SCENT-MARKING BEHAVIOR IN FREE-RANGING GOLDEN-FACED SAKI MONKEYS, PITHECIA-PITHECIA-CHRYSOCEPHALA - SEX-DIFFERENCES AND CONTEXT

Scent-marking behaviour of golden-faced saki monkey, Pithecia pithecia chrysocephala, was observed intermittently between 1987 and 1990 for a family group in a Central Amazonian forest fragment. Of 95 scent-mar king events (during 275.5 hours of observation), throat-and-chest rubb ing accounted for all except one anogenital rubbing. Nine of the throa t-and-chest markings also involved touching groin with hands and eight markings (including the anogenital), urinating on the marked branch. Marking behaviour is strongly sex related, with the adult male making 88.4% of the markings. Scent-marking frequency by the adult male incre ased during breeding periods. Scent-marking behaviour seems related to courtship, and possibly stimulates sexual behaviour. All regularly ma rked spots consisted of horizontal branches on commonly travelled rout es. Eleven occurred in feeding trees and lianas, but none in sleeping trees. Scent-marking behaviour in the monkeys studied here was not rel ated to intergroup encounters and probably did not have a territorial function, although it may do so where different groups interact.