Black-fronted titi monkey

Black-fronted titi[1]
Black-fronted titi in Prados, Brazil
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Haplorhini
Infraorder:	Simiiformes
Family:	Pitheciidae
Genus:	Callicebus
Species:	C. nigrifrons
Binomial name
Callicebus nigrifrons (Spix, 1823)
Black-fronted titi range

The black-fronted titi monkey (Callicebus nigrifrons) is a species of titi, a type of New World monkey.

The black-fronted titi is a small diurnal primate.^[3] The body of this primate is covered in grey to brown fur with black fur concentrated around the face, the tail is slightly orange in color.^[4][5] Body weight ranges from 1–2 kilograms (2.2–4.4 lb) and the head-body length is around 270–450 millimeters (11–18 in).^[4] This species does not exhibit sexual dimorphism.^[5] Members of this species can live up to 12 years of age in captivity.^[6]

The black-fronted titi is endemic to the Atlantic forest region of Brazil^[7][8][4] and has a home range averaging 20 hectares (49 acres).^[8] The black-fronted titi is arboreal and prefers the middle to upper canopy of the forest.^[5] However, it will move to the forest floor at times to forage, travel, and play.^[9] Play behavior on the forest floor has been documented between black-fronted titis and marmosets in Brazil.^[10]

The diet of the black-fronted titi is frugivorous and they forage in dense vegetation.^[5] They are also known to eat leaves, seeds, invertebrates, and flowers.^[7][11][8] Due to their highly frugivorous diet, they play a key role in seed dispersion.^[12]

Predators of the black-fronted titi include the harpy eagle, owls, hawks, falcons, tayra, jaguarundi, ocelot, margay, oncilla, pumas, jaguars, large snakes, and other, larger primates (such as howler monkeys).^[5][3] Black-fronted titis are particularly vulnerable to harpy eagle attacks when they move to the upper portion of the canopy to sunbathe on cold mornings.^[5] After detecting a raptor, black-fronted titis alert the surrounding area quickly through alarm calls before hiding.^[5]

The black-fronted titi is socially monogamous^[13][5][4] and is typically found in a group of two to six individuals, which includes the adult pair and their offspring.^[9][4] Females give birth to one offspring per year, usually in July or August.^[14] Parental care and social activities with the offspring are carried out by the male of this species, while the female only provides milk.^[14] Both males and females disperse from their natal group at three years of age.^[9]

The black-fronted titi is territorial and will defend territories, food resources, and mates with loud calls individually or in duets or choruses.^[8][9] Loud calls are used for within and between group communication and have a high amplitude and a low frequency which allows them to be heard over long distances.^[15] Loud calls are broadcast at dawn and when titis see or hear another group.^[8] When confronted by a predator, duets and choruses can last up to two hours, with group members alternating between soft and loud calls.^[16] There are no sex differences in calling behavior during predator interactions, both males and females will call.^[5] The black-fronted titi can produce calls which encode the predator type (aerial or terrestrial) and predator location to nearby conspecifics.^[17]

Characteristic of the Callicebinae subfamily, black-fronted titis can be observed with interwoven tails, a behavior thought to reinforce pair bonds and strengthen social relationships.^[18][19][20]

The black-fronted titi is classified as near threatened by the IUCN due to extensive habitat loss, forest fragmentation, and an estimated population decline of more than 20% in the past 24 years.^[9] Small, isolated populations are common due to fragmentation and in some areas this has led to the species going locally extinct.^[4] Noise pollution can also negatively impact this species. One study found that noise from mining operations restricted the black-fronted titis long-distance communication due to the overlap in frequency between mining noise and loud calls, this is significant for a species that relies heavily on vocal communication in social interactions.^[8]

Wikispecies has information related to Black-fronted Titi.