Exudativory in Primates: Interspecific Patterns

Smith, Andrew C.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-6661-2_3

Cited by 64 publications

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References 119 publications

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“…Nash & Burrows (2010) and Smith (2010) reviewed the dietary, behavioural and morphological correlates of exudativory in primates. Exudativory is an important but relatively rare feeding adaptation for more than 70 species of primates including strepsirrhines (cheirogeleids, galagids and lorisids), callitrichids, and some Old World monkeys (cercopithecids).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medicinal plant exudativory by the Bengal slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis

Das¹,

Nekaris²,

Bhattacharjee³

2014

Endang. Species. Res.

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Slow lorises are members of a rare guild of obligate exudativores. Secondary metabolites in their diet have been implicated as contributing to the evolution of both their slow basal metabolism and their venom. No long-term study has yet examined the feeding ecology of the largest of the lorises, the Bengal slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis. We conducted an 18 mo study from June 2008 to December 2010 in Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India, to investigate whether Bengal slow lorises prefer gum, and whether there is any evidence of secondary metabolites in their diet. We detected the lorises along line transects using existing trails and followed each animal as long as possible, recording selected behaviours via focal instantaneous sampling. We recorded 629 feeding incidents during 270 night walks. We found that up to 80.9% of feeding bouts were of plant exudates, followed by bark, floral parts, insects, fruits, and tender (i.e. immature) leaves. Within the plant exudate category, 5 species were consumed in 71% of the total exudate feeding bouts: Terminalia chebula, Mesua ferrea, T. arjuna, Ficus hispida and Dillenia indica. These species all have high medicinal value and are commonly used by the local communities for traditional medicinal purposes. Absorption of secondary metabolites from these plants may explain unusual healing patterns observed in wild slow lorises, but lacking in lorises held in captivity. Their dietary affinity towards medicinal plants could explain patterns of use of slow lorises within the traditional medicine trade in the Indo-Chinese region. 23: 149-157, 2014 to-digest secondary metabolites (Heymann & Smith 1999). Only 6 primate genera (Calithrix, Mico, Ce buella, Phaner, Euoticus and Nycticebus) are known to access these foods through active excavation of plant surfaces (Starr & Nekaris 2013). These obligate exudativores include exudates in ≥40% of their feeding time (hereafter referred to as diet; Nash & Burrows 2010). KEY WORDS: Lorisidae · Exudativory · Feeding ecology · Secondary metabolite · India Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher Contribution to the Theme Section 'Conservation and ecology of slow lorises' FREE REE ACCESS CCESSEndang Species ResUntil the mid-1990s, virtually nothing was known about the feeding ecology of wild slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.), and the discovery that these small primates consumed large quantities (comprising nearly 40 to 90% of the diet) of exudates was surprising; indeed it had been predicted that like the similarly non-leaping pottos of Africa, loris diet would comprise mainly fruits (Ravosa 1998). Several morphological characters of these nocturnal strepsirrhines suggest the presence of obligate exudativory, including a stout toothcomb, small body size, a large caecum, a long tongue, wide U-shaped legs and enlarged hand pads for gripping (Hladik 1978. Wiens et al. (2006), Swapna et al. (2009) and Starr & Nekaris (2013) all provided strong evidence that exudates are a preferred ...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medicinal plant exudativory by the Bengal slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis

Das¹,

Nekaris²,

Bhattacharjee³

2014

Endang. Species. Res.

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“…The fact that plant exudates are patchily distributed and can be scarce also has a significant impact on the social organization, range size and foraging patterns of many primate species (Clutton‐Brock, 1974; Janson & Goldsmith, 1995). Despite the demands of exudate feeding, it has evolved convergently in four families of primates (Callitrichidae, Cheirogaleidae, Lorisidae and Galagidae) and one family of marsupials (Petaruidae) (Charles‐Dominique, 1977; Genin, 2008; Nekaris et al., in press; Smith, in press). The repeated evolution of exudate feeding on several different continents is clear evidence that, despite the costs, it can be a successful dietary strategy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finite element analysis of performance in the skulls of marmosets and tamarins

et al. 2010

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Reliance on plant exudates is a relatively rare dietary specialization among mammals. One well-studied example of closely related exudate feeders is the New World marmosets and tamarins. Whereas marmosets actively gouge tree bark with their incisors to stimulate the flow of sap, tamarins are opportunistic exudate feeders that do not gouge bark. Several studies of the dentaries and jaw adductors indicate that marmosets exhibit specializations for increased gape at the expense of bite force. Few studies, however, have looked to the cranium of marmosets for evidence of functional specializations. Using 3D finite element models of the marmoset Callithrix jacchus and the tamarin Saguinus fuscicollis, we investigated the performance of the cranium under loading regimes that mimicked unilateral molar biting and bark-gouging. We investigated three measures of performance: the efficiency with which muscle force is transferred to bite force, the extent to which the models are stressed (a predictor of failure), and the work expended by muscles as they deform the skull (total strain energy). We found that during molar biting the two models exhibited similar levels of performance, though the Saguinus model had slightly higher mechanical efficiency, a slightly lower state of stress, and expended more energy on deformation. In contrast, under the bark-gouging load, Callithrix exhibited much higher mechanical efficiency than Saguinas, but did so at the expense of more work and higher levels of von Mises stress. This analysis illustrates that differences in the shapes of the skulls of Callithrix and Saguinus confer differences in performance. Whether these aspects of performance are targets of selection awaits broader comparative analyses.

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“…As an order, Primates have an atypical predisposition to exudate feeding (Power,1996,2010) and seem uniquely able to incorporate exudates into their diets in significant quantities. At least 37 primate species, plus Paleolithic and contemporary humans, have been documented to feed on exudates (Nash,1986; Johns et al,2000; Peres,2000; Porter et al,2009; Vinyard et al,2009; Garber and Porter,2010), while only a handful of other mammals, mostly marsupials, consume exudates in notable quantities (e.g., Lee and Cockburn,1985; Power,2010; Rosenberger,2010). Exudates can be both difficult to acquire in quantity and difficult to digest (Power,2010), and therefore exudate dependent feeders can be expected to have adaptations to cope with these challenges.…”

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Craniofacial Adaptations to Tree‐Gouging Among Marmosets

Forsythe

Ford

2011

The Anatomical Record

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Many primates rely on exudates as dietary items, but comparatively few elicit exudates via tree-gouging. Marmosets are the only haplorhines to extensively utilize this behavior during feeding. Several studies have explored craniofacial adaptations to this behavior, but its morphological correlates are a matter of debate. Various studies suggest that gougers exhibit bite-force maximizing adaptations, load resistance adaptations, and/ or jaw-gape maximizing characteristics. All of these seemingly incompatible biomechanical adaptations have previously been argued for marmosets. This study utilizes multivariate and univariate analyses to compare gouging and non-gouging callitrichids for 25 biomechanically relevant craniofacial variables to address this form-function debate. We show that marmosets differ from non-gouging callitrichids in few craniofacial characteristics. Specifically, three craniofacial features differentiate them from non-gougers: relatively longer basicrania, narrower palates, and shorter coronoid processes. We suggest that these characteristics are consistent with a mosaic model for gouging adaptations. In particular, we argue that: (a) shortening the coronoid processes facilitates relatively larger maximum jaw-gapes, (b) basicranial elongation facilitates the extended neck/head posture utilized by marmosets during gouging to maximize gapes, and (c) narrowing the palate serves to more effectively dissipate forces through the maxillary canines during substrate anchoring. Previous studies have documented some of these characters as typical of marmosets, but this combination has not been interpreted as core elements of the marmoset adaptive complex. Marmosets exhibit a unique anatomical repertoire that biomechanically adapts them to both increased jaw-gape and the force dissipation regime associated with tree-gouging. Comparisons among marmoset taxa may enlighten the evolutionary history of the features reported here. Anat Rec, 294:2131Rec, 294: -2139Rec, 294: , 2011. V V C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Key words: jaw gape; exudates; callitrichidae; gum-gouging; mandible; platyrrhine primatesAlthough mammals rarely utilize exudates (here defined as gums, saps, resins, and latexes) as a food resource, many primate species rely on them extensively (Hershkovitz, 1977;Nash, 1986;Power, 1996Power, , 2010Peres, 2000;Porter et al., 2009;Vinyard et al., 2009;Garber and Porter, 2010). As an order, Primates have an atypical predisposition to exudate feeding (Power, 1996(Power, , 2010 and seem uniquely able to incorporate exudates into their diets in significant quantities. At least 37 primate species, plus Paleolithic and contemporary humans, have been documented to feed on exudates

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Exudativory in Primates: Interspecific Patterns

Cited by 64 publications

References 119 publications

Medicinal plant exudativory by the Bengal slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis

Medicinal plant exudativory by the Bengal slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis

Finite element analysis of performance in the skulls of marmosets and tamarins

Craniofacial Adaptations to Tree‐Gouging Among Marmosets

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