1
|
Page A, Brenner D, Norton TM. RETROSPECTIVE HEMATOLOGY AND SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY OF RING-TAILED LEMURS ( LEMUR CATTA) ON ST. CATHERINES ISLAND, GEORGIA, USA. J Zoo Wildl Med 2024; 55:436-446. [PMID: 38875200 DOI: 10.1638/2022-0088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Annual health records were retrospectively analyzed for a colony of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) inhabiting St. Catherines Island, Georgia, USA to establish baseline hematological and serum biochemical parameters and determine sex- and age-related differences. Summarized complete blood count and serum biochemistry panel results are presented for 85 blood samples collected from 54 lemurs at annual health exams during 1998-2003. Within each of four age classes (infant, <1 yr; juvenile, 1-5 yr; adult, ≥ 6 yr), data were stratified and summarized based on sex. Lemur age was a significant positive predictor of mean corpuscular hemoglobin; absolute concentrations of neutrophils, monocytes, and band cells; serum concentrations of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, globulins, lipase, and total protein; and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity. Lemur age was a significant negative predictor of albumin:globulins ratio; alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity; and serum concentrations of calcium, cholesterol, glucose, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and triglycerides. Neutrophil proportions increased with aging and lymphocyte proportions decreased with aging, particularly in females. Recent steep population declines of wild ring-tailed lemurs make their successful husbandry and medical care an increasingly pressing concern. These biomedical data will aid in clinical diagnosis and treatment of lemurs in human care, and support conservation efforts for this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annie Page
- Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA,
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tofanelli S, Bertoncini S, Donati G. Early Human Colonization, Climate Change and Megafaunal Extinction in Madagascar: The Contribution of Genetics in a Framework of Reciprocal Causations. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.708345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
3
|
Teixeira H, Montade V, Salmona J, Metzger J, Bremond L, Kasper T, Daut G, Rouland S, Ranarilalatiana S, Rakotondravony R, Chikhi L, Behling H, Radespiel U. Past environmental changes affected lemur population dynamics prior to human impact in Madagascar. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1084. [PMID: 34526636 PMCID: PMC8443640 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02620-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Quaternary climatic changes have been invoked as important drivers of species diversification worldwide. However, the impact of such changes on vegetation and animal population dynamics in tropical regions remains debated. To overcome this uncertainty, we integrated high-resolution paleoenvironmental reconstructions from a sedimentary record covering the past 25,000 years with demographic inferences of a forest-dwelling primate species (Microcebus arnholdi), in northern Madagascar. Result comparisons suggest that climate changes through the African Humid Period (15.2 - 5.5 kyr) strongly affected the demographic dynamics of M. arnholdi. We further inferred a population decline in the last millennium which was likely shaped by the combination of climatic and anthropogenic impacts. Our findings demonstrate that population fluctuations in Malagasy wildlife were substantial prior to a significant human impact. This provides a critical knowledge of climatically driven, environmental and ecological changes in the past, which is essential to better understand the dynamics and resilience of current biodiversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Teixeira
- grid.412970.90000 0001 0126 6191Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Vincent Montade
- grid.7450.60000 0001 2364 4210University of Goettingen, Department of Palynology and Climate Dynamics, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany ,grid.462058.d0000 0001 2188 7059ISEM, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Place Eugène Bataillon, Montpellier, France
| | - Jordi Salmona
- grid.15781.3a0000 0001 0723 035XCNRS-UPS-IRD, UMR5174, Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Julia Metzger
- grid.412970.90000 0001 0126 6191Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17p, 30559 Hannover, Germany ,grid.419538.20000 0000 9071 0620Veterinary Functional Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 73, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Laurent Bremond
- grid.462058.d0000 0001 2188 7059ISEM, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Place Eugène Bataillon, Montpellier, France
| | - Thomas Kasper
- grid.9613.d0000 0001 1939 2794Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Department of Physical Geography, Loebdergraben 32, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Gerhard Daut
- grid.9613.d0000 0001 1939 2794Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Department of Physical Geography, Loebdergraben 32, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Sylvie Rouland
- grid.462058.d0000 0001 2188 7059ISEM, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Place Eugène Bataillon, Montpellier, France
| | - Sandratrinirainy Ranarilalatiana
- grid.440419.c0000 0001 2165 5629Université d’Antananarivo, Faculté des Sciences, Mention Biologie et Ecologie Végétale, Laboratoire de Palynologie Appliquée, B.P 905 - 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Romule Rakotondravony
- Ecole Doctorale Ecosystèmes Naturels (EDEN), University of Mahajanga, 5 Rue Georges V - Immeuble KAKAL, Mahajanga Be, B.P. 652, Mahajanga, 401 Madagascar ,Faculté des Sciences, de Technologies et de l’Environnement, University of Mahajanga, 5 Rue Georges V - Immeuble KAKAL, Mahajanga Be, B.P. 652, Mahajanga, 401 Madagascar
| | - Lounès Chikhi
- grid.418346.c0000 0001 2191 3202Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, P-2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal ,grid.4399.70000000122879528Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, Bât. 4R1, 31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France
| | - Hermann Behling
- grid.7450.60000 0001 2364 4210University of Goettingen, Department of Palynology and Climate Dynamics, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Ute Radespiel
- grid.412970.90000 0001 0126 6191Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chandrashekar A, Knierim JA, Khan S, Raboin DL, Venkatesh S, Clarke TA, Cuozzo FP, LaFleur M, Lawler RR, Parga JA, Rasamimanana HR, Reuter KE, Sauther ML, Baden AL. Genetic population structure of endangered ring-tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta) from nine sites in southern Madagascar. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:8030-8043. [PMID: 32788959 PMCID: PMC7417237 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Madagascar's ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) are experiencing rapid population declines due to ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as increasing exploitation for bushmeat and the illegal pet trade. Despite being the focus of extensive and ongoing behavioral studies, there is comparatively little known about the genetic population structuring of the species. Here, we present the most comprehensive population genetic analysis of ring-tailed lemurs to date from across their likely remaining geographic range. We assessed levels of genetic diversity and population genetic structure using multilocus genotypes for 106 adult individuals from nine geographically representative localities. Population structure and F ST analyses revealed moderate genetic differentiation with localities being geographically partitioned into northern, southern, western and also potentially central clusters. Overall genetic diversity, in terms of allelic richness and observed heterozygosity, was high in the species (AR = 4.74, H O = 0.811). In fact, it is the highest among all published lemur estimates to date. While these results are encouraging, ring-tailed lemurs are currently affected by ongoing habitat fragmentation and occur at lower densities in poorer quality habitats. The effects of continued isolation and fragmentation, coupled with climate-driven environmental instability, will therefore likely impede the long-term viability of the species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Chandrashekar
- Department of AnthropologyHunter College of the City University of New YorkNew YorkNYUSA
- Present address:
San Diego Zoo Global Institute for Conservation ResearchSan DiegoCAUSA
| | - Jessica A. Knierim
- Animal Behavior and Conservation ProgramDepartment of PsychologyHunter College of the City University of New YorkNew YorkNYUSA
- Present address:
Wildlife AllianceNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Sohail Khan
- Department of AnthropologyHunter College of the City University of New YorkNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Dominique L. Raboin
- Animal Behavior and Conservation ProgramDepartment of PsychologyHunter College of the City University of New YorkNew YorkNYUSA
- Present address:
Rutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNJUSA
| | - Sateesh Venkatesh
- Animal Behavior and Conservation ProgramDepartment of PsychologyHunter College of the City University of New YorkNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Tara A. Clarke
- Department of Sociology and AnthropologyNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
| | | | - Marni LaFleur
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of San DiegoSan DiegoCAUSA
- Lemur Love, Inc.San DiegoCAUSA
| | - Richard R. Lawler
- Department of Sociology and AnthropologyJames Madison UniversityHarrisonburgVAUSA
| | - Joyce A. Parga
- Department of AnthropologyCalifornia State University‐Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | | | - Kim E. Reuter
- Pet Lemur SurveyHoused by the University of UtahSalt Lake CityUTUSA
| | | | - Andrea L. Baden
- Department of AnthropologyHunter College of the City University of New YorkNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of AnthropologyThe Graduate Center of the City University of New YorkNew YorkNYUSA
- The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP)New YorkNYUSA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Eppley TM, Santini L, Tinsman JC, Donati G. Do functional traits offset the effects of fragmentation? The case of large-bodied diurnal lemur species. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23104. [PMID: 32011761 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Primates worldwide are faced with increasing threats making them more vulnerable to extinction. Anthropogenic disturbances, such as habitat degradation and fragmentation, are among the main concerns, and in Madagascar, these issues have become widespread. As this situation continues to worsen, we sought to understand how fragmentation affects primate distribution throughout the island. Further, because species may exhibit different sensitivity to fragmentation, we also aimed to estimate the role of functional traits in mitigating their response. We collated data from 32 large-bodied lemur species ranges, consisting of species from the families Lemuridae (five genera) and Indriidae (two genera). We fitted Generalized Linear Models to determine the role of habitat fragmentation characteristics, for example, forest cover, patch size, edge density, and landscape configuration, as well as the protected area (PA) network, on the species relative probability of presence. We then assessed how the influence of functional traits (dietary guild, home range size) mitigate the response of species to these habitat metrics. Habitat area had a strong positive effect for many species, and there were significantly negative effects of fragmentation on the distribution of many lemur species. In addition, there was a positive influence of PAs on many lemur species' distribution. Functional trait classifications showed that lemurs of all dietary guilds are negatively affected by fragmentation; however, folivore-frugivores show greater flexibility/variability in terms of habitat area and landscape complexity compared to nearly exclusive folivores and frugivores. Furthermore, species of all home range sizes showed a negative response to fragmentation, while habitat area had an increasingly positive effect as home range increased in size. Overall, the general trends for the majority of lemur species are dire and point to the need for immediate actions on a multitude of fronts, most importantly landscape-level reforestation efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M Eppley
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, San Diego, California.,Department of Anthropology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Luca Santini
- Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems, National Research Council, Montelibretti, Italy.,Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Institute for Wetland and Water Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jen C Tinsman
- Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Giuseppe Donati
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Parga JA, Nansen SC. Heteropaternity of twins in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 169:270-278. [PMID: 30951607 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This project investigated paternity among 14 sets of twins born into a colony of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) on St. Catherines Island, GA. Female L. catta commonly mate with >1 male, and twins of different sexes confirm that dizygotic twinning can occur in this species. However, no study has previously evaluated twins using genetic data to measure the proportion of mono versus dizygotic twinning in L. catta, and no study has tested for heteropaternity (sirehood by two different males) in this species. We predicted that L. catta would show a predominance of dizygosity and evidence for heteropaternity. MATERIALS AND METHODS Paternity was determined for 28 infants (14 sets of twins) via paternity exclusion analyses using 10 polymorphic microsatellite markers, and data were collected on sexual behavior across four mating seasons during the first cycle of mating in each year, which overlapped with the conceptive periods of these infants. RESULTS All twins were found to be dizygotic, as evidenced by dissimilar multilocus genotypes between the two infants of each twin pair. Heteropaternity was found in 3 of 14 (21% of) twin pairs, whereas the remaining 11 pairs of twins (79%) shared the same sire. In one case of heteropaternity, one sire was a resident male, and one sire was an extra-group male. An extra-group male also sired one of the same-sire twin pairs. All other sires of twins were group residents. DISCUSSION Female multiple mating, which is common to many primates including L. catta, can be viewed as an adaptive reproductive strategy whose function-in addition to fertility assurance or stimulating sperm competition-may be to increase the genetic diversity of a female's offspring, even among infants born in the same birth event. Therefore, during the course of primate evolution, the adaptive benefits of heteropaternity would be expected to have contributed to positive selection for female promiscuity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joyce A Parga
- Department of Anthropology, California State University-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Shira C Nansen
- Department of Anthropology, California State University-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN HEMATOLOGY AND BLOOD BIOCHEMISTRY VALUES IN ENDANGERED, WILD RING-TAILED LEMURS ( LEMUR CATTA) AT THE BEZÀ MAHAFALY SPECIAL RESERVE, MADAGASCAR. J Zoo Wildl Med 2018. [PMID: 29517441 DOI: 10.1638/2017-0008r1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The health of 44 wild ring-tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta) at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve was assessed across three age classes: <5 yr (young), 5-9 yr (adult), and ≥10 yr (old). Hematology and biochemistry tests were performed manually (leukocyte count and differential, packed cell volume, total protein) and using a point-of-care analyzer (hematocrit, hemoglobin, glucose, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, sodium, potassium, chloride, ionized calcium, total carbon dioxide, anion gap), respectively. Urine specific gravity was measured via refractometry. Age- and sex-related differences were detected. Old lemurs had significantly lower lymphocyte count than adult and young lemurs, leading to markedly lower total leukocyte count and higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Decreased lymphocyte count with advanced age is consistent with immunosenescence. Young lemurs had significantly higher total protein, monocyte count, and potassium than adult and old lemurs but significantly lower ionized calcium than adult lemurs. Males had significantly higher leukocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte counts; lower percentage basophils; and higher blood urea nitrogen than females. Females had markedly higher glucose than males. Young females had the highest monocyte count and total protein, which were significantly lower in the adult and old age classes. Basophil count was stable in females across age but dropped precipitously in males in the adult and old age classes. Within adult and old age classes, males had significantly higher blood urea nitrogen and lower basophils than females. Glucose was significantly higher after α2 agonist administration. Identifying age-related hematologic and biochemical changes in apparently healthy wild ring-tailed lemurs will aid in clinical diagnosis and treatment of lemurs in human care, which is especially relevant for management of geriatric animals in zoo populations. Equally important, a better understanding of the ability of aging lemurs to tolerate environmental stressors will inform the capacity for this species to cope with ongoing and future habitat alteration.
Collapse
|
8
|
Bertoncini S, D'Ercole J, Brisighelli F, Ramanamanjato J, Capelli C, Tofanelli S, Donati G. Stuck in fragments: Population genetics of the Endangered collared brown lemur
Eulemur collaris
in the Malagasy littoral forest. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 163:542-552. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacopo D'Ercole
- Department of Biology, University of PisaVia Ghini 13Pisa56126 Italy
- Department of Integrative Biology Centre for Biodiversity GenomicsUniversity of GuelphGuelph OntarioN1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Francesca Brisighelli
- Forensic Genetics LaboratoryInstitute of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRoma Italia
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordSouth Parks RoadOxfordOX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | | | - Cristian Capelli
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordSouth Parks RoadOxfordOX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Sergio Tofanelli
- Department of Biology, University of PisaVia Ghini 13Pisa56126 Italy
| | - Giuseppe Donati
- Department of Social SciencesOxford Brookes UniversityOxford United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Parga JA, Sauther ML, Cuozzo FP, Youssouf Jacky IA, Lawler RR, Sussman RW, Gould L, Pastorini J. Paternity in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta): Implications for male mating strategies. Am J Primatol 2016; 78:1316-1325. [PMID: 27391113 PMCID: PMC5129476 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In group-living species with male dominance hierarchies where receptive periods of females do not overlap, high male reproductive skew would be predicted. However, the existence of female multiple mating and alternative male mating strategies can call into question single-male monopolization of paternity in groups. Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) are seasonally breeding primates that live in multi-male, multi-female groups. Although established groups show male dominance hierarchies, male dominance relationships can break down during mating periods. In addition, females are the dominant sex and mate with multiple males during estrus, including group residents, and extra-group males-posing the question of whether there is high or low male paternity skew in groups. In this study, we analyzed paternity in a population of wild L. catta from the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve in southwestern Madagascar. Paternity was determined with 80-95% confidence for 39 offspring born to nine different groups. We calculated male reproductive skew indices for six groups, and our results showed a range of values corresponding to both high and low reproductive skew. Between 21% and 33% of offspring (3 of 14 or three of nine, counting paternity assignments at the 80% or 95% confidence levels, respectively) were sired by extra-troop males. Males siring offspring within the same group during the same year appear to be unrelated. Our study provides evidence of varying male reproductive skew in different L. catta groups. A single male may monopolize paternity across one or more years, while in other groups, >1 male can sire offspring within the same group, even within a single year. Extra-group mating is a viable strategy that can result in extra-group paternity for L. catta males.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joyce A Parga
- Department of Anthropology, California State University-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
| | - Michelle L Sauther
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Frank P Cuozzo
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota
| | | | - Richard R Lawler
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia
| | - Robert W Sussman
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Lisa Gould
- Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jennifer Pastorini
- Anthropologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Centre for Conservation and Research, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jacobs RL, Bradley BJ. Considering the Influence of Nonadaptive Evolution on Primate Color Vision. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149664. [PMID: 26959829 PMCID: PMC4784951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Color vision in primates is variable across species, and it represents a rare trait in which the genetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation are fairly well-understood. Research on primate color vision has largely focused on adaptive explanations for observed variation, but it remains unclear why some species have trichromatic or polymorphic color vision while others are red-green color blind. Lemurs, in particular, are highly variable. While some species are polymorphic, many closely-related species are strictly dichromatic. We provide the first characterization of color vision in a wild population of red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer, Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar) with a sample size (87 individuals; NX chromosomes = 134) large enough to detect even rare variants (0.95 probability of detection at ≥ 3% frequency). By sequencing exon 5 of the X-linked opsin gene we identified opsin spectral sensitivity based on known diagnostic sites and found this population to be dichromatic and monomorphic for a long wavelength allele. Apparent fixation of this long allele is in contrast to previously published accounts of Eulemur species, which exhibit either polymorphic color vision or only the medium wavelength opsin. This unexpected result may represent loss of color vision variation, which could occur through selective processes and/or genetic drift (e.g., genetic bottleneck). To indirectly assess the latter scenario, we genotyped 55 adult red-bellied lemurs at seven variable microsatellite loci and used heterozygosity excess and M-ratio tests to assess if this population may have experienced a recent genetic bottleneck. Results of heterozygosity excess but not M-ratio tests suggest a bottleneck might have occurred in this red-bellied lemur population. Therefore, while selection may also play a role, the unique color vision observed in this population might have been influenced by a recent genetic bottleneck. These results emphasize the need to consider adaptive and nonadaptive mechanisms of color vision evolution in primates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L. Jacobs
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
- Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
- Centre ValBio Research Station, Ranomafana, Fianarantsoa, Madagascar
- * E-mail:
| | - Brenda J. Bradley
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Pastorini J, Sauther ML, Sussman RW, Gould L, Cuozzo FP, Fernando P, Nievergelt CM, Mundy NI. Comparison of the genetic variation of captive ring-tailed lemurs with a wild population in Madagascar. Zoo Biol 2015; 34:463-72. [PMID: 26032097 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Revised: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variability among captive and wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) was assessed using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data. A 529 bp segment of mtDNA was sequenced and 9 microsatellite loci were genotyped for 286 ring-tailed lemurs. Samples were obtained from the well-studied L. catta population at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve and from captive animals at six institutions worldwide. We found evidence of possible patrilineal contribution but the absence of matrilineal contribution from the Bezà area, and haplotypes not found in Bezà but present in Ambohimahavelona, Andringitra Massif, and other unknown locations, in the sampled captive population, indicating that the founders of the captive population originated from a wide geographic range. Total genetic variation and relatedness in captive L. catta in the six institutions were similar in extent to that of the wild population in Bezà. Based on the diverse origins of the captive population founders our results suggest the erosion of genetic diversity in the captive population. Sampled individuals from the same institution were more closely related to each other than members of a social group in the wild. Individuals housed at different institutions were less closely related than those of different social groups at Bezà, indicating lower genetic exchange between captive institutions than between social groups in a locality in the wild. Our findings underscore the usefulness of genotyping in determining the geographic origin of captive population founders, obtaining pedigree information if paternity is uncertain, and in maximizing preservation of extant genetic diversity in captivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Pastorini
- Anthropologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Centre for Conservation and Research, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka
| | | | - Robert W Sussman
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University, St. Louis, USA
| | - Lisa Gould
- Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Frank P Cuozzo
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, USA
| | | | | | - Nicholas I Mundy
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Charpentier MJE, Drea CM. Victims of infanticide and conspecific bite wounding in a female-dominant primate: a long-term study. PLoS One 2013; 8:e82830. [PMID: 24367560 PMCID: PMC3867408 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggression animals receive from conspecifics varies between individuals across their lifetime. As poignantly evidenced by infanticide, for example, aggression can have dramatic fitness consequences. Nevertheless, we understand little about the sources of variation in received aggression, particularly in females. Using a female-dominant species renowned for aggressivity in both sexes, we tested for potential social, demographic, and genetic patterns in the frequency with which animals were wounded by conspecifics. Our study included 243 captive, ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta), followed from infancy to adulthood over a 35-year time span. We extracted injury, social, and life-history information from colony records and calculated neutral heterozygosity for a subset of animals, as an estimate of genetic diversity. Focusing on victims rather than aggressors, we used General Linear Models to explain bite-wound patterns at different life stages. In infancy, maternal age best predicted wounds received, as infants born to young mothers were the most frequent infanticide victims. In adulthood, sex best predicted wounds received, as males were three times more likely than females to be seriously injured. No relation emerged between wounds received and the other variables studied. Beyond the generally expected costs of adult male intrasexual aggression, we suggest possible additive costs associated with female-dominant societies - those suffered by young mothers engaged in aggressive disputes and those suffered by adult males aggressively targeted by both sexes. We propose that infanticide in lemurs may be a costly by-product of aggressively mediated, female social dominance. Accordingly, the benefits of female behavioral 'masculinization' accrued to females through priority of access to resources, may be partially offset by early costs in reproductive success. Understanding the factors that influence lifetime patterns of conspecific wounding is critical to evaluating the fitness costs associated with social living; however, these costs may vary substantially between societies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie J. E. Charpentier
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- CEFE-CNRS, UMR 5175, Montpellier, France
| | - Christine M. Drea
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Razafindratsima OH, Jones TA, Dunham AE. Patterns of movement and seed dispersal by three lemur species. Am J Primatol 2013; 76:84-96. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2013] [Revised: 08/02/2013] [Accepted: 08/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Onja H. Razafindratsima
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Rice University; Houston Texas
- Centre ValBio Ranomafana; Ifanadiana Fianarantsoa Madagascar
| | - Thomas A. Jones
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Rice University; Houston Texas
| | - Amy E. Dunham
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Rice University; Houston Texas
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Perry GH. The Promise and Practicality of Population Genomics Research with Endangered Species. INT J PRIMATOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9702-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|