What is the likely role of the sharp contrast between white fur and dark skin around the eyes?
Answer
Species recognition or individual signaling across dense forest environments
The strikingly demarcated facial pattern of *Cebus capucinus*, characterized by sharply contrasting white fur against the dark skin pigmentation surrounding the eyes, serves a critical function within their social ecology. In environments where visibility might be obscured by dense forest canopy, distinct visual cues are highly advantageous for communication. This strong patterning likely aids conspecifics in rapidly recognizing members of their own species or in conveying specific social messages, such as status or emotional state, to individuals within their immediate group across the visual clutter of the habitat.
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