Abstract
Captive social groups of cottonβtop tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) were presented with inanimate and animate stimuli to determine (1) if the tamarins recognize a snake as a dangerous stimulus and (2) whether the tamarins' response was specific to snakes. Fourteen pairs of tamarins were presented with a live boa constrictor, artificial flowers, and an empty box. Animals visually fixated for a longer period of time and emitted a greater frequency of mild alarm, strong alarm, and mobbing vocalizations during the presentations of the snake than during the presentations of either the flowers or the empty box. However, 97% of the alarm and mobbing vocalizations were emitted from only nine of the 28 individuals. In addition, there was no significant increase in locomotory activity and no significant change in avoidance behavior, as would be expected from reports on wild tamarins responding to snakes. Nine of the 14 pairs of tamarins were presented with a laboratory rat, leaves, and an empty box. The laboratory rat was used to test the animals' response to a moving, nonβfood, nonβpredatory stimulus. Animals visually fixated for a longer period of time and emitted a greater frequency of strong alarm and mobbing vocalizations during the presentations of the rat than during the presentations of either the leaves or the empty box. Of the 18 tamarins, seven individuals emitted 91% of the alarm and mobbing vocalizations. There was no significant difference between the number of mild alarm, strong alarm, and mobbing vocalizations emitted during the presentations of the snake and during the presentations of the rat. Results of this study suggest that captive cottonβtop tamarins do not demonstrate an alarm response specific to snakes but may simply display fear to moving objects. In addition, the tamarins did not respond to the snake with the degree of behavioral or vocal intensity, as has been reported in wild tamarins.