bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural and Mechanical Indicators of Limb Specialization in Primates
Authors: Schaffler Mitchell B. , Burr David B. , Jungers William L. , Ruff Christopher B.
Published: September 2008

The structural mechanics of femora and humeri from primates representing a wide spectrum of habitual locomotor activities were examined to determine how cross-sectional properties vary with functional specializations of the extremities. Average bending rigidities of the midshaft of humerus and femur were measured in 60 individuals of four nonhuman primate species (Macaca nemestrina, Macacafascicularis, Presbytis cristata, Hylobates lar) using single-beam photon absorptiometry. Linear regression analyses of the loge transformed data were used to assess the relative usage of the forelimb and hindlimb in propulsion and weight bearing, and to evaluate deviations from generalized mammalian quadrupedalism. The results suggest that (1) average bending rigidities of the humerus and femur in primates reflect the extent to which the forelimb and hindlimb are used differently in locomotion; (2) deviations of average bending rigidity from geometric similarity indicate functional variations from generalized mammalian quadrupedalism and (3) the ratio of humeral to femoral bending rigidity can be used to identify trends towards hindlimb or forelimb dominance in locomotion and can be employed in general to determine how the limb was used.
Observations on the Interaction between Adult Group Members, Group Members without Rearing Experience and Infants in the Common Marmoset, Callithrix jacchus
Authors: Engel Claudia
Published: September 2008

This study describes the reactions of adult, rearing-experienced members of three Callithrix jacchus families to interactions between animals without rearing experience and infants. The direct involvement of adult group members in situations in which inexperienced animals interact with infants decreases as the infants become older. Inexperienced animals will approach infants more seldom, if adult, rearing-experienced animals are nearby. Adult, rearing-experienced members of the group display primarily noninteractive behavior. This is especially true when no physical contact has taken place between an inexperienced animal and the infant, or if contact was initiated by the infant. Most of the dissociative reactions were observed in the context of competition for objects and play activity. However, there was a similarly high percentage of associative behavior towards inexperienced animals during play activity. In the episodes observed, the adult, rearing-experienced animals displayed mainly taking care behavior towards the infant but never any dissociative behavior. The following points appear to be of significance for the way adult, rearing-experienced members of the group behave: spatial distance between inexperienced animal and infant; which party was the initiator of the interaction; the level of experience already acquired by the animals without previous rearing experience, and the level of maturation of the infant.
Vocal Communication in Lion-Tailed Macaques (Macaca silenus)
Authors: Hohmann G.M. , Herzog M.O.
Published: September 2008

Investigations of vocal communication in captive groups of lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus) revealed a repertoire of 17 basic patterns. Sixteen of them were recorded and their physical parameters analysed by sonagrams. During a field study these results were verified and complemented, and additional data on the vocal behaviour of this species were gathered. The vocal repertoire of lion-tailed macaques is characterized by discretely structured, mostly interaction- and situation-specific sound patterns. The fundamental characteristics of vocal communication seem to be adjusted to the acoustic conditions of the rain forest habitat as well as to the social organization in 1-male groups. In contrast to other species of the macaque genus, lion-tailed macaques are highly adapted to a strictly arboreal life in the rain forests of the Western Ghats (South India). Due to the dense vegetation in this habitat, propagation of visual signals is restricted to short distances. Vocal signals are therefore of great importance. The vocal repertoire of lion-tailed macaques differs from that of more terrestrial macaques insofar as the basic patterns show comparatively insignificant structural variations. Also, patterns were recorded which have not yet been found in any other member of the genus.
Distribution, Abundance, and Putative Ecological Strategy of Macaca fascicularis on the Island of Mauritius, Southwestern Indian Ocean
Authors: Sussman Robert W. , Tattersall Ian
Published: September 2008

We estimate that between 25,000 and 35,000 long-tailed macaques, Macaca fascicularis, live on the island of Mauritius, 1,865 km2, in the western Indian Ocean, and we detail their distribution on the island. Probably introduced to Mauritius at some time in the 16th century, the macaques have been implicated by a succession of authors as agents both in the extinction of the bulk of the island’s unique vertebrate fauna, and in the destruction of its indigenous vegetation. Some of them have gone so far as to suggest that in view of their depredations the macaques should be eradicated from Mauritius. However, studies of the behavior and ecology of the macaques in both degraded savanna and native forest habitats, supplemented by surveys around the island, cast doubt upon this putative destructive role. Macaque population densities in Mauritius range from a maximum of around 1.3 individuals/ha in degraded savanna formations, to a minimum of approximately 0.33 individuals/ha in indigenous forest, and reflect a clear preference among these primates for secondary environments. Thus the long-tailed macaques in Mauritius, as in their southeast Asian homeland, best fit the profile of a ‘weed’ species that has simply exploited the disturbance by humans of the indigenous vegetation. They do not at the present time appear to pose a major threat to what remains of the remarkable indigenous vertebrate fauna of Mauritius, although they may help to disperse the seeds of invading exotic plant species in what remains of the indigenous forests.
Vascularisation artérielle des nœuds sinu-atrial et atrio-ventriculaire et fréquence des branches des artères coronaires chez Papio Erxleben, 1777
Authors: Alberto Carlos , de Lacerda Mandarim , Hureau Jacques
Published: September 2008

The arterial blood supply to the sino-atrial (S-A) and atrio-ventricular (A-V) nodes was studied in 63 baboon hearts (Papio cynocephalus and Papio hamadryas). The arterial coronary injection was made with latex neoprene (23 hearts), a latex and lead oxide mixture (30 hearts) and polyester resin (10 hearts) for dissection, radiographic and corrosion cast studies, respectively. The S-A artery is a long recurrent left coronary branch (92, 1 %) or an ascendant less long right coronary branch (7.9%). The A-V arteries were 2 or 3 small branches of the interventricular posterior artery originating from the right or the left with the same frequency as in man. The percent distribution of the other coronary branches was similar to that observed in man.
Behavioural Observations on a Pair of Captive White-Faced Saki Monkeys (Pithecia pithecia)
Authors: Dugmore Susan J.
Published: September 2008

The white-faced saki monkey of northern Brazil is a medium-sized arboreal primate living in small family groups. There is little known of its behaviour in the field or in captivity. This study was carried out on a pair of captive 2-year-old animals over a 5-month period. Five major categories of behaviour are described: play; grooming; aggression; olfaction and sexual. The four olfactory related behaviours have not previously been reported for this species. A short quantitative study showed sexually dimorphic frequencies for solitary play, chasing play and grooming. There was a daily activity pattern of high levels of social play in the morning and high levels of allogrooming in the afternoon.
Behavior of an Alpha Male in a Captive Group of Crab-Eating Macaques (Macaca fascicularis)
Authors: Wechsler Beat
Published: September 2008

The activity profile of the alpha male of a captive group of 33 crab-eating macaques (Macaca fascicularis) was compared with the activity profiles of the other 4 adult males of the group. The alpha male’s patterns of cage use and social interactions differed in several respects from those of the other adult males, indicating his position-specific way of dealing with the group and the surroundings
Effects of Size on Vervet (Cercopithecus aethiops) Gait Parameters: A Preliminary Analysis
Authors: Vilensky Joel A. , Gankiewicz Eva
Published: September 2008

A comparison of the values of certain temporal and spatial locomotor parameters was made among 4 differently aged (sized) female vervet monkeys locomoting at identical speeds. The results show that size has a strong influence on most gait parameters, but the magnitude of this effect differs among the parameters and at different speeds. For example, hindlimb stance duration is strongly affected by body size while swing duration is not. Furthermore, body size seems to have less influence on temporal gait parameters at very slow or fast speeds, than at mid-range ones. Thus, smaller animals must apparently vary gaits and gait parameters in a complicated manner to match speeds used by larger animals.
Cognitive Processes in Cebus Monkeys (Cebus apella) when Solving Problem-Box Tasks
Authors: Simons Dietrich , Holtkötter Marianne
Published: September 2008

Although monkeys are capable of solving problem-box tasks, they were said to perform without ‘understanding the value of unlocking’ and to use ‘kinesthetic control’ only [Kohts, 1928]. However, the cognitive processes are much more complex – at least in Cebus monkeys: the problem-solving process was conducted according to the position of the catch in relation to the edge of the door, i.e. our monkey learnt to use visual control. The main characteristics of the monkey’s behavior were similar to those exhibited by children. Problem-box tasks proved to be a suitable method for the comparative analysis of cognitive processes in primates.
A Comparison of the Karyotypes of Six Species of the Genus Macaca and a Species of the Genus Cercocebus
Authors: Brown Celeste J. , Dunbar Virginia G. , Shafer David A.
Published: September 2008

Karyotypes from 72-hour whole blood cultures were compared for six species of macaques (Macaca arctoides, M. fascicularis, M. mulatta, M. nemestrina, M. nigra, and M. radiata) and one species of mangabey (Cercocebus atys). G-bands, sequential C-bands, and late replication patterns were studied. Results showed a variation in a single chromosome pair which differentiated C. atys from the macaques. Heteromorphic variation in silver stained nucleolar organizing regions was seen between and within individuals. This data supports previous work showing the highly conserved nature of the chromosomes of the subfamily Cercopithecus.
Census and Survey of Wild Black-Crested Gibbons (Hylobates concolor concolor) in Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China
Authors: Haimoff Elliot H. , Yang Xiao-Jun , He Swing-Jmg , Chen Nan
Published: September 2008

Black-crested gibbons (Hylobates concolor concolor) inhabit the subtropical forests of Southern China and Northern Vietnam, and have never previously been the subject of any systematic behavioral or ecological study. This report presents the findings of a three-month census and survey of black-crested gibbons in the Wuliang and Ailao Mountain Game Reserves in Yunnan province, China. The censusing methods used here were similar to those techniques used during other census studies of gibbons. The sites visited were subtropical broadleaf evergreen forests, with trees belonging to the families Fagaceae, Theaceae, Magnoliaceae, Lauraceae and Elaeocarpaceae. A total of 23–25 groups of black-crested gibbons were documented from 4 sites visited, and a group density estimate from all sites averaged 0.82 groups/km2. These gibbons were found to be polygynous with an average family group size of 7-8 animals, comprising 1 adult male, 1-4 adult females and numerous offspring of various ages. Some of the ecological and evolutionary implications of these findings are also presented.
The Similarity Principle Underlying Social Bonding among Female Rhesus Monkeys
Authors: de Waal Frans B.M. , Luttrell Lesleigh M.
Published: September 2008

Twenty adult female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were observed over a three-year period. They lived in a mixed captive group with kinship relations known for three generations. The study’s aim was to test Seyfarth’s [J. theor. Biol. 65: 671–698, 1977] model of rank-related grooming and to investigate two other possible determinants of social bonding, i.e. relative age and the group’s stratification into two social classes. Data on affiliation, coalitions, and social competition were collected by means of both focal observation and instantaneous time sampling. Whereas certain elements of the existing model were confirmed, its explanatory principles were not. Social competition did not result in more contact among close-ranking females (the opposite effect was found), and the relation between affiliative behavior and coalitions was more complex than predicted. Based on multivariate analyses and a comparison of theoretical models, we propose a simpler, more encompassing principle underlying interfemale attraction. According to this ‘similarity principle’, rhesus females establish bonds with females whom they most resemble. The similarity may concern (l)genetical and social background, (2) age, (3) hierarchical position and (4) social class. Effects of these four factors were independently demonstrated. The most successful model assumed that similarity factors influence female bonding in a cumulative fashion.
Did Kenyapithecus Utilise Stones?
Authors: Pickford Martin
Published: September 2008

Before the hypothesis that Kenyapithecus wickeri used stone tools for breaking open bones becomes widely accepted, we should examine the evidence upon which the original claims were made. In this respect it is concluded that the evidence for utilisation of a stone at Fort Ternan to cause depressed fractures in long bones and antelope skulls does not stand up to scrutiny. Therefore the evidence used in erecting the hypothesis is considered refuted, and it cannot be used as further support of the hypothesis. In other respects the hypothesis that K. wickeri used stones in the manner described is untestable, and it should therefore be dropped from the list of scientific hypotheses concerning Kenyapithecus.
Aggression toward Large Carnivores by Wild Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania
Authors: Hiraiwa-Hasegawa Mariko , Byrne Richard W. , Takasaki Hiroyuki , Byrne Jennifer M.E.
Published: September 2008

In the Mahale Mountains National Park of Tanzania, a group of about 33 chimpanzees were observed to surround a leopard den containing a mother and at least one cub and to drag out and kill the cub. This is the first report of chimpanzees or any other primate species killing their potential predator’s offspring. The incident suggests that chimpanzees, without any weapons, can manage to defend themselves against a carnivore of at least up to leopard size, and implicates how the early hominids may have reacted against their potential predators.
Environmental Correlates of Ranging Behaviour in the Banded Langur, Presbytis melalophos
Authors: Bennett Elizabeth L.
Published: September 2008

Data are presented from a long-term study of banded langurs in three contrasting rain forest habitats in Peninsular Malaysia. Results from different sites and months are used to correlate ranging patterns with food availability and other environmental variables. Day range lengths are correlated with availability of preferred foods; the degree of territo-riality is related to the distribution and size of food sources and length of time for which any one of these produces favoured food items.
Population Ecology of the Ring-Tailed Lemur, Lemur catta, and the White Sifaka, Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi, at Berenty, Madagascar, 1981
Authors: Howarth C.J. , Wilson J.M. , Adamson A.P. , Wilson M.E. , Boase M.J.
Published: September 2008

The diurnal lemurs Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi and Lemur catta at Berenty in southern Madagascar, have been studied for the last 30 years. The August 1981 census indicates that the population size of L. catta remains stable at 150 adults but that P. v. verreauxi troops have become fragmented and scattered and the population is apparently increasing. Eight different vegetation types were classified within the reserve and their influence on the distribution of L. catta and P. v. verreauxi investigated. Behavioural data obtained shows the niche separation between these two, potentially competitive, sympatric lemurs.
Evidence for Social Referencing in Young Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Authors: Evans Andrea , Tomasello Michael
Published: September 2008

A captive chimpanzee group was observed in order to determine the extent to which the social interactions of the infants and juveniles (18–50 months) were affected by their mothers’ relationships with other adult group members. It was found that the young chimpanzees initiated more interactions with adults who interacted more with their mothers. A vast majority of those interactions occurred at significant distances from the mother. It is argued that these data imply a social-cognitive ability in young chimpanzees closely related to the human infant’s ability to use its mother in ‘social referencing’.
Estimation of Australopithecine Stature from Long Bones: A.L.288–1 as a Test Case
Authors: Geissmann Thomas
Published: September 2008

Regression equations for the estimation of stature from long bones, although derived from modern human populations, are frequently applied to early hominids. In fact, some of these equations have even been recommended or especially created to be applied to Australopithecus remains. In this study, 45 sets of regression and correlation formulae, recurrent in anthropological and medico-legal literature, are applied to long bones of the Pliocene hominid A.L.288-1 (‘Lucy’), in order to assess which, if any, could be considered suitable for stature reconstruction in ‘gracile’ australopithecines. Virtually every method based on regression equations overestimates stature as compared with the estimate based on reconstruction of all the preserved skeletal parts. In addition, most methods failed to give consistent results with data from different limb segments. None of the sets of regression formulae tested here can be recommended as a reliable means of stature estimation in ‘gracile’ australopithecines.
Behavioral Responsiveness of Young Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to a Novel Environment
Authors: Miller L. Cheryl , Bard Kim A. , Juno Charles J. , Nadler Ronald D.
Published: September 2008

Behavioral responsiveness to a novel environment was documented in 22 chimpanzees grouped according to age; 6-months, 1-year, 2-years and 5-years. An attachment figure, a human caretaker, accompanied each subject during the 15-min test sessions so as to preclude confounding of responses to novelty with separation responses. Extreme distress reported previously for chimpanzees and human children when tested alone in a novel situation was rarely observed in these tests when an attachment figure was present. Stereotyped rocking, an indication of mild distress occurred more frequently in the younger animals. Younger animals engaged in distal visual exploration of the environment while remaining close to the attachment figure, whereas the older animals locomoted more frequently and explored the environment directly with their hands. Repeated exposure to the environment reduced the differences among the 6-month, 1-year and 2-year groups. The 6-month group, however, continued to locomote least and least frequently engaged in tactile exploration. These data on chimpanzees resemble data on human children which suggest that an attachment figure: (1) attenuates the distress exhibited by young individuals of these species when exposed to novel stimuli, and thereby (2) provides a secure base which supports the exploration of novel stimuli, a prerequisite to behavioral adaptation.
Lifetime Reproductive Success in Female Japanese Macaques
Authors: Fedigan Linda Marie , Fedigan Laurence , Gouzoules Sarah , Gouzoules Harold , Koyama Naoki
Published: September 2008

Lifetime reproductive success, measured by the number of offspring surviving to age five, varied from 0 to 10 in a group of 33 provisioned female Japanese macaques. Of the three contributors to reproductive success, the number of reproductive years, fecundity per year and survivorship of offspring to reproductive age, the first accounted for two-thirds of the variation. Fecundity per year and survivorship were negatively correlated, indicating reproductive costs of reducing interbirth interval. No other demographic measure used, nor the behavioral measure ‘dominance rank’, significantly correlated with lifetime reproductive success or its components. Age-specific changes in fecundity and infant survival were not found for this sample, neither could cessation of reproduction, even in very old females, be demonstrated.
Hair Pulling and Eating in Captive Rhesus Monkey Troops
Authors: Reinhardt Viktor , Reinhardt Annie , Houser Dan
Published: September 2008

Hair pulling and eating has not yet received attention in the nonhuman primate literature. Hair pulling and eating was recorded 388 times in two heterogeneous troops of healthy rhesus monkeys that were kept according to modern management practices. The behavior in question consists of the following sequence: (1) pulling with the fingers (1/3 of cases) or with the teeth (2/3 of cases) tufts of hair from one’s own or from a partner’s coat; (2) chewing the hair and finally swallowing it; the undigested material is excreted in the feces. Hair pulling was almost exclusively (378/388) partner-directed. It was observed 364 times between animals whose dominance relationships were known; it was performed in 96% (349/364) of observations by a dominant but only in 4% (15/364) of observations by a subordinate monkey. The recipient of hair pulling showed typical fear and/or avoidance reactions. In both troops young animals (2–8 years of age) engaged in hair pulling and eating significantly more often than old animals (10–26 years of age). There was no evidence that nutritional, toxicological or climatic factors were responsible for the manifestation of this behavior. It was concluded that, similar to trichotillomania in man, wool pulling and eating in sheep and muskox, and feather picking in poultry, hair pulling and eating is an aggressive behavioral disorder in rhesus monkeys reflecting adjustment problems to a stressful environment.
Plasma Testosterone Concentrations during Postnatal Development in the Male Common Marmoset
Authors: Dixson A.F.
Published: September 2008

Repeated measurements of plasma testosterone (T) were made in 56 male marmosets from the day of birth until 300 days of age and in 44 adults (>3 years). The resulting profile of plasma T during postnatal development shows higher levels during infancy (1–90 days) followed by a nadir between 100 and 170 days and then a progressive rise in T during puberty. Although T levels of up to 21 ng/ml were measured in infant males, mean levels (±SEM) were 5.4 ± 0.6 ng/ml (days 1–10), declining gradually to 1.7 ± 0.1 ng/ml (days 100–110). No increase in mean T levels between 15 and 100 days was identified, and the onset of puberty was earlier in some males than measured previously in this species.
Direct Modulation of Activity and Body Temperature of Owl Monkeys (Aotus lemurinus griseimembra) by Low Light Intensities
Authors: Erkert H.G. , Gröber J.
Published: September 2008

The activity pattern of Aotus lemurinus griseimembra can be predictably altered by varying the illuminance during the dark phase of a 12:12-hour light:dark rhythm. Intensities well below full-moon brightness (0.1–0.5 1x) severely inhibit activity. This modulation is not the result of a light-induced phase shift of the circadian rhythm, but it is primarily caused by masking due to direct effects of light on the motor system. Both proportional and differential effects of light are involved. Miniature transmitters were implanted intraperitoneally in two Aotus females so that the core temperature could be measured in parallel with locomotor activity. The responses to brief reductions of of the dark-phase illuminance, from 10–1 to 10–3 1x, 10–5 1x or physiological darkness, indicate that the direct effects of light that modulate the activity of the owl monkeys also affect their temperature time-course. The influence on the temperature rhythm, unlike that on the activity rhythm, varies greatly over the circadian period. The finding that the core temperature does not always change in parallel with locomotor activity and, to some extent, reacts differently to the lightdark alternation indicates that temperature does not simply follow activity passively, but rather is partially subject to a ‘direct’ masking influence of the light.
Loud Calls of Adult Male Red Howling Monkeys (Alouatta seniculus)
Authors: Schön Ybarra Miguel A.
Published: September 2008

Loud calls of adult male red howlers (Alouatta seniculus) inhabiting a deciduous and semideciduous open woodland site in Venezuela were recorded opportunistically and categorized by ear and sonographically as barks and roars. Five to six different bark syllables were identified as occurring singly or in sequences of doublets and triplets. In barks, spectral energy was concentrated in bands at 350–400 Hz, 900–1,100 Hz, 1,800–2,200 Hz and 3,000–3,500 Hz, but not all higher bands were present in each syllable. Roars appeared sonographically like prolonged barks composed of a pulsated preface, a long legato climax and a brief, fractionated and at times pulsated coda; each part varied internally to the ear and in acoustic structure. All loud calls were of the noisy type (nonharmonic energy over a broad frequency range). Acoustic characteristics of the calls are interpreted in terms of the subserving vocal tract anatomy. I compare loud calls of red howlers with those of mantled (A. palliata) and black (A. caraya) howlers.
Modified Subfossil Aye-Aye Incisors from Southwestern Madagascar: Species Allocation and Paleoecological Significance
Authors: MacPhee R.D.E. , Raholimavo Ernestine M.
Published: September 2008

Two of the three drilled aye-aye incisors collected in 1901 by Grandidier at the subfossil site of Lamboharana were recently rediscovered in uncatalogued collections of the Institut de Paléontologie in Paris. These teeth are not much wider or thicker than those of the extant aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), but their arc of curvature is noticeably greater. These facts indicate that the teeth probably belong to D. robusta, a large extinct aye-aye whose dentition is otherwise unknown. No other remains referable to Daubentonia have been reported from Lamboharana, although D. robusta is known from other localities in the southwest. The presence of Daubentonia in southern Madagascar does not demonstrate that this region was markedly more humid or densely forested in the recent past. It remains to be established whether the extinction of D. robusta throughout its range in southern Madagascar, and local disappearance of D. madagascariensis everywhere but in the eastern forest biotope, is due to late Holocene climatic change, to anthropogenic effects, or both factors combined.
A Population-Genetic Study of Crab-Eating Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) on the Island of Angaur, Palau, Micronesia
Authors: Kawamoto Yoshi , Nozawa Ken , Matsubayashi Kiyoaki , Gotoh Shunji
Published: September 2008

Blood protein polymorphisms of an introduced population of the crab-eating macaques on Angaur Island, Palau, Micronesia, were examined electrophoretically to assess genetic variability. Results showed a high degree of genetic heterozygosity and some distinctive features in the genetic constitution of this island population. Negative evidence is presented regarding ancestry from a single pair of macaques. Their origin is discussed in relation to the genetic structure of the present population.
Functional Differentiation of Long Bones in Lorises
Authors: Demes Brigitte , Jungers William L.
Published: September 2008

The external dimensions of the limb bones and the geometry of their midshaft cross-sections were determined for Loris tardigradus and Nycticebus coucang. Relative cortical thickness, cortical area, and second moment of area were calculated and contrasted with locomotor stresses. The difference in shape-related strength of the bones between the smaller- and the larger-bodied species is more pronounced than can be expected from stresses acting during normal locomotion. The Nycticebus skeleton has a much higher safety margin overall and seems to be dimensioned for infrequent but critical stresses of high magnitude. Lorisine gaits in general are characterized by low ground reaction forces, great mobility in all joints, and a nearly equal share in propulsion and weight-bearing by the fore- and hindlimb. Accordingly, the long bones of lorises (especially those of L. tardigradus) tend to be less rigid than those of other mammalian species (including other primates), they lack a preferential plane of higher bending strength, and femur and humerus do not differ markedly in their capacity to withstand mechanical stresses. External dimensions of the humerus and femur of the two African lorisine species parallel and corroborate these results. Some more general implications for the relationships between bone shape and locomotor stresses are also discussed.
The Aye-Ayes, Daubentonia madagascariensis, at the Paris Zoological Garden: Maintenance and Preliminary Behavioural Observations
Authors: Winn Renée M.
Published: September 2008

The history of the aye-aye in captivity outside Madagascar is briefly reviewed. Maintenance conditions of the 3 animals currently housed at the Paris Zoo are described. In addition to providing information on the diet and feeding behaviour of the animals, details of enclosure size, humidity level, temperature, cage furniture and light cycle are provided. Preliminary behavioural observations on mother-infant relationships, grooming, nest building and play are also included.
A Re-Evaluation of the Social Organisation of the Callitrichidae, with Reference to the Ecological Differences between Genera
Authors: Ferrari Stephen F. , Lopes Ferrari Maria A.
Published: September 2008

Field studies of callitrichid species have reported a surprising degree of variation in the composition of social groups, some of which has been interpreted as evidence of ‘cooperative polyandry’ in recent reviews. The majority of the evidence is, however, derived from studies of only one of the four callitrichid genera, Saguinus. While most features of the morphology and behaviour of all callitrichid species are broadly similar, studies of marmosets (Callithrix spp. and Cebuella pygmaea) indicate that important ecological differences exist between genera. These differences appear, in turn, to be reflected in marked contrasts in both social organisation and mating systems. A re-evaluation of the social organisation of the callitrichids, based on differences in their ecological adaptations, is presented.
Canine Tooth Size Variability in Primates
Authors: Beauchamp Guy
Published: September 2008

I present an analysis of canine tooth size variability in male and female primates. The coefficient of variation (CV = SD × 100/mean) as an index of canine size variability proved to be dependent on mean canine size in males and, to a lower extent, in females. Therefore, variability tends to increase with increasing values of mean canine size. Using residuals from the regression of log SD on log mean canine size in male and female primates, I analysed the contribution of diet, habitat and mating system to canine size variability. Habitat and mating system are known to influence to a certain extent the degree of sexual dimorphism in canine size. Given the well-known relationship between sexual dimorphism and phenotypic variability, it was suggested that these factors might influence variability in canine size. Everything else being equal, males of polygynous species are characterized by more variable canine sizes than males of monogamous species. Habitat and diet did not contribute to the level of variability observed in either males or females. It is proposed that a high level of variability in canine size may be related to the likelihood that enlarged canines evolved as a result of male-male competition for mates in polygynous species.
Three-Dimensional Surface Reconstruction Software System for IBM Personal Computers
Authors: Vannier Michael W. , Conroy Glenn C.
Published: September 2008

Surface and volumetric three-dimensional imaging methods have found application in fields as diverse as diagnostic medical imaging and paleontological research. The acquisition, modeling, classification, and computer graphics rendering of discrete image volumes will be introduced. Applications in diagnosis (craniofacial, orthopedic, cardiovasvular, and others) as well as reconstruction methods for generic serial sections will be described. C language software for three-dimensional reconstruction which operates on an IBM PC/AT clone is described.
Applications of Finite-Element Scaling Analysis in Primatology
Authors: Richtsmeier Joan T.
Published: September 2008

The study of biological shape in three dimensions using landmark data can now be accomplished using several alternative methods. This report focuses on the use of finite-element scaling analysis in primate craniofacial morphology. The method is particularly useful in its ability to localize the differences between forms, thereby indicating those loci that differ most between specimens. Several examples of this feature are provided from primatological research. Particulars of the methods are also discussed in an attempt to provide the reader with cautionary knowledge for prudent application of the method in future research.
Quantitative Approaches to Primate Morphology
Authors: Preuschoft H.
Published: September 2008

Quantitative morphometric methods are focused mainly on dental morphology, skull shape, shapes of body segments, body proportions and overall size. In the majority of cases simple measurements of linear dimensions or angles have been used. Only rarely are the possibilities inherent to a quantitative description of shape fully exploited. Nevertheless, the utility of morphometrics for taxonomic studies is now generally accepted, in particular if the measurements provide the data base for multivariate statistics. For an understanding of the selective value of the characters studied, a different kind of quantitative data is necessary. As most of the observed variation is in locomotor and jaw structures, which serve to fulfil mechanical functions, quantitative data from the field of mechanics are required: moments of force, moments of resistance, velocities, accelerations, forces, stresses. Even more important than these empirical data is precise knowledge of the way in which these factors are connected in mathematical equations which describe the mechanical laws governing the animal and its motions. If the basic constraint which directs the phylogenetic development of forms is indeed the saving of energy as is commonly accepted, the mechanical approach will open up a causal understanding of evolution.
Developments in Cranial Morphometrics
Authors: O’Higgins Paul
Published: September 2008

This paper sets out to describe a number of traditional and novel approaches to craniometry. These include linear and angular measurements, indices, shape factors, least squares, and Fourier analysis. A study is presented in which these different techniques are applied to a phenetic analysis of the crania of a variety of living and extinct hominoids, with the aim of assessing the relative merits of different approaches. The results allow an appraisal of the stability of phenetic groupings in the face of different data and suggest that the choice of data can considerably influence the observed pattern of between-group relationships. The choice of craniometric method should be made with due regard for the questions at hand and the interpretation of phenetic relationships should allow for the particular data.
New Approaches to Structural Evolution of Limb Bones in Primates
Authors: Ruff Christopher B.
Published: September 2008

Structural analysis of primate limb bones using engineering beam theory can reduce complex biological forms to a few readily interpretable and functionally relevant parameters. Several methods of obtaining and analyzing these structural parameters are described, including computed tomography, multiple plane radiography, photon absorptiometry, and automated digital analysis. Examples of applications of these data to problems in primate adaptation and evolution include improved estimation of body mass in fossil species, investigation of relative fore- and hindlimb mechanical loadings (‘dominance’), and study of more subtle within and between species differences in behavior as reflected in variations in limb bone shape. In addition, it is shown that combined analyses of diaphyseal and articular structure can provide information on aspects of structural evolution of primate limb bones not evident from independent analysis of either type of characteristic alone.
The Developing Dentition and Tooth Structure in Hominoids
Authors: Christopher Dean M.
Published: September 2008

This review of hominoid dental development is presented in two parts. The first section reviews (1) the general relationship between dental development and life history in hominoids; (2) the methods used to document dental development, and (3) the nature of incremental growth markings in hominoid teeth. The second section builds on this and reviews the contributions to hominoid dental development that have been made by (1) studies of tooth emergence; (2) studies of tooth calcification stages, and (3) histological studies of incremental growth markings made either from sections of teeth or replicas of early hominid teeth prepared for scanning electron microscopy.
Interactive Analysis of Phylogeny and Character Evolution Using the Computer Program MacClade
Authors: Maddison Wayne Paul , Maddison David Robert
Published: September 2008

Computer programs for phylogenetic analysis have been important tools in systematics and evolutionary biology, but most have been designed primarily for the reconstruction of phylogenetic trees and not the interpretation of patterns of character evolution. Described here is the computer program MacClade, designed for interactive analysis of character evolution and phylogeny. For a given tree and a matrix of character data, MacClade displays its reconstruction of character evolution by shading the branches of the tree to indicate ancestral states. Trees can be manipulated, for instance by picking up and moving branches. Assumptions underlying the reconstruction of character evolution can be varied extensively. With these manipulations and MacClade’s graphical feedback, one can explore the relationships among phylogenetic trees, character data, assumptions, and interpretations of character evolution. MacClade has extensive facilities for editing data, displaying various summaries of character evolution in charts and diagrams, and printing.
Comparative Methods for Examining Adaptation Depend on Evolutionary Models
Authors: Pagel Mark D. , Harvey Paul H.
Published: September 2008

Comparisons among taxa provide a powerful means for helping to understand why primate species differ from each other in morphology, behaviour and life history. Comparative tests can also mislead when not applied correctly, and correct application means taking into account the phylogenetic relationships among the species being compared. Adaptation is defined as a comparative concept. The reasons for phenotypic similarity among closely related taxa are summarized. Different models of evolutionary change dictate different methods for reconstructing ancestral character states and for performing comparative analyses on categorical and continuously varying characters. All comparative methods rely either implicitly or explicitly on some model of how evolution proceeds. The choice of a particular method of analysis is, therefore, an implicit choice of a model of evolution.
Behavioral Development and Socialization of Infants in a Free-Ranging Group of Howling Monkeys (Alouatta palliata)
Authors: Clarke Margaret R.
Published: September 2008

A 22-month field study was carried out on free-ranging mantled howlers in Costa Rica. Six female and 5 male infants were observed systematically from birth until they died, left the group, or the study ended. Interaction patterns, activity patterns, and proximity data were analyzed from 703 h of focal observations and 753 h of ad lib observations. Developmental trends in weaning and nonmother care were associated with mothers’ feeding patterns, suggesting an increase in maternal feeding efficiency. As howler immigration patterns resulted in groups of adults of low relatedness, analyses based on social bonding or kin selection were inappropriate, and socialization patterns instead appeared to prepare howler infants to respond predictably in an adult world. Females, which were more sociable as adults, were also more sociable as infants, initiating interactions and reacting positively. They also exibited less weaning stress than males. Males, which were forced out of the group sooner, remained solitary longer, and primarily interacted with adult females as adults, were forced to be independent sooner, reacted negatively to interactions, and ceased interacting with adult males by 3 months of age. Ecological constraints on development could not be determined from this study, although there was no evidence for developmental trends being influenced by predator stress.
Diet and Feeding Behaviour of Samango Monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis labiatus) in Ngoye Forest, South Africa
Authors: Lawes M.J. , Henzi S.P. , Perrin M.R.
Published: September 2008

The samango monkey occurs at the southern limit of the range of Cercopithecus mitis. Greater climatic seasonality at this latitude results in more predictable fruiting patterns. In addition, there are no diurnal sympatric primate frugivores. Under these conditions, the diet and feeding strategies of samango monkeys would be expected to differ notably from those of central or east African C. mitis subspecies. Contrary to these expectations, the preliminary observations reported here indicate that diets of samango and blue monkeys differ only superficially in the proportions of items eaten. Similarities in feeding behaviour are especially marked during the dry season period when fruit is not abundant. Both samango and blue monkeys tend to be less selective in their choice of food species and to eat available food species regardless of their energy content; a shift toward less nutritious items such as leaves is also noted. Feeding behaviour during the summer wet season is characterized by the selection of fruits with high-energy values. A high proportion of visits by the monkeys to areas of greater food availability suggests a concentration of feeding effort in food patches and the selection of higher energy food species within patches.
Morphological Basis of Arm-Swinging: Multivariate Analyses of the Forelimbs of Hylobates and Ateles
Authors: Takahashi Lilian K.
Published: September 2008

Field and laboratory studies of arm-swinging in gibbons reveal its singularity even compared to spider monkeys. On the basis of principal components and discriminant analyses of size-corrected forelimb variables, this study confirms their morphological uniqueness and the more generalized nature of the spider monkey forelimb. Long forearms, well-developed scapular spines, and sagittally thicker radial shafts are features associated strictly with gibbon arm-swinging. On the other hand, large humeral heads, projecting medial epicondyles, and axially elongated scapulae, traditionally regarded as arm-swinging traits, are probably more important for climbing.
Variability and Adaptability in the Genus Cebus
Authors: Fragaszy Dorothy Munkenbeck , Visalberghi E. , Robinson J.G.
Published: September 2008

Capuchins (Cebus) present an array of similarities to humans and apes in morphology, behavior and life history which raise a host of questions about the relations of these features to each other and about their evolutionary origins. As a genus and as individuals, capuchins possess marked adaptability and great variability in behavior. These two characteristics contribute directly to the biological success of capuchins. Variability and adaptability are also hallmarks of human behavior.
Conceptual Learning in Capuchin Monkeys
Authors: Adams-Curtis Leah E.
Published: September 2008

This paper reviews concept learning in Cebus monkeys, focussing on their ability to use the identity relation, oddity and natural concepts. Capuchins are similar to other primate genera in their use of these concepts. The extant data on learning in primates generally reflect historical concerns with general processes of learning. An alternative approach which considers the tasks the animal faces in its natural environment may be better suited to the discovery of species-unique characteristics of learning. This approach has not yet been applied to Cebus.
Use of Objects as Hammers to Open Nuts by Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella)
Authors: Anderson James R.
Published: September 2008

The use of stones as hammers to break open nuts was studied in a captive group of 7 Cebus apella. Only the single adult female and an infant showed no tool use. Tool use significantly reduced the time required to break open the nuts and obtain the kernel and led to fewer nuts being abandoned. Individual differences and social processes surrounding tool use are described. The development of tool use in a juvenile female is documented, along with the same female’s novel use of a previously neglected object as a tool and the subsequent use of this object by the other members of the group.
Social Processes Affecting the Appearance of Innovative Behaviors in Capuchin Monkeys
Authors: Fragaszy Dorothy Munkenbeck , Visalberghi Elisabetta
Published: September 2008

We consider the role of social factors in the appearance of innovative problem-solving behaviors in capuchins. Processes supporting dissemination of innovative behaviors included social enhancement of interest in the objects and area around the task and (rarely) coaction. Factors inhibiting display of innovative behaviors included restricted access and requirements for social vigilance among animals of vulnerable social status and exploitation by noninnovators of others’ behaviors. We urge caution in interpreting the increased appearance of novel behaviors in primates as evidence for imitation or facilitation and call for a more rigorous experimental investigation of social learning in primates.
Infanticide in Wedge-Capped Capuchin Monkeys, Cebus olivaceus
Authors: Valderrama Ximena , Srikosamatara Sompoad , Robinson John G.
Published: September 2008

Three cases of infanticide are reported from a well-studied population of wedge-capped capuchin monkeys, Cebus olivaceus, located in the Venezuelan llanos. For each case, we examined the social context and the consequences to the reproductive success of the infanticidal male. In 1 case, the male probably killed his own son. In 2 cases, the male killed an unrelated animal. In all 3 cases, the female conceived in the following breeding season, but in only 1 case did the infanticidal male possibly enhance his own reproductive success. These data are interpreted in the light of current hypotheses for infanticide.