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Mortessagne E, Bovet D, Nozières C, Pouydebat E, Pifferi F. Cognitive performance of grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) during a discrimination learning task: Effect of the emotional valence of stimuli. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23667. [PMID: 39072837 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23667] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Emotions are omnipresent in many animals' lives. It is a complex concept that encompasses physiological, subjective, behavioural and cognitive aspects. While the complex relationship between emotion and cognition has been well studied in humans and in some nonhuman primates, it remains rather unexplored for other nonhuman primate species, such as lemurs. In our study, we evaluated the performance of N = 48 grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) in a discrimination learning task using visual emotional stimuli. We tested whether the type of visual stimulus (positive, negative or neutral) influenced the cognitive performance of mouse lemurs. Individuals had to learn to discriminate between two platforms according to the associated visual stimuli and to jump to the target platform (leading to a reward). Our main finding was that emotional stimuli, whether positive or negative in valence, impaired cognitive performance when used as a target. Specifically, the lowest success rate occurred when the target was associated with the emotional stimuli, and the highest success rate occurred when it was associated with neutral stimuli. Our results show a similar pattern to that found in other primate species and support the adaptive role of emotion. Our results also support that individual differences could be a factor impacting the relation between emotion and cognition. This study is the first to explore how emotions interfere with the cognitive abilities of a lemur species and highlights the importance of acknowledging emotion in mouse lemurs as well as studying the emotion-cognition interaction in a wider range of primate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Mortessagne
- UMR CNRS/MNHN 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, Brunoy, France
| | - D Bovet
- Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement, Université Paris Nanterre, UPL, Nanterre, France
| | - C Nozières
- UMR CNRS/MNHN 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, Brunoy, France
| | - E Pouydebat
- UMR CNRS/MNHN 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, Brunoy, France
| | - F Pifferi
- UMR CNRS/MNHN 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, Brunoy, France
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2
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Weiß BM, Widdig A. Influence of visual information on sniffing behavior in a routinely trichromatic primate. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae055. [PMID: 39034973 PMCID: PMC11258807 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Most catarrhine primates are considered to be strongly visually oriented, obtaining information about conspecifics and their environment from a diversity of visual cues. Other sensory modalities may provide information that is redundant and/or complimentary to visual cues. When cues from multiple sensory modalities are available, these may reinforce or suppress each other, as shown in several taxa ranging from insects to humans. Here, we tested how the presence and ambiguity of visual information affect the use of olfactory cues when exploring food and non-food items in semi-free-ranging Barbary macaques at Affenberg Salem, Germany. We presented monkeys with pipes containing food (peanuts, popcorn), non-food (stones, feces), or no items in transparent or opaque containers and assessed whether animals looked, sniffed, and/or grabbed into the pipes depending on the visibility of the contents (experiment 1). Visual information had no robust effect on sniffing probability, but monkeys were more likely to sniff before any other form of inspection if the can was opaque than if it was transparent. Both visual and olfactory information affected, whether or not monkeys attempted to retrieve the items from the pipes, whereby monkeys showed an overall decrease in the propensity to grab after sniffing. Furthermore, we manipulated the visual appearance of familiar food items (popcorn) with food colorant (experiment 2), which resulted in substantially increased olfactory inspections compared to unmanipulated popcorn. Taken together, reliance on the olfactory sense was modulated by the available visual information, emphasizing the interplay between different sensory modalities for obtaining information about the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte M Weiß
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Widdig
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Kemp AD. Effect of binocular visual cue availability on fruit and insect grasping performance in two cheirogaleids: Implications for primate origins hypotheses. J Hum Evol 2024; 188:103456. [PMID: 38325119 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Forward-facing eyes with parallel optic axes, which provide a wide field of binocular vision and precise depth perception, are among the diagnostic features of crown primates; however, the adaptive significance of this feature remains contentious. Two of the most prominent primate-origins hypotheses propose that either foraging for fruit or nocturnal predation on insects created selective pressures that led to the evolution of diagnostic primate traits, including a wide binocular field. To determine whether either of these hypotheses provides a viable explanation for the evolution of primates' derived eye orientation, the importance of binocular depth cues for the two tasks invoked by these hypotheses was evaluated experimentally in Microcebus murinus and Cheirogaleus medius, cheirogaleids' considered reasonable living analogs of the earliest euprimates. Performance in grasping insects and fruit was evaluated when the animals made use of their full binocular visual field and when their binocular visual field was restricted using a helmet-mounted blinder. Restriction of the binocular field had no effect on fruit grasping performance; however, restriction of the binocular field resulted in a significant deficit in insect predation performance. Differences in behavioral variables also suggest that insect predation is a more visually demanding task than fruit foraging. These results support the role of insect predation, but not fruit foraging, in contributing to the selective pressures that led to the evolution of parallel optic axes and a wide binocular field in crown primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Addison D Kemp
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 403 Bishop Memorial Teaching Building, 133 San Pablo St, Los Angeles, CA, 90033-9112, USA.
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4
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Schüßler D, Blanco MB, Guthrie NK, Sgarlata GM, Dammhahn M, Ernest R, Evasoa MR, Hasiniaina A, Hending D, Jan F, le Pors B, Miller A, Olivieri G, Rakotonanahary AN, Rakotondranary SJ, Rakotondravony R, Ralantoharijaona T, Ramananjato V, Randrianambinina B, Raoelinjanakolona NN, Rasoazanabary E, Rasoloarison RM, Rasolofoson DW, Rasoloharijaona S, Rasolondraibe E, Roberts SH, Teixeira H, van Elst T, Johnson SE, Ganzhorn JU, Chikhi L, Kappeler PM, Louis EE, Salmona J, Radespiel U. Morphological variability or inter-observer bias? A methodological toolkit to improve data quality of multi-researcher datasets for the analysis of morphological variation. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 183:60-78. [PMID: 37607125 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The investigation of morphological variation in animals is widely used in taxonomy, ecology, and evolution. Using large datasets for meta-analyses has dramatically increased, raising concerns about dataset compatibilities and biases introduced by contributions of multiple researchers. MATERIALS AND METHODS We compiled morphological data on 13 variables for 3073 individual mouse lemurs (Cheirogaleidae, Microcebus spp.) from 25 taxa and 153 different sampling locations, measured by 48 different researchers. We introduced and applied a filtering pipeline and quantified improvements in data quality (Shapiro-Francia statistic, skewness, and excess kurtosis). The filtered dataset was then used to test for genus-wide sexual size dimorphism and the applicability of Rensch's, Allen's, and Bergmann's rules. RESULTS Our pipeline reduced inter-observer bias (i.e., increased normality of data distributions). Inter-observer reliability of measurements was notably variable, highlighting the need to reduce data collection biases. Although subtle, we found a consistent pattern of sexual size dimorphism across Microcebus, with females being the larger (but not heavier) sex. Sexual size dimorphism was isometric, providing no support for Rensch's rule. Variations in tail length but not in ear size were consistent with the predictions of Allen's rule. Body mass and length followed a pattern contrary to predictions of Bergmann's rule. DISCUSSION We highlighted the usefulness of large multi-researcher datasets for testing ecological hypotheses after correcting for inter-observer biases. Using genus-wide tests, we outlined generalizable patterns of morphological variability across all mouse lemurs. This new methodological toolkit aims to facilitate future large-scale morphological comparisons for a wide range of taxa and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Schüßler
- Institute of Biology and Chemistry, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
| | | | - Nicola K Guthrie
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Mamy Rina Evasoa
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alida Hasiniaina
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
- School for International Training, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Fabien Jan
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Alex Miller
- Perth Zoo, South Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Gillian Olivieri
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | | | | | - Romule Rakotondravony
- Faculté des Sciences, de Technologies et de l'Environnement, Ecole Doctorale Ecosystèmes Naturels, Université de Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar
| | - Tantely Ralantoharijaona
- Faculté des Sciences, de Technologies et de l'Environnement, Ecole Doctorale Ecosystèmes Naturels, Université de Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar
| | - Veronarindra Ramananjato
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Faculté des Sciences, Université d'Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Blanchard Randrianambinina
- Faculté des Sciences, de Technologies et de l'Environnement, Ecole Doctorale Ecosystèmes Naturels, Université de Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar
| | - Nancia N Raoelinjanakolona
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Faculté des Sciences, Université d'Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Rodin M Rasoloarison
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - David W Rasolofoson
- Groupe d'Etude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar (GERP), Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Solofonirina Rasoloharijaona
- Faculté des Sciences, de Technologies et de l'Environnement, Ecole Doctorale Ecosystèmes Naturels, Université de Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar
| | - Emmanuel Rasolondraibe
- Faculté des Sciences, de Technologies et de l'Environnement, Ecole Doctorale Ecosystèmes Naturels, Université de Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar
| | | | - Helena Teixeira
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
- UMR ENTROPIE, Université de La Réunion, La Réunion, France
| | - Tobias van Elst
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Steig E Johnson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jörg U Ganzhorn
- Animal Ecology and Conservation, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lounès Chikhi
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR5174, IRD, CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Peter M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Anthropology/Sociobiology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Edward E Louis
- Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership (MBP), Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Jordi Salmona
- Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR5174, IRD, CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Ute Radespiel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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5
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Zeller K, Ballesta S, Meunier H, Duboscq J, Morino L, Rimele A, Bonnet X, Maille A, Dezecache G, Garcia C. Spot the odd one out: do snake pictures capture macaques' attention more than other predators? Anim Cogn 2023; 26:1945-1958. [PMID: 37855842 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01831-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Detecting and identifying predators quickly is key to survival. According to the Snake Detection Theory (SDT), snakes have been a substantive threat to primates for millions of years, so that dedicated visual skills were tuned to detect snakes in early primates. Past experiments confronted the SDT by measuring how fast primate subjects detected snake pictures among non-dangerous distractors (e.g., flowers), but did not include pictures of primates' other predators, such as carnivorans, raptors, and crocodilians. Here, we examined the detection abilities of N = 19 Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) and N = 6 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) to spot different predators. By implementing an oddity task protocol, we recorded success rates and reaction times to locate a deviant picture among four pictures over more than 400,000 test trials. Pictures depicted a predator, a non-predator animal, or a simple geometric shape. The first task consisted of detecting a deviant picture among identical distractor pictures (discrimination) and the second task was designed to evaluate detection abilities of a deviant picture among different distractor pictures (categorization). The macaques detected pictures of geometric shapes better and faster than pictures of animals, and were better and faster at discriminating than categorizing. The macaques did not detect snakes better or faster than other animal categories. Overall, these results suggest that pictures of snakes do not capture visual attention more than other predators, questioning previous findings in favor of the SDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Zeller
- Unité Eco-Anthropologie (EA), UMR 7206, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Musée de l'Homme 17 Place du Trocadéro, 75016, Paris, France.
| | - Sébastien Ballesta
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Centre de Primatologie de l'Université de Strasbourg, Silabe, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Hélène Meunier
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Centre de Primatologie de l'Université de Strasbourg, Silabe, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Julie Duboscq
- Unité Eco-Anthropologie (EA), UMR 7206, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Musée de l'Homme 17 Place du Trocadéro, 75016, Paris, France
| | - Luca Morino
- Ménagerie du Jardin Des Plantes, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Adam Rimele
- Centre de Primatologie de l'Université de Strasbourg, Silabe, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Xavier Bonnet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS ULR, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Audrey Maille
- Unité Eco-Anthropologie (EA), UMR 7206, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Musée de l'Homme 17 Place du Trocadéro, 75016, Paris, France
- DGD Musées, Jardins Botaniques et Zoologiques, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
| | | | - Cécile Garcia
- Unité Eco-Anthropologie (EA), UMR 7206, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Musée de l'Homme 17 Place du Trocadéro, 75016, Paris, France
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6
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Breitenbach R, Ambros S, Risko G, Arcusa I, Durland Donahou A, Wolovich CK. The importance of auditory, olfactory, and visual cues for insect foraging in owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae). Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23539. [PMID: 37504384 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Nocturnal mammals have unique sensory adaptations to facilitate foraging at night. Owl monkeys (Aotus spp.) are pair-living nocturnal platyrrhines adept at capturing insect prey under low-light conditions. Owl monkeys use acoustic and chemical cues in intraspecific communication and use olfaction to detect fruit as they forage. We conducted an experiment to determine which cues (auditory, olfactory, and visual) Aotus nancymaae rely upon when foraging for insects. We scored the behavior of 23 captive owl monkeys during a series of trials in which monkeys were provided sensory boxes with insect cues either present (experimental box) or absent (control box). Each cue was tested alone and in combination with all other cues (multimodal cues). We used generalized linear mixed models to determine which cues elicited the greatest behavioral response. Owl monkeys approached and spent more time near experimental boxes than control boxes. Male owl monkeys were quicker than their female partners to approach the sensory boxes, suggesting that males may be less neophobic than females. The owl monkeys exhibited behaviors associated with olfaction and foraging (e.g., sneezing, trilling) during trials with multimodal cues and when only olfactory cues were present. When only visual or auditory cues were present, owl monkeys exhibited fewer foraging-related behaviors. After approaching a sensory box, however, they often touched boxes containing visual cues. A. nancymaae may rely on olfactory cues at night to detect a food source from several meters away and then rely more on visual cues once they are closer to the food source. Their use of sensory cues during insect foraging differs from nocturnal strepsirrhines, possibly reflecting physiological constraints associated with phylogeny, given that owl monkeys evolved nocturnality secondarily from a more recent diurnal ancestor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samantha Ambros
- DuMond Conservancy for Primates and Tropical Forests, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Gabrielle Risko
- Biology Department, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Florida, USA
| | - Isabel Arcusa
- Biology Department, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Florida, USA
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7
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Radespiel U, Scheumann M. Introduction to the Special Issue Celebrating the Life and Work of Elke Zimmermann. INT J PRIMATOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-022-00307-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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8
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Hartje V, Illemann MJ, Schmidtke D. Motion cues increase focused attention towards purely visual stimuli in a nocturnal primate and drive stimulus interaction and approach/avoidance in a context-dependent manner. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23286. [PMID: 34169554 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Visual information is of pivotal ecological importance to monkeys, apes, and humans, whereas its role in nocturnal primate ecology is less well understood. We explored how purely visual information modulates the behavior of a nocturnal primate. Abstract (shape), photographic (shape + detail), or video (shape + detail + motion) representations of arthropod prey (Zophobas morio; food context) or a male conspecific (social context) were systematically presented to 22 individuals of the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus) using a touchscreen. We assessed stimulus-directed touch interactions, durations of focused visual attention towards the different stimuli, and durations spent in the half of the setup-chamber more distant to the touchscreen (as quantification of approach/avoidance). Focused attention towards the stimulus generally increased from abstract and photographic to videographic stimuli. For the food context, indications for a parallel increase in stimulus-directed touch interactions from abstract stimulus to video were found. Approach/avoidance was independent of the stimulus type within both contexts. A comparison between the contexts under the video condition revealed higher durations of visual attention and lower stimulus avoidance in the food context compared to the social context. The number of touch interactions with the video stimulus was not generally context-dependent, but context-dependency related to sex: In the food context, animals with high and low numbers of touch interactions were equally distributed across sexes. In the social context, females showed the highest numbers of touch interactions. Numbers in males declined compared to the food context. Our results demonstrate for the first time that purely visual information modulates mouse lemur behavior and focused attention in a content- and context-specific manner, suggesting that vision is of high importance for the ecology of these nocturnal primates. The findings emphasize the need for further vision-based experiments to gain deeper insight into the evolution of visual information processing and cognition in nocturnal primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Hartje
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michele J Illemann
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Daniel Schmidtke
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
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9
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Cunningham EP, Edmonds D, Stalter L, Janal MN. Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) use olfaction to locate distant fruit. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175:300-307. [PMID: 33624841 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES As many primates live in forests where visibility is limited, the ability to detect the aroma of distant fruit and navigate odor plumes would be highly adaptive. Our study is the first to investigate this ability with strepsirrhine primates. MATERIALS AND METHODS We tested the ability of a group of ring-tailed lemurs to detect hidden fruit from afar using scent alone. We hid containers in the underbrush of a semi-natural forest, some baited with real cantaloupe and some with sham cantaloupe, 4-17 m from a path routinely used by the lemurs. Crucially, the containers were not visible from the path. Therefore, the lemurs had to use olfactory cues, but did not have to prioritize them to locate the bait. RESULTS The lemurs found the real cantaloupe on days that the wind blew the scent of the fruit toward the trail. They did not find the sham cantaloupe. Upon detecting the odor of the bait, the lemurs sniffed the air at one or more locations as they moved toward the bait, a process of navigation known as klinotaxis. DISCUSSION The traditional belief is that primates are unable to track odor plumes. The untrained lemurs in this study were able to detect the odor of the cantaloupe among the complex odors of the forest and navigate the odor plume to the fruit. The results indicate that olfaction may be used to respond to cues from distant sources. The ability to track odor plumes may be a critical foraging skill for strepsirrhines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena P Cunningham
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York, 10010, USA
| | - Devin Edmonds
- Lemur Conservation Foundation, Myakka City, Florida, USA.,Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Laura Stalter
- Lemur Conservation Foundation, Myakka City, Florida, USA.,University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Malvin N Janal
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York, 10010, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, New York University College of Dentistry, Burlington, Vermont, USA
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10
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Garvey PM, Banks PB, Suraci JP, Bodey TW, Glen AS, Jones CJ, McArthur C, Norbury GL, Price CJ, Russell JC, Sih A. Leveraging Motivations, Personality, and Sensory Cues for Vertebrate Pest Management. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:990-1000. [PMID: 32900547 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Managing vertebrate pests is a global conservation challenge given their undesirable socio-ecological impacts. Pest management often focuses on the 'average' individual, neglecting individual-level behavioural variation ('personalities') and differences in life histories. These differences affect pest impacts and modify attraction to, or avoidance of, sensory cues. Strategies targeting the average individual may fail to mitigate damage by 'rogues' (individuals causing disproportionate impact) or to target 'recalcitrants' (individuals avoiding standard control measures). Effective management leverages animal behaviours that relate primarily to four core motivations: feeding, fleeing, fighting, and fornication. Management success could be greatly increased by identifying and exploiting individual variation in motivations. We provide explicit suggestions for cue-based tools to manipulate these four motivators, thereby improving pest management outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Garvey
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand.
| | - Peter B Banks
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Justin P Suraci
- Centre for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Thomas W Bodey
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Penryn Campus, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Alistair S Glen
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Private Bag 92170, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Chris J Jones
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand
| | - Clare McArthur
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Grant L Norbury
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand
| | - Catherine J Price
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - James C Russell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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11
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Pérez-Cembranos A, Pérez-Mellado V. It sounds like food: Phonotaxis of a diurnal lizard. Behav Processes 2020; 179:104217. [PMID: 32763461 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Foraging diurnal lizards are well known for their use of visual and chemical cues to detect prey. We already showed that the Balearic lizard is able to detect prey using visual and chemical cues, even from airborne odors. In this study we carried out a field experiment to test if lizards can detect prey using acoustic cues. Our results show that Podarcis lilfordi is able to detect flies trapped inside opaque cups, only using acoustic cues. To our knowledge, this is the first known case of phonotaxis of a diurnal lizard. Thus, P. lilfordi can detect, from far away, current pollinators trapped inside floral chambers of the dead horse arum, Helicodiceros muscivorus. This is another behavioral trait displayed by the Balearic lizard during its complex interaction with the dead horse arum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Pérez-Cembranos
- Department of Animal Biology Edificio de Farmacia, 5ª Planta Campus Miguel de Unamuno s/n, University of Salamanca, 37071, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Valentín Pérez-Mellado
- Department of Animal Biology Edificio de Farmacia, 5ª Planta Campus Miguel de Unamuno s/n, University of Salamanca, 37071, Salamanca, Spain.
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Hasiniaina AF, Radespiel U, Kessler SE, Rina Evasoa M, Rasoloharijaona S, Randrianambinina B, Zimmermann E, Schmidt S, Scheumann M. Evolutionary significance of the variation in acoustic communication of a cryptic nocturnal primate radiation ( Microcebus spp.). Ecol Evol 2020; 10:3784-3797. [PMID: 32313636 PMCID: PMC7160168 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic phenotypic variation is of major importance for speciation and the evolution of species diversity. Whereas selective and stochastic forces shaping the acoustic divergence of signaling systems are well studied in insects, frogs, and birds, knowledge on the processes driving acoustic phenotypic evolution in mammals is limited. We quantified the acoustic variation of a call type exchanged during agonistic encounters across eight distinct species of the smallest-bodied nocturnal primate radiation, the Malagasy mouse lemurs. The species live in two different habitats (dry forest vs. humid forest), differ in geographic distance to each other, and belong to four distinct phylogenetic clades within the genus. Genetically defined species were discriminated reliably on the phenotypic level based on their acoustic distinctiveness in a discriminant function analysis. Acoustic variation was explained by genetic distance, whereas differences in morphology, forest type, or geographic distance had no effect. The strong impact of genetics was supported by a correlation between acoustic and genetic distance and the high agreement in branching pattern between the acoustic and molecular phylogenetic trees. In sum, stochastic factors such as genetic drift best explained acoustic diversification in a social communication call of mouse lemurs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ute Radespiel
- Institute of ZoologyUniversity of Veterinary Medicine HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Sharon E. Kessler
- Department of PsychologyFaculty of Natural SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingScotland
- Department of AnthropologyDurham UniversityDurhamUK
| | - Mamy Rina Evasoa
- Faculty of Science, Technology and EnvironmentUniversity of MahajangaMahajangaMadagascar
| | | | | | - Elke Zimmermann
- Institute of ZoologyUniversity of Veterinary Medicine HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Sabine Schmidt
- Institute of ZoologyUniversity of Veterinary Medicine HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Marina Scheumann
- Institute of ZoologyUniversity of Veterinary Medicine HannoverHannoverGermany
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13
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Berrío-Martínez J, Kaiser S, Nowak M, Page RA, Carter GG. The role of past experience in development of feeding behavior in common vampire bats. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7448. [PMID: 31404443 PMCID: PMC6687003 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The life history strategy of common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) suggests that learning might play a role in development of their foraging skills. We took advantage of 12 captive births in a study colony of vampire bats to test the role of past experience in two aspects of feeding. First, we compared preferences for blood temperature in 32 wild-born vampire bats versus 11 captive-born vampire bats that had only previously fed on blood of ambient temperature or colder. We found no evidence for a preference in either group for blood presented at 4 °C versus 37 °C. Second, we tested whether captive-born vampire bats with no previous experience of feeding on live animals could successfully feed on a live chicken. Five of 12 naïve captive-born bats were able to bite the chicken and draw blood, but only one bat gained more than 5% of body mass. We were unable to reasonably compare their feeding performance with that of wild-born bats because only two of three wild-born, short-term captive bats fed on the chicken and none of the seven wild-born, long-term captive mothers attempted to feed. This unexpected lack of feeding might be due to a previously reported age-dependent neophobia. When six of the captive-born bats were released in the wild, they appeared to feed successfully because they survived for more than three consecutive nights. We suggest further tests that would better clarify the role of learning in the development of foraging in vampire bats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samuel Kaiser
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Michelle Nowak
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Rachel A Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Gerald G Carter
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama.,Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
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14
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Melin AD, Nevo O, Shirasu M, Williamson RE, Garrett EC, Endo M, Sakurai K, Matsushita Y, Touhara K, Kawamura S. Fruit scent and observer colour vision shape food-selection strategies in wild capuchin monkeys. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2407. [PMID: 31160592 PMCID: PMC6546703 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10250-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The senses play critical roles in helping animals evaluate foods, including fruits that can change both in colour and scent during ripening to attract frugivores. Although numerous studies have assessed the impact of colour on fruit selection, comparatively little is known about fruit scent and how olfactory and visual data are integrated during foraging. We combine 25 months of behavioural data on 75 wild, white-faced capuchins (Cebus imitator) with measurements of fruit colours and scents from 18 dietary plant species. We show that frequency of fruit-directed olfactory behaviour is positively correlated with increases in the volume of fruit odours produced during ripening. Monkeys with red-green colour blindness sniffed fruits more often, indicating that increased reliance on olfaction is a behavioural strategy that mitigates decreased capacity to detect red-green colour contrast. These results demonstrate a complex interaction among fruit traits, sensory capacities and foraging strategies, which help explain variation in primate behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
| | - Omer Nevo
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mika Shirasu
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
- ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Rachel E Williamson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Eva C Garrett
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Mizuki Endo
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan
| | - Kodama Sakurai
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan
| | - Yuka Matsushita
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan
| | - Kazushige Touhara
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
- ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Shoji Kawamura
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan.
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16
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Xie L, Wang M, Liao T, Tan S, Sun K, Li H, Fang Q, Tang A. The characterization of auditory brainstem response (ABR) waveforms: A study in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri). J Otol 2018; 13:85-91. [PMID: 30559771 PMCID: PMC6291640 DOI: 10.1016/j.joto.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
To characterize the patterns of ABR waves in tree shrews, we must understand the hearing sensitivity and auditory function of healthy adult tree shrews. Fifteen tree shrews (30 ears) were stimulated with clicks and tone-pips at 11 different frequencies from 1 to 60 kHz. The ABR waves were recorded and analyzed. The ABR consisted of five to seven positive waves in the first 10 ms after a click stimulus, and the average hearing threshold of component III was 27.86 ± 3.78 dB SPL. Wave III was the largest and most clear. The ABR threshold was related to the tone-pip sitmulus by a “U” shaped curve. The sensitive frequency was approximately 8 kHz in tree shrews. The latencies systematically decreased with increasing stimulus frequencies. The ABR amplitudes of wave III increased as the sound pressure level increased. All of these results provide an empirical basis for future studies of hearing diseases in tree shrews.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihong Xie
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 530021 Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Menglin Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 530021 Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Ting Liao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 530021 Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Songhua Tan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 530021 Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Kai Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 530021 Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 530021 Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Qin Fang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 530021 Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Anzhou Tang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 530021 Nanning, Guangxi, China
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18
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Renda S, le Roux A. The sensory ecology of prey detection in the bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis). BEHAVIOUR 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the absence of direct sunlight, nocturnal animals face sensory challenges different to those affecting their diurnal counterparts whilst foraging. Anecdotal observations have led to the general prediction that the auditory sensory mode is the most prominent for the bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis), a nocturnal, insectivorous canid. The present study aimed to clarify the relative importance of different sensory modes to foraging bat-eared foxes by conducting sensory trials with individuals belonging to a habituated population in the Kuruman River Reserve in South Africa. Foxes were tested in repeated trials controlling for particular sensory stimuli using live or pre-killed prey. Auditory cues proved significant () predictors of fox foraging success with olfactory and visual cues indicated as being of secondary importance. This study thus provides empirical confirmation for anecdotal reports that the bat-eared fox is predominantly reliant on auditory cues to determine hunting success.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Renda
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Qwaqwa campus, Phuthaditjhaba 9866, South Africa
| | - A. le Roux
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Qwaqwa campus, Phuthaditjhaba 9866, South Africa
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Abstract
Olfaction, the sense of smell, was a latecomer to the systematic investigation of primate sensory ecology after long years in which it was considered to be of minor importance. This view shifted with the growing understanding of its role in social behavior and the accumulation of physiological studies demonstrating that the olfactory abilities of some primates are on a par with those of olfactory-dependent mammals such as dogs and rodents. Recent years have seen a proliferation of physiological, behavioral, anatomical, and genetic investigations of primate olfaction. These investigations have begun to shed light on the importance of olfaction in the process of food acquisition. However, integration of these works has been limited. It is therefore still difficult to pinpoint large-scale evolutionary scenarios, namely the functions that the sense of smell fulfills in primates' feeding ecology and the ecological niches that favor heavier reliance on olfaction. Here, we review available behavioral and physiological studies of primates in the field or captivity and try to elucidate how and when the sense of smell can help them acquire food.
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Segovia JM, Del-Claro K, Willemart RH. Delicate fangs, smart killing: the predation strategy of the recluse spider. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Lecker CA, Parsons MH, Lecker DR, Sarno RJ, Parsons FE. The temporal multimodal influence of optical and auditory cues on the repellent behavior of ring-billed gulls (Larus delewarensis). WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
A generation of new animal repellents is based on the premise that threat stimuli are best interpreted through multiple sensory pathways. Ring-billed gulls (RBG; Larus delawarensis) offer a unique opportunity to assess the efficacy of multimodal repellents over time. This pest species is repelled by both auditory and optical cues and persists in stable populations, often remaining in the same colony for life. This distinctive attribute makes it possible to assess colonies independently over time and space.
Aims
We assessed the unimodal (single-cue treatment) and multimodal (paired-cue) response by RBG to auditory (conspecific distress call) and optical (green or red laser) cues, along with a double-negative control (flashlight aimed at ground, background noise).
Methods
All stimuli were investigated separately and together within a 3 × 2 factorial design randomised by treatment and site. We predicted that paired stimuli would generate more pronounced (number of gulls fleeing from a roost) and faster (flight initiation time) responses than stimuli presented alone with a control.
Key results
The distress call was more effective than either visual signal and almost nullified our ability to detect a multimodal response. However, the multimodal influence was detected on two levels. Gulls were more likely to flee from either paired treatment (optical + auditory) than from unimodal stimuli (laser light only; P < 0.001) and gulls fled more quickly from multiple cues (P < 0.001). A more subtle, but important, benefit was observed in that – over time – gulls were more likely to flee from either paired treatment (optical or auditory), but not from unimodal treatments (P < 0.005). The latter response may have been due to a fear-conditioned generalisation.
Conclusions
We provide evidence and a causal mechanism to address why multimodal stimuli may be more efficacious as deterrents than single-mode treatments. This species may be more effectively managed, over longer periods of time, through the use of multimodal repellents.
Implications
A better understanding of how multimodal repellents function may help frame novel approaches to animal conservation and to assay better tools and repellents for wildlife management. Even modest multimodal benefits may justify their use, if they delay habituation over time.
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Schopf C, Zimmermann E, Tünsmeyer J, Kästner SBR, Hubka P, Kral A. Hearing and age-related changes in the gray mouse lemur. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2014; 15:993-1005. [PMID: 25112886 PMCID: PMC4389956 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-014-0478-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2013] [Accepted: 07/01/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to examine auditory thresholds and hearing sensitivity during aging in the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus), suggested to represent a model for early primate evolution and Alzheimer research, we applied brainstem-evoked response audiometry (BERA), traditionally used for screening hearing sensitivity in human babies. To assess the effect of age, we determined auditory thresholds in two age groups of adult mouse lemurs (young adults, 1-5 years; old adults, ≥7 years) using clicks and tone pips. Auditory thresholds indicated frequency sensitivity from 800 Hz to almost 50 kHz, covering the species tonal communication range with fundamentals from about 8 to 40 kHz. The frequency of best hearing at 7.9 kHz was slightly lower than that and coincided with the dominant frequencies of communication signals of a predator. Aging shifted auditory thresholds in the range between 2 and 50.4 kHz significantly by 12-27 dB. This mild presbyacusis, expressed in a drop of amplitudes of BERA signals, but not discernible in latencies of responses, suggests a metabolic age-related decrease potentially combined with an accompanying degeneration of the cochlear nerve. Our findings on hearing range of this species support the hypothesis that predation was a driving factor for the evolution of hearing in small ancestral primates. Likewise, results provide the empirical basis for future approaches trying to differentiate peripheral from central factors when studying Alzheimer's disease-like pathologies in the aging brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Schopf
- />Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
- />Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elke Zimmermann
- />Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
- />Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Julia Tünsmeyer
- />Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 9, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Sabine B. R. Kästner
- />Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
- />Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 9, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Peter Hubka
- />Institute of Audioneurotechnology & Department of Experimental Otology, ENT Clinics, Medical University Hannover, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 35, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Andrej Kral
- />Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
- />Institute of Audioneurotechnology & Department of Experimental Otology, ENT Clinics, Medical University Hannover, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 35, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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Rothman JM, Raubenheimer D, Bryer MAH, Takahashi M, Gilbert CC. Nutritional contributions of insects to primate diets: implications for primate evolution. J Hum Evol 2014; 71:59-69. [PMID: 24742878 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2012] [Revised: 10/26/2013] [Accepted: 02/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Insects and other invertebrates form a portion of many living and extinct primate diets. We review the nutritional profiles of insects in comparison with other dietary items, and discuss insect nutrients in relation to the nutritional needs of living primates. We find that insects are incorporated into some primate diets as staple foods whereby they are the majority of food intake. They can also be incorporated as complements to other foods in the diet, providing protein in a diet otherwise dominated by gums and/or fruits, or be incorporated as supplements to likely provide an essential nutrient that is not available in the typical diet. During times when they are very abundant, such as in insect outbreaks, insects can serve as replacements to the usual foods eaten by primates. Nutritionally, insects are high in protein and fat compared with typical dietary items like fruit and vegetation. However, insects are small in size and for larger primates (>1 kg) it is usually nutritionally profitable only to consume insects when they are available in large quantities. In small quantities, they may serve to provide important vitamins and fatty acids typically unavailable in primate diets. In a brief analysis, we found that soft-bodied insects are higher in fat though similar in chitin and protein than hard-bodied insects. In the fossil record, primates can be defined as soft- or hard-bodied insect feeders based on dental morphology. The differences in the nutritional composition of insects may have implications for understanding early primate evolution and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Rothman
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, USA; Department of Anthropology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, USA; Department of Biology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, USA.
| | | | - Margaret A H Bryer
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, USA; Department of Anthropology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, USA
| | - Maressa Takahashi
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, USA; Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Christopher C Gilbert
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, USA; Department of Anthropology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, USA; Department of Biology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, USA
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Gardiner JM, Atema J, Hueter RE, Motta PJ. Multisensory integration and behavioral plasticity in sharks from different ecological niches. PLoS One 2014; 9:e93036. [PMID: 24695492 PMCID: PMC3973673 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2013] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The underwater sensory world and the sensory systems of aquatic animals have become better understood in recent decades, but typically have been studied one sense at a time. A comprehensive analysis of multisensory interactions during complex behavioral tasks has remained a subject of discussion without experimental evidence. We set out to generate a general model of multisensory information extraction by aquatic animals. For our model we chose to analyze the hierarchical, integrative, and sometimes alternate use of various sensory systems during the feeding sequence in three species of sharks that differ in sensory anatomy and behavioral ecology. By blocking senses in different combinations, we show that when some of their normal sensory cues were unavailable, sharks were often still capable of successfully detecting, tracking and capturing prey by switching to alternate sensory modalities. While there were significant species differences, odor was generally the first signal detected, leading to upstream swimming and wake tracking. Closer to the prey, as more sensory cues became available, the preferred sensory modalities varied among species, with vision, hydrodynamic imaging, electroreception, and touch being important for orienting to, striking at, and capturing the prey. Experimental deprivation of senses showed how sharks exploit the many signals that comprise their sensory world, each sense coming into play as they provide more accurate information during the behavioral sequence of hunting. The results may be applicable to aquatic hunting in general and, with appropriate modification, to other types of animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne M. Gardiner
- University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Center for Shark Research, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jelle Atema
- Boston University, Biology Department, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Robert E. Hueter
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Center for Shark Research, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Philip J. Motta
- University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
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Kessler SE, Radespiel U, Hasiniaina AIF, Leliveld LMC, Nash LT, Zimmermann E. Modeling the origins of mammalian sociality: moderate evidence for matrilineal signatures in mouse lemur vocalizations. Front Zool 2014; 11:14. [PMID: 24555438 PMCID: PMC3936920 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-11-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2013] [Accepted: 02/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Maternal kin selection is a driving force in the evolution of mammalian social complexity and it requires that kin are distinctive from nonkin. The transition from the ancestral state of asociality to the derived state of complex social groups is thought to have occurred via solitary foraging, in which individuals forage alone, but, unlike the asocial ancestors, maintain dispersed social networks via scent-marks and vocalizations. We hypothesize that matrilineal signatures in vocalizations were an important part of these networks. We used the solitary foraging gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus) as a model for ancestral solitary foragers and tested for matrilineal signatures in their calls, thus investigating whether such signatures are already present in solitary foragers and could have facilitated the kin selection thought to have driven the evolution of increased social complexity in mammals. Because agonism can be very costly, selection for matrilineal signatures in agonistic calls should help reduce agonism between unfamiliar matrilineal kin. We conducted this study on a well-studied population of wild mouse lemurs at Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar. We determined pairwise relatedness using seven microsatellite loci, matrilineal relatedness by sequencing the mitrochondrial D-loop, and sleeping group associations using radio-telemetry. We recorded agonistic calls during controlled social encounters and conducted a multi-parametric acoustic analysis to determine the spectral and temporal structure of the agonistic calls. We measured 10 calls for each of 16 females from six different matrilineal kin groups. RESULTS Calls were assigned to their matriline at a rate significantly higher than chance (pDFA: correct = 47.1%, chance = 26.7%, p = 0.03). There was a statistical trend for a negative correlation between acoustic distance and relatedness (Mantel Test: g = -1.61, Z = 4.61, r = -0.13, p = 0.058). CONCLUSIONS Mouse lemur agonistic calls are moderately distinctive by matriline. Because sleeping groups consisted of close maternal kin, both genetics and social learning may have generated these acoustic signatures. As mouse lemurs are models for solitary foragers, we recommend further studies testing whether the lemurs use these calls to recognize kin. This would enable further modeling of how kin recognition in ancestral species could have shaped the evolution of complex sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E Kessler
- Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Box 872402, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402, USA
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Institute of Zoology, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ute Radespiel
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Institute of Zoology, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Lisette M C Leliveld
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Institute of Zoology, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Institute for Behavioural Physiology, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, D-18196 Dummerstorf Germany
| | - Leanne T Nash
- Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Box 872402, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402, USA
| | - Elke Zimmermann
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Institute of Zoology, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
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Veilleux CC, Jacobs RL, Cummings ME, Louis EE, Bolnick DA. Opsin Genes and Visual Ecology in a Nocturnal Folivorous Lemur. INT J PRIMATOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9708-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Rosenberger AL. Fallback foods, preferred foods, adaptive zones, and primate origins. Am J Primatol 2013; 75:883-90. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2013] [Revised: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Sustaita D, Pouydebat E, Manzano A, Abdala V, Hertel F, Herrel A. Getting a grip on tetrapod grasping: form, function, and evolution. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2013; 88:380-405. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2012] [Revised: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego Sustaita
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Connecticut; 75 N. Eagleville Road; Storrs; CT; 06269-3043; USA
| | - Emmanuelle Pouydebat
- Département d'Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR 7179 C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N; 57 rue Cuvier; 75231; Paris; France
| | - Adriana Manzano
- CONICET-UADER; Matteri y España, (3105); Entre Ríos; Argentina
| | - Virginia Abdala
- Instituto de Herpetología; Fundación Miguel Lillo-CONICET; Miguel Lillo 251; Tucumán; Argentina
| | - Fritz Hertel
- Department of Biology; California State University; 18111 Nordhoff Street; Northbridge; CA; 91330-8303; USA
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Département d'Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR 7179 C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N; 57 rue Cuvier; 75231; Paris; France
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Reghem E, Tia B, Bels V, Pouydebat E. Food Prehension and Manipulation in Microcebus murinus (Prosimii, Cheirogaleidae). Folia Primatol (Basel) 2011; 82:177-88. [DOI: 10.1159/000334077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2011] [Accepted: 10/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Goerlitz HR, Greif S, Siemers BM. Cues for acoustic detection of prey: insect rustling sounds and the influence of walking substrate. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 211:2799-806. [PMID: 18723538 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.019596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
When insects walk, they generally produce sounds. These can reveal the walkers' presence and location to potential predators such as owls, bats and nocturnal primates. Additionally, predators might extract information on taxon, palatability, size or profitability from the rustling sounds. In contrast to ear morphology, hearing physiology and psychoacoustics of acoustically oriented predators, little attention has hitherto been paid to the acoustic structure and information content of prey sounds. An important element in the ecology of acoustic prey detection remained virtually unexplored: the influence of the substrate type on rustling sounds. In this study, we analysed amplitude and frequency parameters from insects walking on various natural substrates, in both Germany (Carabus beetles) and Madagascar (various beetles and cockroaches). The data show that rustling sound amplitude and frequency content depend on substrate type. On moist substrates arthropods produced less intense and less broadband rustling sounds than on dry substrates. Sound pressure level was reduced by about 6 dB, halving the detection range for the predator. For a given insect, rustling sound amplitude increased with walking speed. Finally, we found that the previously established correlation of arthropod size and rustling amplitude holds across multiple substrates. Based on these data, we provide for the first time estimates of realistic detection distances in the field. These distances range from below 1 m to over 13 m, depending on the substrate, insect mass, walking speed and background noise level. These estimates are crucial for an understanding of the foraging ecology, foraging efficiency and sensory ecology of acoustic predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger R Goerlitz
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Department Biology II, Neurobiology, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, D-82152 Martinsried, Germany
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