Anointing behavior with millipedes by a wild group of Caribbean night monkeys (Aotus griseimembra) in Colombia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31687/SaremNMS24.08.6Keywords:
allo-anointing, medicinal, nocturnal primates, repellent, self-anointingAbstract
Anointing occurs when animals rub substances on their own or other individuals' bodies for various purposes. Although this behavior has been described in several species, it has only been observed in captivity in night monkeys. We present the first report of anointing (self and allo-anointing) in wild night monkeys, occurring specifically in the Caribbean night monkey (Aotus griseimembra Elliot,
1912). The event involved three of the five individuals in the group writhing, closing their eyes, and salivating. Anointing in wild night monkeys may be related to auto-medication or may serve as an insect repellent, or both, considering the chemical characteristics of millipedes.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Sebastián O. Montilla, Maria José Pinilla-Aristizábal, Lina Antares Tachai Echavarría-Plata, César A. Correa-Piñeros, Nicolás Corredor-Ospina, Andrés Link
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