Stone throwing as a sexual display in wild female bearded capuchin monkeys, Sapajus libidinosus

PLoS One. 2013 Nov 21;8(11):e79535. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079535. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) in captive settings frequently manipulate and throw objects. In the wild, they may push or drop stones and sticks toward targets during inter- or intraspecific threat displays. In addition, female capuchin monkeys exhibit a broad repertoire of behaviors during their proceptive period, including facial expressions, vocalizations, stereotyped body postures, and touch-and-run behavior. This study reports stone throwing as a newly-described communicative behavior during the proceptive display of females in a group of bearded capuchin monkeys (S. libidinosus) in Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil. During a two-year study, three females from one group were seen throwing stones at males during their proceptive phase. After this period, three other females in the same group exhibited the same behavior. Although it may be possible that this pattern is the result of several independent innovations by each female, the apparent absence of this behavior in other groups leads us to suggest that we have documented the diffusion of a new behavioral trait or tradition within this capuchin social group.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology*
  • Cebus / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Sexual Behavior / physiology
  • Tool Use Behavior / physiology

Grants and funding

The research was supported by grants from FAPESP (www.fapesp.br - 2006/07187-5; 2006/07190-6), CNPq (www.cnpq.br), and Capes (www.capes.gov.br). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.