Aim Capuchin monkey species are widely distributed across Central and South America. Morphological studies consistently divide the clade into robust and gracile forms, which show extensive sympatry in the Amazon Basin. We use genetic data to test whether Miocene or Plio-Pleistocene processes may explain capuchin species' present distributions, and consider three possible scenarios to explain widespread sympatry.Location The Neotropics, including the Amazon and Atlantic Coastal Forest.Methods We sequenced the 12S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome b genes from capuchin monkey specimens. The majority were sampled from US museum collections and were wild-caught individuals of known provenance across their distribution. We applied a Bayesian discrete-states diffusion model, which reconstructed the most probable history of invasion across nine subregions. We used comparative methods to test for phylogeographic association and dispersal rate variation.
Because closely related species are likely to be ecologically similar owing to common ancestry, they should show some degree of differentiation in order to coexist. We studied 2 morphologically similar congeneric species, the golden-brown mouse lemur (Microcebus ravelobensis) and the gray mouse lemur (M. murinus). These species are found in partial sympatry in the dry deciduous forest in northwestern Madagascar. We investigated whether 1) feeding niche differentiation and/or 2) a reduction in locomotor activity during periods of food shortage, which might reflect an energy saving strategy, can explain the coexistence of these 2 lemur species. To obtain feeding and behavioral data, we conducted focal observations of 11 female Microcebus murinus and 9 female M. ravelobensis during 11 months from 2007 to 2008 and collected fecal samples for 6 mo. We monitored the phenology of 272 plant specimens and trapped arthropods to determine food availability. Results Int J Primatol (2011) 32:566-586 revealed interspecific differences in 1) relative proportion of consumed food resources, resulting in a merely partial dietary overlap, and in 2) relative importance of seasonally varying food resources throughout the year. In addition, females of Microcebus murinus showed a reduction in locomotor activity during the early dry season, which might reflect an energy-saving strategy and might further reduce potential competition with M. ravelobensis over limited food resources. To conclude, a combination of interspecific feeding niche differentiation and differences in locomotor activity appears to facilitate the coexistence of Microcebus murinus and M. ravelobensis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.