Phylogeography of Barbary macaques ( Macaca sylvanus ) and the origin of the Gibraltar colony

Abstract

conservation ͉ fragmentation ͉ haplotype network ͉ molecular clock ͉ mtDNA

Endocranial volumes of primate species: scaling analyses using a comprehensive and reliable data set

“…However, the species mean ECV for M. sylvanus is derived from relatively few individuals, whereas body mass estimates are more reliable. If the small ECV of M. sylvanus can be confirmed by a larger sample, this finding may hint at a serious energy constraint in this monkey species, which commonly lives in harsh, seasonal montane habitats (Modolo et al, 2005). These findings provide further evidence that relative brain size increased during the course of anthropoid evolution (Martin, 1990;Kirk, 2006).…”

Macaques at the margins: the biogeography and extinction of Macaca sylvanus in Europe

“…The patchiness of predicted occupation in North Africa in both Pleistocene models (LGM and LI) is interesting in the light of molecular data that suggest that North African M. sylvanus populations are not monophyletic, with a split around 1.6 Ma between a clade comprising the Moroccan specimens and the Algerian population from Kherrata and a clade comprising the remaining Algerian populations (Modolo et al, 2005). This was followed by further subdivision between the groups in the Late Pleistocene (Modolo et al, 2005).…”

“…As we are interested in the presence of the genus Macaca in the Pleistocene rather than focusing on a particular species or subspecies, findspots of M. majori are included with those of M. sylvanus throughout our study. M. sylvanus, the Barbary macaque, exists to the present day in North Africa but has a highly restricted distribution, confined to small areas in Morocco and Algeria (Fooden, 2007), although there is an introduced population on Gibraltar (Modolo et al, 2005). Modern M. sylvanus is unusual in being the only African macaque: the modern stronghold of the genus is in south and south east Asia, where it is represented by over 20 species (Brandon Jones et al, 2004;IUCN 2013; (Eronen and Rook, 2004;Delson et al, 2005).…”

“…This was followed by further subdivision between the groups in the Late Pleistocene (Modolo et al, 2005). It is possible that climate, driving regional differences in vegetation or vicariance, contributed to differentiation within North African macaques.…”

Pediculosis in Macaca sylvanus of Gibraltar

“…When the macaque population dwindled precipitously in the early 20th century, additional animals were imported from North Africa. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the current population is composed of long-term residents as well as individuals whose origins can be traced to recent importation from North Africa (Modolo et al, 2005). The most recent census of Gibraltar's macaques (2005) estimated the population at 219, divided among 5-7 groups (Perez and Bensusan, 2005).…”