bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age assessment using cementum annulus counts and tooth wear in a free‐ranging population of Macaca mulatta
Authors: Kay Richard F. , Cant John G. H.
Published: June 2005

Estimates were made of the tooth wear and the number of cementum annuli on lower first molars of Macaca mulatta of known age that had lived on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico. It is demonstrated that both these measurements are significantly correlated with age. Neither measurement by itself, however, strongly enough corrected with age to provide a reliable guide to the true age of individuals older than about 14 years, although cementum annulus counts clearly provide a more reliable guide to age determination than does wear. A combination of tooth wear and annulus number is a somewhat better predictor of age, with a multiple regression explaining 19% of the overall variance in age. As has been reported previously in tropical ungulates, there is more than one cementum annulus per year deposited on the M1S of our sample. Comparison with rainfall data indicates that the number of dry intervals in the animal's life corresponds on a one‐to‐one basis with the number of annuli. It is hypothesized that such dry intervals cause nutritional stress, which in turn is reflected in periods of arrested or slowed growth in the tooth cementum. Also, more annuli are formed per year on the teeth of males than those of females. Stress engendered by intermale competition may play a role in this phenomenon.
Patterns of reproduction and mortality in two captive colonies of hanuman langur monkeys (Presbytis entellus)
Authors: Harley Diahan
Published: June 2005

Longitudinal reproductive and mortality data collected from two colonies of Hanuman langur monkeys (Presbytis entellus) in California (University of California, Berkeley; San Diego Zoo) are presented. Approximately 10 years of data from each facility reveal that langur monkey females reach reproductive maturity between 3 and 5 years and have median birth intervals, following the birth of a live infant that survives beyond 9 months, of approximately 15.5 months. Births are not seasonal at either facility and pregnancy failure rates at UCB are approximately 30%. Mortality of subadults was highest during the neonatal period (<30 days), and probability of Sarvivorship at 5 years is between .41 and .50. Observed differences and similarities in patterns of reproduction and mortality between the two colonies and field populations are discussed.
The effects of feedback lighting on the circadian drinking rhythm in the diurnal new world primate Saimiri sciureus
Authors: Ferraro James S. , Sulzman Frank M.
Published: June 2005

Feedback lighting provides illumination primarily during the subjective night (i.e., the photosensitive portion of the circadian cycle) in response to a given behavior. This technique has previously been used to test the nonparametric model of entrainment in nocturnal rodents. In three species (Rattus norvegicus, Mesocricetus auratus, and Mus musculus), the free‐running period of the locomotor activity rhythm was similar whether the animals were exposed to continuous light or discrete light pulses occurring essentially only during the subjective night (i.e., feedback lighting). In the current experiments, feedback lighting was presented to squirrel monkeys so that light fell predominately during the subjective night. Feedback lighting was linked to the drinking behavior in this diurnal primate so that when the animal drank, the lights went out. Despite this seemingly adverse predicament, the monkeys maintained regular circadian drinking rhythms. Furthermore, just as the period of the free‐running activity rhythms of nocturnal rodents exposed to continuous light or feedback lighting were similar, the period of the drinking rhythms of the squirrel monkeys in continuous light and feedback lighting were comparable (25.6 ± 0.1 and 25.9 ± 0.1 hours, respectively), despite a substantial decrease in the total amount of light exposure associated with feedback lighting. The free‐running period of monkeys exposed to continuous dark (24.5 ± 0.1 hours) was significantly shorter than either of the two lighting conditions (P < 0.001). The results presented for the drinking rhythm were confirmed by an examination of the temperature and activity rhythms. Therefore, discrete light pulses given predominately during the subjective night are capable of simulating the effects of continuous light on the free‐running period of the circadian rhythms of a diurnal primate. The response of squirrel monkeys to feedback lighting thus lends further support for the model and suggests that the major entrainment mechanisms are similar in nocturnal rodents and diurnal primates.
Aging and immunity in nonhuman primates: I. Effects of age and gender on cellular immune function in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Ershler William B. , Coe Christopher L. , Gravenstein Stefan , Schultz Kevin T. , Klopp Roger G. , Meyer Michael , Houser W. Daniel
Published: June 2005

Immunity declines with advancing age. Lymphocyte proliferation, natural killer cell activity, and antibody response to tetanus toxoid vaccination were evaluated in cohorts of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) aged 2–36 years in order to characterize senescent changes in immune function. The results were analyzed in accordance with host age. Lymphocyte proliferation was generally low in older monkeys, especially males. Lymphocytes from old male monkeys responded significantly less to test mitogens than did those of old female (P<.05) or young males and females (P<.01). Natural killer cell function was similarly decreased in old monkeys; however, for this function there was no apparent gender difference. Antibody response to tetanus vaccine was less in older monkeys but was also low in several of the younger moskeys. These data confirm our expectation that, like other mammalian species, the rhesus monkey shows a decline in immune function with age and demonstrate further that the changes are more marked in males. Rhesus monkeys, therefore, are suitable for the investigation of mechanisms of immune senescence.
Differences in daily life between semiprovisioned and wild‐feeding baboons
Authors: Altmann Jeanne , Muruthi Philip
Published: June 2005

Activity budgets and social aspects of feeding, among the adult females in a group of semiprovisioned baboons that fed from a garbage dump were compared with those of adjacent wild‐feeding groups in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, during the dry seasons of 1984 and 1985. Statistically significant differences were found in time spent feeding, distance travelled, and the relationship between dominance rank and time spent feeding. The garbage‐feeding animals fed for 20% of the time and rested for almost 50%, in contrast to approximately 60% and 10%, respectively, for the wild‐feeding animals. Speed of travel, length of day‐route, and home range size were greatly reduced for the garbage‐feeding animals. Use of sleeping trees and day route were highly regular in contrast to the unprovisioned group. At the garbage dump, time spent feeding was correlated with dominance rank among the adult females of this study. This was not the case for feeding on wild foods. Human enriched food sources offer the opportunity to study limiting factors and relationships between ecology and behavior. However, these conditions lead to human–animal conflicts that may be to the animals' long‐term detriment. Conservation and management implications are discussed.
Prenatal growth in the cynomolgus and rhesus macaque (Macaca fascicularis and Macaca mulatta): A comparison by ultrasonography
Authors: Tarantal A. F. , Hendrickx A. G.
Published: June 2005

The rhesus monkey has played an important role in the history of reproductive research. Because of limitations on the exportation and availability of this species, several other species of nonhuman primates have been considered as alternate models. Among them is the crab‐eating, or cynomolgus, macaque (Macaca fascicularis), which displays similarities in developmental, reproductive, and physiological parameters. The use of both species of macaques for pregnancy‐related studies necessitates the assessment of differences in growth and development through gestation. Observations during the embryonic and fetal periods in both species have been compared with diagnostic ultrasound. Results indicate no significant differences in size during the embryonic and early fetal periods, but a greater acceleration of growth in the rhesus begins at approximately 100–110 gestational days (GD). Analysis of embryonic and fetal heart rates indicate no differences between the two species. Normal predictive values for a variety of growth parameters including gestational sac, greatest length, biparietal diameter, and femur length have boon calculated by multiple regression analysis. These charts have proven useful for confirming the gestational age after timed matings and for predicting the age of animals for which the conception date is not known.
Alterations in primate sperm motility with maturation and during exposure to theophylline
Authors: Gould Kenneth G. , Young Leona G. , Hinton Barry T.
Published: June 2005

Micropuncture was used to collect pure suspensions of sperm from the caput and cauda regions of chimpanzee epididymides, which were analyzed with a Motion Analysis VP‐110. Sperm recovered from the caput region showed no forward motility. Incubation of these sperm with cauda epididymal fluid affected motility in 62%–90% of the sperm. Dilution of cauda sperm into buffer containing >50 mM theophylline resulted in immediate initiation of progressive forward motility. Although this motility was maintained by at least 50% of the sperm for over 5 hr, these “activated” caput sperm did not penetrate zona‐free hamster ova. These data show that sperm from the caput epididymis of the chimpanzee have the capacity for normal motility but do not have the capacity to bind to and penetrate an ovum. Cauda epididymal chimpanzee sperm were motile at the time of recovery and this motility was maintained for over 5 hr. These sperm penetrated both hamster zona‐free ova and intact chimpanzee ova. These data show that sperm from the cauda epididymis of the chimpanzee have the capacity for normal motility and also have the capacity to bind to and penetrate an ovum. This is the first use of computer assisted analysis to quantify motility in maturing nonhuman primate sperm.
Eight‐year study of social and ecological correlates of mortality among immature baboons of Mikumi National Park, Tanzania
Authors: Rhine Ramon J. , Wasser Samuel K. , Norton Guy W.
Published: June 2005

The Cox Proportional Hazards Regression Model was used to examine ecological and sociodemographic correlates of mortality among 164 immature yellow baboons born over an 8‐year period at Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. Ecological correlates were derived from seasonal rainfall. Mortality was lowest for immatures born during the late rainy season, when it was likely that nourishment for pregnant and lactating females was greatest. High mortality was associated with above‐average rainfall early in the immature's first complete rainy season. This association may result from one or more of the following: exposure, increased ranging, or accelerated vegetation growth, each of which is thought to increase hazards for weanlings. When births for the 8 years of the study were pooled, a birth peak occurred during the early dry season. The larger number of births during a birth peak should intensify competition among mothers and among immatures. Mortality was greatest for immature females born during the season immediately following the birth peak, while lowest for immature females born during the season immediately preceding the peak. Immature female mortality was greatest when the troop size at birth was large, and was most severe for females born to low ranking mothers. The sociodemographic results are consistent with Wasser's hypothesis that cooperative attacks of female baboons upon other troop females suppress the others' reproduction and the vitality of their infants, thereby improving the relative competitive position of the attackers' own young.
Reproduction in the vervet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops): III. The menstrual cycle
Authors: Eley R. M. , Tarara R. P. , Worthman C. M. , Else J. G.
Published: June 2005

The menstrual cycles of 17 multiparous vervet monkeys were studied. Based on estradiol, progesterone, and LH profiles, ovulation is predicted to occur on day 13 of the 32.4‐day menstrual cycle. Estradiol peaked on the day preceding the LH peak in 75% of cycles. Average luteal phase length (progesterone greater than 4 nmol/l) was 18 days, with progesterone rising above 4 nmol/l on the day of the LH peak. Vaginal cytology and perianal skin coloration exhibited too much within‐ and among‐animal variability to be reliable indicators of menstrual cycle stages. Uterine biopsies of the proliferative phase were characterized by mild pseudostratification of the columnar epithelium and absence of glandular secretion; in contrast, those of the luteal phase had marked pseudostratification of the tall columnar epithelium with glandular secretions in the lumen. A few follicular‐phase samples contained structures such as tortuous uterine glands with secretions. Such structures are more characteristic of the luteal phase. It is suggested that their presence can be explained by incomplete sloughing of the endometrium at menstruation, as this is known to be light or convert in this species.
Early development of locomotor behavior in vervet monkeys
Authors: Vilensky Joel A. , Gankiewicz Eva
Published: June 2005

The locomotor development of three vervet infants across approximately the first 2 months of life is described. Fairly normal‐looking walking movements (as compared to adults) were seen in all the animals by approximately 1 month of age and galloping was observed by 2 months. Early locomotor footfall patterns were often aberrant and bounding‐type gaits were sometimes exhibited. Most of the symmetrical gaits observed were classifiable as lateral sequence. Across the 2‐month period the animals showed decreased three‐ and four‐foot support and improvements in joint angular displacement patterns. From their earliest locomotor movements the infants showed significant linear relationship between both cycle duration and swing and stance durations of the limbs. We suggest that locomotor control mechanisms are probably fairly mature at birth but that weight support and postural control problems explain the initial locomotor difficulties exhibited by these infants.
Preliminary observations on the role of Acacia gum chemistry in Acacia utilization by Galago senegalensis in Kenya
Authors: Nash L. T. , Whitten P. L.
Published: June 2005

A census and preliminary observations on the ranging and feeding behavior of Galago senegalensis were made in a savannah‐woodland site in Kenya. Population densities in three slightly different habitats were all approximately 1.5 animals/ha. Ranging patterns suggested the existence of territorial behavior. The diet of the galagos was exclusively insects and gums of two species of Acacia. The gum of A. drepanolobium appeared to be preferred to that of A. xanthophloea. The chemistry of the gums suggests that this preference is not due simply to the total level of phenolics or to avoidance of condensed tannins but may relate to the presence of compounds (e. g., flavonoids) having nutritional or hormonelike action.
Circadian pattern of plasma melatonin concentrations in the marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus)
Authors: Webley G. E. , Abbott D. H. , George L. M. , Hearn J. P. , Mehl H.
Published: June 2005

This study describes the concentrations of melatonin in plasma samples taken from marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) every 4 h over three 24‐h periods. A circadian pattern of secretion was apparent, with higher levels recorded at night (20.00–08.00 h) than during the day (08.00–20.00 h) and a peak concentration at 20.00 h. There was a significant difference in the mean day and night concentrations (32.5 ± 4.5 pg/ml versus 49.0 ± 6.9 pg/ml, respectively) with individual concentrations ranging between<10–60 pg/ml in the day and 15–200 pg/ml at night. Circadian plasma melatonin concentrations were similar over the three 24‐h periods, in male (n = 3) and female (n = 3) monkeys, and in dominant (cyclic, n = 5) and subordinate (acyclic, n = 4) females. The results show a less pronounced circadian profile in the marmoset than is seen in the human but a similar profile to that in the seasonally breeding rhesus monkey.
Population status of the Simeulue monkey (Macaca fascicularis fusca)
Authors: Sugardjito Jito , van Schaik Carel P. , van Noordwijk Maria A. , Mitrasetia Tatang
Published: June 2005

The oceanic island of Simeulue, west of Sumatra, is inhabited by a distinct subspecies of the long‐tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis fusca) [Miller, 1903]. In January 1982 and March 1984, a survey was conducted to establish its population status. The monkey is morphologically different from other Sunda shelf M. fascicularis populations. In productive habitats, it lives in small groups (10–15 individuals) and reaches a density of more than one monkey/hectare (ha). The island's total population is estimated to be at least 50,000. The authors suggest that the location of a proposed reserve be shifted to include more of the most favorable habitat, i.e., alluvial forest.
Color vision variations in Old and New World primates
Authors: Jacobs Gerald H. , Harwerth Ronald S.
Published: June 2005

It has long been recognized that there are significant individual variations in color vision among humans. Recently, even more widespread individual variation in color vision has been found to occur in members of several genera of New World monkeys. This article addresses the question of whether a representative genus of Old World monkeys, Macaca, expresses individual variations in color vision. The principal approach was to compare behavioral measurements of increment‐threshold spectral sensitivity for large samples of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sp.) and macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta, M. fascicularis). We conclude that, if they occur at all, individual variations in color vision among macaque monkeys must be rare.
Fertility status, dominance, and scent marking behavior of family‐housed female cotton‐top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) in absence of their mothers
Authors: Heistermann Michael , Kleis Eckhard , Pröve Ekkehard , Wolters Hans‐Jürgen
Published: June 2005

The effect of the mother's absence on the fertility status and expression of scent marking behavior was examined in 12 sexually mature female cotton‐top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) living in four motherless families. Behavioral data and urine samples were collected on an average of five times per week and levels of estrone‐glucuronide (E1G) were quantified directly by radioimmunoassay to establish whether the females showed ovarian cyclicity. Of the 12 females investigated only the dominant female in each motherless group exhibited regular E1G cycles. By contrast, low and acyclic hormonal profiles were found for subordinate sisters. In addition to differences in the patterns and levels of E1G, scent gland morphology and rates of scent marking differed between females: dominant, cycling females had elaborate glands and significantly higher rates of scent marking than subordinates. These results indicate that the presence of the mother (breeding female) is one important factor regulating ovarian function in cotton‐top tamarin daughters. The findings also show that dominance status is a vital determinant of each female's subsequent physiological reproductive competence, with only the dominant female obtaining complete fertility and probably inhibiting ovulatory activity in her subordinate sisters. Scent marking behavior seems to be involved in the regulation of this phenomenon of intrasexual reproductive competition.
Improved methods for freeze preservation of chimpanzee sperm
Authors: Gould Kenneth G. , Styperek Robert P.
Published: June 2005

Freeze preservation of human and nonhuman semen has been used effectively for a number of years; however, the application of freezing to preserve nonhuman primate sperm has been less successful. This study compares five freeze methods and various concentrations of the cryoprotectants glycerol and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) for cryopreservation of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) sperm. The different methods were compared using quantitative analysis of sperm function and, by an indirect measure of fertilizing capacity, the denuded hamster oocyte penetration assay (SPA). The best results were obtained using an extender comprising Ham's F10 medium containing 15% heat inactivated human cord serum and 15.6% glycerol. Semen extended 1 to 1 by this method, for a final glycerol concentration of 7.8%, and frozen using a computer programmed freezer maintained approximately 65% of its original viability and up to 70% of its initial motility. The extended semen was used to initiate pregnancy in two female chimpanzees.
Meal‐induced increase in plasma gastrin immunoreactivity in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Scallet Andrew C. , McKay Daniel , Bailey John R. , Ali Syed F. , Paule Merle G. , Slikker William , Rayford Phillip L.
Published: June 2005

The hormonal response to food intake in rodents, dogs, and humans involves gastrin and cholecystokinin, structurally related peptides present in plasma, gut, and brain. In order to determine the time course of plasma gastrin response in a nonhuman primate, six overnight‐fasted adult male rhesus monkeys were offered a meal of bananas (11g) and peanut butter (1 Tbsp) or a fresh water bottle in a crossover design. All animals completely consumed the meal within 10 min. Compared to non‐fed control levels, plasma gastrin was significantly elevated (52 ± 11 pM vs. 32 ± 9 pM, means ± S. E. M.) from 10 to 45 min post‐ingestion, but returned to near basal fasted level by 120 min. Levels of gastrin in tissue samples (n = 2) were highest in the antrum of the stomach, with decreasing amounts measured in the upper and lower duodenum, respectively. The results demonstrate that the plasma concentration and response to a meal of rhesus monkey gastrin are similar to those of other mammalian species. However, the high concentrations of gastrin found in duodenum are thus far unique to Macaca mulatta and humans.
Pattern of late DNA replication of the allocyclic X chromosome in Cebus apella and Leontopithecus rosalia chrysomelas fibroblasts
Authors: Seuanez Hector N.
Published: June 2005

The pattern of late DNA replication in the allocyclic X chromosome has been studied in the primary fibroblasts of two neotropical primates (Cebus apella and Leontopithecus rosalia chrysomelas). A comparison with previous reports showed a pattern identical with that of (1) the allocyclic X chromosome of human fibroblasts, and (2) the allocyclic X chromosome of rhesus and Cebus lymphocytes. Our results show that at least in one species (C. apella), and probably in rhesus and Leontopithecus, there is no tissue‐specific difference between the late DNA replication patterns of the allocyclic X chromosome as there is between human lymphocytes and fibroblasts.
Determination of lactogenic activity in the serum of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri boliviensis) using the Nb2 lymphoma bioassay
Authors: Thompson M. E. , Macmillan L. A. , Bethea C. L. , Williams L. E. , Abee C. R. , Scammell J. G.
Published: June 2005

Determination of squirrel monkey prolactin by immunoassay has been hampered by the lack of antiserum specific to prolactin from this species. As an alternate method, we have investigated whether the Nb2 lymphoma bioassay could be adapted for routine measurement of the lactogenic activity of samples of squirrel monkey serum. The growth of the Nb2 cells is absolutely dependent on the presence of lactogens in the culture medium. The cells were maintained in Fisher's medium supplemented with 10% horse serum, 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), and 10−4M β‐mercaptoethanol. For each assay, the cells were plated at an initial density of 1 × 105 cells/ml in 22‐mm 12‐well dishes in the above medium, but devoid of FCS. Serum samples were heated to 56°C for 20 minutes to abolish the unusually high cytolytic complement activity of squirrel monkey serum and were incubated for 72 hours with Nb2 cells at serial dilutions from 1/40 to 1/2,560. Growth curves were generated with pooled samples of squirrel monkey serum, and the level of lactogenic activity was estimated using a calibration growth curve generated with known concentrations of purified rhesus monkey prolactin standard. We have found that the Nb2 lymphoma bioassay provides a sensitive and adaptable means for determination of lactogenic activity in the serum of the squirrel monkey.
Role of spatial memory in primate foraging patterns: Saguinus mystax and Saguinus fuscicollis
Authors: Garber Paul A.
Published: June 2005

From field data collected in the Amazon Basin of northeastern Peru, I present evidence that moustached (Saguinus mystax) and saddle‐back (Saguinus fuscicollis) tamarins maintain detailed knowledge of the distribution and location of many tree species in their home range. During the wet season months of October through December 1984, fruits and exudates from 20 tree species and over 150 individual trees accounted for 75% of plant feeding time. These trees exhibited a patchy distribution; mean nearest‐neighbor distances between trees of the same species averaged 148 meters. Moustached and saddle‐back tamarins visited an average of 13 trees per day, concentrating their feeding efforts on 4–11 individual trees from a small number of target species. In 70% of all cases the nearest tree of a given species was selected as the next feeding site. Movement between these sites was characterized by relatively straight‐line travel. It is argued that S. mystax and S. fuscicollis offset the patchiness component of the fruit and exudate part of their diet through goal‐directed foraging and an ability to compare accurately the distances and directions from their present location to a large number of potential feeding trees.
Heterosis associated with regional crossbreeding between captive groups of rhesus macaques
Authors: Smith David Glenn , Scott Linda M.
Published: June 2005

The lengths and weights of male and female Chinese‐Indian hybrid rhesus macaques were compared with those of age‐ and sex‐matched non‐hybrid (Indian) controls to assess the occurrence of heterosis (hybrid vigor). Hybrid males and females had higher average, age‐adjusted values of weight than nonhybrids. Hybrid males, but not females, also had a higher average, age‐adjusted length than nonhybrids. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that regional crossbreeding of rhesus monkeys fosters heterosis.
Mitogenic responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops): Apparent role of adherent cells
Authors: Olobo Joseph O. , Reid Graham D. F.
Published: June 2005

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) from normal vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) were examined for blastogenic responses to concanavalin A (ConA), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). The mitogen stimulated PBM in a dose‐dependent manner. Response to ConA was apparently higher than for the other two mitogens. Cell density and mitogen concentration were critical parameters for optimal lymphocyte proliferation, an observation in line with that reported for other mammalian species. Depletion of an adherent cell population probably of monocyte/macrophage lineage from vervet PBM gave higher proliferative responses to both ConA and PHA, but the response without adherent cells to ConA was greater than the response without adherent cells to PHA. This latter finding is in contrast to what has been reported in many other species.
Genetic differentiation between baboon subspecies: Relevance for biomedical research
Authors: Williams‐Blangero S. , Vandeberg J. L. , Blangero J. , Konigsberg L. , Dyke B.
Published: June 2005

The use of common names which may encompass a number of subspecies or species is pervasive in the biomedical literature. Failure to identify the complete taxonomic classification of research subjects presents a source of error for scientists attempting to evaluate results or to repeat experiments. This paper examines the problem in a common animal model, the baboon. Analyses of the genetic distances among five baboon subspecies (Papio hamadryas anubis, P.h. cynocephalus, P.h. papio, P.h. ursinus, and P.h. hamadryas) based on blood marker information from nine polymorphic protein loci (ADA, APRT, C3, CA1, CA2, GPI, MPI, PEPB, and PGD) available for baboons resident at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research are presented. Statistical tests on the distances showed that significant genetic differences exist among the subspecies. A comparison of P.h. anubis and P.h. cynocephalus revealed that these two subspecies also differ significantly for biomedically relevant lipoprotein cholesterol levels, as can be predicted from the genetic distances. The results emphasize the pitfalls of using different types of baboons interchangeably in experimental protocols.
Supplemental notes on population parameters of northeastern Peruvian night monkeys, genus Aotus (Cebidae)
Authors: Aquino Rolando , Puertas Pablo , Encarnación Filomeno
Published: June 2005

Family groups of Aotus nancymae and A. vociferans, captured and observed in lowland flooded forest of northeastern Peru, are compared. The groups differ in size, composition, social organization, sex ratio, and breeding season.
Sex differences in vocal structure in a callitrichid primate, Leontopithecus rosalia
Authors: Benz J. J. , French J. A. , Leger D. W.
Published: June 2005

Four types of calls (long calls, chirps, chucks, and trills) from Golden Lion Tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia) were analyzed for sex differences in structure. Six or more acoustic variables were analyzed for each call type. One or more variables from each call category differed significantly between the sexes. In addition, discriminant function analyses were conducted on male vs. female data for each call type. Long calls, chirps, and chucks from males and females were quite discriminable, but trills were not. That these differences exist is surprising given that callitrichid primates are otherwise quite monomorphic in structure and behavior. Possible functions served by sex differences in call structure include group censusing or assessing the sex of transient individuals.
Determination of bioactive FSH in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Matteri Robert L. , Durning Maureen , Dierschke Donald J. , Handrow Richard R.
Published: June 2005

Studies of the reproductive biology of nonhuman primates are commonly hindered by the lack of homologous, sensitive immunoassay systems for gonadotropins. The recent development of a bioassay based upon folliclestimulating hormone (FSH)‐stimulated estradiol production by rat Sertoli cells (Padmanabhan et al.: Endocrinology 121:1089–1098, 1987) offers a novel opportunity to expand our knowledge of the physiological importance and regulation of this important reproductive hormone in these species. Accordingly, we have established the utility of the rat Sertoli cell FSH bioassay to study the reproductive biology of rhesus monkeys. Analysis of medium from cultured rhesus monkey pituitary cells demonstrates the ability of this assay system to specifically and sensitively detect macaque FSH. Serial dilutions of unextracted urinary samples stimulate estradiol in parallel with the reference standard. The pattern of bioactive FSH in daily urine samples throughout the menstrual cycle resembles that normally observed in serum, displaying a clear preov alatory gonadotropin surge. In attempts to analyze rhesus monkey serum, severe interference with cellular estradiol production was found with extremely low serum sample volumes. In order to circumvent this problem, a serum extraction procedure utilizing metaphosphoric acid was developed which permits the accurate determination of bioactive FSH in serum. The pattern of serum bioactive FSH secretion throughout the menstrual cycle is in general agreement with that observed by FSH RIA, although immunoreactive FSH values are consistently higher. The ability to detect bioactive FSH in macaques will significantly enhance our research capabilities with nonhuman primate species which share many physiological similarities with man. Important applications also may be found in studies on the reproductive biology in endangered species of primates.
Chromosomal evolution in Malagasy lemurs: XII. Chromosomal banding study of Avahi laniger occidentalis (Syn: Lichanotus laniger occidentalis) and cytogenetic data in favour of its classification in a species apart—Avahi occidentalis
Authors: Rumpler Y. , Warter S. , Rabarivola C. , Petter J. J. , Dutrillaux B.
Published: June 2005

A cytogenetical study of the western form of Avahi (Avahi laniger occidentalis) shows that its karyotype differs from that of A. laniger laniger by at least 3 chromosomal rearrangements. Meiotic chromosomal pairing of hypothetical hybrids has been constructed. Its configuration, a tetravalent with an inversion loop, is likely to strongly reduce fertility, especially in the male. This leads us to propose that the two forms correspond to two distinct species, separated by a gametic barrier: Avahi laniger and a species apart, Avahi occidentalis.
Infant‐care behavior of mothers and fathers in a communal‐care primate, the cotton‐top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus)
Authors: Tardif Suzette D. , Carson Robert L. , Gangaware Barbara L.
Published: June 2005

Infant care behavior was examined for 35 litters of 23 different groups of captive cotton‐top tamarins. The behavior of mothers and fathers was compared to determine the effects of infant number and helper presence on each parent and to determine whether parents differed in responsiveness to infants. For young infants (1–4 weeks), the contribution of fathers to infant carrying was negatively correlated with helpers' contribution; as helpers carried more, fathers carried less. In contrast, the mothers' contribution to infant carrying was unaffected by helper contribution. Mothers carried older infants (5–8 weeks) less than did fathers, regardless of infant number or helper contribution. Fathers and mothers were equally likely to retrieve a non‐harassed infant; however, fathers were more likely than mothers to retrieve an infant being harassed. These results suggest that fathers are more responsive to infants than are mothers. Mothers may limit their involvement in infant care, as has been proposed by field results, due to an energetically demanding reproductive strategy.
Angular displacement patterns of leading and trailing limb joints during galloping in monkeys
Authors: Vilensky Joel A. , Moore‐Kuhns Marsha , Moore Ann M.
Published: June 2005

The movement patterns of the joints of the right hind limbs and forelimbs of four vervet and one squirrel monkey were compared during right‐ and left‐lead gallops. Although the overall displacement patterns were similar under both conditions, comparisons of the inflection points in the curves yielded consistent differences in the joints at various phases in the cycle. Some of these differences appear to reflect differing mechanical conditions, whereas others seem to represent variation in muscle activation patterns. Although some of the differences in the joints under the two conditions were consistent with those reported previously for other quadrupeds, others were not. This may reflect that different quadrupeds use slightly different biomechanical strategies during galloping.
Evidence for a “monitoring call” in red‐bellied tamarins
Authors: Caine Nancy G. , Stevens Cynthia
Published: June 2005

In addition to a variety of calls whose functions are to increase or decrease space among individuals, many species of primates use one or more vocalizations that are emitted in no one particular context and elicit no one particular response. Although investigators have given this type of vocalization a number of different names (e.g., contact call, cohesion call), what these calls seem to have in common is that 1) they allow individuals to monitor the general whereabouts of groupmates and 2) they somehow contribute to group cohesion. Neither of these assumptions has been tested, however. In the red‐bellied tamarin (Saguinus labiatus), a vocalization we call the “slide” appears to be a monitoring call. In the current study we tested three hypotheses about the slide call: 1) If slide calls are not direct requests for action, there should be no reliable correlation between slide calls and movement toward or away from the slide caller; 2) if slide calls are emitted to monitor groupmates' whereabouts, they should occur at comparatively low rates when the presence of groupmates can easily be affirmed by visual means (e.g., when the animals are confined in a small space); 3) if slide calls contribute to intragroup cohesion, they should be produced at comparatively high rates during activity that requires coordinated behavior. Each of these predictions was supported. Although variants of the call and/or additional functions of the call(s) may emerge from further testing, social monitoring appears to be at least one important function of the slide calls of red‐bellied tamarins, especially in circumstances where coordinated and/or cohesive behavior is required of the group.
Sociophysiology of squirrel monkeys
Authors: Mendoza Sally P. , Lyons David M. , Saltzman Wendy
Published: June 2005

Primate sociophysiology is an emerging discipline concerned with understanding the proximate mechanisms that contribute to the generation and maintenance of species‐typical social systems. Studies of squirrel monkeys illustrate that sociophysiological processes are more varied than is commonly assumed with respect to both the effective social dimensions that influence physiological function and the nature of concomitant physiological effects. For adult squirrel monkeys, a major consequence of social stimulation is altered regulation of pituitary‐adrenal, pituitary‐gonadal, and autonomic function. In females, socially‐induced physiological changes appear to be independent of specific interindividual relationships with other adults, whereas in males, many sociophysiological effects can be understood only when specific relational attributes are considered. In all instances, adult relationships are associated with distinctly different sociophysiological profiles than have been found for the mother‐infant relationship and do not conform to the stress/buffering model within which they are often interpreted.
The complex relationship between behavioral attributes, social status, and whole blood serotonin in male Macaca fascicularis
Authors: Shively C. A. , Brammer G. L. , Kaplan J. R. , Raleigh M. J. , Manuck S. B.
Published: June 2005

Among group‐housed male Cercopithecus aethiops, dominant animals have higher concentrations of whole bood serotonin (WBS) than their subordinate counterparts. In contrast, there appears to be no relationship between social status and WBS in Macaca nemestrina. We report here the relationship between social status and WBS among 29 male Macaca fascicularis housed in groups of five. Membership in these groups was disrupted periodically (20 times in 26 months) with a reorganization manipulation. Concentrations of WBS were assessed just prior to the 20th (final) social reorganization and at 1, 2, and 5 weeks following that reorganization. Correlations between these repeated samples were high, indicating considerable intraindividual stability in WBS. Overall, there were no persistent differences in WBS between clearly dominant (ranked 1 or 2) and subordinate (ranked 3, 4, or 5) monkeys, despite the substantial behavioral differences between such animals and the stability of social status across time. A multivariate analysis indicated that WBS was best predicted by a model that included a positive relationship with the interaction between rate of grooming and social status (P < 0.002), a negative relationship with extreme aggressiveness (P = 0.03), and a positive relationship with time spent alone (P < 0.04). Further analysis of the social status by grooming rate interaction revealed that WBS was higher in dominants than subordinates, but only if the dominants also initiated grooming frequently. These differences in the relationship WBS and social status in C. aethiops and M. fascicularis may reflect differences in the behavioral dynamics underlying the dominance hierarchies in small groups of these two species.
Estradiol‐induced follicular atresia in rhesus monkeys is not prevented by exogenous gonadotropins
Authors: Hutz Reinhold J. , Dierschke Donald J. , Wolf Richard C.
Published: June 2005

Estradiol‐17β (E2) induces atresia of the dominant preovulatory follicle (DF) when administered on day 6 of the menstrual cycle. The present study was designed to determine whether the atretogenic effect of E2 could be averted by the administration of exogenous gonadotropins, in an attempt to determine whether E2‐induced atresia in primates is due to a direct action at the ovarian level or is mediated via pituitary secretion. After identification of the DF during laparoscopy, cyclic monkeys received Silastic capsules containing E2 placed s.c. for 24 hours, plus one of the following treatments: phosphate‐buffered saline, or 25 I.U. of either human urinary menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), FSH‐rich hMG, human urinary FSH (uFSH), or human pituitary FSH (pFSH) injected i.m. twice daily for 2 days. The control treatment resulted in atresia of the DF and extended follicular phases (26.3 ± 5.9 days, x̄ ± S.D.), but in normal luteal phases following ovulation of a substitute DF. Similar results occurred in all animals receiving FSH‐rich hMG or pFSH, and in 11 of 16 animals receiving hMG or uFSH (P > 0.05). Since all possible routes and regimens of gonadotropin administration were not attempted, a central action of E2 cannot be ruled out. However, we believe that the experimental observations support our contention that the atretogenic action of E2 is exerted in part at the ovary.
Sexual dimorphism and sex ratios in Madagascan prosimians
Authors: Jenkins Paulina D. , Albrecht Gene H.
Published: June 2005

Skull length was used to evaluate the extent of sexual dimorphism in size among 21 taxa of extant Madagascan prosimians. Extraneous sources of variation were controlled by limiting male‐female comparisons to museum samples comprised of ten or more wild‐caught, adult individuals collected at the same locality (24 samples total). Sexual dimorphism in skull length averaged only 1.31%, with equal probability of males or females being larger. The only statistically significant sexual differences were Lepilemur edwardsi from St. Marie de Marovoay in western Madagascar (P < 0.05; males 4% larger then females = 2.2 mm) and Microcebus murinus from Amboasary‐Sud in southern Madagascar (P < 0.001; females 2% larger than males = 0.6 mm). A recent study of body weights of captive animals at Duke University Primate Center also showed that M. murinus displays highly significant sexual dimorphism. These results were examined in the context of factors believed to affect sexual dimorphism in anthropoid primates. The same 24 samples were used to demonstrate that the sex ratio is approximately 1:1 among Madagascan prosimians, and this information was correlated with data from field studies. The correlations between sexual dimorphism, sex ratio, and size are low, indicating that these are independent traits in Madagascan prosimians.
Testosterone changes during the period of adolescence in male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Bernstein Irwin S. , Ruehlmann Thomas E. , Judge Peter G. , Lindquist Teresa , Weed James L.
Published: June 2005

Testosterone levels of 59 male rhesus monkeys were monitored over a period of 5 years. Longitudinal comparisons revealed consistent rises in mid‐morning levels of circulating hormone in successive years from age 2.5 to 6.5 years of age, whereas cross‐sectional comparisons failed to detect significant differences among the older subjects. The first mid‐morning hormonal elevation could be detected in some males as young as 2.5 years of age, whereas other males showed no detectable rises until age 5.5 years. Males showing first rises at later ages did not show hormonal levels consistently below age peers who had shown earlier rises. Extreme month‐to‐month variability and a failure to manifest the seasonal normal curve of fully adult males was characteristic of younger males, but some of these males, nonetheless, proved capable of fertilizing females. Although hormonal and agonistic dominance measures failed to show consistent correlations, the alpha male in an age cohort significantly more often had the highest testosterone levels. These data are used to argue that adolescence is a process that takes place over several years and that classification of adolescent animals as adults, based on a single criterion like fertility, has confounded many prior studies involving cross taxa comparisons as well as developmental variables.
The potential role of mycoplasmas as autoantigens and immune complexes in chronic vascular pathogenesis
Authors: Clark Harold W.
Published: June 2005

Many chronic degenerative diseases are suspected of resulting from autoimmune (AI) or immune complex (IC) mechanisms of unknown infectious etiology. Mycoplasmas have been associated with autoantibodies and tissue mimicry and with infertility and neonatal disorders, as well as with IC disorders. Their persistent colonization, which is clinically silent and common among healthy females, makes their etiopathogenic mechanisms difficult to assess.

Finding the great apes to be colonized with and serologically expressing the human strains of mycoplasmas, as well as the anti‐IgG rheumatoid factor (RF), provided us the ideal model of immunologically‐related human disorders. In view of the etiopathologic role of IC in experimental vasculitis, especially collagen vascular diseases such as systemic lupus erythromatosus (SLE) with specific deposition on receptor sites of the vascular basement membranes, an investigation of IC's role in fetal and placental vascular disorders was initiated.

The IgG‐IC fractions isolated from solubilized human synovial and placental tissue extracts on affinity protein‐A columns were further purified by pepsinization to minimize nonspecific Fc binding. Mycoplasmal antigens were identified in the F(ab)2‐IC fractions by reacting the electroblots from SDS‐PAGE with rabbit antisera to 6 IgG test serovars. Finding mycoplasmal and ureaplasmal antigens associated with the IgG‐IC in synovial and placental tissues suggests their pathogenic role in collagen vascular and reproductive disorders of both humans and the great apes.

Mycoplasma cells cultured in rabbit‐serum‐enriched broth bound rabbit IgG as indicated by their specific reaction with goat anti‐rabbit IgG. Polyclonal rabbit antisera raised against the mycoplasma cells binding the gnotobiotic rabbit IgG expressed idiotypic antibodies reactive with heterologous mycoplasmas cultured with whole sera but not with gamma‐free or fetal bovine sera. Immunoblot analysis of SDS‐PAGE fractionated mycoplasmas with the anti‐M. pneumoniae rabbit IgG recognized common IgG epitopes in heterologous mycoplasma cells cultures with whole horse serum. These results demonstrate a potential role and pathogenic mechanism of mycoplasmas acting as a ligand, binding and causing conformational changes of IgG that could also apply to other specific tissue proteins. Conformational changes of bound tissue components could produce “altered‐self” antigens to initiate a variety of autoimmune disorders in both humans and the great apes.