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Ontogeny and phyletic size change in living and fossil lemursEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Lemurs are notable for encompassing the range of body-size variation for all primates past and present - close to four orders of magnitude. Benefiting from the phylogenetic proximity of subfossil lemurs to smaller-bodied living forms, we employ allometric data from the skull to probe the ontogenetic bases of size differentiation and morphological diversity across these clades. Building upon prior pairwise comparisons between sister taxa, we performed the first clade-wide analyses of craniomandibular growth allometries in 359 specimens from 10 lemuroids and 176 specimens from 8 indrioids. Ontogenetic trajectories for extant...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - November 18, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Matthew J. Ravosa, Ashley N. Daniel Source Type: journals

Male and female range use in a group of white-bellied spider monkeys (Ateles belzebuth) in Yasuní National Park, EcuadorEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Spider monkeys (Ateles sp.) live in a flexible fission-fusion social system in which members of a social group are not in constant association, but instead form smaller subgroups of varying size and composition. Patterns of range use in spider monkeys have been described as sex-segregated, with males and females often ranging separately, females utilizing core areas that encompass only a fraction of the entire community range, and males using much larger portions of the community range that overlap considerably with the core areas of females and other males. Males are also reported to use the boundary areas of community ho...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - November 13, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Stephanie N. Spehar, Andres Link, Anthony Di Fiore Source Type: journals

Primate conservation: integrating communities through environmental education programsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Environmental education has evolved over the years to respond to the varied complexities found in the different localities where it is practiced. In many parts of the world where biodiversity is rich, social conditions are poor, so educators have included sustainable development alternatives to better the environment and the livelihoods of local communities. Primate conservation education programs, which are often based in areas that face such challenges, have been a vanguard in creating means to integrate people with their natural environment and thus conquer supporters for the protection of natural habitats. In the searc...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - November 11, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Suzana M. Padua Source Type: journals

Latitudinal variation in cranial dimorphism in Macaca fascicularisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study examines latitudinal and insular variation in the expression of sexual dimorphism in cranial length in three geographical groupings of Macaca fascicularis. In addition, the relationship between cranial length dimorphism (CLD) and sex-specific size is examined. The results of the study identified a significant relationship between CLD and latitude for only one of the three geographic groupings. Sex-specific relationships between cranial length and CLD were detected. The pattern of these relationships varied by geographic grouping. This study is important because it demonstrates that despite very similar levels of...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - November 10, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Michael A. Schillaci Source Type: journals

Sex differences in vocal patterns in the northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We investigated whether sex differences in spatial dynamics correlate with rates of staccato and neigh vocalizations in northern muriquis (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) at the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural-Feliciano Miguel Abdala, Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 2,727 10 min focal subject samples were collected on 32 adult females and 31 adult males between April 2007 and March 2008. Compared with males, females spent a significantly lower proportion of their time in proximity to other group members and gave staccatos at significantly higher rates while feeding, resting, and traveling. Conversely, males emitted nei...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - November 3, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Luisa F. Arnedo, Francisco D.C. Mendes, Karen B. Strier Source Type: journals

Energetic costs of territorial boundary patrols by wild chimpanzeesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Chimpanzees are well known for their territorial behavior. Males who belong to the same community routinely patrol their territories, occasionally making deep incursions into those of their neighbors. Male chimpanzees may obtain several fitness benefits by participating in territorial boundary patrols, but patrolling is also likely to involve fitness costs. Patrollers risk injury or even death, and patrols may be energetically costly and may involve opportunity costs. Although territorial patrols have been reported at all long-term chimpanzee study sites, quantitative data on their energetic costs have not previously been ...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - October 28, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Sylvia J. Amsler Source Type: journals

Density estimates of Panamanian owl monkeys (Aotus zonalis) in three habitat typesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The resolution of the ambiguity surrounding the taxonomy of Aotus means data on newly classified species are urgently needed for conservation efforts. We conducted a study on the Panamanian owl monkey (Aotus zonalis) between May and July 2008 at three localities in Chagres National Park, located east of the Panama Canal, using the line transect method to quantify abundance and distribution. Vegetation surveys were also conducted to provide a baseline quantification of the three habitat types. We observed 33 individuals within 16 groups in two out of the three sites. Population density was highest in Campo Chagres with 19.7...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - October 22, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Magdalena S. Svensson, Rafael Samudio, Simon K. Bearder, K. Anne-Isola Nekaris Source Type: journals

Use of film for community conservation education in primate habitat countriesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Wildlife films have become an integral part of broadcast schedules in developed countries. As charismatic mammals, primates are frequently the focus of the wildlife filmmaker's attention. Yet the people watching these films tend to be situated on different continents from the species concerned. Communities in primate habitat countries are unlikely to ever have the opportunity to gain such an insight into the species with which they share their environment and the threats these species face. Over recent years, an increasing number of filmmakers are realizing the importance of reaching local audiences through film for conser...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - October 21, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Juliet H. Wright Source Type: journals

Effects of habitat fragmentation and disturbance on howler monkeys: a reviewEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We examined the literature on the effects of habitat fragmentation and disturbance on howler monkeys (genus Alouatta) to (1) identify different threats that may affect howlers in fragmented landscapes; (2) review specific predictions developed in fragmentation theory and (3) identify the empirical evidence supporting these predictions. Although howlers are known for their ability to persist in both conserved and disturbed conditions, we found evidence that they are negatively affected by high levels of habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation. Patch size appears to be the main factor constraining populations in fragment...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - October 21, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Víctor Arroyo-Rodríguez, Pedro Américo D. Dias Source Type: journals

The effects of extreme seasonality of climate and day length on the activity budget and diet of semi-commensal chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in the Cape Peninsula of South AfricaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We examined the effects of extreme seasonality on the activity budget and diet of wild chacma baboons with access to a high-quality, human-derived food source. The Cape Peninsula of South Africa is unusual among nonhuman primate habitats due to its seasonal extremes in day length and climate. Winter days are markedly shorter and colder than summer days but have higher rainfall and higher primary production of annually flowering plants. This combination of fewer daylight hours but higher rainfall is substantially different from the ecological constraints faced by both equatorial baboon populations and those living in temper...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - October 21, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: A.C. van Doorn, M.J. O'Riain, L. Swedell Source Type: journals

Spatial variation in density and total size estimates in fragmented primate populations: the golden-crowned sifaka (Propithecus tattersalli)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The golden-crowned sifaka (Propithecus tattersalli) is an endangered lemur species found only in the Daraina region, a very restricted area in north-eastern Madagascar. Its forest habitat is highly fragmented and expected to suffer from significant changes in the near future. The species is poorly known and only one census study, carried out in 2000, has ever been published. It is thus crucial to update the conservation status of the golden-crowned sifaka before major anthropogenic environmental changes take place. Using the line-transect approach, we estimated the species density in the main forest fragments located in bo...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - October 13, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Erwan Quéméré, Julie Champeau, Aubin Besolo, Emmanuel Rasolondraibe, Clément Rabarivola, Brigitte Crouau-Roy, Lounès Chikhi Source Type: journals

Social segregation in male, but not female yearling rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Males and females of many species sex-segregate, ranging from complete separation of habitats to social segregation within the same space, sometimes varying across seasons and lifespan development. Mechanisms for such segregation are not well understood, though some have suggested that sex differences in preferred juvenile behaviors lead to greater behavioral compatibility within than between sexes. This within-sex behavioral compatibility may be the source of sex-segregation. As juvenile behavioral sex differences are well-documented in rhesus monkeys, we examined sex-segregation patterns of yearling rhesus monkeys engage...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - October 13, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Janice M. Hassett, Heather A. Rupp, Kim Wallen Source Type: journals

Milk composition of captive tufted capuchins (Cebus apella)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article reports on the macronutrient milk composition (fat, crude protein (CP), lactose, dry matter (DM), and total gross energy (GE)) of captive housed tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) (n=8). C. apella milk averaged 5.22% fat, 2.40% CP, 6.94% lactose, 16.48% DM, and 0.89 kcal/g. Fat was the most variable macronutrient and was significantly higher in samples collected after 2 months of lactation. To explore the adaptive significance of C. apella milk composition, results were compared with data on milk composition from a closely related cebid, Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis, and another large-brained anthropoid, Homo ...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - October 12, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Lauren A. Milligan Source Type: journals

Social learning of diet and foraging skills by wild immature Bornean orangutans: implications for cultureEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Studies of social learning in the wild are important to complement findings from experiments in captivity. In this field study, immature Bornean orangutans rarely foraged independently but consistently followed their mothers' choices. Their diets were essentially identical to their mothers' even though not all mothers had the same diet. This suggests vertical transmission of diet by enhancement. Also, immatures selectively observed their mothers during extractive foraging, which increased goal-directed practice but not general manipulation of similar objects, suggesting observational forms of learning of complex skills. Te...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 28, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Adrian V. Jaeggi, Lynda P. Dunkel, Maria A. Van Noordwijk, Serge A. Wich, Agnes A.L. Sura, Carel P. Van Schaik Source Type: journals

Semi-quantitative tests of cyanide in foods and excreta of Three Hapalemur species in MadagascarEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we tested for the presence/absence of cyanide in bamboo lemur foods and excreta to (1) document patterns of cyanide consumption among species with respect to diet, (2) identify routes of elimination of cyanide from the gastrointestinal tract, and (3) determine whether cyanide is absorbed from the diet. We tested 102 food, urine, and fecal samples for hydrogen cyanide (HCN) during two "pre-dry" seasons (April 2006, May 2007) using commercially available Cyantesmo test strips. The test strips changed color in the presence of HCN, and we recorded color change on a scale of 0 (no change) to 5 (cobalt) at preset ...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 28, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Nayuta Yamashita, Chia L. Tan, Christopher J. Vinyard, Cathy Williams Source Type: journals

Living together: behavior and welfare in single and mixed species groups of capuchin (Cebus apella) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We present data on the behavior of single and mixed species groups of capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) housed at the Living Links to Human Evolution Research Centre in the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's Edinburgh Zoo. These species associate in the wild, gaining foraging benefits and decreased predation. But Cebus are also predators themselves with potential risks for the smaller Saimiri. To study their living together we took scan samples at [ge]15 min intervals on single (n=109) and mixed species groups (n=152), and all occurrences of intraspecific aggression and interspecif...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 28, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Rebecca Leonardi, Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith, Valérie Dufour, Charlotte MacDonald, Andrew Whiten Source Type: journals

Leaf nest use and construction in the golden-brown mouse lemur (Microcebus ravelobensis) in the Ankarafantsika National ParkEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The use of leaf nests has been documented in several mouse lemur species over the last few decades, including the golden-brown mouse lemur. Nest construction, however, has only rarely been observed and detailed descriptions of this process are lacking so far. We aim to determine the relative importance of leaf nests as shelters for the golden-brown mouse lemur, and to test predictions concerning the role of thermoregulation, safety (i.e., protection of infants), and of interspecific competition with the sympatric gray mouse lemurs in regulating nest use. Finally, we intend to clarify whether and how Microcebus ravelobensis...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 28, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Sandra Thorén, Franziska Quietzsch, Ute Radespiel Source Type: journals

Laterality in semi-free-ranging black and white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata): head-tilt correlates with hand use during feedingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Previous studies in human and chimpanzee infants have identified a predictive relationship between early rightward head orientation and later right hand use. Data from lemurs suggest a leftward bias in hand preference, but there are no data on head positioning. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between head and hand preferences in the black and white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata variegata). Ruffed lemurs rotate the head vertically during chewing in a behavior called head-tilting. Frequency of head-tilting and bouts of unimanual hand use were measured during normal feeding in a semi-free-ranging p...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 20, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Eliza L. Nelson, Jaime M. O'Karma, Felicia S. Ruperti, Melinda A. Novak Source Type: journals

The mating system of the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article reports the first genetic study of the mating system of the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana), an endemic and endangered species in China. The investigation was carried out in a population (WRT) in the Qinling Mountains using data from both field observation and paternity analysis through microsatellite DNA profiling. During a mating season, a male on an average copulated with 5.7 females. Approximately 18% of the females were observed to copulate with more than one male over the study period. The majority of copulations (94.5%) were initiated by females. Twenty-eight of 430 observed matings ...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 18, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Songtao Guo, Weihong Ji, Ming Li, Hongli Chang, Baoguo Li Source Type: journals

Volumetric and lateralized differences in selected brain regions of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The two species of Pan, bonobos and common chimpanzees, have been reported to have different social organization, cognitive and linguistic abilities and motor skill, despite their close biological relationship. Here, we examined whether bonobos and chimpanzee differ in selected brain regions that may map to these different social and cognitive abilities. Eight chimpanzees and eight bonobos matched on age, sex and rearing experiences were magnetic resonance images scanned and volumetric measures were obtained for the whole brain, cerebellum, striatum, motor-hand area, hippocampus, inferior frontal gyrus and planum temporale...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 16, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: William D. Hopkins, Heidi Lyn, Claudio Cantalupo Source Type: journals

Assessment of organochlorine pesticides and metals in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, MadagascarEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we examined ring-tailed lemurs from the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), southern Madagascar for exposure to organochlorine (OC) pesticides and metals and examined differences in contaminant concentrations between sexes and among age groups, troops, and habitats. A total of 14 pesticides and 13 metals was detected in lemur blood (24 individuals) and hair (65 individuals) samples, respectively. p,p[prime]-DDT, heptachlor, aldrin, heptachlor epoxide, endrin aldehyde, and endrin were among the most prevalent pesticides detected. Surprisingly, the persistent metabolite of p,p[prime]-DDT, p,p[prime]-DDE, was...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 10, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Thomas R. Rainwater, Michelle L. Sauther, Katherine A.E. Rainwater, Rachel E. Mills, Frank P. Cuozzo, Baohong Zhang, Les N. McDaniel, Michael T. Abel, Eric J. Marsland, Martha A. Weber, Ibrahim Antho Youssouf Jacky, Steven G. Platt, George P. Cobb, Todd A Source Type: journals

The ischial callosities of Sulawesi macaquesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Sulawesi island has a high level of endemism, including the seven species of monkey from the genus Macaca (macaques). These monkeys have a pair of sitting pads, termed ischial callosities that have diverse shapes and previously were described verbally only. Although useful, these verbal descriptions cannot fully describe shape variation and are somewhat subjective, and cannot directly be used to analyze relationships among species. Here, we report a quantitative analysis of shape of Sulawesi macaque ischial callosities using geometric morphometric tools to optimally describe shape variation and objectively reconstruct gene...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 9, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Berry Juliandi, Bambang Suryobroto, Dyah Perwitasari-Farajallah Source Type: journals

Placental insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) and its relation to litter size in the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The primate placenta produces a wide variety of hormones throughout gestation that regulate placental function and fetal growth. One such hormone is insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), a peptide implicated in cell division, differentiation, and amino acid transport. IGF-II concentrations were measured in 23 common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) term placentas from twin and triplet litters in order to determine whether previously described differences in fetoplacental phenotype such as placental and litter mass and placental surface area were related to differences in endocrine function. IGF-II was extracted from frozen ...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 9, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Julienne N. Rutherford, Amy Eklund, Suzette Tardif Source Type: journals

Chimpanzees prey on army ants with specialized tool setEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report the use of a tool set in army ant predation by chimpanzees in the Goualougo Triangle, Republic of Congo. We recovered 1,060 tools used in this context and collected 25 video recordings of chimpanzee tool-using behavior at ant nests. Two different types of tools were distinguished based on their form and function. The chimpanzees use a woody sapling to perforate the ant nest, and then a herb stem as a dipping tool to harvest the ants. All of the species of ants preyed upon in Goualougo are present and consumed by chimpanzees at other sites, but there are no other reports of such a regular or widespread use of more...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 2, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Crickette M. Sanz, Caspar Schöning, David B. Morgan Source Type: journals

Digestion in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a gummivore-frugivoreEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Wild common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) feed on fruits, insects, and gums, all of which provide different digestive challenges. Much of the ingested mass of fruits consists of seeds. In general, seeds represent indigestible bulk to marmosets and could inhibit feeding if they are not eliminated rapidly. In contrast, gums are [beta]-linked polysaccharides that require microbial fermentation. Their digestion would benefit from an extended residence time within the gut. Earlier research found that mean retention time (MRT) for a liquid digestive marker (cobalt EDTA) was significantly longer than MRT for a particulate marker...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - September 1, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Michael L. Power, E. Wilson Myers Source Type: journals

Social behavior in fission-fusion groups of red uakari monkeys (Cacajao calvus ucayalii)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We present some of the first data on social behavior for this genus based on a study on Cacajao calvus ucayalii. They traveled in multimale multifemale groups of highly variable sizes, with bachelor units on the periphery. Adult males were affiliative, and adult females associated with more than one adult male. Adult females typically traveled with their dependent offspring and an older juvenile within the group. In parties of two or more males, individuals engaged in previously unreported display behaviors and acted together to aggressively chase other males. Breeding was seasonal, and mating occurred away from other grou...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - August 31, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Mark Bowler, Richard Bodmer Source Type: journals

The strategic use of sex in wild female western gorillasEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Human females, unlike most mammals, are sexually active outside of fertile periods. This decoupling of sexual behavior from its conceptive function has had an enormous impact on human social relationships, and yet we know little about why there was selection for nonconceptive mating. Here we examine one form of nonconceptive mating, the mating that occurs during pregnancy or post-conceptive (PC) mating, in wild western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). Using a near complete mating record for five females during gestation, we show that pregnant females varied in the timing and frequency of mating, and used PC mating conditionally...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - August 30, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Diane M. Doran-Sheehy, David Fernández, Carola Borries Source Type: journals

Geographic distribution and demography of Pithecia aequatorialis (pitheciidae) in Peruvian AmazoniaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
To study the geographic distribution and demographic characteristics of Pithecia aequatorialis in Peruvian Amazonia, we undertook surveys and transect census in three river basins (Río Itaya, Río Tigre and Río Curaray) between 2004 and 2008. A total of 123 groups of P. aequatorialis was encountered during 1623 km of transect walks. Group size was uniform among the three areas (3.4-3.6 individuals), but surprisingly, population densities were higher in the area with strong hunting pressure (Río Itaya: 7.8 ind./km2, vs. 5.6 and 5.9 km2 in the Río Tigre and Río Curaray basins, respectively). The most common group compos...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - August 18, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Rolando Aquino, Fanny M. Cornejo, Etersit Pezo Lozano, Eckhard W. Heymann Source Type: journals

Discovering the unexpected: lessons learned from evaluating conservation education programs in AfricaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
No Abstract (Source: American Journal of Primatology)
Source: American Journal of Primatology - August 17, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: T.L. Bettinger, C.W. Kuhar, K. Lehnhardt, D. Cox, D. Cress Source Type: journals

Varying patterns of coexistence of two mouse lemur species (Microcebus ravelobensis and M. murinus) in a heterogeneous landscapeEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study investigates the extent of coexistence of two congeneric species of Microcebus murinus (MUR) and M. ravelobensis (RAV) in northwestern Madagascar. Their presence and local relative population densities were determined by capturing and nocturnal transect counts and compared at 22 study sites in the Ankarafantsika National Park. All sites were characterized with regard to their altitude, access to surface water, and 19 structural vegetation characteristics. RAV and MUR were not equally distributed over this regional scale. RAV occurred in more sites and at higher maximum densities than MUR. The relative population...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - August 12, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Romule Rakotondravony, Ute Radespiel Source Type: journals

The fourth level of social structure in a multi-level society: ecological and social functions of clans in hamadryas baboonsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Hamadryas baboons are known for their complex, multi-level social structure consisting of troops, bands, and one-male units (OMUs) [Kummer, 1968. Social organization of hamadryas baboons. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. 189p]. Abegglen [1984. On socialization in hamadryas baboons: a field study. Lewisburg, PA: Bucknell University Press. 207p.] observed a fourth level of social structure comprising several OMUs that rested near one another on sleeping cliffs, traveled most closely together during daily foraging, and sometimes traveled as subgroups independently from the rest of the band. Abegglen called these asso...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - August 7, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Amy L. Schreier, Larissa Swedell Source Type: journals

Winter ecology of the Arunachal macaque Macaca munzala in Pangchen Valley, western Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern IndiaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The newly described Arunachal macaque Macaca munzala occurs largely in sub-tropical to temperate environments at elevations of c. 1,800-3,000 m in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. We studied its over-wintering strategy by comparing the diet, ranging, and behavior of a troop of 24 individuals during winter and spring (December 2005 to May 2006) through instantaneous scan sampling (3,002 records, 448 scans, 112 hr of observation). We also monitored the phenology of food plants. The macaques spent more time (41-66%) feeding in the winter than in spring (33-51%), whereas time spent moving and resting was greater in sprin...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - August 4, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Uttara Mendiratta, Ajith Kumar, Charudutt Mishra, Anindya Sinha Source Type: journals

Development of microsatellite DNA markers and their chromosome assignment in the common marmosetEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study was performed to develop microsatellite DNA markers, which are useful for linkage analyses, gene mapping and blood chimera analyses in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). We searched 153 of 295 bacterial artificial clone DNA sequences of the common marmoset that were archived in the NCBI database in 2004. On the basis of the search, we designed 186 PCR primer sets. When tested using 5 unrelated individuals, we successfully detected 154 markers with PCR products, of which 80 (52%) were polymorphic and 74 (48%) were monomorphic. We assigned each of the 154 markers to a human chromosome based on BLAST searche...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - July 27, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Hideki Katoh, Shuji Takabayashi, Toshio Itoh Source Type: journals

Evaluating for long-term impact of an environmental education program at the Kalinzu Forest Reserve, UgandaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Although the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of conservation education programs cannot be underestimated, few evaluations of these programs and their resulting impact on the environment have been conducted. A partnership between scientists, educators, and local administrators on an evaluation program has been developed to evaluate a model of education program evaluation that includes short- and long-term evaluation of (1) knowledge and attitude change, (2) behavior change, and (3) positive biological impact. Previous work has shown short-term knowledge retention from this education program. In the current study ...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - July 15, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: C.W. Kuhar, T.L. Bettinger, K. Lehnhardt, Osuo Tracy, D. Cox Source Type: journals

Chimpanzee seed dispersal quantity in a tropical montane forest of RwandaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We describe chimpanzee seed dispersal in the tropical montane forest of Nyungwe National Park (NNP), Rwanda, for a total of three years from January 1998 through May 2000 and May 2006 through March 2007. Relatively few studies have examined chimpanzee seed dispersal in montane communities where there are generally fewer fruiting tree species than in lowland forests. Such studies may reveal new insights into chimpanzee seed dispersal behaviors and the role that they play in forest regeneration processes. Chimpanzees are large-bodied, highly frugivorous, and tend to deposit the seeds of both large- and small-seeded fruits th...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - July 14, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Nicole D. Gross-Camp, Michel Masozera, Beth A. Kaplin Source Type: journals

Vigilance in ursine black and white colobus monkeys (Colobus vellerosus): an examination of the effects of conspecific threat and predationEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We examined vigilance in one group of Colobus vellerosus inhabiting the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary in Ghana. We aimed to (1) describe factors affecting vigilance in this population, and (2) examine the importance of predation avoidance and conspecific threat in explaining vigilance patterns. Because of a male takeover preceding the study, our focal group (B2) consisted of six adult males and three adult females. We collected 490 10-min focal samples (82 hr) from all adults in the group (N=9) from July to November, 2001. To avoid predators, individuals should be more vigilant (i) with fewer neighbors, and (ii) in areas ...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - July 13, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Andrew J. J. MacIntosh, Pascale Sicotte Source Type: journals

Erratum: Rayadin Y, Saitoh T. 2009. Individual variation in nest size and nest site features of the Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus). Am J Primatol 71:393-399.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
No Abstract (Source: American Journal of Primatology)
Source: American Journal of Primatology - July 12, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: journals

Functional versus operational menopause: reply to Herndon & LacreuseEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
No Abstract (Source: American Journal of Primatology)
Source: American Journal of Primatology - July 8, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: S. Atsalis, E.N. Videan Source Type: journals

Primate models in women's health: inflammation and atherogenesis in female cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Female cynomolgus monkeys are excellent models for understanding cardiovascular disease and the relationships between inflammatory processes and conditions such as atherogenesis. This review summarizes published research findings obtained through comprehensive, multidisciplinary, multi-investigator studies in nonhuman primates over the past two decades. These studies examined the effects of exogenous estrogens and dietary soy protein/isoflavones (IFs) on atherosclerosis, circulating biomarkers, and tissue inflammation in pre- and postmenopausal female cynomolgus monkeys. Inflammation may play a role in the initiation and p...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 17, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Thomas C. Register Source Type: journals

"Reproductive aging in captive and wild common chimpanzees: factors influencing the rate of follicular depletion," by S. Atsalis and E. Videan, American Journal of Primatology 71, 271-282 (2009)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
No Abstract (Source: American Journal of Primatology)
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 9, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: James G. Herndon, Agnès Lacreuse Source Type: journals

Nonhuman Primate Models of Women's Health, Guest Edited by Carol A. Shively and Thomas B. ClarksonEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
No Abstract (Source: American Journal of Primatology)
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 9, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Paul A. Garber Source Type: journals

Sterile pyuria in a population of wild white-handed gibbons (Hylobates lar)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Urinalysis is an emerging method for monitoring the health and energy balance of wild primates. Here, we report the first urinalysis of wild gibbons. We used multi-reagent test strips to monitor the health status of 52 individual white-handed gibbons (Hylobates lar) inhabiting Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. Most urinary reference values were within normal ranges; however, regardless of age- and sex-class or monthly fruit productivity, we found unexpectedly high rates of urinary leukocytes (50% and 90% of individuals in 2001-2003 and 2006, respectively). In contrast to previous studies of African apes, this finding is co...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 9, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Barbara A. Beaman, Wyatt J. Hesemeyer, Nathaniel J. Dominy, Tommaso Savini, Ulrich H. Reichard Source Type: journals

The unique value of primate models in translational researchEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This special issue of AJP is focused on research using nonhuman primates as models to further the understanding of women's health. Nonhuman primates play a unique role in translational science by bridging the gap between basic and clinical investigations. The use of nonhuman primates in biomedical research challenges our resolve to treat all life as sacred. The scientific community has responded by developing ethical guidelines for the care and the use of primates and clarifying the responsibility of investigators to insure the physical and psychological well-being of nonhuman primates used in research. Preclinical investi...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 9, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Carol A. Shively, Thomas B. Clarkson Source Type: journals

Reconciliation in captive cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus), a cooperative breeding primateEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We examined 227 conflicts in three family groups (N=19). Instances in which individuals remained together in t=0 (29; 12.8%) were not analyzed. The cotton-top tamarins showed heightened affiliation between opponents in the postconflict periods (PC) compared with matched control (MC) periods (39.88±5.12% and 3.18±1.27%, respectively), with a corrected conciliatory tendency of 37.17±5.37%, and a "time window" that included the first 180 sec of the PC period. Former opponents were the most likely recipient of affiliative behaviors during the PC periods: 39.83±4.26% vs. 11.36±5.33% during MC periods. The proportion of att...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 8, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Laura Peñate, Fernando Peláez, Susana Sánchez Source Type: journals

Relationship between sexual interactions and the timing of the fertile phase in captive female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we combined behavioral and endocrine data of 14 female Japanese macaques to examine the relationship between ovarian cycle phase and frequency of sexual behaviors, and to investigate how social rank influences sexual behavior in this species. We found that there was no increase in female proceptive behaviors during the fertile phase of the ovarian cycle, suggesting that female behaviors did not clearly signal the probability of conception. In spite of that, the frequencies of ejaculatory copulations were highest during this phase, indicating that the attractivity of females increased significantly during the...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 5, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Cécile Garcia, Keiko Shimizu, Michael Huffman Source Type: journals

New promotional feature of AJPEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
No Abstract (Source: American Journal of Primatology)
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 5, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Paul A. Garber Source Type: journals

Skeletal health: primate model of postmenopausal osteoporosisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Currently, the nonhuman primate is the most widely used large animal model to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new drug entities to treat or prevent estrogen-deficiency-induced bone loss and osteoporosis. Surgical ovariectomy (OVX) induces a state of high bone turnover and rapid bone loss establishing a new steady-state bone mass within 8-9 months. Many systems in the monkey are similar to humans, including skeletal and reproductive physiology and the immune system, making this a plausible model suitable to evaluate the effects of new bone drugs. The long-term sequelae following OVX and withdrawal of monthly exposure to...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 3, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: S.Y. Smith, J. Jolette, C.H. Turner Source Type: journals

Grooming in mandrills and the time frame of reciprocal partner choiceEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we examined the time frame of reciprocal partner choice in the grooming interactions of captive mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) in order to test the hypothesis that the cognitive limitations of primates constrain the occurrence of reciprocation to short time intervals. In contrast to this hypothesis, mandrills groomed preferentially those individuals that groomed them more even when cases of immediate reciprocation were excluded from the analysis. These results show that mandrills were not limited to reciprocating grooming over short time intervals. It is proposed that a system of emotional bookkeeping may sup...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 2, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Gabriele Schino, Barbara Pellegrini Source Type: journals

Intra-community coalitionary lethal attack of an adult male southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report on the first evidence of intra-community coalitionary lethal aggression in muriquis (Brachyteles). The event occurred in southern muriquis (Brachyteles arachnoides) during a long-term study (>15 years) of two social groups inhabiting mostly pristine Atlantic forest habitat in the Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho, southern São Paulo State, Brazil. The attack took place deep in the core area of the Group Caetê home range. Tense agonistic behaviors and vocalizations preceded the lethal coalitionary attack, and the tension increased over a 36-48 hr period. One adult female and two unidentified individuals also took p...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 1, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: M. G. Talebi, R. Beltrão-Mendes, P. C. Lee Source Type: journals

Effects of soy vs. casein protein on body weight and glycemic control in female monkeys and their offspringEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Nutritional interventions are important for reducing obesity and related conditions. Soy is a good source of protein and also contains isoflavones that may affect plasma lipids, body weight, and insulin action. Described here are data from a monkey breeding colony in which monkeys were initially fed a standard chow diet that is low fat with protein derived from soy. Monkeys were then randomized to a defined diet with a fat content similar to the typical American diet (TAD) containing either protein derived from soy (TAD soy) or casein-lactalbumin (TAD casein). The colony was followed for over two years to assess body weigh...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - May 30, 2009 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Janice D. Wagner, Matthew J. Jorgensen, J. Mark Cline, Cynthia J. Lees, Adrian A. Franke, Li Zhang, Melissa R. Ayers, Carrie Schultz, Jay R. Kaplan Source Type: journals