title: Sleeping site selection by golden-backed uacaris, Cacajao melanocephalus ouakary (Pitheciidae), in Amazonian flooded forests.
abstract: In Amazonian seasonally flooded forest (igapó), golden-backed uacaris, Cacajao melanocephalus ouakary, show high selectivity for sleeping trees. Of 89 tree species in igapó, only 16 were used for sleeping (18%). Hydrochorea marginata (Fabaceae) and Ormosia paraensis (Fabaceae) were used most frequently (41% of records) despite being uncommon (Ivlev electivity ratios were 0.76, and 0.84, respectively), though the third most commonly used species (11%), Amanoa oblongifolia (Euphorbiaceae), was selected at near parity. All three species have broad, open canopies with large horizontal limbs and uncluttered interiors. Compared with random trees, sleeping trees had above average diameter at breast height (DBH) and height, lacked lianas and wasp nests, and were more frequently within 5 m of open water. Uacaris generally slept one adult per tree or widely separated in the same canopy and on the outer third of the branch. These behaviours are interpreted as maximising detection of both aerial and arboreal predators.
authors.affiliation: Roehampton University, London, SW15 4JD, UK. adrian.barnett1@gmail.com
authors.forename: Adrian Ashton
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Wilson R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Spironello
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: MacLarnon
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001938:Brazil; D017753:Ecosystem; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D020387:Food Chain; D008297:Male; D053820:Pitheciidae / Q000523:psychology*; D012890:Sleep; D014197:Trees / Q000033:anatomy & histology