The bitter end: primate avoidance of caterpillar-infested trees in a central Amazon flooded forest

Animal-plant interactions are often mediated by chemical compounds. It has been widely reported that herbivore damage to plants induces chemical defenses which may then affect subsequent interactions with both invertebrate and vertebrate herbivores. Our study investigated the effects of the interaction between larvae of an unindentified Nymphalid butterfly and the tanimbuca tree (Buchenavia ochroprumna Eichler Combretaceae) on subsequent folivory by a primate, the golden-backed uacari (Cacajao ouakary Spix, 1823, Pitheciidae). Primate feeding observations, records of the extent of Nymphalid/Buchenavia interactions and tree distribution occurred in Jau National Park, Amazonas State, Brazil. Ivlev Electivity Index values showed that uacaris strongly rejected trees infested by caterpillars (- 0.68), while uninfested trees were highly selected by them (+ 0.84). Given this behavior, we suggest that uacari monkeys may be deterred by (i) caterpillars; (ii) change in leaf chemical composition induced by caterpill...