Brazil's primates had been completely neglected by the national scientific cornmunity, which should had recognized the importance of studying and conserving this unique resource through the establishment of well-equipped centers of primatology. In most developed countries where no species of primates occur naturally, primates have been studied since the 1930's. Up to the 1960's, the value of non-human primates for scientific studies, even those about biomedical research, was overlooked when seven major Regional Primate Research Centers had already been established in the United States by the National Institute of Health. In spite of their value, many primates are today threatened due to the rapid destruction of their forests, besides being hunted for food and illegal commerce. A large number of species and subspecies are now endangered. Concern for the numerous species already evidency threatened grew in the 1960s, but it was only towards the end of the 1970s that projects and research programs on the biology, ecology and behavior of these animals began to appear in Brazilian universities and research centers. The first primatological conservation nucleus was established in 1961, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which in its evolution resulted the Rio de Janeiro Primate Center. The aim was to promote and carry out research for the preservation of the golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) in situ, as well as its propagation ex-situ. This initiative was followed by the establishment of similar nuclei in other parts of the country. Key words: Primatology, Brazil, history.INTRODUCAOA fauna primatologica mundial e muito rica (Wilson & Reeder, 1993), existindo mais de 270 especies, alem de numerosas subespecies, que se distribuem pelas regioes tropicais da Terra, com poucas excecoes verdadeiramente subtropicais. O numero de especies, contudo, varia segundo o ponto de vista dos autores e com a descoberta de novas especies, fato frequente no Brasil (Fonseca et ai., 1996), onde tem sido descobertas recentemente formas novas na Amazonia e, ate mesmo em infimo remanescente da Mata Atlantica em Sergipe (Kobayashi e Langguth, 1999).A importancia cientifica dos primatas nao-humanos e indiscutivel e eles representam valioso patrimonio, cujas potencialidades obvias sao facilmente percebidas atraves das multiplas investigacoes cientificas, principalmente biomedicas e farmaceuticas, onde sao mais utilizados. Por esta razao, e paradoxal que, ate ha poucos decenios, tamanha riqueza estava sendo negligenciada pela politica cientifica nacional, a qual cabia prestigiar a Primatologia e colaborar de modo objetivo na preservacao dos simios brasileiros. Acerca do apoio e do fomento a Primatologia brasileira, merecem atencao os enfoques reflexivos de Faria (1986). Frise-se que na quase totalidade dos paises adiantados inexiste qualquer especie de simio nativo, embora por longo tempo se realizassem nessas nacoes importantes estudos sobre esses animais, e desde 1964 ja houvessem fundado a International Primatological Society.No Brasil, nos idos de 1950-1960, mesmo pessoas razoavelmente esclarecidas desconheciam a importancia dos primatas na pesquisa cientifica. Ignorava-se que os EUA ja dispusessem de sete bem organizados e equipados Primate Centers, pertencentes ao National Institute of Health, onde se desenvolvem sofisticados estudos na area biomedica.Apesar de muito importantes, Os primatas brasileiros permanecem pouco conhecidos sob multiplos aspectos da sua biologia, etologia e