Gustatory Responsiveness to food-associated acids in the spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) |
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Authors: | Matthias Laska Laura Teresa Hernandez Salazar Ernesto Rodriguez Luna Robyn Hudson |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Medical Psychology, University of Munich Medical School, Goethestr. 31, D-80336 Munich, Germany;(2) Instituto de Neuro-Etologia, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico;(3) Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico |
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Abstract: | The gustatory responsiveness of four adult spider monkeys to five food-associated acids was assessed in two-bottle preference
tests of brief duration (3 min). The animals were given the choice between a 30 mM sucrose solution and defined concentrations
of citric acid, ascorbic acid, malic acid, acetic acid, or tannic acid dissolved in a 30 mM sucrose solution. With this procedure,Ateles geoffroyi was found to significantly discriminate concentrations as low as 5 mM ascorbic acid, citric acid, and acetic acid, 10 mM
malic acid, and 0.1 mM tannic acid from the alternative stimulus. With the latter two substances, the monkeys rejected all
suprathreshold concentrations tested, whereas with the former three substances, the animals showed an inverted U-shaped function
of preference, i.e. they rejected high concentrations, but significantly preferred low but detectable concentrations of these
acidic tastants over the alternative sweet stimulus. The results showed (1) the spider monkey to respond to the same range
of acid concentrations as other nonhuman primate species; (2) thatAteles geoffroyi, is able to detect food-associated acids at concentrations well below those present in most fruits; and (3) that unlike most
other primate species tested so far, spider monkeys do not generally reject acidic tastants but show a substanceand concentration-dependent
change in responsiveness that may range from rejection to preference. The results support the assumptions that spider monkeys
may use sourness and/or astringency of food-associated acids as a criterion for food selection, and that the gustatory responsiveness
ofAteles geoffroyi to acidic tastants might reflect an evolutionary adaptation to frugivory. |
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Keywords: | Gustatory preference thresholds Taste sensitivity Acidic compounds Spider monkey Ateles geoffroyi |
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