Abduction and potential case of predation of an infant howler monkey (Alouatta guariba clamitans) by a tufted capuchin monkey (Sapajus nigritus)

摘要

The likelihood of interspecific interactions between wild primates is particularly high for species with overlapping territories. The sharing of the same or similar ecological niches can result in competition for space or resources, which can lead to agonistic encounters such as predator-prey interactions. Here, we report the observation of an abduction and potential case of predation of an infant howler monkey (Alouatta guariba clamitans) by an adult male capuchin monkey (Sapajus nigritus) in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Evidence of capuchin monkeys' predation of other smaller sympatric primate species has already been reported, as well as description of agonistic interactions between capuchin and howler monkeys, but none as drastic as the case described here. Although we were not able to collect evidence after the abduction, we discuss the events leading up to it and present arguments in favour of the case of interspecific predation or infanticide.