Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2018 A theoretical consideration: Understanding primate polyspecific sa sociations through current literature of primate predation and communication Kaelyn Melinne Dobson Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons, Biology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Dobson, Kaelyn Melinne, "A theoretical consideration: Understanding primate polyspecific associations through current literature of primate predation and communication" (2018). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 16345. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/16345 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A theoretical consideration: Understanding primate polyspecific associations through current literature of primate predation and communication by Kaelyn Dobson A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTERS OF ANTHROPOLOGY Major: Biological Anthropology Program of Study Committee: Jill Pruetz, Co-major Professor Grant Arndt, Co-major Professor Carly Manz Nicole Valenzuela The student author, whose presentation of the scholarship herein was approved by the program of study committee, is solely responsible for the content of this thesis. The Graduate College will ensure this thesis is globally accessible and will not permit alterations after a degree is conferred. Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2018 ii Copyright © Kaelyn Dobson, 2018. All rights reserved. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. vii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ viii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 Primates ..................................................................................................................... 2 Primate Evolutionary Theory ..................................................................................... 9 Predation and Communication ................................................................................. 11 Polyspecific Associations......................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER 2. REVIEW OF CURRENT LITERATURE .............................................. 14 Predation ................................................................................................................. 14 Predation of Primates and Anti-Predation Responses .......................................... 14 Primate Predators and Behavioral Responses ...................................................... 17 Strepsirrhini ................................................................................................... 17 Haplorhini ..................................................................................................... 21 Primates as Predators .......................................................................................... 26 Primate Vocal Communication ................................................................................ 29 Primate Parvorder Vocal Communication ........................................................... 30 Strepsirrhini ................................................................................................... 30 Haplorhini ..................................................................................................... 33 Polyspecific Associations......................................................................................... 36 Primate-Primate Associations ............................................................................. 42 Primate-Non-Primate Associations ..................................................................... 45 Humans .............................................................................................................. 48 CHAPTER 3. REVIEW OF CURRENT METHODS .................................................... 50 Studying Polyspecific Interactions ........................................................................... 55 Sharing Findings ...................................................................................................... 59 CHAPTER 4. REFLECTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................... 60 Methodology Errors ................................................................................................. 60 Predation ................................................................................................................. 63 Vocal Communication ............................................................................................. 68 Polyspecific Associations......................................................................................... 71 iv CHAPTER 5. FUTURE DIRECTIONS ........................................................................ 76 Merging the Features .......................................................................................... 76 Beyond Literature ............................................................................................... 79 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 81 v LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. Primate taxonomy .........................................................................................2 Figure 2. Primate-non-primate associations .............................................................. 40 vi LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Primate group specialized characteristics………………………………………..8 Table 2. Strepsirrhini predation and response……………………………………………21 Table 3. Predators and responses of Haplorrhines……………………………………….26 Table 4. Primates as predators…………………………………………………………...29 Table 5. Behavioral catalog example…………………………………………………… 54 Table 6. Studied primate-primate associations………………………………………......57 Table 7. Studied primate-non-primate associations……………………………………...58 Table 8. Methodology error gaps………………………………………………………...63 Table 9. Primate predation knowledge gaps……………………………………….…….67 Table 10. Primate vocal communication knowledge gaps………………………………71 Table 11. Primate polyspecific association knowledge gaps……………………………75 vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with all great adventures, there are the people who support and stand beside you through the whole thing. I would like to thank my wonderful committee, without whom I would not be taking the next step forward. Thank you to Texas State Department of Anthropology Dr. Jill Pruetz, Iowa State University Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Department Dr. Nicole Valenzuela, Iowa State University Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology Dr. Carly Manz, and Iowa State University Department of Anthropology Dr. Grant Arndt for their support. Special thanks to my primary professor, Dr. Jill Pruetz for her guidance, support, encouragement and standing by me when things seemed a bit hectic. Thank you to the Iowa State University for the honor of this degree. Beyond the academic world, we have those in our lives who support us through it all. Thank you to my family, particularly my parents Rhea and Leisa Dobson, for their never- yielding love and support. None of this would have ever been possible if you did not teach me how to follow my dreams. Thank you for all you do and are to me. viii ABSTRACT Primates are a unique taxon of organisms found to have complex communication, behavior, sociality and in turn, life histories. One of the areas of primate study with relatively little current knowledge is regarding natural polyspecific interactions in which two different species interact in a mutualistic or commensalistic relation suggested to be due to predation threats or foraging benefits. While polyspecific associations have been identified in a wide array of organisms including primate species, the causes are not always clear. Causes are suggested to include reducing predation threats and the ability to communicate information, particularly about predators. This paper will review the current knowledge on primate predation, vocal communication, and naturally occurring polyspecific associations before highlighting the current gaps in the literature. It will attempt to show what is presently understood about the influence of predation on behaviors, knowledge of communication systems, and known polyspecific interactions across the Order Primates. The current openings in the subject materials will be discussed and steps forward will be suggested. A new method of understanding polyspecific interactions and the primate life features related with the associations through different scopes will be presented as a new direction for the field. 1 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION There are many different