DOCSLIB.ORG

Socioecological and Phylogenetic Patterns in the Chemical Signals Of

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Socioecological and Phylogenetic Patterns in the Chemical Signals Of Our reference: YANBE 20191 P-authorquery-v1 AUTHOR QUERY FORM Journal: YANBE Article Number: 20191 Dear Author, During the preparation of your manuscript for typesetting, some questions have arisen. These are listed below. Please check your typeset proof carefully and mark any corrections in the margin of the proof or compile them as a separate list*. Bibliography If discrepancies were noted between the literature list and the text references, the following may apply: The references listed below were noted in the text but appear to be missing from your literature list. Please complete the , list or remove the references from the text. Uncited references: This section comprises references that occur in the reference list but not in the body of the text. , Please position each reference in the text or delete it. Any reference not dealt with will be retained in this section. Queries and/or remarks Location in Query / remark Response article Q1 One or more sponsor names may have been edited to a standard format that enables better searching and identification of your article. Please check and correct if necessary: 1) National Science Foundation, U.S.A. Q2 Please update Ref. ‘Drea, 2014’. Q3 Please check the journal title in Ref. ‘Simons and Rumpler, 1988’. Q4 Please confirm that given names and surnames have been identified correctly. Please check this box or indicate your approval if you have no , corrections to make to the PDF file Thank you for your assistance. *In case artwork needs revision, please consult http://authors.elsevier.com/artwork YANBE20191_grabs ■ 5 August 2014 ■ 1/1 Animal Behaviour xxx (2014) 1 5 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect 6 7 Animal Behaviour 8 9 10 journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/anbehav 11 12 13 14 15 1 16 2 17 3 Highlights 4 Chemical profiles differ substantially between species across strepsirrhines. Urine markers express more urinary compounds than do nonurine markers. Signal richness is linked to various aspects of the focal species' socioecology. Chemical signals evolve gradually and at fast rates in strepsirrhines. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.07.009 0003-3472/© 2014 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Please cite this article in press as: delBarco-Trillo, J., & Drea, C. M., Socioecological and phylogenetic patterns in the chemical signals of strepsirrhine primates, Animal Behaviour (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.07.009 YANBE20191_proof ■ 5 August 2014 ■ 1/5 Animal Behaviour xxx (2014) 1e5 55 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect 56 57 Animal Behaviour 58 59 60 journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/anbehav 61 62 63 Special Issue: Biochemistry & Animal Communication 64 65 1 Socioecological and phylogenetic patterns in the chemical signals of 66 2 67 3 strepsirrhine primates 68 4 69 a, * b, c 5 Q4 Javier delBarco-Trillo , Christine M. Drea 70 6 a 71 7 Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain b Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A. 72 8 c Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A. 73 9 74 10 75 11 article info 76 12 Our understanding of chemical signals in mammals derives principally from studies in which researchers 77 13 Article history: examine signal structure or function within a single species. Despite the unique information to be gained 78 14 Received 20 March 2014 from applying comparable methods across multiple species, comparative studies of chemical signals are 79 Initial acceptance 20 May 2014 extremely limited. Here, we review the available literature on the evolution of chemosignals in male and 15 80 Final acceptance 7 July 2014 female strepsirrhine primates (galagos, lorises and lemurs), all of which rely heavily on chemical 16 81 Available online xxx communication. We draw from a few case studies, but focus our review on two comparative studies. In 17 MS. number: 14-00226 one, researchers examined the volatile chemical composition of urinary signals across 12 species rep- 82 18 resenting most families within Strepsirrhini, including six ‘urine-marking’ species and six glandular or 83 19 Keywords: ‘nonurine-marking’ species. In the other, researchers examined the volatile chemical composition of 84 20 body odour glandular signals in eight Eulemur species differing in social or dominance structure. We highlight five 85 chemical signal 21 findings. (1) Regardless of the scent source, chemical profiles differ substantially between species, 86 22 comparative study ‘ ’ gas chromatography/mass spectrometry providing reliable species scent signatures . None the less, (2) urine markers express more compounds 87 23 olfactory communication and have more distinguishable species scent signatures in their urine than do nonurine markers, sug- 88 e 24 semiochemistry gesting specialization of function. Within Eulemur (3) chemical richness is greater in multimale mul- 89 tifemale species than in pair-bonded species. Moreover, (4) whereas chemical richness of male signals is 25 signal evolution 90 26 socioecology greater in sexually codominant species, chemical richness of female signals is greater in female- species difference fi 91 27 dominant species. Together, the ndings from both comparative studies, coupled with case studies, Strepsirrhini suggest that signal richness is linked to some aspect of the focal species' socioecology. Lastly, (5) 92 28 regardless of the scent source, strepsirrhine chemosignals evolve gradually over time, but at fast rates 93 29 and homogeneously within different lineages. Comparative studies reveal patterns that cannot be 94 30 detected from the single-species approach and are therefore critical for providing new insight into the 95 31 function and evolution of olfactory signals. 96 32 © 2014 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. 97 33 98 34 99 35 100 36 101 37 Chemical signals convey information about individuals and (Crawford, Boulet, & Drea, 2011; Greene & Drea, 2014; Hayes, 102 38 their physiological states (Wyatt, 2014). As in other mammals, Morelli, & Wright, 2006; Scordato et al., 2007), identity (Palagi & 103 39 intraspecific studies on the composition of primate chemical sig- Dapporto, 2006; Penn et al., 2007; Scordato et al., 2007; Smith, 104 40 nals (reviewed in e.g. Drea, 2014; Epple, 1986; Michael, Bonsall, & Tomlinson, Mlotkiewicz, & Abbott, 2001) and ‘quality’ (as esti- 105 41 Zumpe, 1976) have shown that these chemical signals can contain mated by genetic diversity: Boulet, Crawford, Charpentier, & Drea, 106 42 information about the signaller's sex (Belcher, Smith, Jurs, Lavine, & 2010; Charpentier, Boulet, & Drea, 2008; as estimated by major 107 43 Epple, 1986; Crewe, Burger, Roux, & Katsir, 1979; Greene & Drea, histocompatibility complex genotype: Setchell et al., 2011), as well 108 44 2014; Hayes, Morelli, & Wright, 2004; Penn et al., 2007; Scordato, as the genetic relatedness between individuals (Boulet, 109 45 Dubay, & Drea, 2007; Setchell et al., 2010), reproductive state Charpentier, & Drea, 2009; Charpentier et al., 2008; Morelli et al., 110 46 2013). 111 47 In contrast to the emphasis placed on intraspecific studies, 112 48 there have been exceptionally few mammalian studies in which 113 49 * Correspondence: J. delBarco-Trillo, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, researchers used a comparative approach to analyse chemical 114 50 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Calle Jose Gutierrez Abascal data (Belcher et al., 1986; Decker, Ringelberg, & White, 1992; 115 51 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain. 116 E-mail address: [email protected] (J. delBarco-Trillo). Zabaras, Richardson, & Wyllie, 2005). Comparative studies can 52 117 53 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.07.009 118 54 0003-3472/© 2014 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. 119 Please cite this article in press as: delBarco-Trillo, J., & Drea, C. M., Socioecological and phylogenetic patterns in the chemical signals of strepsirrhine primates, Animal Behaviour (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.07.009 YANBE20191_proof ■ 5 August 2014 ■ 2/5 2 J. delBarco-Trillo, C. M. Drea / Animal Behaviour xxx (2014) 1e5 1 be methodologically challenging (delBarco-Trillo, Burkert, COMPARATIVE STUDIES REVEAL ‘SPECIES SCENT SIGNATURES’ 66 2 Goodwin, & Drea, 2011; Drea et al., 2013), but can provide a 67 3 wealth of information about species differences relevant to un- In the first study to examine how the composition of chemical 68 4 derstanding broader socioecological patterns, as well as unique signals might differ between strepsirrhine species, Hayes et al. 69 5 insights into the evolution of chemical signals across different (2004) compared the volatile composition of secretions deriving 70 6 phylogenetic scales (Symonds & Elgar, 2008). Here, we review from the anogenital area in two phylogenetically distant species 71 7 recent comparative studies on the volatile composition of (L. catta and the Coquerel's sifaka, Propithecus coquereli). As antic- 72 8 chemical signals in strepsirrhine primates to elucidate whether ipated, the authors found that the chemical profiles of these two 73 9 socioecological factors correlate with the composition of chemical species' secretions were chemically distinct. Given that these spe- 74 10 signals and to uncover the mode and speed of chemical signal cies differ in their glandular structures (notably, the scrotal gland of 75 11 evolution. male L. catta is species specific; Montagna & Yun, 1962)
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Lemur News 7 (2002).Pdf
    Lemur News Vol. 7, 2002 Page 1 Conservation International’s President EDITORIAL Awarded Brazil’s Highest Honor In recognition of his years of conservation work in Brazil, CI President Russell Mittermeier was awarded the National Are you in favor of conservation? Do you know how conser- Order of the Southern Cross by the Brazilian government. vation is viewed by the academic world? I raise these ques- Dr. Mittermeier received the award on August 29, 2001 at tions because they are central to current issues facing pri- the Brazilian Ambassador's residence in Washington, DC. matology in general and prosimians specifically. The National Order of the Southern Cross was created in The Duke University Primate Center is in danger of being 1922 to recognize the merits of individuals who have helped closed because it is associated with conservation. An inter- to strengthen Brazil's relations with the international com- nal university review in 2001 stated that the Center was too munity. The award is the highest given to a foreign national focused on conservation and not enough on research. The re- for service in Brazil. viewers were all researchers from the "hard" sciences, but For the past three decades, Mittermeier has been a leader in they perceived conservation to be a negative. The Duke ad- promoting biodiversity conservation in Brazil and has con- ministration had similar views and wanted more emphasis ducted numerous studies on primates and other fauna in the on research and less on conservation. The new Director has country. During his time with the World Wildlife Fund three years to make that happen.
    [Show full text]
  • Strengthening Protection of Marojejy National Park
    SPECIAL POINTS DECEMBER 2016 OF INTEREST: Vol. 5, No. 2 ñ Workshop for Forest GuiDes ñ Brief but Meaningful Conservaton news from the Sambava-Andapa-Vohemar-Antalaha region of NE Madagascar ñ WorlD Lemur Festival Strengthening Protecton of Marojejy Natonal Park INSIDE THIS by Charlie Welch ISSUE: Earlier this year DLC- Strengthening Protec- 1 tion of Marojejy Na- SAVA was fortunate to tional Park receive a grant from Workshop for Forest 3 Save Our Species (SOS) Guides to increase the Brief but Meaningful 4 protecton of Marojejy Natonal Park, in World Lemur Festival 8 collaboraton with “Climate Change and 9 Madagascar Natonal Lemurs” Workshop Parks (MNP). The grant Environmental Educa- 12 supports clearly tion Teacher Training establishing and marking DLC-SAVA “Lamba” 13 the boundary with Now Available! metallic signs to prevent First CURSA Gradua- 14 both intentonal and unintentonal intrusion into the park. Although DLC-SAVA had already tion includes Sylvio sponsored delineaton of certain priority sectons of the park boundary, extensive areas in Exploring Human and 15 remote parts of Marojejy remained unmarked. There was no way for local people to know Environmental Health exactly where the boundary was supposed to be. Agricultural land ofen extends right up to in the SAVA Region the boundary around much of the park, and if Duke Engineers in 18 the limit is not clear, burning and cultvaton SAVA can actually extend into the park. A clear Closing Comments 20 boundary also discourages other illegal actvites in the park, such as wood collecton and huntng. Teams of local people, organized by MNP, installed the signs, which were made in Andapa.
    [Show full text]
  • Taboo Adherence and Presence of Perrier's Sifaka (Propithecus Perrieri)
    MADAGASCAR CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT VOLUME 1 3 | ISSUE 01 — DECEMBER 201 8 PAGE 6 ARTICLE http://dx.doi.org/1 0.431 4/mcd.v1 3i1 .1 Taboo adherence and presence of Perrier’s sifaka (Propithecus perrieri) in Andrafiamena forest Alessio AnaniaI, Jordi SalmonaII, III, Emmanuel Correspondence: RasolondraibeIV, Fabien JanII, Lounès ChikhiII, III, Claudia Alessio Anania Fichtel I, Peter M. KappelerI and Rodin RasoloarisonI Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4 37077 Göttingen, Germany Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT jour l'un des principaux refuges pour cette espèce mais la popula- Habitat loss and poaching are among the most serious threats to tion de ce propithèque n'y a pas été évaluée régulièrement the fragile and unique biodiversity of Madagascar. In the past, tra- depuis 201 3. Cette étude apporte une mise à jour de la présence ditional taboos (fady), commonly associated with folk stories, have de P. perrieri dans la forêt d’Andrafiamena et évalue l’importance had a buffering effect on several lemur species. Here, we examine des tabous pour la conservation de cette espèce, sous la forme the status of hunting taboos with reference to the conservation of de résultats émanants d'une brève étude sur le terrain menée à the critically endangered Perrier's sifaka (Propithecus perrieri). We Andrafiamena en 201 6. Les données d’entretiens succincts sur also provide an update on P. perrieri’s presence in the protected l'adhésion aux tabous liés à la chasse de P. perrieri menés en area of Andrafiamena in the face of ongoing habitat fragmentation 201 2 sur l’aire de distribution de l'espèce incluant l’aire protégée and poaching.
    [Show full text]
  • How Widespread Is Lemur and Fossa Meat Consumption? 13 May 2021
    How widespread is lemur and fossa meat consumption? 13 May 2021 All of Madagascar's lemur species and the fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) are protected by law, and local taboos—called fady in Malagasy culture—tend to forbid lemur meat consumption. Therefore, it is difficult to quantify the prevalence of this behavior as people who engage in illegal or socially unacceptable practices are generally reluctant to discuss them openly. The authors estimated the prevalence of lemur and fossa meat consumption using the unmatched count technique (UCT) - an indirect questioning method that estimates the proportion of a community that takes part in a given sensitive behavior without asking sensitive questions directly to survey respondents, and without knowing whether individual respondents took part in the Critically endangered silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus) behavior or not. in Makira National Park, Madagascar Credit: Charlotte Spria The UCT revealed that 53 percent of households had eaten lemur meat over the previous year and 24 percent had eaten fossa meat. These UCT A new study by WCS (Wildlife Conservation estimates were compared with results from direct Society) looks at the prevalence of human questioning, which revealed the percentage of consumption of lemur and fossa (Madagascar's households that ate lemur and fossa meat more largest predator) in villages within and around than 3.3 and 12 times higher, respectively, than Makira Natural Park, northeastern Madagascar, that obtained from direct questioning. providing up-to-date estimates of the percentage of households who eat meat from these protected "Because of their low reproductive rates and the species. high human population density around Makira Natural Park, these species are known to be Authors from the Wildlife Conservation Society hunted unsustainably" said WCS researcher (WCS) describe their findings in the journal Charlotte Spira, the lead author of the study.
    [Show full text]
  • Silky Sifaka Propithecus Candidus
    Silky Sifaka Propithecus candidus Excerpt from 2008 update to: Mittermeier, R.A.; Konstant, W.R.; Hawkins, F.; Louis, E.E.; Langrand, O.; Ratsimbazafy, J.; Rasoloarison, R.; Ganzhorn, J.U.; Rajaobelina, S.; Tattersall, I.; Meyers, D.M. 2006. Lemurs of Madagascar. 2nd Edition. Washington, DC: Conservation International. Pp. 383–387. Propithecus candidus Grandidier, 1871 Silky Sifaka Other English name: Silky Simpona French name: Propithèque soyeux Malagasy names: Simpona, Simpony, Simpona fotsy Identification Propithecus candidus is a large white sifaka from northeastern Madagascar. It has a head-body length of 48–54 cm, a tail length of 45–51 cm, a total length of 93– 105 cm, and a weight of 5–6.5 kg (Lehman et al. 2005). The pelage is long, silky and white, which gives this species its common English name. It is truly a remarkable and attractive creature that looks more like a plush toy than a real animal. In some individuals, silver-gray or black tints may appear on the crown, back and limbs, and the pygal region (at the base of the tail) is sometimes yellow. The muzzle and face are bare, the skin a mix of pink and black, with some individuals having all pink or all black faces. The tips of the naked black ears protrude just beyond the white fur of the head and cheeks. This species does not occur with any other sifakas and cannot be confused with any lemurs within its range. Unlike P. perrieri and P. edwardsi, where adult males and females are difficult to distinguish, adult male and female P.
    [Show full text]
  • 14 Primate Introduction
    Introduction to Primates For crying out loud, Phil….Can’t you just beat your chest like everyone else? Objectives • What are the approaches to studying primates? • Why is primate conservation important? • Know (memorize) the classification of primates • Locate the geographical distribution of primates • Present an overview of the strepsirhines • What is the haplorhine condition? • What makes tarsiers unique? • How are prosimians, monkeys, apes and humans classified? 1 Approaches to Studying Evolu6on Paleontological: Fossil Record Comparave approach 2 Comparisons " ! Modern human hunters-gatherers e.g., Australian Aborigines, Ainu, Bushmen " ! Social Carnivores (wild dogs, lions, hyenas, ?gers, wolves) " ! Non-human primates 3 1 Primate Studies " ! Non-human primates " ! Reasoning by homology " ! Reasoning by analogy " ! Primatology - study of living as well as deceased primates " ! Distribuon of primates 4 Primate Conservaon The silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus), found only in Madagascar, has been on The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates list since its inception in 2000. Between 100 and 1,000 individuals are left in the wild. 5 Order Primates (approx. 200 species) (1) Tree-shrew; (2) Lemur; (3) Tarsier; (4) Cercopithecoid monKey; (5) Chimpanzee; (6) Australian Aboriginal 6 2 Geographic Distribu?on 7 n ! Nocturnal Terms n ! Diurnal n ! Crepuscular n ! Arboreal n ! Terrestrial n ! Insectivorous n ! Frugivorous 8 Primate Classification(s) 9 3 Classificaon of Primates " ! Two suborders: " ! Prosimii-prosimians (“pre-apes”) " ! Anthropoidea (humanlike) 10 Strepsirhine/Haplorhine 11 Traditional & Alternative Classifications Traditional Alternative 12 4 Tree Shrews Order Scandentia not a primate 13 Prosimians lemurs tarsiers lorises 14 Prosimians XXXXXXXXX 15 5 Lemurs 3 Families " ! 1. Lemuridae (true lemurs) Sifaka (Family " ! 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report
    2019 ANNUAL REPORT Pictured on the cover: Zazabe, born at LCF’s reserve May 9, 2016 on a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Species Survival Plan. Our red ruffed lemurs typically have Malagasy-themed names. Her name means ‘big baby,’ chosen by our husbandry team as a re- flection of her size. This species is critically endangered. In this and the inside back cover photo, Zazabe enjoys one of our protected, free-ranging lemur habitats. Photos: Caitlin Kenney, LCF Curator of Primates 2019 LETTER FROM THE CHAIR We are pleased to share updates in this 2019 Lemur fied Related Facility. Through this partnership, LCF’s Conservation Foundation Annual Report. This prog- lemurs are part of AZA’s cooperative and scientific ress coincides with an exciting time in our history: Species Survival Plans (SSPs) designed to safeguard our upcoming 25th anniversary in 2021. Throughout the survival of lemur species. LCF’s third lemur shel- our anniversary year, we will celebrate and reflect ter will allow us to expand our participation in AZA upon our accomplishments. Presently, allow me to breeding recommendations. take this opportunity to express our deep appreci- ation for all of our LCF supporters and partners. We Yet, our impact reaches far beyond LCF’s Florida honor your combined enthusiasm as ambassadors reserve, and for this, our gratitude to our supporters for the LCF mission that has brought us thus far. and partners is immeasurable. LCF provides pro- grams in managed breeding, scientific research, Thank you for sharing your talents and wisdom conservation education, and art—in Florida, through- TABLE OF CONTENTS with us; and for your sustained financial contribu- out the U.S., and in northeastern Madagascar.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecogeographic Size Variations in Sifakas: a Test of the Resource Seasonality and Resource Quality Hypotheses
    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 126:318–328 (2005) Ecogeographic Size Variations in Sifakas: A Test of the Resource Seasonality and Resource Quality Hypotheses Shawn M. Lehman,1* Mireya Mayor,2 and Patricia C. Wright3 1Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G3, Canada 2Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794 3Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794 KEY WORDS Propithecus diadema perrieri; Propithecus diadema candidus; biogeography; morphometrics; rainfall; protein-to-fiber ratios; Madagascar ABSTRACT Ecogeographic size variations have been Most morphometrics varied in comparisons between P. d. documented in some but not all sifakas. Few morphomet- candidus and the other Indriidae (P. d. diadema, P. d. ric or body weight data have been available for two criti- edwardsi, and I. indri). Average body size in sifakas is cally endangered subspecies of diademed sifakas: Perrier’s positively correlated with annual rainfall and negatively sifakas (Propithecus diadema perrieri) and silky sifakas correlated with length of dry season. Sifaka body size is (Propithecus diadema candidus). The objectives of our not correlated with protein-to-fiber ratios. Thus, size vari- study were to determine size variations in sifakas and if ations in sifakas are related to resource seasonality rather these variations are related to resource quality and/or than resource quality. The relationships between the tem- resource seasonality. P. d. perrieri and P. d. candidus poral availability of food resources and sifaka body size were captured, weighed, and measured in northern Mada- reflect complex and regionally varying causalities.
    [Show full text]
  • What Is Conservation? Andrianandrasana Works with Erik to Welcome to Our Second DLC SAVA Conservation Newsletter
    DUKE LEMUR SAVA Conservation CENTER S P E C I A L VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 SEPTEMBER 2012 P O I N T S O F I N T E R E S T : • Lanto What is Conservation? Andrianandrasana works with Erik to Welcome to our second DLC SAVA Conservation newsletter. We hope to make this a lead SAVA quarterly update, but make no guarantees! Even at this early stage of the project there is so Conservation much happening that we don’t dare get too far behind on news about activities, lest we forward never catch up with relaying that news. • U.S. Embassy exhibit in Sambava You will notice that in this issue there isn’t much news about lemurs or other Malagasy • Fish farming with fauna. I hope that you don’t find that too disappointing, but one thing that we have learned native freshwater over the years is how much “conservation” is about people rather than the flora and fauna species coming to that we are ironically striving to protect. When the Marojejy region • Parasites found in Andrea and I lived in Madagascar, American wild silky sifakas friends and colleagues had visions of us spending most daytime hours in a Malagasy INSIDE THIS forest, with lemurs cavorting overhead. I S S U E : Although there was certainly a bit of that The Other Half of 2 (which was a really fun part), the majority of the DLC SAVA our time was spent working with Malagasy Helmet Vanga feeding young. Conservation (Photo by Éric Mathieu, www.marojejy.com) Team people at all levels, from local villagers, to teachers, to government officials, to university students, to conservation professionals, etc.
    [Show full text]
  • Lemurs of Madagascar – a Strategy for Their
    Cover photo: Diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema), Critically Endangered. (Photo: Russell A. Mittermeier) Back cover photo: Indri (Indri indri), Critically Endangered. (Photo: Russell A. Mittermeier) Lemurs of Madagascar A Strategy for Their Conservation 2013–2016 Edited by Christoph Schwitzer, Russell A. Mittermeier, Nicola Davies, Steig Johnson, Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Josia Razafindramanana, Edward E. Louis Jr., and Serge Rajaobelina Illustrations and layout by Stephen D. Nash IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation Conservation International This publication was supported by the Conservation International/Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation Primate Action Fund, the Bristol, Clifton and West of England Zoological Society, Houston Zoo, the Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments, and Primate Conservation, Inc. Published by: IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation, and Conservation International Copyright: © 2013 IUCN Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Inquiries to the publisher should be directed to the following address: Russell A. Mittermeier, Chair, IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22202, USA Citation: Schwitzer C, Mittermeier RA, Davies N, Johnson S, Ratsimbazafy J, Razafindramanana J, Louis Jr. EE, Rajaobelina S (eds). 2013. Lemurs of Madagascar: A Strategy for Their Conservation 2013–2016. Bristol, UK: IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation, and Conservation International. 185 pp. ISBN: 978-1-934151-62-4 Illustrations: © Stephen D.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecologically Enigmatic Lemurs: the Sifakas of the Eastern Forests (Propithecus Candidus, P
    CHAPTER FOURTEEN Ecologically Enigmatic Lemurs: The Sifakas of the Eastern Forests (Propithecus candidus, P. diadema, P. edwardsi, P. perrieri, and P. tattersalli) Mitchell T. Irwin INTRODUCTION The sifakas of Madagascar’s eastern forests are some of the most visually distinc- tive members of eastern lemur communities, by virtue of their unique and often brightly colored pelage combined with their large body size, upright posture, and long, powerful legs. Many serious authors have interrupted their scientific writing to comment on their striking physical beauty; for example: “They are certainly the most beautiful lemurs of Madagascar” (Petter et al., 1977: 344). However, these sifakas’ ecology is equally distinctive and enigmatic relative to other lemur groups, a fact that escaped notice until the last few decades. As noted by many authors Mitchell T. Irwin ● Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1B1 305 306 Mitchell T. Irwin (e.g., Petter et al., 1977), eastern sifakas (particularly rainforest taxa) are much harder to observe than western sifakas, due to lower population density and denser habitat. As might be expected, the earliest in-depth studies of western sifakas (e.g., Jolly, 1966; Richard, 1978) significantly predated similar studies of eastern sifakas (e.g., Wright, 1987). While eastern sifakas were last chronologically, they certainly are not least in terms of uniqueness among Malagasy lemurs. In terms of diet, eastern sifakas are relatively catholic: not as dedicated to reproductive parts (flowers/fruits/seeds) as Eulemur, nor as dedicated to folivory as Avahi, Lepilemur, or Indri. Their social groups are neither as large as the gregarious Eulemur and Hapalemur, nor as small as the mostly solitary Avahi, Lepilemur, and other nocturnals.
    [Show full text]
  • Of All Madagascar's Lemurs, Golden-Crowned and Silky Sifakas
    Of all Madagascar’s lemurs, golden-crowned and silky sifakas are among the most threatened and difficult to find, thanks in large part to illegal logging and gold panning. Nick Garbutt seeks them out in their ever-diminishing forest habitat Here: the rare golden- crowned sifaka wasn’t even photographed until 1982 86 WILD TRAVEL WILDLIFEEXTRA.COM DESTINATION MADAGASCAR TRIP REPORT MAROJEJY & DARAINA & y guide kept motioning critically endangered primates, and one us forward and found only in the remote mountainous areas mumbling something of Madagascar’s far north east. that could have been Inevitably the first shots were rubbish, but “it not far now”, but it the rewards eventually came. Over the next was difficult to be pulsating hour, I followed the group of six sure. We slid down adults, including (unusually) two females steep slopes and clambered over tree stumps with offspring; watching them play, stretch, and under fallen logs, and every time I groom, feed and snooze. thought we were getting close, the animals Since my last visit to Marojejy, in 1998, hurtled away through the forest; a flurry of there had been significant improvements in white fur ricocheting through the trees. infrastructure and facilities. Yet the place’s After nearly an hour of lung-splitting rugged beauty and raw wilderness had not exertion we eventually caught up with them. diminished. It remains one of Madagascar’s Unpacking my camera gear, the set up of my wildest places and leaves an indelible mark tripod like wrestling a demented octopus, I on the first-time visitor. silently pleaded for them not to move again.
    [Show full text]