Saguinus niger
Creators: name: Russell A. Mittermeier
name: Anthony B. Rylands
name: Don E. Wilson
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Primates
Callitrichidae
Saguinus
Saguinus niger

description: 37.
Black-handed Tamarin
Saguinus niger
French: Tamarin noir / German: Mohrentamarin / Spanish: Tamarin de manos negras Other common names: Black Tamarin
Taxonomy. Sagouin niger E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1803,
Cayenne [French Guiana]. Restricted by P. Hershkovitz in 1977 to Belém, Para State, Brazil.
Formerly considered a subspecies of S. midas. No subspecies are recognized here, but molecular genetic studies have indicated distinct taxa on either side of the Rio Tocantins. Mystax wursulus umbratus described by O. Thomas in 1922 from Cameta, Rio Tocantins, Para, may in this case be considered a distinct taxon. A. Cabrera in his 1957 compilation mentioned the form wumbratus as of doubtful validity but recommended further study of the tamarins on either side of the Rio Tocantins. Monotypic.
Distribution. Brazilian Amazon, S of the Rio Amazonas, E of the Rio Xingu and Rio Fresco as far as the coast, E to the interfluvium of the rios Itapecuru and Mearim, and in the W part of Marajo I.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 21-26 cm, tail 32-40 cm; weight mean 431 g (males, n = 6) and 428 g (females, n = 9). The Black-handed Tamarin is generally similar in morphology to the Midas Tamarin (S. midas) but smaller and with larger ears. In a comparative analysis of tooth shape in the genus it was found that Midas and Blackhanded tamarins were as different from each other as were the Red-bellied Tamarin (S. labiatus) and the Mustached Tamarin (S. mystax) and showed a greater difference than was found between Spix’s Saddle-back Tamarin (S. fuscicollis) and the Black-mantled Tamarin (S. nigricollis). This reinforced the argument that they be considered separate species. The fur is entirely black, except the lower back, which is marbled with buff. Facial skin is black.
Habitat. Primary lowland, montane, submontane, and secondary forest, swamps, and forest edge. It is sympatric with the Silvery Marmoset (Mico argentatus) in lowland forests in the northern part of its distribution but not in the upland (Brazilian Shield) area east of the Rio Xingu to the south, where floristic composition of upland forest might not favor coexistence of the two species. A six-month study in a 210-ha forest in Paragominas, Para, found seasonal differences in use of tall mature forest and secondary growth, associated with changes in distribution of their sources offruits. In the dry season, groups spent more than one-half of their time in mature forest and less than one-third of their time in secondary forest. In the wet season, fruiting trees were more available (more trees and a greater variety of species) in the secondary forest, and the reverse was true in mature forest. In the dry season, fruit was similarly distributed between mature and secondary forests. During a five-month study in the Caxiuana National Forest, Pard, a group spent ¢.39% ofits time in secondary forest, 42% in primary forest, 6% in seasonally flooded (black-water) forest (igapo), and 12% in edge habitat. Their ability to survive in a selectively logged and disturbed forest (broken canopy and clearings) was demonstrated in a study of a group in a 25-ha forest patch in the Brazil National Primate Center in the suburbs of Belem.
Food and Feeding. There have been three studies of feeding behavior and ecology of the Black-handed Tamarin: one of a group of 4-7 individuals for six months (1995-1996) in a 210-ha forest in Paragominas, Para, another of a group of 3-5 individuals for five months (1996) in the Caxiuana National Forest, and a third group of 5-7 individuals for five months (2000) in an urbanized forest in Ananindeua, Para, at the Brazil National Primate Center. The Paragominas group was unusually frugivorous, with fruit comprising 87-5% of the diet: 82:8% in the dry season and 90-8% in the wet season. Gum from the large hanging seed pods of Parkia pendula (Fabaceae) comprised 8:6% of the diet in the dry season. Seventeen species of trees provided fruits: eight in secondary forest, six in both secondary and mature primary forest, and three in primary forest (P. pendula grew only in primary forest). Genera providing fruits included Rollinia (Annonaceae), Inga (Fabaceae), Myrcia (Myrtaceae), Bagassa (Moraceae), Tetragastris (Burseraceae), Pourouma (Urticaceae), and Achrouteria, Chrysophyllum, Pouteria, and Manilkara (all Sapotaceae). Black-handed Tamarins swallowed and defecated intact seeds of at least six of these species. All were quite large, but with a diameter of less than 1 cm or a length of less than 2 cm. Passage time for these seeds was two to four hours, or sufficient time for the tamarins to travel 300-500 m from the parent tree. The diet of the group in Caxiuana was more diverse, including fruits (largely fleshy mesocarps and arils) of 46 species, nectar of four species, and gums of eight species. Sapotacaeae, Fabaceae, and Burseraceae were the most important families. During the five months of study, 49% of the time was spent feeding on fruit, 28% nectar, and 18% gums 18%. Five percent was dedicate to small animal prey. Fruits were predominant and more diverse (85% of the species exploited) in the wet season. Three species were particularly important in providing fruits in the dry season: Byrsonima aerugo (Malpighiceae), Goupia glabra (Goupiaceae), and Inga laterifolia (Fabaceae). Gums and nectar were important in the dry season. Gums were obtained from three species of Parkia (Fabaceae), two from their fruits (£. pendula and P. cf. oppositifolia); Tapirira guianensis and Anacardium giganteum (both Anacardiceae); Vochysia obscura (Vochysiaceae); Cochlospermum orinocense (Cochlospermaceae); and Sterculia pruriens (Sterculiaceae). Black-handed Tamarins exploited gums exuded from the holes gouged by sympatric Silvery Marmosets. Nectar, eaten only in the dry season, was taken from flowers of Symphonia globulifera (found in the seasonally flooded forest), a species of Moronobea (Clusiaceae), Lacmellea aculeata (Apocynaceae), and Inga alba (Fabaceae). Seasonal differences in the diet were apparent in this study. In the wet season, fruits made up 95% and gum 5% of the plant feeding records. In the dry season, fruits were reduced to 26%, nectar made up 45%, and gum 25%. In the Ananindeua group, consumption of fruits of nine species comprised 94% of the feeding records, and seeds of four of them were ingested. The remaining 6% of the records was feeding on insects, mainly orthopterans.
Breeding. Newborn Black-handed Tamarins have been observed in January (early wet season) and late July (dry season).
Activity patterns. The daily activity budget for the group of Black-handed Tamarins studied in Caxiuana National Forest for five months was: 42% traveling, 20% foraging for animal prey, 18% feeding, 14% resting, and 6% social activities. The group used all levels of the forest to above 30 m but spent more than one-third ofits time 6-20 m above the forest floor. A similar activity budget was recorded for the Ananindeua group, but slightly more time was spent traveling (59%, believed to be due to them being skittish), less time foraging (10%) and resting (10%), but about the same amount of time feeding on fruits (16%) and in social activities (5%). As with the Caxiuana study, the Ananindeua group spent the majority ofits time in the middle and lower canopy and understory at 5-20 m.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Group sizes of the Black-handed Tamarin are 2-8 individuals. Home range of the group of 4-7 individuals at Paragominas was 28 ha during six months; that of the group of 3-5 individuals studied for five months in Caxiuana was ¢.37 ha. Although home ranges of Black-handed Tamarin groups overlap those of Silvery Marmosets, there is no evidence of associations between the two species, as has been found for Rondon’s Marmoset (Mico rondoni) and Weddell’s Saddle-back Tamarin (S. weddelli). This may be due to the fact that Blackhanded Tamarins and Silvery Marmosets are similar in size and have similar foraging strategies for animal prey, whereas the foraging strategy of Weddell’s Saddle-back Tamarin—typically foraging in specific sites (crevices and knot holes) and from the forest floor to 10 m above the ground—is quite distinct from that of Rondon’s Marmoset. At Caxiuana, Silvery Marmosets eat gums throughout the year, use secondary growth more than Black-handed Tamarins, and have smaller home ranges of c.13 ha. Systematic monitoring of Black-handed Tamarin numbers in part of Caxiuana provided density estimates of 10-5 ind/km? or 2-5 groups/km?. Surveys in four localities in Paragominas, provided density estimates of 10-4-23-3 ind/km?.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Unfortunately, the Black-handed Tamarin occurs in one ofthe fastest developing regions of Brazil, and currently protected areas within its distribution have been negatively wrecked (e.g. Gurupi Biological Reserve). It occurs in Caxiuana National Forest, Gurupi Biological Reserve, and Tapirapé Biological Reserve.
Bibliography. Cabrera (1957), Fernandes et al. (1995), Ferrari & Lopes (1990a, 1996), Hershkovitz (1977), Lima et al. (1997), Muniz et al. (1986), Nagamachi & Pieczarka (1988), Natori & Hanihara (1992), Oliveira (1996), Oliveira & Ferrari (2000, 2008), Peres (1989c), Silva (1999), Silva & Ferrari (2007), Snowdon & Soini (1988), Tagliaro et al. (2005), Vallinoto et al. (2006), Veracini (2000, 2002).
description: Published as part of Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson, 2013, Callitrichiade, pp. 262-346 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 3 Primates, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 336-337, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5730714