title: Extension of the geographic range of Ateles chamek (Primates, Atelidae): evidence of river-barrier crossing by an amazonian primate.
abstract: The black-faced black spider monkey (Ateles chamek) is endangered because of hunting and habitat loss. There are many gaps in our understanding of its geographic distribution. The Ucayali-Solimões-Amazon fluvial complex is currently recognized as the northern boundary of the species' range, although published reports have indicated that it occurs north of the Rio Solimões. In this study we investigate published records, generate new field records, and assess the current information concerning the northern boundary of this species' range. We conducted the study at the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve in the central Brazilian Amazon, an area of 1,124,000 ha that consists entirely of Amazonian flooded forest (várzea). We collected data on the occurrence of the species from museum specimens and through field surveys, including interviews with local residents, direct observations, and the collection of new museum specimens. We confirmed the presence of A. chamek at 17 locations in the reserve, one of which was an island formed by a river bend cut-off that would have effectively taken any resident spider to the (new) north bank of the Solimões. We therefore conclude that fluvial dynamics were involved in creating the conditions for the dispersal and colonization of the species on the northern bank of the Rio Solimões. The data we present extends the known distribution of the species and increases its representation in protected areas.
authors: Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Estrada do Bexiga, 2584, Bairro Fonte Boa, Tefé, AM, 69550-000, Brazil. rmrabelo@gmail.com.
authors: Rafael Magalhães
authors: RM
authors: Rabelo
authors: Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Estrada do Bexiga, 2584, Bairro Fonte Boa, Tefé, AM, 69550-000, Brazil.
authors: Felipe Ennes
authors: FE
authors: Silva
authors: Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Estrada do Bexiga, 2584, Bairro Fonte Boa, Tefé, AM, 69550-000, Brazil.
authors: Tatiana
authors: T
authors: Vieira
authors: Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Estrada do Bexiga, 2584, Bairro Fonte Boa, Tefé, AM, 69550-000, Brazil.
authors: Jefferson
authors: J
authors: Ferreira-Ferreira
authors: Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Estrada do Bexiga, 2584, Bairro Fonte Boa, Tefé, AM, 69550-000, Brazil.
authors: Fernanda Pozzan
authors: FP
authors: Paim
authors: Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Estrada do Bexiga, 2584, Bairro Fonte Boa, Tefé, AM, 69550-000, Brazil.
authors: Wallace
authors: W
authors: Dutra
authors: Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, PA, Brazil.
authors: José
authors: J
authors: de Souza e Silva Júnior
authors: Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Estrada do Bexiga, 2584, Bairro Fonte Boa, Tefé, AM, 69550-000, Brazil.
authors: João
authors: J
authors: Valsecchi
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D053819:Atelinae; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D045483:Rivers
keywords: Amazon; Biogeography; Fluvial islands; River dynamics; Spider monkey