Positional behavior of free-ranging Japanese macaques (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Macaca fuscata</Emphasis>)

Positional behavior was quantitatively studied in identified free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). Five male and 11 female adults were observed in a forested mountain habitat. Data were analyzed for proportion of bout distance, number and time of each locomotion and postural type. Japanese macaques are semiterrestrial, and mainly walk and run quadrupedally. This supports the notion that Macaca are generally quadrupeds. Sex differences in positional behavior were found in the preference of substrate and types of positional behavior. Males and females tend to be terrestrial and arboreal, respectively. Males leap more frequently and longer in distance than do females when they are feeding in trees. These sex differences are considered to be related to differences in morphology, food choice, social activity, and the nursing of infants. Frequencies of leaping and the distance covered by leaping in Japanese macaques are more than those of long-tailed macaques which are arboreal quadrupeds. However, Japanese macaques leap shorter distances at a time than do long-tailed macaques, which indicates that body size may be related to leaping distance more than the frequency of leaping and the distance covered by leaping. Japanese macaques are not as specialized for terrestrial locomotion as pig-tailed macaques. They use both terrestrial and arboreal supports, and are considered to be semi-terrestrial quadrupeds, somewhere between the arboreal long-tailed macaque and the terrestrial pig-tailed macaque. Electronic Publication     

High-resolution chromosomes of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Late-prophase high-resolution chromosomes were successfully cultured for 22 of 27 Macaca mulatta samples. Twelve of the successful cultures were adequate for karyotyping high-resolution spreads. High-resolution chromosome technique provides an important contribution to primate genetics because it can be used to identify chromosomal anomalies undetected in metaphase spreads and may be useful for paternity exclusion analysis.     

中国熊猴的分类整理

本文通过查看国内收藏的标本对M.assamensis进行了分类整理,认为M.a.coolidgei的亚种地位应予恢复,滇西地区熊猴可能代表一个新类群。通过t检验,滇南和越南等地与滇西北和西藏东南部等地熊猴头骨的某些特征表现出显著或极显著差异。作为区分coolidgei与assamensis的指标:coolidgei体型较小,肩背毛较短,35—75mm,背毛环纹略显或不明显,0—2环,体色更为灰暗;assamensis体型较大,肩背毛较长,85—110mm,背毛环纹明显,3—4环。     

Epiphyseal union and dental eruption in Macaca mulatta

Age of dental eruption and epiphyseal fusion is estimated for the permanent dentition and long bone epiphyses of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), with 299 skeletons of individuals with known age of death, from the Cayo Santiago skeletal collection. Epiphyses at a given joint tend to fuse at the same time. While males and females tend to have the same pattern of epiphyseal fusion, females' epiphyses fuse earlier than those of males, espeically at the elbow and knee joints. The order of epiphyseal fusion in rhesus macaques follows the general primate pattern. Times of dental eruption for males and females are generally the same, except for the relatively late eruption of the canine in the males. The order of eruption follows a common primate pattern (dm2?M1?I1?I2?M2?(P3,P4)?C?M3). Multiple regressions were calculated in order to allow determination of developmental state, or predictions of chronological age, from epiphyseal fusion and/or dental eruption scores in juvenile rhesus macaques. Standard deviations of residuals from these regressions indicate considerable variation in developmental state among aminals of the same chronological age. The lack of correlation between residuals from the separate skeletal and dental regressions, indicates that skeletal and dental development are largely independent.     

Genetic characterization of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in Nepal

Indian-origin rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) have long served as an animal model for the study of human disease and behavior. Given the current shortage of Indian-origin rhesus, many researchers have turned to rhesus macaques from China as a substitute. However, a number of studies have identified marked genetic differences between the Chinese and Indian animals. We investigated the genetic characteristics of a third rhesus population, the rhesus macaques of Nepal. Twenty-one rhesus macaques at the Swoyambhu Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, were compared with more than 300 Indian- and Chinese-origin rhesus macaques. The sequence analyses of two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) loci, from the HVS I and 12 S rRNA regions, showed that the Nepali animals were more similar to Indian-origin than to Chinese-origin animals. The distribution of alleles at 24 short tandem repeat (STR) loci distributed across 17 chromosomes also showed greater similarity between the Nepali and Indian-origin animals. Finally, an analysis of seven major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alleles showed that the Nepali animals expressed Class I alleles that are common to Indian-origin animals, including Mamu-A*01. All of these analyses also revealed a low level of genetic diversity within this Nepali rhesus sample. We conclude that the rhesus macaques of Nepal more closely resemble rhesus macaques of Indian origin than those of Chinese origin. As such, the Nepali rhesus may offer an additional resource option for researchers who wish to maintain research protocols with animals that possess key genetic features characteristic of Indian-origin rhesus macaques.     

Counter aggression and reconciliation in Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis)

Patterns of aggressive and affiliative behavior, such as counter aggression and reconciliation, are said to covary in the genus Macaca; this is referred to as the systematic variation hypothesis. These behavior patterns constitute a species dominance style. Van Schaik's [1989] socioecological model explains dominance style in macaques in terms of within- and between-group contest competition. Dominance style is also said to correlate with phylogeny in macaques. The present study was undertaken to examine phylogenetic and socioecological explanations of dominance style, as well as the systematic variation hypothesis. We collected data on counter aggression and reconciliation from a habituated group of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis) at the Tukeswari Temple in Assam, India. The proportion of agonistic episodes that involved counter aggression was relatively low. Counter aggression, however, occurred more often among males than among females, and it was most common when females initiated aggression against males. The conciliatory tendency for this group of Assamese macaques was 11.2%. The frequency of reconciliation was low for fights among males and for fights among females, but reconciliation was particularly rare for opposite-sexed opponents. Female social relationships were consistent with the systematic variation hypothesis, and suggest a despotic dominance style. A despotic dominance style in Assamese macaques weakens the correlation between dominance style and phylogeny in macaques, but it is not inconsistent with the socioecological model. Male-female relationships were not well explained by the despotic-egalitarian framework, and males may well have more tolerant social relationships than do females. Sex differences need to be considered when categorizing species according to dominance style.     

Responses to urinary stimuli in pigtailed (Macaca nemestrina) and stumptailed (Macaca arctoides) macaques

Responses to different urine samples were studied in pigtailed (M. nemestrina) and stumptailed (M. arctoides) macaques. Both species exhibited more interest towards urine samples from their own species than neutral stimuli. Responses towards urine samples from other macaque species did not significantly differ from those towards neutral stimuli. In stumptailed macaques, no differential interest was observed between urine samples from a known (the adult male of the group) and an unknown adult male conspecific.     

Differences in terrestrial velocity in Macaca and Presbytis

Over 150 sequences of terrestrial movement were timed and measured in the toque macaque, the gray langur, and the purple-faced langur to determine the relation between velocity, gait, and psychosocial context. Species differences were found in mean velocity, “favored” gait, and surface preference. All three species used the walk and the gallop at the slowest and fastest speeds respectively. The macaques and gray langurs walked frequently, but the purple-faced langurs were never seen to do so. At intermediate speeds, the macaques used either the “fast” walk or the “slow” gallop, whereas the gray langurs used irregular patterns of walk-gallop-walk-gallop. The purple-faced langurs were faster (about 20 fps) and less variable than the other species, regardless of distance. These data suggest that motor expression varies among the Cercopithecoid monkeys: the correlation between locomotion and anatomy is not as close as it is among wholly terrestrial or arboreal forms; slowness in the macaque is an expression of social confidence, not of biomechanical inability; high speed in the purple-faced langur is due to psychosocial factors rather than to “terrestrial” adaptability.     

Prevalence of antibody reaction with cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 antigen in Macaca cyclopis, Macaca fascicularis, and Papio anubis in Taiwan

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: A total of 284 non-human primate sera were collected between December 2004 and September 2005 and tested by a commercially available dot immunobinding assay for the antibodies to cercopithecine herpesvirus 1, an alphaherpesvirus with high mortality for infected humans. RESULTS: Seropositive rates were 58% among non-human primates from animal shelters and 38% among those from zoos and academic institutes. Positive reactors were found in three species, the Formosan macaque (Macaca cyclopis; 57%), the cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis; 11%) and the olive baboon (Papio anubis; 68%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that natural infection by cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 in Formosan macaques was highly prevalent, and to a certain extent reflected the situation of the wild populations in Taiwan. The findings raised the issues of zoonotic public health and the occupational health of primate workers. High positive rate in olive baboons was also found, although, it cannot be ruled out that the positivity was due to cross-reactivity between cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 and other herpesviruses.     

中国猕猴生态学研究进展

中国的灵长类学研究始于19世纪中期之后,而兴盛于20世纪80年代至今。猕猴（Macaca mulatta）是世界及中国分布最为广泛的一种非人灵长类动物,在中国境内分布于17个省（市、区）,已被列为国家二级重点保护野生动物。迄今为止,学者们已对猕猴进行了包括地理分布、种群动态、食性、社会生态、保护生态等多方面的研究。本文拟对国内有关猕猴生态学方面的研究工作进行回顾与综述,以期通过对以往工作的汇总,梳理关于猕猴的研究线索与动态,并对今后的研究有所启示。     

Body Size and Proportions and Pelage Color of Free-Ranging Macaca mulatta from a Zone of Hybridization in Northeastern Thailand

Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and long-tailed (M. fascicularis) macaques belong to the same species, and are parapatric within a zone that lies between 15° and 20° N on the Indochinese peninsula. Researchers have reported probable hybrids between the 2 species from that zone, but have not studied the extent of introgression. To test for phenotypic evidence of hybridization, we collected body mass, morphometrics (body size and proportions), and pelage color readings from free-ranging rhesus living close to the zonal boundary at Wat Tham Pa Mak Ho (WTPMH), Wang Saphun district, Loei province, northeastern Thailand (17°14′N, 101°47′E). Female WTPMH rhesus macaques (n =12) were 10–20% smaller, but with a greater relative tail length than the captive Chinese or Indian female rhesus. Female WTPMH were larger than the free-ranging long-tailed macaques, but with similar limb proportions and a shorter relative tail length. The WTPMH rhesus macaques also displayed the bipartite pelage color pattern typical of Macaca mulatta . The evidence suggests slight contribution of long-tailed macaques to the gene pool of the WTPMH population. Further sampling of other macaque populations within the zone and genetic analysis are essential to address better the question of hybridization. Determination of the distribution and range of biobehavioral variation of macaques within the zone is urgently needed, because their habitat is being rapidly destroyed by deforestation, and their demography and social structure are threatened by artificial disturbance.     

桂林七星公园猕猴的食物组成及季节性变化

觅食是动物最重、最常见的行为,动物通过觅食获取其生长发育、繁殖和运动所需要的营养与能量.     

Mitochondrial DNA variation within and among regional populations of longtail macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in relation to other species of the fascicularis group of macaques

An 835 base pair (bp) fragment of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was sequenced to characterize genetic variation within and among 1,053 samples comprising five regional populations each of longtail macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), and one sample each of Japanese (M. fuscata) and Taiwanese (M. cyclopis) macaques. The mtDNA haplotypes of longtail macaques clustered in two large highly structured clades (Fas1 and Fas2) of a neighbor-joining tree that were reciprocally monophyletic with respect to those representing rhesus macaques, Japanese macaques, and Taiwanese macaques. Both clades exhibited haplotypes of Indonesian and Malaysian longtail macaques widely dispersed throughout them; however, longtail macaques from Indochina, Philippines, and Mauritius each clustered in a separate well-defined clade together with one or a few Malaysian and/or Indonesian longtail macaques, suggesting origins on the Sunda shelf. Longtail macaques from Malaysia and Indonesia were far more genetically diverse, and those from Mauritius were far less diverse than any other population studied. Nucleotide diversity between mtDNA sequences of longtail macaques from different geographic regions is, in some cases, greater than that between Indian and Chinese rhesus macaques. Approximately equal amounts of genetic diversity are due to differences among animals in the same regional population, different regional populations, and different species. A greater proportion of genetic variance was explained by interspecies differences when Japanese and Taiwanese macaques were regarded as regional populations of rhesus macaques than when they were treated as separate species. Rhesus macaques from China were more closely related to both Taiwanese and Japanese macaques than to their own conspecifics from India.     

Demodex spp. in the hair follicles of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

The perineal or perineal and facial skin were evaluated on 53 rhesus macaques as part of a necropsy protocol. Microscopic evaluation of H & E stained skin sections revealed 19 animals positive for Demodex spp. Mites were seen within all portions of the hair follicles. Infestation varied from minimal to severe. Mites were found in macaques of all ages and in both sexes. Reaction to the mites ranged from no reaction, to minimal follicular epidermal hyperplasia to furunculosis. Immune status of the animal did not determine infestation but immune compromised macaques had more severe lesions. This is the first known report of Demodex spp. in rhesus macaques.     

Phylogenetic analysis of chinese rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) based on mitochondrial control region sequences

Between one and six subspecies of Chinese rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) have been proposed based on morphological differences and/or their geographic distribution. In this study, a 489 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial control region was amplified from 230 DNA samples collected from rhesus macaques in the Sichuan province in Western China. The fragment was then sequenced and aligned with 208 sequences from wild rhesus macaques, sampled throughout the species' geographic range in China downloaded from GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis of the 182 unique sequences identified among these samples divided Chinese rhesus macaques into two western haplogroups (haplogroups A and B) and three older eastern haplogroups (haplogroups C, D, and E), whose differentiation probably occurred during the penultimate glacial event. During the warming after the penultimate glacial event, haplogroups A, B, and E rapidly expanded and a relatively young subhaplogroup of haplogroup E, E', limited to Southern China but shared with Vietnamese rhesus macaques, was reintroduced from Indochina during the last glacial event. One haplotype most closely related to subhaplogroup E' probably represents the isolation of Hainan Island, to where it is restricted, from the mainland by the formation of the Qiongzhou Strait approximately 8,500 years ago. The distribution of haplogroups both informs the phylogeographic history of dispersal of Chinese rhesus macaques and has implications for their suitability as animal models in biomedical research.     

Within-group female-female agonistic interactions in Taiwanese macaques (Macaca cyclopis)

Feeding-related agonism among wild female Taiwanese macaques was investigated in two study groups at ecologically diverse sites (Fu-shan and Ken-ting) to determine whether contest-feeding competition was present in these groups. Females that contest for food within a primate group are hypothesized to form dominance hierarchies and tend to be philopatric. In this study we tested 1) whether Taiwanese macaque females show higher agonism in a feeding context, 2) whether they exhibit stronger agonism over higher-quality foods, and 3) whether higher agonism rates occur in smaller food patches. Female Taiwanese macaques at both study sites showed similar agonism rates in a feeding context (0.30 events/hr). They exhibited higher agonism rates inside food patches than outside food patches in the spring. Higher agonism rates occurred during seasons of higher fruit availability, and a lower agonism rate occurred in winter when the macaques switched to feeding on fallback foods. Females in the Fu-shan group exhibited higher proportions of aggressive interactions over higher-quality foods, such as animal matter and the reproductive parts of plants. In the Ken-ting group, 95.8% of feeding-related agonistic interactions among females occurred over fruits. Agonistic interactions that occurred in small food patches tended to result in the agonism recipient leaving the food patch. We conclude that female Taiwanese macaques show contest feeding competition in certain contexts. The patterns we observed have also been documented in other primate species in which females are philopatric and form linear dominance hierarchies.     

Responses to animal stimulus photographs in stumptailed macaques (Macaca arctoides)

Interest in their animate environment was studied in a captive group of 11 stumptailed macaques (Macaca arctoides). Subjects were shown projected photographic slides, most of which showed a single individual primate or non-primate. The measure of interest was the duration of viewing. Results showed that adult females exhibited more interest towards stumptailed macaques versus other macaques species, and towards adult females carrying infants versus adult females alone. Data concerning non-primates showed that subjects were especially interested by photographs of felids; this effect was partly due to the presence of two frontal and conspicuous eyes in felids.     

The Adaptive Significance of Geophagy for Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata) at Arashiyama,Japan

We gathered data on the amount, composition, and rate of ingestion of foods and soils by the provisioned Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata fuscata) at Arashiyama, Japan. Behavioral observations spanned one year on 8 adult females, using focal animal sampling. We analyzed a subsample of their foods for nutritional and toxic secondary compound content. We also analyzed soils eaten by the macaques for several physical-chemical properties and tested their adsorption affinity to tannins and alkaloids. Geophagy occurred at a high rate of 2.97 g/indiv./day with an elevated frequency in the afternoon. About two-thirds of their foods (by fresh weight) were provisioned items, which are extremely rich in proteins and soluble carbohydrates. The soils that they ingested were generally poor in mineral elements, the bio-availability of which was low. The soils had a high adsorption capacity for plant alkaloids but were poorly absorptive for tannins. They were rich in clay minerals of proven buffering capacity. Geophagy at Arashiyama may improve the health of macaques via buffering gastric upset. We discuss the results from the viewpoint of several hypotheses on geophagy.     

Dominance Style Among Macaca thibetana on Mt. Huangshan, China

The dominance style concept has proven useful for understanding covariation patterns in relationship qualities, particularly among macaques. However, the dominance styles of many macaques, including Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana), have not been examined in detail. We describe patterns of bidirectionality of aggression, postconflict affiliation and kin bias in a group of wild, but provisioned Tibetan macaques over a 2-yr period in order make an initial assessment of their dominance style. Bidirectional aggression, including percentage of counteraggression (1.9%), and conciliatory tendencies (6.4%) were consistently low across partner combinations, seasons and locations (forest vs. provisioning area). In addition, females consistently displayed high levels of kin bias in affiliation and tolerance. Compared with macaque species with better known dominance styles, the Tibetan data generally fell within the range for despotic species and outside the range for relaxed species. Although other researchers have tentatively classified them as tolerant or relaxed, we conclude that Tibetan macaques display a despotic dominance style. This conclusion poses complications to explanations based both on phylogenetic inertia and socio-ecological models.     

A case of simple tool use in wild liontailed macaques (Macaca silenus)

Three members of a group of liontailed macaques (Macaca silenus) were seen to use leaves for food preparation. Other examples of prey-selection and hunting behaviour in liontailed macaques reflect individual- and group-specific skills. The absence of similar patterns in bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) living in the same habitat might be related to differences in the social design and indicate the high significance of social aspects for the occurrence and manifestation of innovative behaviour.