Ornate titi monkey

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Ornate titi
Callicebus ornatus.jpg
Ornate titi in Cali Zoo
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Pitheciidae
Genus: Plecturocebus
Species:
P. ornatus
Binomial name
Plecturocebus ornatus
(J. E. Gray, 1866)
Ornate Titi area.png
Ornate titi range
Synonyms

Callicebus ornatusGray, 1866

The ornate titi monkey (Plecturocebus ornatus) is a species of titi monkey and is the smallest member of the family Pitheciidae, which also includes uakaris and saki monkeys. As it is a member of this family, it is classified as a type of New World monkey. It is endemic to eastern Colombia, [2] and the only member of the Plecturocebus moloch group to occur north of the Rios Amazonas/Solimes/Napo axis, living at least 350 km away from the closest other member, the white-tailed titi (Plecturocebus discolor), which lives in the south of Colombia. It was once classified as the same species as the white-tailed titi, but is now officially recognized as its own species. [3] The ornate titi is also terrestrial. [4]

Contents

The ornate titi is present on the IUCN Red List of endangered species, being recognized as “Vulnerable”, and having a general decrease in population trends.

Description

The ornate titi has a thick, dense, fluffy, coat, with white ears and forehead, and grey hands and feet. The rest of the body is a bright chestnut red, apart from the tail, which is a dark-reddish brown or black, becoming white at the tip, and, similar to most titi species, is longer than its body. Male and female ornate titis do not differentiate significantly in appearance, however, generally, females tend to be larger, with an average male body length of 633 mm, and an average female body length of 752 mm. [5] [3]

Biology

Habitat and threats

The ornate titi lives in the department of Cundinamarca (Medina) north as far as the lower Ro Upa/Ro Meta, and south into the department of Meta, along the base of the Cordillera Oriental and the Sierra de la Macarena to the Ro Guayabero/upper Ro Guaviare. It mainly inhabits the tropic and sub-tropic levels of the forest, generally preferring areas with dense vegetation, such as thickets, tangles, thorny underbrushes and wet or even waterlogged areas.

The ornate titi tends to sleep in vine tangles located on small branches of trees, generally preferring to be at least 15 m (49 ft) off of the ground. Like other members of the moloch group, the ornate titi is considered tolerant of seasonal flooding and disturbances within its habitat, and is commonly found living in areas of forest disturbed by humans, in particular thriving on highly disturbed habitats. [6] However, due to the continuous expanding of human settlements and therefore declination of both the size and quality of the ornate titi’s habitat, the presence of the species has become severely fragmented, with the current approximate area of habituated land around 20,000 km a decline of 30% in the last 24 years, and has been listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN since 1994 and is listed on Appendix II of CITES. [4] [7]

Decline in habitat has also led to a change in population, with a recorded population density of 5 individuals/km, and a general decreasing population trend.

Diet

The ornate titi is an omnivore, but its diet is mainly frugivorous, their diet consisting of 70% fruit, 26% leaves, and less than 1% insects, usually with a preference for fruit that is not ripe, or that comes from smaller trees, as they can more efficiently exploit the more concentrated supply. However, they will also eat small (Generally less than 2 cm long) insects, such as moths, butterflies, cocoons, spiders, and ants, and are able to catch flying insects out of the air.

Out of the leaves which make up more than quarter of their diet, the ornate titi tends to prefer small leaves and buds, and during the dry season, their diets will become a lot more vine and bamboo based.

Lifestyle

Due to their mainly herbivorous diet, the ornate titi spends a significant portion of the day sleeping. They usually spend around 60% of their time sleeping, which hugely differs from the white-tailed titi (P. discolor), which spends less than 25%. [6]

The ornate titi is diurnal, rising early in the morning and remaining awake and active until sunrise, however this depends on the season, due to the change in availability in food, particularly fruit, which tends to only appear in abundance in the warmer months. In contrast, an ornate titi may stay in sleeping site for up to four hours after sunrise in colder months. Usually, a titi's daily activity lasts for around 11.5 hours, with feeding taking up around 2.7 hours.

Their day is typically split into two feeding sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening, with a resting session at around midday. The last few hours of the day are generally spent feeding on leaves. [6]

Predators

The predominant and most important predators of all titis are raptors. Several species of raptor have been observed attacking a titi, including the Guianan crested eagle (Morphnus guianensis) and the ornate hawk-eagle (Spizaetus ornatus). Tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) have also been observed killing and consuming an ornate titi. [6]

Reproduction and infant behaviour

The ornate titi is monogamous, and their upbringing is entirely paternal, only ever being passed to the mother to be fed. [8] with the birth season being from December to March, with the smallest infants being born in December to January. [9] The average gestation period for an ornate titi is 128 days (4.2) months, and there have been observations that, during lactation, female titis tend to increase the amount of protein in their diet (Primarily by eating more insects). [6]

Conservation

Some conservation efforts within Colombia have been made, since the species occurs in La Macarena National Park and Tinigua National Park, and although some populations have been observed in protected areas, guerilla activity makes it difficult to monitor. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitheciidae</span> Family of mammals

The Pitheciidae are one of the five families of New World monkeys now recognised. Formerly, they were included in the family Atelidae. The family includes the titis, saki monkeys and uakaris. Most species are native to the Amazon region of Brazil, with some being found from Colombia in the north to Bolivia in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titi monkey</span> Subfamily of New World monkeys

The titis, or titi monkeys, are New World monkeys of the subfamily Callicebinae, which contains three extant genera: Cheracebus, Callicebus, and Plecturocebus. This subfamily also contains the extinct genera Miocallicebus, Homunculus, and Carlocebus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madidi titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The Madidi titi monkey, also known as the GoldenPalace.com monkey or the golden palace monkey, is a titi, a kind of New World monkey, discovered in western Bolivia's Madidi National Park in 2004. Its scientific name is Plecturocebus aureipalatii, the specific epithet meaning "of the Golden Palace", in reference to GoldenPalace.com, an online casino which paid US$650,000 to have the species named after it, with benefits going toward the nonprofit organization that maintains the park where the titi was discovered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The black titi monkey, is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. It was described in 1811 as Calicebus lugens. It is sometimes called the widow monkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collared titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The collared titi monkey is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey. It is endemic to northern Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-fronted titi monkey</span> Species of mammal

The black-fronted titi monkey is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-bellied titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The red-bellied titi monkey or dusky titi is a species of titi monkey, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil. It lives in forests and thickets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-eared titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The white-eared titi monkey also known as the Bolivian titi or Bolivian gray titi, is a species of titi monkey, a type of New World monkey, from eastern Bolivia and an area of western Brazil. The species has a range that extends east from the Manique River in Beni Department, Bolivia to southern Rondônia in Brazil. The southern end of its range includes forests around the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coppery titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The coppery titi monkey or red titi monkey is a species of titi monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. They are found in the Amazon of Brazil and Peru, and perhaps northern Bolivia. It was described as Callithrix cupreus in 1823. These monkeys have a lifespan of a little over 20 years. These monkeys eat certain fruits, insects, and plants. They live in monogamous pairs with interesting ways for vocalizing and protecting themselves from predators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The brown titi monkey is a species of titi monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is endemic to Brazil. It was originally described as Callicebus brunneus in 1842 and transferred to the newly erected genus Plecturocebus in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Bernhard's titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

Prince Bernhard's titi monkey, also called the zog-zog monkey, is a species of titi monkey in the genus Plecturocebus, first described in 2002. It is named after Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. They have varying coloration of gray, black, and agouti, with dark orange in certain regions. They are endemic to Brazil, found mostly in disturbed forest environments. While officially listed as least-concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they may, in fact, be at-risk due to human-caused deforestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colombian black-handed titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The Colombian black-handed titi monkey is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Colombia. It was originally described in the genus Callicebus in 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rio Mayo titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The Rio Mayo titi monkey is a species of titi monkey, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Peru. The Rio Mayo titi, was thought previously to have a small range of origin in the Alto Mayo valley, but research has proven that the range extends southward and reaches the Huayamba River, as well as Bajo Mayo. It had been classified as vulnerable but due to major habitat loss and restricted living space, it is now classified as Critically Endangered. In October 2012, it was included in The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates list. An increase in deforestation is leading to the decrease in available living space for this titi monkey, forcing it to live in sympatry with another species of Callicebus. Yet in some areas, such drastic deforestation has resulted in extremely high population density. The Rio Mayo titi is better adapted to moderately populated areas, thus overpopulation negatively impacts the species. The forests the Rio Mayo titi lives in are being destroyed for agricultural purposes, leaving little forest for the monkeys. They were only seen a few times and featured in museums until 2003 when more research was done on them. In order for this species to survive, their forests need to be protected to avoid overpopulation. Different conservation groups are working to help P. oenanthe survive. Neotropical Primate Conservation, Proyecto Mono Tocón and Amazónicos para la Amazonia are working in the more southern areas to protect the monkey. The Rio Mayo titi is a fairly inconspicuous creature, making observation and research difficult to obtain. Therefore, the traditional use of transect observation to monitor the monkey's population, is less effective. Instead, other methods of calculating the titi monkey's density in certain areas have been taken, such as research into the species-specific calls endemic to a certain area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-tailed titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The white-tailed titi monkey is a species of titi monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It was described in 1848 as Callithrix discolor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caquetá titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The Caquetá titi monkey, also known as the red-bearded titi or the bushy-bearded titi, is a species of titi monkey endemic to Colombia found in the Department of Caquetá region. Taxonomically, it is a member of the "Callicebus cupreus group", following Shunsuke Kobayashi's Callicebus grouping. It was first described by Thomas Defler, Marta Bueno and Javier Garcia in 2010. It is highly endangered due to habitat fragmentation and a small population.

Milton's titi monkey is a species of titi monkey, a type of New World monkey, from southern Amazon rainforest, Brazil. It was named after the Brazilian primatologist Milton Thiago de Mello. Milton's titi was discovered in 2011 by Julio César Dalponte, and recognized as a new species in 2014.

<i>Plecturocebus</i> Genus of New World monkeys

Plecturocebus is one of three genera of titi monkeys.

<i>Cheracebus</i> Genus of New World monkeys

Cheracebus is one of three genera of titi monkeys. Monkeys in this genus, particularly the type species Cheracebus lugens, are sometimes referred to as widow titi monkeys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alta Floresta titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

The Alta Floresta titi monkey, also known as the Groves' titi monkey, is a species of titi monkey, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil. It was described from the municipality of Alta Floresta in the state of Mato Grosso.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toppin's titi monkey</span> Species of New World monkey

Toppin's titi monkey is a species of titi monkey, a type of New World monkey, from Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia.

References

  1. Carretero, X.; Guzmán-Caro, D.C.; Palacios, E.; Stevenson, P.R. (2020). "Plecturocebus ornatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T39928A17974735. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T39928A17974735.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 145. ISBN   0-801-88221-4. OCLC   62265494.
  3. 1 2 "ornatus – Callicebus Database". callicebus.nl. Retrieved 2017-03-04.
  4. 1 2 3 "Ornate Titi - Callicebus ornatus - Details - Encyclopedia of Life". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 2017-03-04.
  5. "Ornate titi monkey videos, photos and facts - Callicebus ornatus". ARKive. Archived from the original on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2017-03-04.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Primate Factsheets: Dusky titi (Callicebus moloch) Taxonomy, Morphology, & Ecology". pin.primate.wisc.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-05.
  7. "Checklist of CITES species". checklist.cites.org. Retrieved 2017-03-04.
  8. "Dusky titi monkeys (Callicebus ornatus)". zocayproject. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  9. "CALLICEBUS ORNATUS, AN ENDEMIC COLOMBIAN SPECIES: DEMOGRAPHY, BEHAVIOR AND CONSERVATION (PDF Download Available)". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2017-03-05.