Social play of wild black-tufted-marmosets in the forest

Abstract

Locomotion can affect the performance (amount) of play behavior in marmosets due to high metabolic costs for primates. In addition, climatic conditions are known to limit the daily activities of marmosets. This study investigates the behavior of social play in wild marmosets and some limitations related to locomotion activities, daily travel and the seasonality of play. Two wild groups were observed with the focal method during the dry and wet seasons and all occurrences of play and locomotion were recorded. Adults played significantly less than juveniles, which played more than infants, and infants, more than the adults did. The reproductive couples played minimally. There was not a relationship between the distance traveled and the mean frequency of play. Nevertheless, all the age categories played significantly more in the wet season than the dry season. The independence to move and forage can explain higher play behavior of juveniles in relation to the infants. The adults and the reproductive couples, have higher energy costs in the group activities, such reproduction, compared to other age class, limiting their amount of play in relation to the juveniles and infants. We conclude that play behavior of juveniles black-tufted marmosets, does could not be impacted by daily locomotion unequivocally, but adults and infants, otherwise, are limited by other energetic costs and dependence to locomotion, respectively.