Predation in the dark: antipredator strategies of Cheirogaleidae and other nocturnal primates

Fichtel, Claudia

doi:10.1017/cbo9781139871822.020

Cited by 10 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…Puzzled by this mix of functionally referential and unspecific general alarm calls, I studied the flexibility in usage and comprehension of general alarm calls in more detail across lemurs, our best living models of the ancestral primate condition (Yoder et al, 1996). Although about one third of all primates are nocturnal, small-bodied, and face a high predation risk (Fichtel, 2016;Isbell, 1994;Janson, 2003;Scheumann et al, 2007), their alarm-calling behavior and antipredator strategies remain less well studied (Fichtel, 2016). Small body size and nocturnality have been suggested to represent adaptations to reduce predation risk (Clutton-Brock & Harvey, 1977).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Accordingly, nocturnal species may depend on reduced detectability and crypsis, whereas diurnal species rely on early detection to ward off predators (Terborgh & Janson, 1986). However, recent research suggests that not all nocturnal primates necessarily rely on crypsis; some also mob predators and appear to rely on a combination of alarm calls and escape responses that are adapted to the different hunting tactics of different predators (Fichtel, 2012(Fichtel, , 2016.…”

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Monkey Alarm Calling: It Ain't all Referential, or is It?

Fichtel¹

2020

AB&C

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Cheney and Seyfarth's pioneering studies on vervet alarm calls reformed our knowledge about nonhuman's understanding of the world and their social relationships. Since then, it has been reported that some other primate species also have functionally referential alarm calls for aerial and terrestrial predators, but recent research indicates that these calls, or acoustic variants thereof, are also used in other contexts. Since the use of unspecific general alarm calls for terrestrial predators that are also used during aggressive interactions with conspecifics appears to be more common among primates, particularly in phylogenetically basal lemurs, these calls may present the ancestral form of primate alarm calling. In addition, intraspecific comparisons between populations that are exposed to different sets of predators also suggest that terrestrial predator alarm call usage and comprehension is more flexible than usage and comprehension of aerial alarm calls. Thus, primates can infer specific meaning from calls either based on their predator exposure history or by taking additional contextual information into account. The fact that they can even extract specific information from non-specific signals puts the utility of the original concept of functional reference into question.

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Monkey Alarm Calling: It Ain't all Referential, or is It?

Fichtel¹

2020

AB&C

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“…Survival of the nocturnal mouse lemurs in their dense three‐dimensional forest environment is strongly linked to olfaction and audition (Bunkus, Scheumann, & Zimmermann, 2005; Hohenbrink, Mundy, Zimmermann, & Radespiel, 2013; Hohenbrink, Radespiel, & Mundy, 2012; Kappel, Hohenbrink, & Radespiel, 2011; Rahlfs & Fichtel, 2010), since vision is environmentally and physiologically constrained in the dark (Charles‐Dominique & Petter, 1980; Piep, Radespiel, Zimmermann, Schmidt, & Siemers, 2008; Valenta et al, 2013). Mouse lemurs evolved a set of acoustically complex vocalizations in the audible and/or ultrasonic range conveying indexical and emotional information, and governing agonistic conflicts, matings, mother–infant, or group, reunions, or antipredator strategies (Fichtel, 2016; Scheumann, Linn, & Zimmermann, 2017; Zimmermann, 2010, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary significance of the variation in acoustic communication of a cryptic nocturnal primate radiation (Microcebus spp.)

Hasiniaina

Radespiel

Kessler

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Acoustic phenotypic variation is of major importance for speciation and the evolution of species diversity. Whereas selective and stochastic forces shaping the acoustic divergence of signaling systems are well studied in insects, frogs, and birds, knowledge on the processes driving acoustic phenotypic evolution in mammals is limited. We quantified the acoustic variation of a call type exchanged during agonistic encounters across eight distinct species of the smallest‐bodied nocturnal primate radiation, the Malagasy mouse lemurs. The species live in two different habitats (dry forest vs. humid forest), differ in geographic distance to each other, and belong to four distinct phylogenetic clades within the genus. Genetically defined species were discriminated reliably on the phenotypic level based on their acoustic distinctiveness in a discriminant function analysis. Acoustic variation was explained by genetic distance, whereas differences in morphology, forest type, or geographic distance had no effect. The strong impact of genetics was supported by a correlation between acoustic and genetic distance and the high agreement in branching pattern between the acoustic and molecular phylogenetic trees. In sum, stochastic factors such as genetic drift best explained acoustic diversification in a social communication call of mouse lemurs.

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“…Visual detection allows for the most accurate risk assessment, but species that live in low visibility environments such as forests or are active at night should be particularly sensitive to non-visual cues. Olfactory predator recognition of mammalian predators is widespread among mammals [Kats and Dill, 1998], including some primates [e.g., Caine and Weldon, 1989;Fichtel, 2016], but due to their longevity odours rarely provide reliable information about predator proximity. Predator vocalizations may be more informative as they can reveal location and proximity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Comparatively little is known about how nocturnal primates utilize predator information and it has been proposed that they rely on cryptic antipredation strategies [Stanford, 2002;Miller and Treves, 2007]. Evidence however indicates that many species including tarsiers [Tarsius: Gursky, 2002Gursky, , 2003], pottos [Perodicticus: Charles-Dominique, 1977], galagos [Galagidae: Nash, 1986;Bearder et al, 2002) and Cheirogaleids [Schuelke, 2001;Fietz and Dausmann, 2003;Fichtel, 2016] distinguish between predators and non-predators visually and olfactorily. Studies employing predator vocalizations have been limited to lemurs and tarsiers with mixed findings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brown Mouse Lemurs (Microcebus rufus) May Lack Opportunities to Learn about Predator Calls

Deppe

2020

IJFP

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Diurnal primates commonly modify their behaviour in response to predator vocalizations, but little is known about how nocturnal primates perceive predator calls. Mouse lemurs do not innately perceive predator calls as dangerous but may learn to do so in the wild. I hypothesized that wild brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus) in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, differentiate between predator and non-predator vocalizations and exposed 29 adult subjects to calls of 3 sympatric predators (goshawk, fossa and owl), 3 sympatric non-predators and 4 controls. Brown mouse lemurs did not differentiate among stimuli, and there was no evidence that any recording was associated with danger, as neither activity nor spatial preferences changed in response to a stimulus, nor did subjects exhibit obvious behaviours indicative of danger such as flight or position on the branches. The failure to perceive predator calls as dangerous is common among small nocturnal solitary prey species and could be explained by a lack of learning opportunities. In social species acquired behaviours can spread quickly by social learning. Solitary species like mouse lemurs have to individually learn to associate predator calls with danger which is dependent on encounter rates. Unlike diurnal prey mouse lemurs lack the opportunity to observe diurnal raptors and associate their calls with the bird, and owls are proficient predators, which are difficult to observe in a rain forest where they hunt cryptically from perches. While sometimes nocturnal, the fossa is solitary and largely silent, and is also particularly rare at my study site. Cryptic, rare or nonvocal predators provide prey with few opportunities to associate their calls with danger. Mouse lemurs are subject to high predation rates by a wide range of predators and need to balance the costs and benefits of antipredation behaviours. Their cryptic lifestyle and

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Predation in the dark: antipredator strategies of Cheirogaleidae and other nocturnal primates

Cited by 10 publications

References 86 publications

Monkey Alarm Calling: It Ain't all Referential, or is It?

Monkey Alarm Calling: It Ain't all Referential, or is It?

Evolutionary significance of the variation in acoustic communication of a cryptic nocturnal primate radiation (Microcebus spp.)

Brown Mouse Lemurs (Microcebus rufus) May Lack Opportunities to Learn about Predator Calls

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