Colour discrimination in the black-tufted-ear marmoset (Callithrix penicillata): ecological implications.
The dietary diversity of marmosets is substantial, which may reflect differences in their colour vision. This study examined the colour discrimination ability of a gummivore/insectivore callitrichid, Callithrix penicillata, which inhabits the Brazilian cerrado (bush savanna). A series of ecologically relevant tasks, involving a behavioural paradigm of discrimination learning in semi-natural conditions and the usage of ecologically relevant stimuli, was executed. Three marmosets, 2 males and a female, behaved like human dichromats, showing an impaired performance when orange and green stimuli had to be discriminated. In contrast, 2 females resembled human trichromats, discriminating those kinds of pairs. Our data suggest that Callithrix penicillata presents a polymorphic trichromacy, with dichromatic males and dichromatic or trichromatic females.
Pessoa
Daniel M A
DM
Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behaviour and Primate Centre,University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.
Cunha
Juliana F
JF
Tomaz
Carlos
C
Pessoa
Valdir F
VF
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002144:Callithrix / Q000502:physiology*; D003116:Color; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male