Alouatta arctoidea, A. macconnelli, A. seniculus, A. palliata, A. caraya) and indicate consistent patterns. A diagonal gait, a deliberate quadrupedal walk along single branches, clambering on multiple branches, and vertical climbing are the major locomotor modes, accompanied by varying rates of tail-assisted suspensory locomotion. These modes occur more frequently on small and medium branches of mainly horizontal inclination. Regarding feeding postures, above branch sitting is dominant, with below branch tail–limb assisted postures variably representing one third of the postural repertoire. Postural behavior mainly takes place on small branches of horizontal and oblique inclinations in tree peripheries. Data on tail use derive from only three species (A. macconnelli, A. seniculus, A. palliata) and consistently indicate that tail-supported behaviors occur more frequently in the context of feeding. Tail-assisted postures appear to increase access to food resources, providing stability and freeing the hands when procuring and processing food items. In addition, the tail is frequently recruited during travel and the context in which it is used depends on both locomotor mode and substrate size. Despite some underlying differences, this positional profile provides evidence that Alouatta evolved into specific adaptive strategies related to social and ecological factors enabling it to exploit multiple habitats throughout central and southern America.
Resumen
Este capítulo revisa el comportamiento posicional y el uso de la cola en Alouatta, con el objetivo específico explorar la diversidad conductual en los miembros del género. A pesar de existir estudios de largo plazo, los datos del comportamiento posicional derivan mayormente de 5 especies (Alouatta arctoidea, A. macconnelli, A. seniculus, A. palliata, A. caraya), todas indicando patrones consistentes. Las formas de locomoción más comunes en el género son el desplazamiento diagonal, un cuadrupedalismo deliberado a lo largo de ramas, el trepado en múltiples ramas y la escalada vertical; todas éstas acompañadas de locomoción suspensoria asistida por la cola en distinto grado. Estos modos suceden con mayor frecuencia sobre ramas pequeñas y medianas, en su mayoría de inclinación horizontal. En cuanto a las posturas durante la alimentación, el sentado sobre las ramas parece dominante, así como el colgado debajo de las ramas asistido por cola y patas/pies; lo que representa un tercio de su repertorio postural. Los comportamientos posturales tienden ocurren principalmente en pequeñas ramas horizontales y oblicuas de la periferia de los árboles. Los reportes de uso de cola derivan de sólo 3 especies (A. macconnelli, A. seniculus, A. palliata) e indican que las conductas apoyadas por la cola ocurren más frecuentemente en contextos de alimentación. Este tipo de posturas asistidas por la cola se incrementan durante el acceso a la comida, al proporcionar mayor estabilidad y libertad en las manos para procurar y procesar los alimentos. Además, la cola es frecuentemente retraída durante el desplazamiento y el contexto en el cual se usa depende tanto del modo de locomoción como del tamaño del sustrato. A pesar de diferencias subyacentes, los perfiles posicionales evidencian que Alouatta evolucionó estrategias adaptativas específicas relacionadas con factores sociales y ecológicos que le permite explotar múltiples hábitats a lo largo de Centro y Sudamérica.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the editors of the book for inviting us to participate in this exciting volume and express our ideas on howler locomotor and postural behavior. Financial support that partly enabled fieldwork relevant to this work was provided by the CNRS and the MNHN (France) and the NSF and Boston University (USA). Many thanks also go to the anonymous referees, whose insightful remarks greatly improved this contribution.
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Youlatos, D., Guillot, D. (2015). Howler Monkey Positional Behavior. In: Kowalewski, M., Garber, P., Cortés-Ortiz, L., Urbani, B., Youlatos, D. (eds) Howler Monkeys. Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1960-4_8
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