秦岭川金丝猴的一种自发性双足姿势的脚偏好

与手偏好相比较,脚偏好被认为是研究大脑半球中语言功能偏侧性调控表达的一种更佳的行为预测指标。当前国际科学界对于人类大脑半球功能不对称性和肢体偏好进化起源的关注,有力地推动了非人灵长类物种肢体偏好行为学研究,其中关于树栖灵长类物种的相关研究,对身体姿势在灵长类肢体偏好表达的理解有十分关键作用。川金丝猴(Rhinopithecus roxellana)是我特有濒危灵长类物种,主要营树栖生活。本研究首次关注秦岭川金丝猴自发性非移动双足姿势(双足叠放)的脚偏好。研究发现在个体水平上每个焦点动物均表现出明显的脚偏好,在群组水平上表现出显著的右脚偏好,脚偏好表达无显著性别差异,其研究结果支持“姿势起源理论”。本文首次呈现野生旧大陆猴物种群组水平脚偏好的研究证据。     

秦岭川金丝猴雌性携抱偏好与婴儿吸乳偏好

为了揭示婴儿吸乳偏好以及母猴携抱偏好发育过程,对具有不同生育背景的出生一周的婴儿吸乳偏好和母亲携抱偏好进行了研究。采用扫描取样法,对32 对母婴(7 个初次生育雌性及其婴儿,25 个多次生育雌性及其婴儿)的雌性携抱婴猴偏好行为,及其婴猴的吸乳偏好行为进行了记录。经对比和相关分析检验,结果显示,初次生育雌性的婴儿在吸乳时出现群体水平上的左侧偏好(t₍₆₎ = - 3.731,P = 0.010),再次生育雌性的婴儿没有出现群体水平的吸乳偏好(t₍₂₄₎ = 0.854,P = 0.402);初次生育的雌性会出现群体水平上的左侧携抱偏好(t₍₆₎ = - 3.890,P = 0.008),再次生育的雌性没有群体水平的偏好方向存在(t₍₂₄₎ = 1. 955,P = 0.062);同母婴儿绝大部分(8/9)会出现相反方向的吸乳偏好(N1 = 8,N2 = 1,P = 0.039)。这表明,再次生育经历会影响秦岭川金丝猴新生婴儿的吸乳偏好进而影响雌性的携抱偏好。     

乙醛在小鼠酒依赖性行为中的作用研究

乙醛为酒精代谢的中间产物,但其在酒依赖中的作用不清楚.通过条件化位置偏好(CPP)和条件化味觉偏好(CTP)试验,分析乙醛对小鼠乙醇依赖性行为的影响,研究乙醛在酒依赖中的作用.研究发现,经0.8%乙醇预处理7d后,小鼠训练8次则表现出对乙醇的条件化位置偏好(n=6,P<0.01),而经乙醛训练的小鼠则对乙醛无明显条件化偏好行为(n=6,P>0.05).当用0.8%乙醇、0.4%乙醛混合训练乙醇依赖性小鼠时,其位置偏好行为减弱(n=6,P<0.01).10%乙醇预处理的小鼠味觉偏好乙醇(n=6,P<0.01),而当乙醇中加入1%乙醛时,其味觉偏好现象减弱(n=6,P<0.01).1%乙醛训练7d后的小鼠不表现对乙醇的味觉偏好,但选择摄入乙醛及乙醇、乙醛混合溶液的量有所增加.结果表明乙醛在小鼠酒依赖行为中可能存在一定促进作用.     

灵长类原始态多能干细胞的研究与挑战

啮齿类和传统的灵长类多能干细胞(pluripotent stem cells,PSCs)在很多方面表现出不同的属性.根据发育阶段、克隆形态、信号依赖、线粒体代谢、嵌合能力、基因表达以及表观遗传等差异,哺乳动物干细胞多能性被分为原始态(Naive)和始发态(Primed)两种状态.啮齿类PSCs表现为Naive特性,而小鼠外胚层干细胞(epiblast stem cells,Epi SCs)和传统的灵长类PSCs表现为Primed特性.体外是否存在灵长类Naive PSCs是当前干细胞研究的一个关键性科学问题,开展非人灵长类PSCs的研究对于解决该问题起到至关重要的作用.最近几项研究通过各自的方法获得了不同的灵长类Naive-like PSCs,这些细胞在很多方面表现出类似于啮齿类PSCs的Naive特性.本文分析了啮齿类和灵长类胚胎发育差异性产生不同PSCs的可能机制,总结了本研究组和其他研究小组在灵长类干细胞多能性方面的研究进展以及原始态(Naive)和始发态(Primed)PSCs自我更新的调控机制差异最后,对灵长类干细胞多能性研究存在的问题进行了分析,对将来的研究重点进行了展望.     

中华倒刺鲃幼鱼逃逸运动的方向偏好及其稳定性

鱼类种群中部分个体表现出的运动方向偏好常常与捕食或逃逸策略有关。本研究以中华倒刺鲃(Spinibarbus sinensis)幼鱼为对象,将40尾实验鱼于(20±1.0)℃条件下单独饲养,然后分别进行10次T形迷宫实验,以确定实验鱼是否存在方向偏好(朝迷宫同一方向8次及以上则认为该实验鱼有方向偏好行为),并计算方向偏好程度;随后将上述实验每隔3 d进行一次重复,重复3次(共测试4次),以考查初次测试中具偏好个体在重复实验中是否仍保持初始方向偏好。结果表明:4次测试中具方向偏好个体占全部实验鱼的(53.4±3.8)%,其中左、右偏好各占(19.2±1.3)%、(34.2±4.0)%,且4次测试之间的相对偏侧指数(relative lateralization index,LR)没有显著差异;3次跟踪重复测试后,保持了初始方向偏好的个体占全部实验鱼的比例呈下降趋势,由初始的45.0%依次下降到21.0%、16.7%和17.1%,首次重复显著下降(P0.05),随后的重复则不再下降,稳定后左、右方向偏好各占比例均为8.57%;中华倒刺鲃种群中存在具运动方向偏好的个体,但比例低于相关文献报道的其他鱼类,提示该种鱼的运动方向偏好可能对其生存适合度的贡献较小;实验还提示,跟踪重复测试对于该种鱼运动方向偏好的评估具有十分重要的作用。     

连续温度梯度下昆虫趋温性的研究现状与展望

昆虫作为一种能够自由活动的生物,可以通过运动主动选择对其有利的环境温度。大多数研究中昆虫被迫接受人为设定的恒温或变温,并未体现出昆虫本身对适宜温度的主动选择性。连续温度梯度是在某一介质的两端产生由高到低连续变化的温度范围。在一定温度梯度中昆虫趋温行为的研究揭示了其主动选择的适宜温度,这对了解昆虫的空间动态、提高测报准确性和开发防治新方法有重要意义。总结了产生连续温度梯度的各种装置,致冷、加热和温度测量方法以及昆虫趋温行为的观察装置和方法,包括在植物体上(内)及空气、下垫面、粮食和土壤等介质中产生温度梯度的方法及装置。各装置以水浴或电器设备制冷或加热,肉眼观察手工记录或以摄像机、声音信号采集系统等方法记录昆虫的行为。综述了多种昆虫生长发育、栖息、产卵或取食的偏好温度,总结了性别、发育阶段和生态型等生理因素及光照、湿度和预适应温度等环境因子对昆虫偏好温度变化的影响。昆虫的趋温性因种而异,同种昆虫不同发育阶段或不同生命活动所趋温度不同。多数种类昆虫雄性成虫的偏好温度比雌性略高。某些昆虫的多型现象可能导致其种内不同生态型的偏好温度存在差异。光照和湿度的变化会影响某些昆虫对温度的反应。有些昆虫经预适应温度训练后,其偏好温度发生改变。某些昆虫对温度的偏好呈现出一定的日变化和季节变化规律。饥饿条件下昆虫的偏好温度降低。温度梯度的有无及其方向、温度的高低、温差的大小等因素都会影响昆虫的活动性。最后分析了本类研究中存在的问题和不足,并展望了未来的研究方向,指出开展对重要农林作物害虫和天敌趋温行为及其生理学机制,外界环境因素影响昆虫趋温性等方面的探索将是未来该领域研究的重点内容。     

基于社会总体偏差和同伴效应修正的海洋生态修复偏好研究

公众参与海洋生态修复对我国海洋环境保护与生态安全具有重要意义。利用单边界二分式引导技术评估青岛市居民海洋生态修复偏好,并从内疚和抵抗心理两方面就社会总体偏差与同伴效应对修复偏好的影响机理进行分析,为政府激发公众参与海洋生态修复的积极性提供理论依据与技术指导。结果表明:①青岛市居民平均每年愿意为海洋生态修复捐赠184.386元,考虑属性重要程度结果表明生物数量的改善可显著提高公众海洋生态修复支付意愿,而公众对改善海水水质和海岸环境并未表现出显著差异性偏好。②社会总体偏差和同伴效应均对公众海洋生态修复支付意愿表现出显著正向影响。③社会总体偏差和同伴效应可通过激发受访者的内疚感提高生态修复支付意愿,但也会导致抵抗心理抑制参与积极性;主观规范正向调节社会总体偏差和同伴效应对支付意愿的影响。研究揭示了公众在海洋生态修复中的偏好和竞争性心理对陈述偏好的影响,可为促进公众参与海洋生态修复和提高海洋环境资源价值评估准确性提供参考。     

青斑蝶Tirumala limniace成虫颜色偏好性研究

【目的】明确青斑蝶Tirumala limniace雌、雄成虫对颜色的偏好性,可以为此蝴蝶人工饲养时的合理环境条件设定提供必要的理论支持。【方法】本研究通过在室内和野外对青斑蝶成虫对6种颜色(白色、红色、绿色、黄色、蓝色和紫色)光源的选择行为进行观察,明确青斑蝶成虫对不同颜色的偏好性。【结果】(1)在室内和在野外雌、雄成虫均优先选择黄色。(2)雌雄成虫在野外无其它光源干扰下对黄色的选择性强于室内。(3)单色光源照明和多种不同颜色光源同时存在下,成虫对颜色的偏好程度存在差异:当只有单色光源照明时,成虫对颜色的偏好程度为黄色>绿色=红色≥蓝色≥紫色;当不同颜色光源同时存在时,成虫对颜色的偏好程度则为黄色>蓝色≥绿色=红色≥紫色。(4)在不同颜色光源同时存在时,配对后的雌成虫表现出了比雄成虫更强的颜色选择性:雌成虫对黄色光源的选择性强于雄成虫,且其未产生颜色选择的成虫数量也少于雄成虫。【结论】青斑蝶成虫存在对黄色选择的颜色恒常性,野外成虫对颜色的选择性强于室内,雌、雄成虫对偏好颜色选择性存在性别差异。     

草地贪夜蛾对三种寄主植物的取食选择性及其适应性研究

为了解草地贪夜蛾对玉米、甘蔗和水稻的取食选择性及适应性,分别采用叶碟法和叶面积法在有选择和非选择条件下测定草地贪夜蛾各龄幼虫对3种寄主植物的取食偏好,并通过测定幼虫体重增长速率和蛹重,初步明确草地贪夜蛾对3种寄主植物的适应性。结果表明,草地贪夜蛾在有选择条件下和非选择条件下均表现出对玉米的偏好。但随着龄期的增长对玉米的取食偏好会逐渐减弱,在有选择条件下6龄幼虫在玉米和水稻上的选择取食率无显著差异,分别为32%和23%,在非选择条件下6龄幼虫取食3种寄主植物的叶面积无显著差异。取食3种寄主植物后幼虫体重增长均能与Logisitic生长模型较好拟合,取食玉米的幼虫体重增长速率最快,蛹重也最重。表明了当前新入侵广西地区的草地贪夜蛾种群对玉米的取食偏好要高于对甘蔗和水稻。     

体色和社会熟悉度对慈鲷选择集群的影响

为了探究体色和社会熟悉度对慈鲷(Cichlidae)选择集群的影响,以体色呈蓝色的蓝阿里(Sciaenochromis fryeri)为研究对象,体色呈白色的雪鲷(Hindongo socolofi)和体色呈黄色的淡黑镊丽鱼(Labidochromis caeruleus)作为刺激鱼群,通过控制鱼群社会熟悉,测试实验鱼是否与优先偏好的颜色表型发生联系,并观察实验鱼是否更喜欢与偏好的颜色表型但并不熟悉的刺激鱼群联系。结果显示,当刺激鱼群的社会熟悉度没有差异时,个体和群体都更倾向于与偏好的颜色表型鱼群联系;而当刺激鱼群社会熟悉度不同时,个体蓝阿里表现出与社会熟悉度更高的群体联系在一起,但群体实验鱼表现出与偏好的颜色表型联系。研究表明,体色对蓝阿里选择集群的影响要比社会熟悉度更大,并且体色可能是慈鲷重要的集群线索,这为研究鱼群内体色的生态影响(如捕食者-猎物之间的相互作用)奠定了基础。     

First wild evidence of neonate nipple preference and maternal cradling laterality in Old World monkeys: a preliminary study from Rhinopithecus roxellana

Although captive or free-ranging settings offer a more controlled environment for assessing non-human primate laterality, research on wild populations provides evidence of how laterality is affected by natural environmental conditions and, thus may yield potential insights into the evolution of laterality. This study of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) constitutes the first report on asymmetric patterns of early mother-infant interactions among Old World monkeys in the wild. It was found that neonate nipple preference and maternal cradling laterality are both evident on the individual level. Although there is no significant group-level preference direction, the group preference strength on both measures is evident. Moreover, neonate nipple preference is not significantly correlated with maternal cradling laterality on either LBI scores or the direction (LBI scores: r=0.174, p=0.632; direction: r=0.624, p=0.054). Taken together, it is possible to suggest that wild R. roxellana show independent orientation laterality from the first week of life.     

Neonatal nipple preference and maternal cradling laterality in wild Taihangshan macaques (Macaca mulatta tcheliensis)

Lateralized behavior is considered an observable phenotype of cerebral functional asymmetry and has been documented in many mammalian species. In the present study, we examined evidence of lateralization in neonatal nipple contact, maternal cradling, and the relationship between these two behaviors during the first 12 weeks of life in wild Taihangshan macaques (Macaca mulatta tcheliensis). The results showed that across our sample of nine mother–infant dyads: (1) Seven of nine neonates exhibited a significant left-side nipple preference during the first 12 weeks of life, whereas eight of nine mothers displayed a significant right-side cradling preference; (2) at the population level, there was a significant preference for left nipple contact by neonatal Taihangshan macaques and a significant right-hand maternal cradling preference; (3) at the population level, there was a nonsignificant negative correlation between neonatal nipple preference and maternal cradling bias; and (4) the strength of individual neonatal nipple preference and maternal cradling laterality were not correlated. We conclude that asymmetry in nipple contact of Taihangshan macaques occurs early in behavioral development. Given that infant Taihangshan macaques are able to nurse and cling unassisted to their mothers within a few days after birth, it appears that the infant rather than its mother is responsible for determining a nipple-side preference. Our results indicating a left-side nipple bias in 78% of wild neonatal Taihangshan macaques are most consistent with the heartbeat hypothesis.     

Laterality in Maternal Cradling and Infant Positional Biases: Implications for the Development and Evolution of Hand Preferences in Nonhuman Primates

Left-sided maternal cradling has been widely reported in human populations. In this paper, I review the evidence of laterality in maternal cradling and infant positional biases in non-human primates. The review revealed some evidence of population-left sided cradling in great apes but little consistency in bias was found among Old and New World monkeys. Very little data have been reported in prosimians. I further describe how asymmetries in either maternal cradling or infant positional biases may explain individual and species differences in hand preference.     

Left Nipple Preferences in Infant Pan paniscus and P. troglodytes

We investigated laterality in nipple preference in 16 mother-infant dyads, 8 bonobos, and 8 chimpanzees via an event sampling procedure in infants 5–55 mo of age. Both bonobo and chimpanzee infants preferred the left nipple, and the results were stable over time. Maternal age, experience, and rearing history did not influence laterality in offspring nipple preferences. We discuss the results in the context of the role of early mother-infant interactions on the development of laterality in primates.     

Scan and focal sampling: reliability in the laterality for maternal cradling and infant nipple preferences in olive baboons, Papio anubis

We compared measures of laterality obtained by two observational sampling procedures (a 15-min focal-dyad sampling with continuous recording, and a scan and instantaneous sampling), using 10 mother-infant dyads of captive olive baboons. The two measures of lateral biases for maternal cradling, infant nipple preference, infant head position and maternal carrying, but not those for infant retrieval, were positively and significantly correlated. Our results clearly show that the two sampling procedures produce equally sensitive measures of lateral bias for both the maternal and the infant behaviours. They also provide evidence of asymmetries in mean bout length and therefore suggest that recording bouts is not necessarily the best measure of lateral bias. Taken together, these results show empirically that the scan and instantaneous sampling procedure does not lead to a lack of independence of data points, as previously assumed.     

Infant cradling in a captive mother gorilla

The purpose of the study presented here was to investigate the handedness and cradling preferences of a mother gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) from the Metro Toronto Zoo. The study also examined preferences for handedness for each member of the captive group. Observational data were collected using scan sampling at 60‐sec intervals. Handedness was determined with a coordinated bimanual tube test using peanut butter spread on the interior of a PVC tube. Our findings were largely consistent with the literature on laterality in African apes by documenting a left‐side cradling bias for one apparently ambidextrous captive gorilla mother. This bias was associated with a left head positioning preference by her infant. Although based on a single mother/infant pairing, this study indicates that cradling bias is not always determined by maternal handedness. Zoo Biol 27:420–426, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Brief communication: Hand preference for bimanual and unimanual feeding in captive gorillas: extension in a second colony of apes

Right-hand dominance is widely considered to be a uniquely human trait. Whether nonhuman primates exhibit similar population-level hand preferences remains a topic of considerable debate. Despite extensive research focusing on laterality in nonhuman primates, our interpretation of these studies is limited due to methodological issues including the lack of a common measure of hand preference and the use of tasks that may not be reliable indicators of handedness. The use of consistent methods between studies is necessary to enable comparisons within and between species and allow for more general conclusions to be drawn from these results. The present study replicates methods used in recent research reporting population-level right-handedness in captive gorillas (Meguerditchian et al.,2010). Observational data were collected on hand preference for unimanual and bimanual feeding in 14 captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Individual-level preferences were found, primarily for bimanual feeding; however, the data reveal no group-level directional bias (contra Meguerditchian et al.). Like the study by Meguerditchian et al. (2010), though, bimanual feeding revealed significantly stronger hand preferences than unimanual reaching, and age, sex, group membership, or rearing history had no effect on hand preference. Finally, variations in diet and corresponding grip type between studies suggest that hand preferences may vary across bimanual tasks depending on grip morphology. This study aims to contribute to our existing knowledge of primate laterality by increasing the number of individuals investigated using methods that allow for comparisons with similar research.     

Principles and levels of laterality in unimanual and bimanual stone handling patterns by Japanese macaques

The preferential use of one hand over the other is considered the primary behavioral expression of structural and functional asymmetry in cerebral structures, which is a decisive factor in human evolution. We present the first analysis of manual laterality in a form of object play—stone handling (SH) behavior—in a free-ranging group of Japanese macaques. Defined as a stone-directed manipulative activity, and comprised of multiple one-handed SH patterns (e.g., grabbing a stone in one hand and cradling it against its chest), as well as coordinated two-handed SH patterns with manual role differentiation (e.g., holding a stone with one hand and rubbing it with the other), SH behavior is a good candidate for the study of hand lateralization. We systematically followed the methodological framework developed by McGrew and Marchant (1997) to measure and analyze the presence, strength, and direction of manual preference in the performance of SH behavior and in various SH patterns, both at the individual and group level. Some individuals showed a significant manual lateral bias on a single SH pattern (hand preference), whereas others showed consistency in laterality across all or most of the SH patterns they performed (hand specialization). At the group level, we found that, although their collective distribution of left versus right remained random, most subjects were either significantly but incompletely lateralized, or completely lateralized within particular SH patterns (pattern specialization), but not across all SH patterns (no handedness for SH behavior as a whole). As predicted by the task-complexity model, hand specialization and handedness were stronger in the coordinated bimanual SH patterns than in the unimanual patterns. We discuss the implications of our findings for the evolution of manual preferences in noninstrumental object manipulation versus stone tool use in nonhuman primates and hominins.