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Cotton-top tamarins, Saguinus oedipus, experience three separate developmental processes with regard to the production and usage of food-associated calls as their social status changes. This research used two experiments to assess the impact of social environment on food-associated calling of cotton-top tamarins. Subordinate, subadult tamarins showed a rapid reduction in other vocalizations within feeding contexts after removal from family groups. The rate of this reduction corresponded with the extent of affiliative behaviour between the newly formed pairs.

Captive adult cotton-top tamarins Saguinus oedipus oedipus were tested for ontogeny of food-related calls. D- and C-chirps were similar for juvenile and subadult tamarins, with approximately half the total number of calls of the juveniles not structured like those of adults. Correlation in an age-linked form was absent between juvenile and subadult calling rate and food preference.