Interaction Between Capuchins and Coatis: Nonagonistic Behaviors and Lack of Predation

We compare the nature of capuchin-coati interactions by Cebus apella in 2 populations under semifree-ranging and wild conditions. We report a simi-lar pattern of interaction at both sites, in spite of their ecological differences. Most frequent capuchin behaviors toward coatis were agonistic, but we noted no predation. Contrarily, the monkeys also exhibited nonagonistic behaviors, such as play and grooming. As tufted capuchins predate other mammalian species, and as the subjects were aggressive towards competitor species, show-ing their belligerent temperament, we believe the lack of predation can be at-tributed to 2 different ecological contigencies – the absence of coati pups in a period of food shortage, and the cost of dealing with a dangerous adult coati where other rich resources were available–and also, perhaps, to different tra-ditions in capuchin behavior towards coatis, established via intraspecific so-cial learning. KEY WORDS: coati; capuchin; interspecific interactions