Feeding habits of marmosets: A case study of bark anatomy and chemical composition of Anadenanthera peregrina gum.
Primates of the genus Callithrix often obtain exudates from plants of the family Fabaceae. This study characterizes the chemical composition of exudates, and the anatomy and hystochemistry of the secretory ducts in the bark of Anadenanthera peregrina (L.) Speg. var. peregrina (Fabaceae). Exudates from this tree species represent an important component of the diet of hybrid marmosets, Callithrix spp. (Primates: Cebidae). A. peregrina was selected as the focal study tree because it is the only gum tree species exploited by Callithrix groups present within five urban forest fragments in the municipality of Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Gum samples were obtained directly from gouges made by the marmosets, while bark samples were obtained from A. peregrina plants, whether or not they were damaged by the marmosets. Constitutive secretory ducts were present in the bark of ungouged A. peregrina, whereas, marmoset damage caused induced secretory duct formation and an increase in the size of these ducts. The gum produced in the gouges made by the marmosets and in ungouged plants reacted positively to tests for polysaccharides, pectin, mucilage, and proteins. The gum from the gouges exhibited high water (41.0%), carbohydrate (38.2%), protein (19.0%), and mineral (Ca 0.4% and K 0.3%) content. We argue that the relatively high calcium content of A. peregrina gum plays an important nutritional role in, balancing a diet that is otherwise rich in phosphorous and poor in calcium.
Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil.|Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense - Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brasil.
Talitha Mayumi
TM
Francisco
Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil.
Karina Lucas Barbosa
KL
Lopes-Mattos
Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil.
Edgard Augusto de Toledo
EA
Picoli
Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Dayvid Rodrigues
DR
Couto
Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil.
Juraci Alves
JA
Oliveira
Departamento de Entomologia/BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil.
José Cola
JC
Zanuncio
Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil.
José Eduardo
JE
Serrão
Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil.
Ita
I
de Oliveira Silva
Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil.
Vanner
V
Boere
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002144:Callithrix; D004032:Diet; D007887:Fabaceae; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005881:Gingiva / Q000737:chemistry*; D024301:Plant Bark
Callithrix; Callitrichinae; calcium; food resource; mineral; vegetable exudates