Mother-pup in spider monkeys (Ateles paniscus)

Authors

  • Luciane Bizari Coin de Carvalho
  • Emma Otta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/psi.v2i1.7648

Keywords:

development, infant, spider monkey, New-World monkey, Ethology

Abstract

Mother-infant interaction theories in non-human primates confer to the mother a very important and decisive role in infant development. Due to his motor development and the increase of curiosity for the enviroment and other members of the group. The infant withdraws from the mother and learns to live alone, but to request her care for a long time. Parental investment becomes progressively less necessary, and the mother disposes her energy in other activities. Conflict appears when mother and infant have different interests. The aim of our research is to analyse the independence process of infant spider-monkey (Ateles paniscus). New World monkeys have been less studied than Old World monkeys and great apes. We observed four male and four female infants, during the first two years of life. The observations in a total of 327 hours were made in the Zoological Park in São Paulo. We checked a gradual decrease in the mother-infant contact. Mother-infant contact decreased from 100%-91% during the first six month to 50% at the end of the first year. In comparison to Old World Monkeys, this is a slow development pace. Rhesus monkeys, for instance, attain a comparable index at five month. Slow infant development can be associated with arboreal species and fast infant development to terrestrial ones. The dangers of a fall are high and a young infant can die if it falls from five meters or more.

Keywords: development, infant, spider monkey, New-World monkey, Ethology.

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How to Cite

de Carvalho, L. B. C., & Otta, E. (1998). Mother-pup in spider monkeys (Ateles paniscus). Interação Em Psicologia, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.5380/psi.v2i1.7648

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (1998)

Section

Articles

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