Fruit Characteristics of Species Dispersed by the Black Lemur (Eulemur macaco) in the Lokobe Forest, Madagascar¹

Abstract

I describe the fruit characteristics of species closely associated with black lemur seed dispersal (i.e., species that are often dispersed by die black lemur and only dispersed by the black lemur in die Lokobe Forest). A black lemur group was habituated and observed during the day and night for all months of die year (total 1272 h). When fruits were eaten, die plant species was identified, die maturity of the fruit and treatment of the seeds noted, and the fruit described in terms of ripe fruit color, husk thickness, fruit length, and seed length and width. Black lemur feces were searched for seeds; these were identified and signs of damage noted. Other potential dispersers feeding on the fruits of species eaten by the black lemur were also noted. The black lemurs were seen eating die fruits of 70 species. Of these, 51 species were defined as closely associated with black lemur dispersal and 16 species had seeds that were either often preyed upon or wasted by the black lemur, or were seen being eaten by other potential seed dispersers. Fruits of species in the former group were often dull colored (94% of species); rarely less than 1 cm long (6%); rarely had seeds less than 0.1 cm long or less than 0.1 cm wide (2 and 4%, respectively); never had seeds more than 4 cm long or greater than 2 cm wide; and quite often had either thick husks (49%) or thin husks (51%). In contrast, the fruits of the latter group were often brightly colored (75% of species) and nearly always had a thin husk (94%). Also, this latter group included more small and very large fruits and seeds than the former group. Fruit characteristics significantly associated with the former group were: dull color, thick husk, fruit length greater than 2 cm, seed length 1–4 cm, and seed width 1–2 cm. The extent to which these traits are the result of coevolution between plants and the guild of lemur dispersers that includes the black lemur is not clear, but a coevolved lemur–fruit syndrome remains a possibility. RESUMES Cette étude porte sur la description des caracteristiques des fruits appartenant aux espèces dont la dissemination des graines est étroitement liée au Eulemur macaco. Ces espèces sont definies comme étant souvent disséminees par E. macaco et uniquement disséminées par E. macaco dans la for○t de Lokobe. Dans le but d'identifier ces espéces, un groupe de E. macaco a été habituéà la présence humaine et observé jour et nuit pendant tous les mois de 1'année (en total 1272 h). Une fois le fruit consommé, I'espèce était identifyée, la maturityé du fruit ainsi que le traitement de la graine notés et le fruit était dàcrit en termé de couleur á maturityé, d'épaisseur de I'enveloppe, de longueur de fruit et de longueur et de largeur de graine. Par la suite, les féces sont recherchés afin d'identifier les graines qu'ils contiennent et routes signes d'endommagement de celles‐ci sont notés. Les autres agents de dissémination potentiels, consomma‐teurs des fruits appartenant aux espèces consommées par E. macaco, ont étéégalement notés. Les E. maca...

A glance to the past: subfossils, stable isotopes, seed dispersal, and lemur species loss in Southern Madagascar

“…Second, and probably more importantly, the small size of extant lemurs relative to extinct lemurs means that some fruits adapted for primate endozoochory may currently be too big for dispersal by any extant species. We know from studies in rainforest sites that Varecia variegata can swallow seeds with diameters of more than 30 mm [Dew & Wright, 1998] and Eulemur fulvus can swallow seeds more than 20 mm diameter [Birkinshaw, 2001]. As an animal of more than twice the mass of V. variegata, it is likely that Pachylemur would have easily swallowed seeds in this range-perhaps, considerably larger [Godfrey et al, 2008a].…”

Anacardiaceae

“…The majority of Anacardiaceae have fleshy drupaceous fruits that are animaldispersed, but there are also additional fruit modifications adapted for different mechanisms of dispersal. In addition to these, there are also reports in the literature of the following animal dispersers: elephants and ruminants (e.g., Antrocaryon, Pseudospondias), deer (e.g., Anacardium, Rhus, Spondias), and coyotes, coatis, foxes, peccaries, reptiles, and tapirs (e.g., Spondias) (Gautier-Hion et al 1985;Mitani et al 1994;Fragoso 1997;Altrichter et al 1999;Li et al 1999;Birkinshaw 2001;Poulsen et al 2001). One species of Anacardium, A. microsepalum, which grows in the flooded forests of the Amazon, lacks the hypocarp and may be fish-dispersed (Mitchell and Mori 1987).…”

Diet, Nutritional Ecology, and Birth Season of Eulemur macaco in an Anthropogenic Forest in Madagascar

“…Black lemurs at Ampasikely apparently conform to the year-round specialization on fruits -supplemented with limited proportions of leaves and flowers-reported for Eulemur macaco (Andrews and Birkinshaw, 1998;Birkinshaw, 1999Birkinshaw, , 2001Colquhoun, 1993). Even though we have limited information on the diet during the rainy season at Ampasikely, several introduced species that lemurs prefer -mango, papaya, pepper, cashew, coffee, Albizia saman-bear fruits successively throughout the year, with overlapping fruiting periods.…”

“…Even though we have limited information on the diet during the rainy season at Ampasikely, several introduced species that lemurs prefer -mango, papaya, pepper, cashew, coffee, Albizia saman-bear fruits successively throughout the year, with overlapping fruiting periods. With >104 plant species recorded in the diet of the population (including 79 fruit species versus 70 at Lokobe; Birkinshaw, 2001), a wide dietary diversity seems necessary to fulfill black lemur nutritional requirements, thus limiting suitable habitats to plant specific rich forests. In contrast, 1 Hourly distribution of food intake during the late dry season.…”