The cephalometric analysis of Cercopithecus aethiops

A Steiner-based cephalometric study of 46 adult Vervet monkeys was undertaken using craniometric points as closely correlated to those in the human as possible. On tracings of each cephalogram 13 measurements were recorded. The results were statistically analysed. Whilst the monkey face does vary individually this variation is apparently much less than is that of the human face. It is possible that the positions of the monkey incisor crowns bear a relatively constant relationship to the soft tissue profile. The establishment of some cephalometric norms for the Vervet monkey may be useful for future growth studies.     

The comparative gross anatomy of the arteria cerebri media in the green monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops) and olive monkey (Papio anubis)

The gross anatomy of the arteria cerebri media inCercopithecus aethiops andPapio anubis was studied and compared statistically. Several features appeared to be species characteristic. InCercopithecus aethiops the first branch, r. striati, arose directly from the main artery, however, inPapio anubis, r. striati arose from r. orbitales the second major branch. InCercopithecus aethiops, r. orbitales and r. frontales arose by a common trunk from the a. cerebri media and inPapio anubis these two branches had separate origins. In both species r. temporales arose from two trunks, on either side of the a. sulcus centralis. Each trunk of r. temporales divided into two or three branches inCercopithecus aethiops and three or four branches inPapio anubis. The last portion of the a. cerebri media, r. parietales, divided into two trunks inCercopithecus aethiops and continued as a single trunk inPapio anubis. In the former, r. parietales sent one or two branches to the sulcus intraparietalis and sulcus lunatus while sending one branch to the gyrus postcentralis. In the latter, r. parietales sent two or three branches to the sulcus intraparietalis, three or four to the sulcus lunatus and one to the gyrus postcentralis.     

Tail Positions of Cercopithecus aethiops

The range of elevated positions in which captive Cercopithecus aethiops monkeys held their tails is apparently a continuum of display behavior. Different positions correlated with different behavior: Any might be adopted during a great diversity of activities, but with the more anterad positions a monkey might forego non-agonistic behavior to attack, and with the more posterad to withdraw. When the tail was held straight upright locomotion for any end was momentarily improbable.     

Immunofluorescence demonstration of somatostatin-containing cells in the digestive tract of the monkeys irus, Macaca Papio hamadryas and Cercopithecus aethiops]

Indirect immunofluorescence technique with antisomatostatin serum has allowed us to detect somatostatin containing cells in the gastro-intestinal tract of three species of monkeys : Macacus irus, Papio hamadryas and Cercopithecus aethiops. These cells are localized only in the stomach, in the duodenum, and in the jejunum-ileum. No somatostatin cells were encountered in the esophagus and in the colon. The maximum of somatostatin positive cells is localized in the duodenum, as well in the Lieberkühn's glands as in the Brunner's glands. These cells are always separated from each other ; they were found only in glandular epithelium ; no immunopositive cells were observed in the surface epithelium. No morphological or numerical differences were noted between the three species of monkeys.     

Demonstration by immunofluorescence of adenohyphysis corticotropin and melanotropin cells in Erythrocebus patas, Cercopithecus aethiops and Papio hamadryas]

Using antibodies against synthetic corticotropic hormones (1-24 ACTH and 17-39 ACTH), and melanotropic hormones (alpha-MSH and beta-MSH), it is possible to identify corticotropic and melanotropic cells in the adenohypophysis of three species of monkeys : Erythrocebus patas, Cercopithecus aethiops and Papio hamadryas. The corticotropic cells are numerous in the anterior lobe in both the adult and infant male and female monkeys of these three species. The intermediate lobe reacts with antibodies against ACTH and also with antibodies against the two MSH. In the anterior lobe, the corticotropic cells react also with anti-beta MSH antibody but not with the anti-alpha MSH antibody.     

Demonstration by immunofluorescence of somatotropic cells and prolactin cells in the monkeys Erythrocebus patas, Cercopithecus aethiops and Papio hamadryas]

Using antibodies against human STH and ovine prolactine, it is possible to identify somatotropic and prolactin cells in the pituitary anterior lobe of three species of monkeys: Erythrocebus patas, Cercopithecus aethiops and Papio hamadryas. The somatotropic cells are numerous in both adult and infant male or female monkeys, especially in the lateral lobes of the pituitary gland. The prolactin cells can be distinguished in all pituitaries studied, regardless age or sex; indeed there are more numerous in adult females. The immunofluorescent technique reveals a more great number of cells of somatotropic and prolactin type than the classical tetrachrome technique.     

Testicular steroidogenesis in the baboon Papio anubis.

We recently reported that the baboon testis converts pregnenolone to testosterone through the delta-4 pathway. The present studies were to determine the metabolism of intermediates of the delta-4 and delta-5 pathway by the baboon testis. Fragments (50 mg) were incubated for 3 hr with 10 muCi of the following tritium-labelled substrates: pregnenolone, progesterone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, or testosterone. Pregnenolone was converted to testosterone primarily through the delta-4 pathway, with accumulation of progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and 20alpha-dihydroprogesterone as predominant intermediates. Similar results were obtained in progesterone incubations. 17-hydroxyprogesterone was not efficiently metabolized by the fragments, while 17-hydroxypregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone were efficiently converted into testosterone and androstenedione. Androstenedione was metabolized primarily to testosterone, while testosterone was not a suitable substrate. Some 5alpha-androstanediol was identified in each incubate. These results suggest that although testosterone is formed from pregnenolone through the delta-4 pathway, the delta-5 intermediates are more suitable substrates for testosterone synthesis in the baboon testis.     

Immunohistochemical localization of FSH and LH in the pars distalis of vervet (Cercopithecus aethiops) and babbon (Papio hamadryas) pituitaries

Summary Antisera against oLH¹, oLH and hFSH were used to localize gonadotropic cells in the pars distalis of Cercopithecus aethiops and Papio hamadryas. Three separate cell types were observed for FSH and LH: 85% of immunohistochemically identified gonadotropic cells reacted to all the various antisera; 10% reacted with the anti-LH antibody only; and 5% with the anti-hFSH antibody only. Comparisons between adjacent serial sections treated with various antisera, other than anti-gonadotropic hormones, demonstrated that the gonadotropic cells of these monkeys did not respond to these antisera.

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Résumé Des anticorps anti-LH ovine, anti-LH ovine et anti-FSH humaine ont été utilisés pour localiser les cellules gonadotropes dans la pars distalis de l'hypophyse des Singes Cercopithecus aethiops et Papio hamadryas. Trois catégories cellulaires distinctes, réagissant avec des anticorps anti-hormones gonadotropes, ont été observées. 85% des cellules immunoréactives identifiées en tant que cellules gonadotropes réagissent simultanément avec les différents anticorps mentionnés; 10% des cellules gonadotropes réagissent seulement avec l'anticorps anti-oLH et 5% de ces cellules seulement avec l'anticorps anti-hFSH. La comparaison avec des coupes adjacentes traitées par divers anticorps autres que les anticorps anti-gonadotropines prouve que les cellules gonadotropes de ces Singes ne réagissent jamais simultanément avec l'un ou l'autre de ces anticorps.

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Abbreviations used in this Article oLH ovine luteinizing hormone - hFSH human follicle stimulating hormone - ACTH corticotropin - GH growth hormone - LPH lipotropin - TSH thyrotropin     

Distribution and habitat of grivet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops aethiops) in eastern and central Eritrea

A 5‐month survey was conducted in Eritrea with the aim of collecting information on the distribution and habitats of primate species, including grivet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops aethiops). The survey area covered more than 22 000 km² (N 14°17′?16°19′, E 37°13′?39°53′). Grivet monkey habitats were described by altitude, precipitation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), vegetation classes and distances to nearest settlements and rivers. We detected grivet monkeys at 44 sites, making Eritrea probably the northern most range of the current grivet monkey distribution. Average group size was 9.1. Grivet monkeys were, at different sites, sympatric with either hamadryas (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) or olive (P. h. anubis) baboons. Grivet ‘home‐ranges’ had a NDVI significantly higher than the average of the area of survey (AoS), and the proportion of wooded and forested areas within the ‘home‐ranges’ was also greater than the average of the AoS. Of all grivet monkey records in Eritrea, 63.7% were closer than 1500 m to the nearest river or riverbed, indicating the importance of riverine forest and woodland for grivet monkeys in the otherwise arid habitats. Conflicts between humans and grivet monkeys were reported from almost every site because both use the riverine habitats extensively. In 37.2% of the cases, the distance between a grivet monkey record and the nearest agricultural area (>5 ha) was less than 500 m and 31.8% of the monkey sites were found within 1000 m of the nearest village. An increasing human population (especially due to resettlement projects for refugees) and an intensification of agricultural activities, particularly in the riverine habitats through modern irrigation techniques, is likely to increase the conflict and will probably have a negative impact on the grivet monkey population in Eritrea.     

The diet and feeding behaviour of Cercopithecus aethiops tantalus.

The feeding behaviour of representative groups of tantalus monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops tantalus) was observed during 1974-1975 in three habitats in Cameroon. Observations took place during the wet and dry seasons in sahelian savannah, guinea savannah and farmed forest. The tantalus monkeys were similar to other races of C.aethiops that have been studied in that they were omnivorous and lacked any narrow specialisations of either diet or feeding techniques. The dietary range was similar in all three habitats, although considerable seasonal variation occurred. About one third of all feeding took place on the ground.     

Variable satellite DNA's in the African green monkey Cercopithecus aethiops

A heavy component of Cercopithecus aethiops DNA has been observed which comprises a small but variable portion of the monkey genome. This variability exists both within and among different monkey cell lines. In general, cell lines with larger amounts of this heavy component showed virus-induced host DNA synthesis on lytic infection with SV-40 virus. The heavy component, which has a buoyant density of about 1.711 g/ml in CsCl, consists of at least two minor satellite DNA's, designated components and . By in situ hybridization, component was localized to the pericentromeric heterochromatin of monkey chromosomes in all cell lines examined. In contrast, component sequences were scattered over the monkey karyotype. Component reassociated with more precision than component . However, neither component nor component reassociated as rapidly and completely as component , the major monkey satellite DNA which comprises 20–25 percent of the monkey genome.     

On hybridization between Theropithecus gelada and Papio anubis in the wild

Evidence is presented which suggests that Theropithecus gelada and Papio anubis may interbreed in the wild. The behavioural and ecological circumstances which give rise to this are discussed. The implications of these observations to the taxonomic status of these genera are assessed.     

Prevalence and laparoscopic appearance of spontaneous endometriosis in the baboon (Papio anubis, Papio cynocephalus).

The prevalence of spontaneous endometriosis was investigated by laparoscopy in 52 baboons (Papio anubis and Papio cynocephalus) of proven fertility. Clinical endometriosis was diagnosed in 9 (17%) and 4 (8%) baboons with or without a previous hysterotomy, respectively. Endometriosis was confirmed by histology in 75% of these animals. The 37 endometriotic lesions were classified as typical (13%), subtle (57%), or suspicious (30%); and the percentage of histological confirmation was 100%, 61%, and 50%, respectively. Lesions were found on the uterosacral ligaments and in Douglas' pouch (46%), on the uterine peritoneum and the uterovesical fold (38%), and on uterine-omental adhesions (11%). Only 5% of the lesions were localized on the ovarian ligament, whereas ovarian endometriosis was not found. This study for the first time demonstrates that spontaneous endometriosis occurs in healthy baboons with proven fertility. It also shows that the laparoscopic appearances, the histological aspect, and the localization of the pelvic lesions are comparable to those found in women. We therefore conclude that the baboon is a good animal model for the study of endometriosis.