What specialized diet behavior involves gnawing holes to access tree sugars?
Answer
Gummivory
While fruit forms a major part of their diet, emperor tamarins have evolved a specialized technique to access high-energy sugars from tree sap. This is achieved by using specialized, sharp lower incisor teeth to actively gnaw small holes into the bark of certain trees. The behavior of lapping up the flowing sap from these wounds is specifically known as gummivory, providing essential carbohydrates, especially when fruit availability fluctuates.
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