A demographic analysis of the membership of the American Society of Primatologists: 1992

Rank differences in the production of vocalizations by wild, semihabituated, unprovisioned chimpanzees were investigated during a 10-month study in the Kibale Forest, Uganda. Vocalization rates were calculated from data collected during 230 hours of focal-animal sampling on adult females, adult males, and subadult males. Rates were calculated according to whether individuals were alone, with adult females only, or in mixed parties, and the results were compared with published data collected at the Gombe provisioning area. Adult females and low-ranking adult and sub-adult males were generally quiet except when they were in mixed parties, whereas high-ranking males vocalized in all social contexts. These results were in partial contrast to data collected at Gombe, which indicated that vocal production was similar across all age and sex classes. Vocal production at Gombe did, however, resemble that from mixed parties at Kibale, suggesting that the provisioning area at Gombe was comparable to a natural socioecological context occurring at large fruiting trees. It is suggested that low-ranking chimpanzees refrain from loud vocalizing when they are alone or with females only in order to avoid attracting feeding competition and/or potentially aggressive males. These individuals may vocalize when they are associating with high-ranking males in order to advertise the presence of large parties and to deter other individuals from joining them. The use of loud, interparty calls by high-ranking males, when alone or with others, is consistent with the greater sociality of adult male chimpanzees. Loud calling might be advantageous for adult males in attracting mates or allies. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Abstracts of papers to be presented at the Tenth Annual Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Madison,Wisconsin June 13–16, 1987

Invasive surgical procedures are often used to study the reproductive and adrenocortical endocrine systems in primates. Anesthetic agents must, therefore, be used that have the least confounding effects on these systems. The present study was designed to characterize various adrenocortical endocrine responses of female baboons (Papio anubis), each treated for 120 minutes with an infusion of ketamine HCl (6 mg/min) in 5% dextrose in water (0.40 ml/min), a combination of ketamine and acetylpromazine (0.6 mg acetylpromazine and 6 mg ketamine HCl/min) in 5% dextrose in water, or inhalation of vaporized halothane (1.0% halothane, N₂O 25%, 1 liter/min; O₂ 75%, 3 liters/min). Blood samples were collected throughout the treatment period, and serum was assayed for prolactin (PRL), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS), and cortisol (F). No significant elevations in DHA, F, or PRL concentrations were found following infusion of ketamine alone. Only serum DHAS concentrations were significantly altered after long-term exposure to ketamine. Acetylpromazine increased PRL concentrations tenfold to levels significantly greater than those in ketamine- and halothane-treated animals but had no effect on serum DHA, DHAS, or F. Treatment with halothane had no effect on serum PRL, DHA, or DHAS but did suppress F (>40%) concentrations over time. These data indicate that ketamine is best suited for the collection of biological samples when deep analgesia is not required but that halothane is preferable in the latter situation.     

Two decades of marine biotoxin monitoring in bivalves from Portugal (1986–2006): A review of exposure assessment

Foodborne outbreaks attributed to marine biotoxins were first reported in Portugal in 1946. A regular monitoring programme was implemented in 1986 for PSP, in 1987 for DSP and in 1996 for ASP. The gradual introduction of HPLC methodologies for DSP and PSP allowed a better understanding of toxin biotransformation by bivalves, supplying more selective and sensitive data than mouse bioassays. A comprehensive exposure assessment from DSP toxins in bivalves from the whole coast was only obtained more recently with the introduction of LC–MS methodology. Data on maximum toxin levels found, geographic distribution, seasonality of toxin families, and frequency of samples above current regulatory limits is presented in order to review the data available on exposure assessment after two decades of monitoring. Contamination with DSP toxins was more severe in estuarine and offshore bivalves from the NW and in offshore Donax spp. from the SW and south coasts. DSP toxins were recurrent every year mainly between late spring/early autumn. PSP toxins appeared intermittently in some years between 1986 and 2006, predominantly in autumn. Bivalves from the entire coast were severely contaminated, although bivalves from the NW coast were affected more often. ASP toxins appeared between spring and autumn around the entire coast, but toxin levels rarely exceeded the regulatory limit. Azaspiracids occurred in trace levels below the regulatory limit. Yessotoxins and pectenotoxins occurred in bivalves but have no known effects on the consumers. Several intoxication outbreaks attributed to PSP and DSP occurred during the two decades of the monitoring programme.