Marilyn A. Norconk, PhD
Fieldwork Photos
Marilyn A. Norconk
Nutritional analysis of fruits, seeds,
and leaves eaten by saki monkeys
Venezuelan white-faced sakis ingest an annual diet rich in seeds, but also include young leaves daily, and insects and ripe, fleshy fruit seasonally. This combination of items provided an annual intake that was rich in lipids (range = 11.43% to 27.46% DM seasonally, n = 4), high in total dietary fiber (range = 25.35% to 40.76% DM), seasonally high in free simple sugars (range = 4.00% to 21.31% DM), and moderate in crude protein (range = 3.98% to 12.64% DM) [see Table 1] (Norconk M.A. & Conklin-Brittain 2004). The fruit sample above is Pouteria melanopoda (Sapotaceae) the seeds of which were eaten by bearded sakis during our 2003 census of primates at Brownsberg Nature Park in Suriname.
Nutritional analysis of plant parts eaten (E) and not eaten (NE) by white-faced sakis in Lago Guri (from Norconk & Conklin-Brittain, 2004). In the case of seeds, the designation "immature" and "mature" refer to fruit maturity and dispersal capability, not necessarily to seed size. Seeds of immature fruit were usually full sized when eaten, but the fruit had not yet dehisced, or color of fruit indicated that it was not fully ripe. Analysis funded by NSF SBE 98-07516.
See related publications:
Norconk et al., 2009 (PDF 782KB)
Values are expressed in %DM (dry matter), except tannins (expressed in %QU:quebracho units). (FSS = free simple sugars; TNC = total nonstructural carbohydrates; NDF = neutral detergent fiber; ADF = acid detergent fiber; CT = condensed tannins; RD = radial diffusion of hydrolyzable tannins.) Maturity: I = immature; M = mature. Plant species used in the multiple regression analysis are indicated (*). [Abbreviations for plant families: Ann = Annonaceae, Big = Bignoniaceae; Bor = Boraginaceae; Bur = Burseraceae; Cae = Caesalpinioideae (Leguminosae); Cap = Capparidacae; Cel = Celastraceae; Chr = Chrysobalanaceae; Con = Connaraceae; Ery = Erythroxylaceae; Eup = Euphorbiaceae; Fla = Flacourtiaceae; Log = Loganiaceae; Lor = Loranthaceae; Mim = Mimosoideae (Leguminosae); Mor = Moraceae; Myr = Myrtaceae; Och = Ochnaceae; Pas= Passifloraceae; Pap= Papilionoideae (Leguminosae); Polyga = Polygalaceae; Polygo = Polygonaceae; Rub = Rubiaceae; Rut = Rutaceae; Sapot = Sapotaceae; Sapin = Sapindaceae; Sol = Solanaceae]
| Plant Species | Plant Family |
Eaten/ Not eaten |
Plant part and maturity |
Lipids | FSS | CP | TNC | NDF | ADF | Lignin | CT | RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actinostemon schomburgkii* | Eup | E | seed (I) | 24.2 | 14.7 | 22.7 | 12.3 | 23.1 | 12.6 | 5.2 | 0.0 | 18.0 |
| Alibertia latifolia* | Rub | E | drupe (M) | 1.3 | 28.8 | 6.1 | 29.7 | 31.9 | 21.0 | 13.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Alibertia latifolia | Rub | E | seed (I) | 0.7 | 7.1 | 22.1 | 14.3 | 52.0 | 21.6 | 13.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Amaioua corymbosa* | Rub | E | drupe (M) | 13.6 | 6.5 | 7.1 | 11.9 | 58.6 | 39.7 | 15.7 | 3.9 | 2.8 |
| Amaioua corymbosa | Rub | NE | drupe (M) | 2.6 | 7.5 | 9.1 | 23.4 | 53.5 | 39.0 | 21.5 | 3.8 | 3.9 |
| Amphilophium paniculatum | Big | E | seed (I) | 18.6 | -- | 21.5 | -- | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | |
| Angostura trifoliate* | Rut | E | seed (I) | -- | 2.1 | 24.2 | -- | 50.2 | 40.1 | 35.0 | 17.7 | 13.9 |
| Bignoniaceae pod #187* | Big | E | seed (I) | 2.0 | -- | 14.7 | 10.9 | 66.2 | 52.3 | 15.5 | 0.0 | -- |
| Brosimum guianense | Mor | E | drupe (M) | 2.3 | -- | 7.6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| Capparis flexuosa* | Cap | E | leaves (Y) | 2.1 | 9.4 | 14.3 | 20.6 | 51.8 | 37.2 | 16.6 | 0.3 | -- |
| Capparis muco | Cap | NE | leaves (Y) | 1.6 | 3.6 | 16.2 | 7.3 | 62.1 | 40.0 | 14.5 | 0.0 | -- |
| Capparis muco* | Cap | E | pulp (M) | 3.1 | 21.4 | 18.7 | 39.4 | 11.9 | 8.3 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Capparis muco | Cap | NE | pulp (I) | 0.0 | 15.2 | 17.7 | 26.2 | 37.3 | 11.6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- |
| Capparis muco | Cap | E | seed (M) | 18.6 | 10.1 | 22.2 | 12.4 | 33.0 | 22.7 | 8.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Capparis muco | Cap | NE | seed (I) | 8.2 | 14.7 | 37.0 | 0.0 | 39.7 | 27.5 | 6.7 | 0.2 | -- |
| Casearia spinescens | Fla | E | seed (I) | -- | 1.8 | 23.3 | -- | 41.8 | 31.5 | 13.0 | 13.4 | 9.0 |
| Casearia sylvestris* | Fla | E | drupe (I) | 29.9 | -- | 18.4 | 6.6 | 41.7 | 30.4 | 13.2 | -- | 2.1 |
| Chiococca alba var. purple* | Rub | E | drupe (M) | 7.8 | -- | 6.7 | 49.0 | 31.7 | 20.0 | 5.5 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| Chrysophyllum lucentifolium* | Sapo | E | seed (I) | 9.0 | 26.4 | 15.7 | 22.4 | 24.0 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| Coccoloba fallax* | Polygo | E | leaves (Y) | 0.8 | 2.3 | 15.4 | 33.0 | 42.8 | 36.6 | 20.4 | 10.7 | 26.4 |
| Coccoloba fallax | Polygo | NE | leaves (M) | 1.4 | 2.2 | 7.9 | 21.6 | 63.1 | 54.0 | 22.9 | 6.2 | 27.7 |
| Coccoloba striata | Polygo | NE | drupe (I) | 1.1 | 8.6 | 7.5 | 39.1 | 43.7 | 28.7 | 16.5 | 2.9 | 16.3 |
| Coccoloba striata* | Polygo | E | drupe (M) | 0.9 | 15.9 | 6.1 | 40.1 | 34.9 | 21.0 | 11.4 | 2.2 | 13.9 |
| Connarus venezuelanus* | Con | E | aril (M) | 64.2 | 4.0 | 12.6 | 15.4 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Connarus venezuelanus* | Con | E | seed (I) | 48.7 | 2.3 | 11.3 | 15.1 | 20.2 | 14.3 | 7.4 | 2.1 | 5.6 |
| Copaifera pubiflora | Cae | NE | seed (I) | 5.9 | 14.8 | 9.8 | 51.7 | 15.2 | 7.9 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 5.5 |
| Copaifera pubiflora* | Cae | E | seed (M) | 4.8 | 21.4 | 7.4 | 41.9 | 22.2 | 14.4 | 7.0 | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| Dendropthtora ottonis | Lor | E | seed (I) | 18.3 | -- | 8.2 | 18.8 | 54.6 | 23.7 | 17.6 | 2.6 | 11.1 |
| Dendrophthora ottonis | Lor | E | seed (M) | 47.7 | -- | 9.0 | 8.3 | 35.0 | 25.0 | 20.3 | -- | -- |
| Dioclea guianensis | Pap | E | flowers | -- | -- | -- | -- | 37.1 | 14.9 | -- | -- | |
| Plant Species | Plant Family |
Eaten/ Not eaten |
Plant part and maturity |
Lipids | FSS | CP | TNC | NDF | ADF | Lignin | CT | RD |
| Erythroxylum steyermarkii* | Ery | E | drupe (M) | 11.7 | -- | 3.5 | 50.3 | 34.5 | 20.6 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.8 |
| Eugenia monticola | Myr | E | drupe (M) | 1.2 | -- | 5.1 | 52.9 | 37.5 | 19.0 | 10.8 | 1.6 | 5.5 |
| Hirtella racemosa* | Chr | E | drupe (M) | 2.3 | -- | 7.1 | 0.9 | 72.6 | 67.3 | 41.0 | 12.1 | 9.7 |
| Licania discolor | Chr | NE | leaves (M) | 1.5 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 18.3 | 67.4 | 54.7 | 28.9 | 11.6 | 12.1 |
| Licania discolor* | Chr | E | exocarp (M) | 2.5 | 26.6 | 9.0 | 22.7 | 39.2 | 29.9 | 16.4 | 8.8 | 9.0 |
| Licania discolor* | Chr | E | seed (M) | 49.7 | 1.9 | 6.6 | 0.4 | 39.9 | 36.6 | 31.1 | 9.9 | 6.3 |
| Maprounea guianensis | Eup | NE | seed (M) | 41.7 | 3.3 | 16.4 | 10.5 | 28.1 | 23.1 | 14.2 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| Maprounea guianensis | Eup | NE | seed (I) | 47.3 | 1.0 | 13.6 | 12.6 | 25.5 | 21.0 | 11.9 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
| Maytenus guianensis | Cel | NE | leaves (M) | 3.2 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 22.8 | 52.3 | 41.7 | 15.3 | 8.6 | -- |
| Maytenus guianensis* | Cel | E | leaves (Y) | 2.6 | 13.4 | 12.8 | 30.6 | 35.2 | 25.9 | 13.7 | 15.9 | -- |
| Morinda tenuiflora* | Rub | E | drupe (M) | 7.4 | 7.6 | 14.2 | 19.2 | 46.6 | 30.4 | 11.2 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| Oryctanthus alveolatus* | Lor | E | drupe (M) | 38.3 | 3.4 | 9.6 | 28.8 | 19.9 | 10.5 | 6.5 | 2.4 | 4.9 |
| Ouratea guildingii | Och | E | seed (I) | 0.0 | 7.4 | 12.3 | 40.0 | 37.3 | 11.3 | 5.7 | 25.7 | 22.2 |
| Ouratea guildingii | Och | NE | seed (M) | 0.3 | 10.0 | 9.7 | 46.5 | 31.9 | 22.6 | 9.6 | 44.8 | 52.0 |
| Ouratea roraimae* | Och | E | seed (M) | 3.2 | -- | 4.3 | 26.3 | 63.0 | 16.1 | 11.3 | -- | -- |
| Ouratea schomburgkii | Och | NE | leaves (M) | 0.3 | -- | 9.9 | 23.2 | 62.7 | 58.3 | 38.0 | 9.5 | 15.3 |
| Peltogyne floribunda | Cae | NE | seed (M) | 0.6 | 5.9 | 7.9 | 29.8 | 54.2 | 47.6 | 25.5 | 8.0 | 25.3 |
| Peltogyne floribunda* | Cae | E | seed (I) | 2.7 | 11.1 | 6.6 | 52.8 | 24.2 | 9.9 | 5.8 | 6.8 | 10.1 |
| Piptadenia leucoxylon* | Mim | E | seed (I) | 3.2 | -- | 25.6 | 36.0 | 31.5 | 22.0 | 8.0 | 3.9 | 5.5 |
| Pyrostegia dichotoma | Big | E | flower | 1.4 | -- | 16.1 | 58.5 | 21.5 | 15.1 | 4.0 | -- | -- |
| Securidaca scandens* | Polyga | E | seed (M) | 47.6 | -- | 13.8 | 16.5 | 20.6 | 15.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Solanum paludosum* | Sol | E | seed (I) | 18.3 | 10.1 | 10.7 | 4.5 | 53.6 | 38.2 | 20.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Strychnos fendleri | Log | NE | seed (M) | 5.6 | 5.8 | 7.0 | 17.3 | 62.3 | 24.8 | 4.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Strychnos mitscherlichii | Log | NE | seed (M) | 0.8 | 3.2 | 58.8 | 36.0 | 14.5 | 6.5 | 0.0 | ||
| Strychnos mitscherlichii* | Log | E | mesocarp (M) | 0.2 | 44.7 | 1.1 | 38.2 | 14.8 | 9.5 | 2.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tabebuia serratifolia* | Big | E | YL | 1.6 | 24.5 | 20.9 | 48.6 | 22.3 | 6.1 | |||
| Talisia retusa | Sapin | NE | seed (M) | 1.8 | -- | 5.5 | 48.1 | 43.1 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 44.4 |
| Talisia retusa* | Sapin | E | mesocarp (M) | 0.4 | -- | 6.9 | 50.6 | 39.1 | 30.1 | 21.3 | 11.9 | 31.9 |
| Xylopia aromatica* | Ann | E | seed (M) | 2.2 | -- | 10.8 | 20.0 | 65.0 | 53.3 | 27.6 | 14.0 | 13.2 |
| Plant Species | Plant Family |
Eaten/ Not eaten |
Plant part and maturity |
Lipids | FSS | CP | TNC | NDF | ADF | Lignin | CT | RD |
Publications
Norconk, M.A., Oftedal, O.T., Power, M.L., Jakubasz, M., Savage, A. 2002. Digesta passage and fiber digestibility in captive white-faced sakis (Pithecia pithecia). American Journal of Primatology 58:23-34. [PDF 135KB]