Relatedness and Natal Dispersal Amongst Owl Monkeys in the Argentinean Chaco

Dr. Margaret Corley, Dr. Eduardo Fernandez-Duque

The Owl Monkey Project of Argentina is an international research program that studies Azara’s owl monkey (Aotus azarae), a socially monogamous primate, to better understand the evolution of pair-bonding, monogamy, and paternal care. The project is using genetic and demographic data from owl monkeys to assess patterns of relatedness and natal dispersal and to evaluate how the competition between solitary floaters and pair-bonded adults influences infant development and survival, pair-bond formation and stability, and mating patterns in a pair-bonded primate society.

Photo credit: Emilio White, Proyecto Mirikina, Formosa-Argentina

Learn More: The Owl Monkey Project