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Wright CI, Majolo B, Schino G, Ventura R, Romero T. Social tension after grooming in wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui) is sex specific and sensitive to social relationships. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23664. [PMID: 39034444 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23664] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Changes in the rate of self-directed behavior-a proxy for social tension-offer valuable insights into individuals' experiences of social interactions. Many studies have tested the tension-reduction hypothesis, whereby grooming is expected to reduce social tension in the grooming partners. However, it is still unclear whether responses to grooming are affected by social factors such as an individual's role or social relationship with their partner, and whether responses are similar for females and males. Focussing on same-sex grooming in Yakushima Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui), we analyzed the effects of two social factors on the change in the rate of self-scratching after receiving grooming: sitting in contact with their partner outside of grooming contexts (as a measure of relationship strength) and rank distance. We collected 10-min postgrooming and matched-control focal samples on recipients of grooming. After controlling for postinhibitory rebound effects, grooming reduced scratching in females (suggesting that grooming was relaxing for the receiver), but not in males. In females, this reduction was associated with increased sitting in contact and increased rank distance: being groomed was more tension-reducing if the grooming partners spent time together outside of grooming contexts, or if their difference in rank was greater and therefore more conspicuous. The reduction effect was mediated by sitting in contact only when females had a higher-ranking-that is, more dominant and potentially aggressive-groomer. Our findings suggest that not all grooming interactions are perceived as equal, which has implications for its use as an index of relationship quality. To our knowledge, this represents the first study of postgrooming social tension in male Japanese macaques and our results highlight the need for caution when generalizing findings from only one sex to the species level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloë India Wright
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, College of Health and Science, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Bonaventura Majolo
- School of Psychology, College of Health and Science, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Gabriele Schino
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Ventura
- Division of Psychology and Forensic Sciences, University of Abertay Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK
| | - Teresa Romero
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
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Nautiyal H, Romano V, Tanaka H, Huffman MA. Female social dynamics as viewed from grooming networks in the Central Himalayan Langur (Semnopithecus schistaceus). Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23655. [PMID: 38922763 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23655] [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: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Enhanced survival and reproduction are associated with an individual's direct and indirect social connections with members of a group. Yet, the role of these connections is little known in a vast range of primate species. We studied female Central Himalayan Langur (CHL) to investigate the link between four specific attributes (dominance rank, age, genetic relatedness, and the presence of females carrying infants) and a female's direct and indirect social relationships. By analyzing grooming networks, we revealed different behavioral strategies: high-ranking females form relationships with many females (high degree), whereas females with dependent infants have strong relationships (high strength and eigenvector). Subadult females are important individuals that hold the social network together (high betweenness), while an immigrant female strategy is to integrate herself into the group by forming strong bonds with females who themselves have strong bonds (high eigenvector). Our study sheds light on how behavioral strategies shape female CHL grooming networks, which may help them to secure fitness and survival advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himani Nautiyal
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
- College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Valéria Romano
- IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, Marseille, France
| | - Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- Center for Ecological Research, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Michael A Huffman
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- Wildlife Research Center, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
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3
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Matsumoto T, Iwata I, Sakamoto T, Hirata S. First noncontact millimeter-wave radar measurement of heart rate in great apes: Validation in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23633. [PMID: 38775638 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23633] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Heart rate is a crucial vital sign and a valuable indicator for assessing the physical and psychological condition of a target animal. Heart rate contributes to (1) fundamental information for cognitive research, (2) an indicator of psychological and physical stress, and (3) improving the animal welfare of captive animals, especially in nonhuman primate studies. Heart rate has been measured using a contact-type device; however, the device burdens the target animals and that there are risks associated with anesthesia during installation. This study explores the application of heartbeat measurement techniques using millimeter-wave radar, primarily developed for humans, as a remote and noninvasive method for measuring the heart rate of nonhuman primates. Through a measurement test conducted on two chimpanzees, we observed a remarkable correspondence between the peak frequency spectrum of heart rate estimated using millimeter-wave radar and the mean value obtained from electrocardiograph data, thereby validating the accuracy of the method. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the precise measurement of great apes' heart rate using millimeter-wave radar technology. Compared to heart rate measurement using video analysis, the method using millimeter-wave radar has the advantage that it is less susceptible to weather and lighting conditions and that measurement techniques for multiple individuals have been developed for human subjects, while its disadvantage is that validation of measurement from long distances has not been completed. Another disadvantage common to both methods is that measurement becomes difficult when the movement of the target individual is large. The possibility of noncontact measurement of heart rate in wild and captive primates will undoubtedly open up a new research area while taking animal welfare into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Matsumoto
- Department of Science, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
| | - Itsuki Iwata
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takuya Sakamoto
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hirata
- Kumamoto Sanctuary, Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Uki, Kumamoto, Japan
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Nautiyal H, Mathur V, Gajare KH, Teichroeb J, Sarkar D, Diogo R. Predatory Dogs as Drivers of Social Behavior Changes in the Central Himalayan Langur ( Semnopithecus schistaceus) in Agro-Forest Landscapes. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:410. [PMID: 38927290 PMCID: PMC11200765 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Globally, habitat fragmentation has increased the proximity between wildlife, humans, and emerging predators such as free-ranging dogs. In these fragmented landscapes, encounters between primates and dogs are escalating, with primates often falling victim to dog attacks while navigating patchy landscapes and fragmented forests. We aim to investigate how these primates deal with the simultaneous threats posed by humans and predators, specifically focusing on the adaptive strategies of Central Himalayan langur (CHL) in the landscape of fear. To address this, we conducted a behavioral study on the CHL in an agro-forest landscape, studying them for a total of 3912 h over two consecutive years. Our results indicate that, compared to their most common resting behavior, CHLs allocate more time to feeding and locomotion, and less time to socializing in the presence of humans and predatory dogs. Additionally, they exhibit increased feeding and locomotion and reduced social behavior in agro-forest or open habitats. These behavioral patterns reflect adaptive responses to the landscape of fear, where the presence of predators significantly influences their behavior and resource utilization. This study suggests measures to promote coexistence between humans and wildlife through the integration of effective management strategies that incorporate both ecological and social dimensions of human-wildlife interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himani Nautiyal
- College of Medicine, Howard University, 520 W St, NW, Washington, DC 20059, USA;
| | - Virendra Mathur
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada; (V.M.); (J.T.)
| | - Kimaya Hemant Gajare
- Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s, Bhavan’s College, University of Mumbai, Andheri (w), Mumbai 400 058, India;
| | - Julie Teichroeb
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada; (V.M.); (J.T.)
| | - Dipto Sarkar
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada;
| | - Rui Diogo
- College of Medicine, Howard University, 520 W St, NW, Washington, DC 20059, USA;
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Mackay CE. Trichotillomania: a perspective synthesised from neuroscience and lived experience. BMJ MENTAL HEALTH 2023; 26:e300795. [PMID: 37734751 PMCID: PMC11146365 DOI: 10.1136/bmjment-2023-300795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Trichotillomania, or hair-pulling disorder, is one of a family of disorders called body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs), which also include disordered skin-picking (dermotillomania) and nail-biting (onychophagia). The disorders affect 1%-2% of the population, cause high levels of distress and have high levels of comorbidity with other psychiatric diagnoses. The key facts and figures are briefly reviewed and some important points are further explored: (1) BFRBs are associated with psychological distress, but are distinct from other diagnoses, (2) The pathological behaviours mirror excessive self-grooming behaviours in other species, and may relate to immune-system mediated feedback loops, and (3) The resulting behaviours are stigmatised and cause intense shame and isolation for those who suffer, which might in itself maintain the feedback loop. These observations lead to the hypothesis that the core disorder is one of pathological grooming, which may have a basis in an immune response, with shame being both a consequence and a maintainer of the disorder. The major barrier to testing the hypotheses and potential interventions remains the stigma that keeps these disorders, and those who suffer from them, in the shadows.
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Petak A, Boras J, Bata I, Ilić I, Hohšteter M, Šoštarić-Zuckermann IC. Clinical and histopathological investigation of symmetrical alopecia with associated chronic pruritus in tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella apella). J Med Primatol 2023. [PMID: 37114717 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12645] [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: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Symmetrical alopecia is a common symptom of endocrine and autoimmune diseases, which are rarely manifested with pruritus. Increased levels of stress in primates have been presented with increased levels of pruritus and alopecia appearance. METHODS A pruritic and alopecic disease was investigated in a group of tufted capuchin monkeys (N = 12), but due to ethical reasons, four random animals were further investigated by numerous diagnostic methods. The impact of food and enclosure enrichment was assessed and observed over a 2-year period. RESULTS Histopathology of four random tufted capuchin monkeys revealed lymphocytic perifolliculitis, with an appearance of a "swarm of bees" which was suggestive of alopecia areata. Etiological classification of pruritus excluded dermatological, systemic, and neurological causes, making it behavioral. Enclosure and food enrichment had a beneficial impact on pruritus (12/12) and alopecia (10/12). CONCLUSION The findings were suggestive of alopecia areata, while the pruritus was considered behavioral in origin. Alopecia and pruritus improved upon enclosure and food enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Petak
- Clinic for Small Animals "Buba", Zagreb, Croatia
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | | | - Ivana Ilić
- Department of Pathology and Cytology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marko Hohšteter
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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Nautiyal H, Tanaka H, Huffman MA. Anti-predator strategies of adult male Central Himalayan Langurs (Semnopithecus schistaceus) in response to domestic dogs in a human-dominated landscape. Primates 2023; 64:361-379. [PMID: 37027070 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-023-01061-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of predator-prey relationships is an important topic in primatology. Many aspects of primate society have been explained as a response to predation pressure. While predation has been discussed in broad theoretical terms, few systematically collected data exist on the subject. Furthermore, little information exists regarding the inter-male variation in responses to predators. To address this data gap, predatory dog-primate interactions were studied in a 78-member group of habituated, individually recognized Central Himalayan Langurs (CHL) (Semnopithecus schistaceus) living in a high-altitude subsistence agricultural landscape of northern India. We recorded 312 langur-dog interactions over 2 years. These predation events resulted in 15 serious attacks on adult females, infants, juveniles and sub-adults, in eight of which the prey was killed and consumed on the spot. In response to dog predation, adult males performed three types of anti-predator response behaviors: direct fighting with a predator, emitting alarm calls, fleeing and/or freezing. Differences were noted in each male's response to village dogs. The results showed that the likelihood of CHL adult males engaging in more costly counterattacks or attention getting alarm calls were better predicted by the level of investment in the group (genetic relatedness, duration of residency, social relationships), but not rank and mating rate. Long-duration resident adult males performed high and/or intermediate cost behaviors to protect vulnerable members of the group; their potential offspring, maternal siblings or cousins, and adult female social partners. Short-term residents or recent immigrant males exhibited two less energetically costly, more self-preserving behaviors, depending on their rank: (1) high-ranking short-tenure duration males, with high mating frequencies, performed flee and freeze responses; (2) low-ranking, low-mating-frequency males performed more alarm calls. Counterattacks and alarm calls were performed by adult males with relatively more experience with village dogs and were directed towards dogs with predatory histories significantly more often than dogs with non-predatory histories. Natural selection and kin selection have both contributed to the evolution of CHL anti-predator tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himani Nautiyal
- Kyoto University, Primate Research Institute, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan.
- National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India.
- Sangam Vihar Chauras, Kilkileshwar, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, 249161, India.
| | - Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Kyoto University, Primate Research Institute, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- Center for Ecological Research, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Michael A Huffman
- Kyoto University, Primate Research Institute, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- Wildlife Research Center, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
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8
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Limb Preference in Animals: New Insights into the Evolution of Manual Laterality in Hominids. Symmetry (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/sym14010096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Until the 1990s, the notion of brain lateralization—the division of labor between the two hemispheres—and its more visible behavioral manifestation, handedness, remained fiercely defined as a human specific trait. Since then, many studies have evidenced lateralized functions in a wide range of species, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In this review, we highlight the great contribution of comparative research to the understanding of human handedness’ evolutionary and developmental pathways, by distinguishing animal forelimb asymmetries for functionally different actions—i.e., potentially depending on different hemispheric specializations. Firstly, lateralization for the manipulation of inanimate objects has been associated with genetic and ontogenetic factors, with specific brain regions’ activity, and with morphological limb specializations. These could have emerged under selective pressures notably related to the animal locomotion and social styles. Secondly, lateralization for actions directed to living targets (to self or conspecifics) seems to be in relationship with the brain lateralization for emotion processing. Thirdly, findings on primates’ hand preferences for communicative gestures accounts for a link between gestural laterality and a left-hemispheric specialization for intentional communication and language. Throughout this review, we highlight the value of functional neuroimaging and developmental approaches to shed light on the mechanisms underlying human handedness.
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Thatcher HR, Downs CT, Koyama NF. The costs of urban living: human–wildlife interactions increase parasite risk and self-directed behaviour in urban vervet monkeys. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juab031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The urban landscape is a complex mosaic of costs and benefits for urban wildlife. Although many species may adapt and thrive in the urban mosaic, the complexity of this landscape can be stressful and have health implications for urban wildlife, raising concerns for zoonosis and biodiversity. In this study, we assessed how human–primate interactions influenced parasite risk and anxiety-related behaviour of urban vervet monkeys in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Over 1 year, we collected and analysed faecal samples, assessing eggs per gram, species richness, and Shannon’s diversity index. In addition, using behavioural sampling, we recorded self-directed scratching behaviour, as an indicator of anxiety, and human–primate interactions, both positive (human-food consumption) and negative (human–monkey aggression). To assess parasite risk in the urban mosaic, we ran three models with our parasite measures as dependent variables. Results showed that negative human interactions significantly increased with eggs per gram, species richness, and Shannon’s diversity index and positive human interactions increased with both eggs per gram and species richness. Furthermore, eggs per gram significantly increased with higher scratching rate. We also tested the relationship between scratching and human interactions, finding that scratching significantly increased under higher rates of negative human incidents. Overall, results suggest that there are costs to urban living that increase anxiety-related behaviour and parasite risk despite increased food availability. Our findings are important for developing effective management strategies that focus on cohabitation rather than conflict, for the benefit of human and wildlife health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet R Thatcher
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, UK
| | - Colleen T Downs
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal 3209, South Africa
| | - Nicola F Koyama
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology & Palaeoecology, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
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Wellian J, Smith RL. Risk awareness of black-and-gold howler monkeys living in an urban environment in south-west Paraguay. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
As urbanisation increases, wild primates are exposed to urban environments which come with a distinct and often novel set of risks. Urban habitats can form a matrix of forest fragments and anthropogenic structures, including buildings, electric cables and roads, which can limit movement and force species to live in hazardous areas. We studied five groups of urban black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) in Pilar, Paraguay, to investigate whether the monkeys are aware of anthropogenic risks based on their patterns of self-scratching behaviour, an indicator of stress, and how they used the space available to them. Using a Risk Index created for the study, we ranked the level of risk attributed to different zones of their home range, awarding each zone with a hazard score. Using Quantum GIS and kernel density estimation, we determined the relationship between habitat use and hazard score. Using a Spearman’s rank correlation, we found nonsignificant relationships between the hazard score and self-scratching behaviour for four groups, suggesting a lack of awareness. However, there was a significant negative relationship between the hazard score and home range use for four groups, indicating that they spent more time in areas with lower levels of anthropogenic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Wellian
- Fundación Para La Tierra, Centro IDEAL, 321, Mariscal José Félix Estigarribia, c/Teniente Capurro, Pilar, Ñeembucú, Paraguay
| | - Rebecca L Smith
- Fundación Para La Tierra, Centro IDEAL, 321, Mariscal José Félix Estigarribia, c/Teniente Capurro, Pilar, Ñeembucú, Paraguay
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, Scotland
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Assessing Animal Welfare with Behavior: Onward with Caution. JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jzbg2010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
An emphasis on ensuring animal welfare is growing in zoo and aquarium associations around the globe. This has led to a focus on measures of welfare outcomes for individual animals. Observations and interpretations of behavior are the most widely used outcome-based measures of animal welfare. They commonly serve as a diagnostic tool from which practitioners make animal welfare decisions and suggest treatments, yet errors in data collection and interpretation can lead to the potential for misdiagnosis. We describe the perils of incorrect welfare diagnoses and common mistakes in applying behavior-based tools. The missteps that can be made in behavioral assessment include mismatches between definitions of animal welfare and collected data, lack of alternative explanations, faulty logic, behavior interpreted out of context, murky assumptions, lack of behavior definitions, and poor justification for assigning a welfare value to a specific behavior. Misdiagnosing the welfare state of an animal has negative consequences. These include continued poor welfare states, inappropriate use of resources, lack of understanding of welfare mechanisms and the perpetuation of the previously mentioned faulty logic throughout the wider scientific community. We provide recommendations for assessing behavior-based welfare tools, and guidance for those developing tools and interpreting data.
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Kupfer TR, Fessler DMT. Ectoparasite defence in humans: relationships to pathogen avoidance and clinical implications. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0207. [PMID: 29866920 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, disgust is regarded as the main adaptation for defence against pathogens and parasites in humans. Disgust's motivational and behavioural features, including withdrawal, nausea, appetite suppression and the urge to vomit, defend effectively against ingesting or touching sources of pathogens. However, ectoparasites do not attack their hosts via ingestion, but rather actively attach themselves to the body surface. Accordingly, by itself, disgust offers limited defence against ectoparasites. We propose that, like non-human animals, humans have a distinct ectoparasite defence system that includes cutaneous sensory mechanisms, itch-generation mechanisms and grooming behaviours. The existence of adaptations for ectoparasite defence is supported by abundant evidence from non-human animals, as well as more recent evidence concerning human responses to ectoparasite cues. Several clinical disorders may be dysfunctions of the ectoparasite defence system, including some that are pathologies of grooming, such as skin picking and trichotillomania, and others, such as delusory parasitosis and trypophobia, which are pathologies of ectoparasite detection. We conclude that future research should explore both distinctions between, and overlap across, ectoparasite defence systems and pathogen avoidance systems, as doing so will not only illuminate proximate motivational systems, including disgust, but may also reveal important clinical and social consequences.This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Evolution of pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviours'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom R Kupfer
- School of Psychology, Keynes College, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NP, UK
| | - Daniel M T Fessler
- Department of Anthropology and Center for Behavior, Evolution and Culture, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1553, USA
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Romano V, Martins AF, Ruiz-Miranda CR. Unraveling the dispersal patterns and the social drivers of natal emigration of a cooperative breeding mammal, the golden lion tamarin. Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e22959. [PMID: 30811068 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The study of the social drivers of animal dispersal is key to understanding the evolution of social systems. Among the social drivers of natal emigration, the conspecific attraction, aggressive eviction, and reduced social integration hypotheses predict that sexually mature individuals who receive more aggressive behavior and are engaged in less affiliative interactions are more likely to disperse. Few reports have explored these proximate factors affecting emigration in cooperatively breeding species, particularly of Neotropical primates. In this study, we investigated the dispersal patterns and tested the social drivers of natal emigration in the golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) - an endangered species inhabiting Atlantic rainforests fragments in Brazil. We used behavioral and demographic data collected during 7 years from 68 groups of tamarins inhabiting 20 forest fragments. Our analyses from the 160 dispersing individuals showed that dispersal success is higher for males and for those engaged in parallel dispersal, but that males and females use different strategies to enhance their dispersal success, males immigrate into established groups while females form new groups. We did not find high levels of agonistic behavior among group members before natal emigration. Instead we found that conspecific attraction drives natal emigration in both sexes, while additionally the low level of affiliative interactions within the natal group triggers male emigration. We discuss natal emigration in the broader perspective of the cooperative breeding system and the implications of these findings for the conservation of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valéria Romano
- Center for International Collaboration and Advanced Studies in Primatology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan.,Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos R Ruiz-Miranda
- Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Associação Mico-Leão-Dourado, Silva Jardim, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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14
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Scopa C, Palagi E, Sighieri C, Baragli P. Physiological outcomes of calming behaviors support the resilience hypothesis in horses. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17501. [PMID: 30504840 PMCID: PMC6269543 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35561-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
To manage a stressful stimulus animals react both behaviorally and physiologically to restore the homeostasis. In stable horses, a stressful stimulus can be represented by social separation, riding discomfort or the presence of novel objects in their environment. Although Heart Rate Variability is a common indicator of stress levels in horses, the behavioral mechanisms concurrently occurring under stressful conditions are still unknown. The sudden inflation of a balloon was administered to 33 horses. Video-recording of self-directed behaviors (snore, vacuum chewing, snort, head/body shaking) and monitoring of heart activity (HR and SDRR) were conducted for five minutes before (Pre-test) and after the stimulus administration (Stress-test). During the Stress-test, only snore and vacuum chewing increased and a significant increase was also recorded in both HR and SDRR. Moreover, the snore variation between the two conditions showed a significant correlation with the variation of both HR and SDRR. With the snore acting as stress-releasing behavior to restore basal condition, the homeostasis recovered via the enactment of such behavior could be physiologically expressed by an increasing vagal activity. Hence, the capacity to maintain homeostasis (resilience) could correspond to a prevalence of parasympathetic control on heart activity, intervening when certain behaviors are performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Scopa
- Italian National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro (Padua), Italy
| | - Elisabetta Palagi
- Unit of Ethology, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Sighieri
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Baragli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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15
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Eads DA, Biggins DE, Eads SL. Grooming behaviors of black‐tailed prairie dogs are influenced by flea parasitism, conspecifics, and proximity to refuge. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David A. Eads
- U. S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins CO USA
| | - Dean E. Biggins
- U. S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins CO USA
| | - Samantha L. Eads
- U. S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins CO USA
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16
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Experimental testing of reciprocal effects of nutrition and parasitism in wild black capuchin monkeys. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12778. [PMID: 28986531 PMCID: PMC5630591 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12803-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutritional stress may predispose individuals to infection, which in turn can have further detrimental effects on physical condition, thus creating an opportunity for reciprocal effects between nutrition and parasitism. Little experimental investigation has been conducted on this “vicious circle” hypothesis in wild animals, especially under natural conditions. We evaluated the reciprocal effects of nutritional status and parasitism using an experimental approach in two groups of wild black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus). Across two consecutive winters, we collected faecal samples from identified capuchins to determine presence and load of gastrointestinal helminthes, and measured individual body mass as a proxy of physical condition. Food availability was manipulated by provisioning monkeys with bananas, and parasite burdens by applying antiparasitic drugs to selected individuals. We found no effect of antiparasitic drugs on physical condition, but parasite loads decreased in response to high levels of food availability. Our results represent the first experimental evidence that the nutritional status may drive parasite dynamics in a primate.
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Mercier S, Neumann C, van de Waal E, Chollet E, Meric de Bellefon J, Zuberbühler K. Vervet monkeys greet adult males during high-risk situations. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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18
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Norscia I, Palagi E. When do you scratch that itch? The relative impact of different factors on scratching depends on the selection of time scale and timing. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170106. [PMID: 28484638 PMCID: PMC5414275 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
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19
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Brosnan SF, Tone EB, Williams L. The Evolution of Social Anxiety. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-60576-0_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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