Food sharing in black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus)

Food sharing behavior was investigated by studying 10 captive black lion ta marin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) infants (six litters) between the ages o f four and 26 weeks. The frequency of sharing by parents in response to inf ant begging increased steadily from the age of five to nine weeks, but then declined gradually, although infants were still receiving food even at 26 weeks. Until the age of 15 weeks, infants received more food items by trans fer from other group members than they did from self-feeding. Thereafter, s elf-feeding predominated. Offering of food by adults without prior infant b egging occurred at low frequencies (5.3% of items transferred) and ceased a t 20 weeks of age. Begging success (the proportion of infant begs which res ulted ill food sharing) remained relatively constant, averaging 65%. In com mon with other lion tamarins, black lion tamarins appear to continue to sha re food with infants well after weaning, and until at least six months of a ge. Am. J. Primatol. 52:47-54, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.