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Saito M, Matsunaga M, Fukuizumi H, Nakamichi M, Kinoshita K. Factors affecting captive female giraffe stress response: Male presence, small enclosure, and low temperature. Zoo Biol 2023; 42:632-643. [PMID: 37154219 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
To improve animal welfare based on suitable social housing conditions, it is important to understand the factors that trigger high-stress responses. Wild giraffes live in a fission-fusion society and males and females are rarely in the same herd for a long period. The captive condition of belonging to a herd with the same individuals for months or years is uncommon in nature. To understand the effect of male presence on female stress levels, fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) levels and social interactions in two captive female giraffes were investigated. Additionally, the effect of enclosure size and temperature on fGCM level and social interactions were examined. The results showed no significant difference in the fGCM levels of females based on male presence. The frequency of agonistic behavior by the dominant female toward the subordinate female was significantly increased when a male was present. The subordinate female was significantly less likely to approach the dominant female and showed decreased affiliative and agonistic interactions toward the dominant female when a male was present. The frequencies of agonistic interactions between females were higher in the small enclosure regardless of male presence. Low temperature triggered higher fGCM levels and increased agonistic interaction in an aged female. The findings of this study suggest that these multiple factors should be considered individually to promote the welfare of captive giraffes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miho Saito
- Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Kyoto City Zoo, Kyoto, Japan
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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2
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Wright J, Buch K, Beattie UK, Gormally BMG, Romero LM, Fefferman N. A mathematical representation of the reactive scope model. J Math Biol 2023; 87:51. [PMID: 37648794 PMCID: PMC10468437 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-023-01983-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Researchers have long sought to understand and predict an animal's response to stressful stimuli. Since the introduction of the concept of homeostasis, a variety of model frameworks have been proposed to describe what is necessary for an animal to remain within this stable physiological state and the ramifications of leaving it. Romero et al. (Horm Behav 55(3):375-389, 2009) introduced the reactive scope model to provide a novel conceptual framework for the stress response that assumes an animal's ability to tolerate a stressful stimulus may degrade over time in response to the stimulus. We provide a mathematical formulation for the reactive scope model using a system of ordinary differential equations and show that this model is capable of recreating existing experimental data. We also provide an experimental method that may be used to verify the model as well as several potential additions to the model. If future experimentation provides the necessary data to estimate the model's parameters, the model presented here may be used to make quantitative predictions about physiological mediator levels during a stress response and predict the onset of homeostatic overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Wright
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, 569 Dabney, Knoxville, 37996 TN USA
- National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA
| | - Kelly Buch
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Austin Peay State University, Maynard Mathematics and Computer Science Building Room 205, Clarksville, TN 37044 USA
| | - Ursula K. Beattie
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave #4700, Medford, MA 02155 USA
| | - Brenna M. G. Gormally
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave #4700, Medford, MA 02155 USA
| | - L. Michael Romero
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave #4700, Medford, MA 02155 USA
| | - Nina Fefferman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, 569 Dabney, Knoxville, 37996 TN USA
- National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA
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3
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Woodruff MC, Atencia R, Cox D, Woodruff GT, Wheaton CJ, Lavin SR, Setchell JM. Successful acclimatization of mandrills ( Mandrillus sphinx) translocated to Conkouati-Douli National Park, Republic of Congo, as measured by fecal glucocorticoid metabolites. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad025. [PMID: 37179706 PMCID: PMC10170324 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Translocation and reintroduction are common tools in conservation management and can be very successful. However, translocation can be stressful for the animals involved, and stress is implicated as a major cause of failure in release programs. Conservation managers should therefore seek to understand how the stages of translocation impact stress physiology in the animals involved. We quantified fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) as a noninvasive measure of response to potential stressors during a translocation of 15 mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) into Conkouati-Douli National Park, Republic of Congo. The mandrills were initially housed in a sanctuary, transferred to a pre-release enclosure in the National Park and then released into the forest. We collected repeated fecal samples (n = 1101) from known individuals and quantified fGCMs using a previously validated enzyme immunoassay. Transfer from the sanctuary to the pre-release enclosure correlated with a significant 1.93-fold increase in fGCMs, suggesting that transfer was a stressor for the mandrills. fGCM values decreased over time in the pre-release enclosure, suggesting that the mandrills recovered from the transfer and acclimatized to the enclosure. Release to the forest was not linked to a significant increase in fGCMs over the final values in the enclosure. Following release, fGCMs continued to decrease, fell below sanctuary values after just over a month and were about half the sanctuary values after 1 year. Overall, our results suggest that the translocation, although initially presenting a physiological challenge to the animals, was not detrimental to the well-being of the animals over the timescale of the study and, in fact, may have been beneficial. Our findings show the value of non-invasive physiology in monitoring, evaluating and designing wildlife translocations and, ultimately, contributing to their success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miles C Woodruff
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Rebeca Atencia
- The Jane Goodall Institute, 1120 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
| | - Debby Cox
- The Jane Goodall Institute, 1120 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
| | - Glenn T Woodruff
- The Jane Goodall Institute, 1120 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
| | | | - Shana R Lavin
- Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, Bay Lake, FL, 32830, USA
| | - Joanna M Setchell
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
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4
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King AG, Edwards PD, Cote S, Palme R, Boonstra R, Sicotte P. Assessing stress in wild black-and-white colobus monkeys non-invasively. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 334:114212. [PMID: 36646325 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of glucocorticoid profiles serves as a valuable, multi-faceted tool for insight into the behavior and physiology of wild populations. Recently, the measurement of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FCMs) has exploded in popularity due to its compatibility with noninvasive techniques and remote environments A critical first step is to perform a biological validation to ensure that the assay accurately reflect changes in FCM levels. We use an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to perform a biological validation on samples collected from two males and six females in a wild population of Colobus vellerosus in response to three naturally occurring potential stressors. We also describe the FCM response pattern in the week following parturition in three females and examine the influence of sex, reproductive state, and time of day on the concentrations of baseline samples collected daily from 13 adult individuals over a period of four months. We validated the assay: FCM levels increase in response to natural stressors with a two-day lag. In the two days surrounding parturition, FMC levels increased. Baseline concentrations were affected by collection time and female reproductive state, with lactating females having lower concentrations than pregnant or cycling females. Thus, we successfully carried out the first validation and characterization of FCMs in a wild African colobine. This will serve as an essential foundation for future studies of C. vellerosus and similar wild primates whose objective is to investigate the role glucocorticoids play in responses to social and ecological challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allyson G King
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Phoebe D Edwards
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Susanne Cote
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Pascale Sicotte
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada
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Dezeure J, Charpentier MJ, Huchard E. Fitness effects of seasonal birth timing in a long-lived social primate living in the equatorial forest. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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6
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Long C, Tordiffe A, Sauther M, Cuozzo F, Millette J, Ganswindt A, Scheun J. Seasonal drivers of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in an African strepsirrhine primate, the thick-tailed greater galago ( Otolemur crassicaudatus). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab081. [PMID: 34707874 PMCID: PMC8543700 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As global non-human primate populations show dramatic declines due to climate change, land transformation and other anthropogenic stressors, it has become imperative to study physiological responses to environmental change in order to understand primate adaptability and enhance species conservation strategies. We examined the effects of seasonality on faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations of free-ranging male and female thick-tailed greater galagos (Otolemur crassicaudatus) in an Afromontane habitat. To do so, we established an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for monitoring fGCM concentrations in the species using a biological validation. Following this, faecal samples were collected each month over the course of a year from free-ranging males and females situated in the Soutpansberg Mountains, Limpopo, South Africa. Multivariate analyses revealed lactation period was a driver of fGCM levels, whereas sex and food availability mostly influenced seasonal fGCM concentrations in the total population. Thus far, the results of this study show that drivers of fGCM levels, an indication of increased adrenocortical activity, in O. crassicaudatus are numerous and complex within the natural environment. The species may be adapted to such conditions and an extreme change to any one component may result in elevated fGCM levels. This increases our understanding of strepsirrhine primate physiology and offers initial insights into species adaptability to a challenging environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Channen Long
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Adrian Tordiffe
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - Michelle Sauther
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Frank Cuozzo
- Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt (Makhado), 0920, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - James Millette
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Andre Ganswindt
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Juan Scheun
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, 1710, South Africa
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Malalaharivony HS, Fichtel C, Heistermann M, Kappeler PM. Maternal stress effects on infant development in wild Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03085-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Maternal effects mediated by nutrients or specific endocrine states of the mother can affect infant development. Specifically, pre- and postnatal maternal stress associated with elevated glucocorticoid (GC) output is known to influence the phenotype of the offspring, including their physical and behavioral development. These developmental processes, however, remain relatively poorly studied in wild vertebrates, including primates with their relatively slow life histories. Here, we investigated the effects of maternal stress, assessed by fecal glucocorticoid output, on infant development in wild Verreaux’s sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi), a group-living Malagasy primate. In a first step, we investigated factors predicting maternal fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations, how they impact infants’ physical and behavioral development during the first 6 months of postnatal life as well as early survival during the first 1.5 years of postnatal life. We collected fecal samples of mothers for hormone assays and behavioral data of 12 infants from two birth cohorts, for which we also assessed growth rates. Maternal fGCM concentrations were higher during the late prenatal but lower during the postnatal period compared to the early/mid prenatal period and were higher during periods of low rainfall. Infants of mothers with higher prenatal fGCM concentrations exhibited faster growth rates and were more explorative in terms of independent foraging and play. Infants of mothers with high pre- and postnatal fGCM concentrations were carried less and spent more time in nipple contact. Time mothers spent carrying infants predicted infant survival: infants that were more carried had lower survival, suggesting that they were likely in poorer condition and had to be cared for longer. Thus, the physical and behavioral development of these young primates were impacted by variation in maternal fGCM concentrations during the first 6 months of their lives, presumably as an adaptive response to living in a highly seasonal, but unpredictable environment.
Significance statement
The early development of infants can be impacted by variation in maternal condition. These maternal effects can be mediated by maternal stress (glucocorticoid hormones) and are known to have downstream consequences for behavior, physiology, survival, and reproductive success well into adulthood. However, the direction of the effects of maternal physiological GC output on offspring development is highly variable, even within the same species. We contribute comparative data on maternal stress effects on infant development in a Critically Endangered primate from Madagascar. We describe variation in maternal glucocorticoid output as a function of ecological and reproductive factors and show that patterns of infant growth, behavioral development, and early survival are predicted by maternal glucocorticoids. Our study demonstrates how mothers can influence offspring fitness in response to challenging environmental conditions.
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8
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Chowdhury S, Brown JL, Swedell L. Costs of seasonality at a southern latitude: Behavioral endocrinology of female baboons in the Cape Peninsula of South Africa. Horm Behav 2021; 134:105020. [PMID: 34391183 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Environmental challenges in the form of temperature extremes and unusual precipitation, which may lead to prolonged periods outside the thermoneutral zone, can be detrimental to animal physiology. Chacma baboons in the Cape Peninsula of South Africa, one of the highest latitudes at which nonhuman primates are found, experience extremes of both temperature and rainfall, as well as seasonal differences in day length that require animals to condense their daily routine into dramatically reduced daylight hours. Here we examine the effects of these climatic factors on the behavior (activity budgets and foraging patterns) and physiology (fecal glucocorticoid concentrations) of adult females (N = 33) in three groups of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) inhabiting the Cape Peninsula, where temperatures ranged from 7 to 39 °C, monthly rainfall ranged from 2 to 158 mm, and day length varied by 4.5 h across seasons. Climatic variables showed a clear relationship to female baboon glucocorticoid concentrations, which significantly increased with lower temperatures, higher rainfall and shorter day lengths. Activity budgets also differed between summer and winter, with females generally spending less time socializing, moving and resting in the winter compared to summer, with some differences between troops in their feeding-related activities. Cold temperatures accompanied by rainfall and short day lengths may thus represent an ecological constraint for this population. This study highlights the potential impact of anthropogenic climate change on the physiology, behavior, and, ultimately, survival of wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrina Chowdhury
- Department of Anthropology, Brooklyn College, CUNY, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA; Anthropology Program, Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, NY, USA.
| | - Janine L Brown
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Larissa Swedell
- Anthropology Program, Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, NY, USA; Department of Anthropology, Queens College, CUNY, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, NY 11367, USA; Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
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9
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Srivastava T, Kumar A, Kumar V, Umapathy G. Diet Drives Differences in Reproductive Synchrony in Two Sympatric Mountain Ungulates in the Himalaya. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.647465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ungulates in higher latitudes and altitudes experience sharp seasonal changes in forage abundance and quality. In response, ungulates show varying degrees of synchrony in reproduction. Diet type has been hypothesized to be a determinant of differences in reproductive synchrony. Analyses at global scales using proxies of plant phenology such as climate, latitude and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) have found no evidence in support because such proxies do not capture differences in phenology among plant taxa at local scales. We compared seasonal variations in diet quality with reproductive synchrony in the Himalayan musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), a browser, and the Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral), a grazer, in mid-altitude Himalaya. We also compared seasonal variations in physiological stress using fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM). We identified different stages of female reproductive cycle using fecal concentrations of metabolites of estradiol, pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PdG) and testosterone and used fecal crude protein (CP) as an indicator of diet quality. In musk deer, fecal estradiol and PdG concentrations showed a dispersed estrous and parturition, respectively. Goral had a more synchronized estrous and parturition. Estrous cycles in both species occurred when diet quality was poor, but parturition occurred when diet quality was high. Greater seasonality in reproduction in goral is driven by sharp phenological changes in graminoids on which it feeds, compared to slow changes in browse on which musk deer feeds. Thus, we show that diet type drives the differences in reproductive synchrony in these two sympatric species. Spring and summer with highest diet quality were times of highest stress in both the ungulates. We hypothesize predation pressure from feral dogs and resource competition with livestock as plausible explanations for this, which need to be tested in future. Our findings also highlight the need for studying relationships among plant phenology, diet type and reproductive biology of ungulates at local scales if we are to understand species responses to global phenomena such as climate change.
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10
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Oelze VM, Percher AM, Nsi Akoué G, El Ksabi N, Willaume E, Charpentier MJE. Seasonality and interindividual variation in mandrill feeding ecology revealed by stable isotope analyses of hair and blood. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23206. [PMID: 33075182 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Mandrills are large-bodied terrestrial forest primates living in particularly large social groups of several hundred individuals. Following these groups in the wild to assess differences in diet over time as well as among individuals is demanding. We here use isotope analyses in blood and hair obtained during repeated captures of 43 identified free-ranging mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) from Southern Gabon, to test how dietary variation relates to the season as well as an individual's age and sex. We measured the stable carbon (δ13 C‰) and nitrogen (δ15 N‰) isotope ratios in 46 blood and 214 hair section samples as well as from a small selection of mandrill foods (n = 24). We found some seasonal isotopic effects, with lower δ13 C values but higher δ15 N values observed during the highly competitive long dry season compared to the fruit-rich long rainy season. Variation in δ13 C was further predicted by individual age, with higher δ13 C values generally found in younger individuals suggesting that they may consume more high canopy fruit than older individuals, or that older individuals consume more low canopy foliage. The best predictor for δ15 N values was the interaction between age and sex, with mature and reproductively active males revealing the highest δ15 N values, despite the observation that males consume substantially less animal food items than females. We interpret high δ15 N values in these mature male mandrill blood and hair sections to be the result of nutritional stress associated with intense male-male competition, particularly during mating season. This is the first study showing isotopic evidence for nutritional stress in a free-ranging primate species and may spark further investigations into male mandrill diet and energy balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky M Oelze
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA.,Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alice M Percher
- Equipe Biologie Evolutive Humaine, Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier UMR5554, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Gontran Nsi Akoué
- Département de Biologie, Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville, Gabon
| | | | | | - Marie J E Charpentier
- Equipe Biologie Evolutive Humaine, Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier UMR5554, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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11
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Levy EJ, Gesquiere LR, McLean E, Franz M, Warutere JK, Sayialel SN, Mututua RS, Wango TL, Oudu VK, Altmann J, Archie EA, Alberts SC. Higher dominance rank is associated with lower glucocorticoids in wild female baboons: A rank metric comparison. Horm Behav 2020; 125:104826. [PMID: 32758500 PMCID: PMC7541639 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In vertebrates, glucocorticoid secretion occurs in response to energetic and psychosocial stressors that trigger the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Measuring glucocorticoid concentrations can therefore shed light on the stressors associated with different social and environmental variables, including dominance rank. Using 14,172 fecal samples from 237 wild female baboons, we test the hypothesis that high-ranking females experience fewer psychosocial and/or energetic stressors than lower-ranking females. We predicted that high-ranking females would have lower fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) concentrations than low-ranking females. Because dominance rank can be measured in multiple ways, we employ an information theoretic approach to compare 5 different measures of rank as predictors of fGC concentrations: ordinal rank; proportional rank; Elo rating; and two approaches to categorical ranking (alpha vs non-alpha and high-middle-low). Our hypothesis was supported, but it was also too simplistic. We found that alpha females exhibited substantially lower fGCs than other females (typical reduction = 8.2%). If we used proportional rank instead of alpha versus non-alpha status in the model, we observed a weak effect of rank such that fGCs rose 4.2% from the highest- to lowest-ranking female in the hierarchy. Models using ordinal rank, Elo rating, or high-middle-low categories alone failed to explain variation in female fGCs. Our findings shed new light on the association between dominance rank and the stress response, the competitive landscape of female baboons as compared to males, and the assumptions inherent in a researcher's choice of rank metric.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Levy
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA,.
| | - Laurence R Gesquiere
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA,.
| | - Emily McLean
- Oxford College of Emory University, 801 Emory Street, Oxford, GA 30054, USA.
| | - Mathias Franz
- Institute for Biology, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Königin-Luise-Strasse 1-3, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | | | - Serah N Sayialel
- Amboseli Baboon Research Project, PO Box 72211-0020, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Tim L Wango
- Amboseli Baboon Research Project, PO Box 72211-0020, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Animal Physiology, University of Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Vivian K Oudu
- Amboseli Baboon Research Project, PO Box 72211-0020, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jeanne Altmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya,.
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya,; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA,; Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya,; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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12
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Rudolph K, Fichtel C, Heistermann M, Kappeler PM. Dynamics and determinants of glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in wild Verreaux's sifakas. Horm Behav 2020; 124:104760. [PMID: 32330550 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids have wide-ranging effects on animals' behaviour, but many of these effects remain poorly understood because numerous confounding factors have often been neglected in previous studies. Here, we present data from a 2-year study of 7 groups of wild Verreaux's sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi), in which we examined concentrations of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs, n = 2350 samples) simultaneously in relation to ambient temperatures, food intake, rank, reproduction, adult sex ratios, social interactions, vigilance and self-scratching. Multi-variate analyses revealed that fGCM concentrations were positively correlated with increases in daily temperature fluctuations and tended to decrease with increasing fruit intake. fGCM concentrations increased when males were sexually mature and began to disperse, and dominant males had higher fGCM concentrations than subordinate males. In contrast to males, older females showed a non-significant trend to have lower fGCM levels, potentially reflecting differences in male and female life-history strategies. Reproducing females had the highest fGCM concentrations during late gestation and had higher fGCM levels than non-reproducing females, except during early lactation. Variation in fGCM concentrations was not associated with variation in social interactions, adult sex ratios, vigilance and self-scratching. Altogether, we show that measures of glucocorticoid output constitute appropriate tools for studying energetic burdens of ecological and reproductive challenges. However, they seem to be insufficient indicators for immediate endocrinological responses to social and nonsocial behaviours that are not directly linked to energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Rudolph
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Dept. Sociobiology/Anthropology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz Science Campus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz Science Campus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Peter M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Dept. Sociobiology/Anthropology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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13
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Dibakou SE, Souza A, Boundenga L, Givalois L, Mercier-Delarue S, Simon F, Prugnolle F, Huchard E, Charpentier MJ. Ecological, parasitological and individual determinants of plasma neopterin levels in a natural mandrill population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2020; 11:198-206. [PMID: 32140406 PMCID: PMC7049574 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Investigating how individuals adjust their investment into distinct components of the immune system under natural conditions necessitates to develop immune phenotyping tools that reflect the activation of specific immune components that can be measured directly in the field. Here, we examined individual variation of plasma neopterin, a biomarker of Th1 immunity in wild mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), who are naturally exposed to a suite of parasites, including simian retroviruses and malaria agents. We analyzed a total of 201 plasma samples from 99 individuals and examined the effect of sex, age, social rank, reproductive state and disease status on neopterin levels. We found higher neopterin concentrations in males than females, but were unable to disentangle this effect from possible confounding effects of retroviral infections, which affect nearly all adult males, but hardly any females. We further detected a non-linear age effect with heightened neopterin levels in early and late life. In addition, adult males that harbored very high parasitaemia for Plasmodium gonderi also showed high neopterin levels. There was no effect of social rank in either male or female mandrills, and no effect of female reproductive state. Taken together, these results indicate that plasma neopterin may prove useful to investigate individual variation in investment into specific immune components, as well as to monitor the dynamics of immune responses to naturally occurring diseases that elicit a Th1 immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alain Souza
- Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Larson Boundenga
- Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Laurent Givalois
- MMDN Lab - U1198, INSERM, University of Montpellier, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | | | - François Simon
- Service de Microbiologie CHU Saint Louis, Faculté de Médecine Paris -Diderot, France
| | | | - Elise Huchard
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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14
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Charpentier MJE, Boundenga L, Beaulieu M, Dibakou SE, Arnathau C, Sidobre C, Willaume E, Mercier-Delarue S, Simon F, Rougeron V, Prugnolle F. A longitudinal molecular study of the ecology of malaria infections in free-ranging mandrills. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2019; 10:241-251. [PMID: 31667087 PMCID: PMC6812016 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Unravelling the determinants of host variation in susceptibility and exposure to parasite infections, infection dynamics and the consequences of parasitism on host health is of paramount interest to understand the evolution of complex host-parasite interactions. In this study, we evaluated the determinants, temporal changes and physiological correlates of Plasmodium infections in a large natural population of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). Over six consecutive years, we obtained detailed parasitological and physiological data from 100 male and female mandrills of all ages. The probability of infection by Plasmodium gonderi and P. mandrilli was elevated (ca. 40%) but most infections were chronical and dynamic, with several cases of parasite switching and clearance. Positive co-infections also occurred between both parasites. Individual age and sex influenced the probability of infections with some differences between parasites: while P. mandrilli appeared to infect its hosts rather randomly, P. gonderi particularly infected middle-aged mandrills. Males were also more susceptible to P. gonderi than females and were more likely to be infected by this parasite at the beginning of an infection by the simian immunodeficiency virus. P. gonderi, and to a lesser extent P. mandrilli, influenced mandrills’ physiology: skin temperatures and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were both impacted, generally depending on individual age and sex. These results highlight the ecological complexity of Plasmodium infections in nonhuman primates and the efforts that need to be done to decipher the epidemiology of such parasites. Longitudinal epidemiological and physiological data on Plasmodium infection obtained from a wild primate population. Elevated chronical infections by two species of Plasmodium. Contrasted dynamics of infection and physiological effects of P. gonderi and P. mandrilli. Elevated parasitaemia (P. gonderi) in male mandrills in primo-infection by the simian immunodeficiency virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J E Charpentier
- Institut des Sciences de L'Evolution de Montpellier UMR 5554, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - L Boundenga
- Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
| | - M Beaulieu
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,German Oceanographic Museum, Stralsund, Germany
| | - S E Dibakou
- Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville, Gabon
| | - C Arnathau
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle UMR, 224-5290, Montpellier, France
| | - C Sidobre
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle UMR, 224-5290, Montpellier, France
| | - E Willaume
- Société D'Exploitation Du Parc de La Lékédi, Bakoumba, Gabon
| | - S Mercier-Delarue
- Département des Agents Infectieux, Hôpital Saint Louis, Faculté de Médecine Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - F Simon
- Département des Agents Infectieux, Hôpital Saint Louis, Faculté de Médecine Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - V Rougeron
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle UMR, 224-5290, Montpellier, France
| | - F Prugnolle
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle UMR, 224-5290, Montpellier, France
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15
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Dibakou SE, Basset D, Souza A, Charpentier M, Huchard E. Determinants of Variations in Fecal Neopterin in Free-Ranging Mandrills. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
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16
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Lavin SR, Woodruff MC, Atencia R, Cox D, Woodruff GT, Setchell JM, Wheaton CJ. Biochemical and biological validations of a faecal glucocorticoid metabolite assay in mandrills ( Mandrillus sphinx). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz032. [PMID: 31528347 PMCID: PMC6736364 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Stress is a major factor in determining success when releasing endangered species into the wild but is often overlooked. Mandrills (Mandrills sphinx) are vulnerable to extinction due to habitat loss and demand for bush meat and the pet trade. To help bolster in situ populations, rehabilitated rescued mandrills recently were released into a protected area in the Republic of Congo. The goal of this study was to validate the use of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) in mandrills and test field-friendly faecal hormone extraction techniques that can subsequently be used to monitor the stress physiology and welfare of mandrills throughout the release process. Using faecal samples collected from ex situ mandrills, we tested cortisol, corticosterone, 11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone (69a), and 11-oxoetiocholanolone EIAs. Absolute concentrations, hormone profiles following medical procedures or translocation, and high-performance liquid chromatography fraction immunoreactivity showed that the 69a assay was the best choice to monitor the stress response in this species. Samples with delayed extraction or drying times had 40-80% lower 69a concentrations than samples extracted immediately post-collection and frozen. The 69a EIA is an appropriate assay for monitoring welfare in this species in situ or ex situ, and results indicated that consistent extraction methods are important for accurate comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana R Lavin
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA
| | - Miles C Woodruff
- Anthropology Department and Behavior, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
- The Jane Goodall Institute, Vienna, VA, USA
| | | | - Debby Cox
- The Jane Goodall Institute, Vienna, VA, USA
| | | | - Joanna M Setchell
- Anthropology Department and Behavior, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Catharine J Wheaton
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA
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17
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Tecot SR, Irwin MT, Raharison JL. Faecal glucocorticoid metabolite profiles in diademed sifakas increase during seasonal fruit scarcity with interactive effects of age/sex class and habitat degradation. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz001. [PMID: 30746150 PMCID: PMC6364291 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are metabolic byproducts of animals' physiological responses to ecological or social challenges and are thought to represent an adaptive response allowing beneficial responses to short-term challenges. Glucocorticoid metabolites (GCs) can be assayed non-invasively through faeces and therefore can be a useful tool to gauge the health of populations experiencing natural and/or anthropogenic stressors. However, the response of GCs to anthropogenic stressors varies, with both higher and lower GC levels reported. Here, we describe variation in GC secretion within eight diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) groups across 1 year. These groups span a gradient of anthropogenic habitat disturbance, including groups in continuous forest ('CONT') and disturbed fragments ('FRAG'), and indicators of health suggest that FRAG groups are negatively impacted by habitat disturbance. We monitored phenology, used focal animal follows to quantify diet and collected faeces (n = 547) from which we quantified GC content using enzyme immunoassay. All groups showed elevated lean-season GCs, but with a single, brief peak. GCs were inversely correlated with feeding time. No overall effect of habitat (CONT vs. FRAG) was found, but the lean-season peak was significantly higher in CONT groups. There was a significant season*age-sex interaction; adult females had an attenuated lean-season response compared with groupmates. The observed lean-season 'challenge' is consistent with previous lemur studies, as well as mammals in general. Low and largely invariable GC levels in FRAG, within the context of observed health and nutritional declines, suggest that FRAG groups employ a strategy whereby the adrenal response to stressors is downregulated. More research is needed to contextualize our observations of GC variation and health on an individual level, both in terms of corroborating evidence for ecological and social stressors, and longer-term quantification of reproductive success and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey R Tecot
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ, USA
- Laboratory for the Evolutionary Endocrinology of Primates, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ, USA
- Co-first authors
| | - Mitchell T Irwin
- Department of Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb IL, USA
- Co-first authors
| | - Jean-Luc Raharison
- NGO Sadabe, Lot AB64bis, Ankadindravola, Ivato Firaisana, 105 Antananarivo, Madagascar
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18
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Sueur C, Romano V, Sosa S, Puga-Gonzalez I. Mechanisms of network evolution: a focus on socioecological factors, intermediary mechanisms, and selection pressures. Primates 2018; 60:167-181. [PMID: 30206778 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-018-0682-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Valéria Romano
- Kyoto University Primate Research Institute, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Sebastian Sosa
- Primates and Evolution Anthropology Laboratory, Anthropology Department, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ivan Puga-Gonzalez
- Institute for Religion, Philosophy and History, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
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