PARASITOLOGIC ANALYSES OF THE SIFAKA (PROPITHECUS VERREAUXI VERREAUXI) AT BEZA MAHAFALY, MADAGASCAR Author(s): Michael P. MuehlenbeinMs.P.H., Marion SchwartzM.A., Alison RichardPh.D. Source: Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 34(3):274-277. 2003. Published By: American Association of Zoo Veterinarians DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1638/1042-7260(2003)034[0274:PAOTSP]2.0.CO;2 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1638/1042-7260%282003%29034%5B0274%3APAOTSP %5D2.0.CO%3B2 BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder. BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 34(3): 274±277, 2003 Copyright 2003 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians PARASITOLOGIC ANALYSES OF THE SIFAKA (PROPITHECUS VERREAUXI VERREAUXI) AT BEZA MAHAFALY, MADAGASCAR Michael P. Muehlenbein, Ms.P.H., Marion Schwartz, M.A., and Alison Richard, Ph.D. Abstract: A cross-sectional parasitologic survey of a population of wild sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi) was conducted at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve in southwest Madagascar. Ninety fecal samples were collected from thirty 1- to 30-yr-old male and female sifakas, and the formalin-preserved and polyvinyl alcohol±preserved specimens were examined using the zinc sulfate ¯otation and formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation techniques. No intestinal parasites were recovered, possibly because the sifakas are arboreal in a dry, riverine habitat and lack human contact. Low rates of parasitic infection may have contributed to the evolution of later age at ®rst reproduction and longer reproductive lifespan, for body mass, in Propithecus compared with other placental mammals. Key words: Sifaka, Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi, Madagascar, intestinal parasites. INTRODUCTION or defecation in the reserve. Direct contact by at least some sifaka with human feces is possible, in Primate parasitology seeks to identify ecologic, principle, because use of a latrine is taboo for local physiologic, and behavioral determinants and con- sequences of parasite-induced pathology in natural staff, who instead have a ``toilet area'' in the un- populations. There are numerous ®eld studies of in- protected forest adjoining the station. Sifaka spend testinal parasites in wild primate populations, in- little time on the ground, however, and the group cluding muriquis (Brachyteles arachnoides) and whose home range encompasses the toilet area has brown howling monkeys (Alouatta fusca) of south- never been seen on the ground there. In sum, an- eastern Brazil,22 mantled howling monkeys (Al- thropogenic contacts in the protected forest are ouatta palliata) at La Selva Biological Reserve in minimal. More opportunities for contact exist in the northeastern Costa Rica,21 Costa Rican squirrel vicinity of the research station, but the arboreal monkeys (Saimiri oerstedi),1 free-ranging Cayo habits, folivorous diet, and dearth of curiosity char- Santiago rhesus macaques,7 olive baboons (Papio acteristic of the sifaka mean that they rarely, if ever, cynocephalus anubis),12,13 vervets (Cercopithecus exploit these opportunities. aethiops) and sykes (Cercopithecus mitis) outside There have been two parasitologic surveys of of Nairobi, Kenya,13 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Propithecus sp. Using a single-sampling regime from Gombe, Mahale, and Kibale,3,4,6,11 and gorillas and the zinc sulfate ¯otation technique, no intesti- (Gorilla gorilla) of Gabon.9 Wild Old World and nal parasites were observed in a population of 34 New World primates harbor a wide range of pro- free-ranging golden crowned sifaka (Propithecus tozoa and helminths. tattersalli) in northeastern Madagascar,5 although Verreauxi's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi ver- circulating micro®lariae (Mansonella sp.) were reauxi) are diurnal strepsirrhine primates that in- present in 59% of the individuals. These sifakas habit the riverine and dry forests of southern Mad- may have been prevented from coming into contact agascar.23 The P. v. verreauxi at Beza Mahafaly with the majority of contaminating fecal matter be- Special Reserve in southwestern Madagascar (Fig. cause they are arboreal.5 Fecal samples were col- 1) have been studied since 1984. The reserve con- lected from 18 sifaka (P. v. verreauxi) in gallery sists of two small protected areas within a much and transitional forest at the Beza Mahafaly Special larger unprotected forest, bounded 15 km to the Reserve in southwest Madagascar during a study of North by a major river, the Onilahy, and about 20 food preferences.16 One-hundred forty samples km to the South by deforested land in the vicinity were collected from November to December 1994 of Betioky. Only project staff, researchers, and au- and 251 samples from November to December thorized tourists enter the reserve. Animals are not 1995. Only one animal was positive by direct fecal provisioned and no human food is accessible to smear for Ogmocotyle sp. and another animal was them in the reserve. Project rules forbid urination positive for Enterobius sp.16 We conducted a parasitologic survey of the P. v. From the Anthropological Parasitology Laboratory, De- verreauxi living in the same area at the Beza Ma- partment of Anthropology, Yale University, 51 Hillhouse hafaly Special Reserve to con®rm extremely low Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA. Corre- prevalence, if not complete absence, of intestinal spondence should be directed to Dr. Muehlenbein. parasites in the sifaka of Madagascar. 274 MUEHLENBEIN ET AL.ÐINTESTINAL PARASITES OF WILD PROPITHECUS VERREAUXI VERREAUXI 275 Figure 1. Location of the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve. MATERIALS AND METHODS preserved in duplicate using Para-Pak plastic trans- port vials (Meridian Diagnostics, Cincinnati, Ohio Field site and study population 45244, USA) prealiquoted with 10% neutral-buff- This study was conducted in 100 ha of the Beza ered formalin and low-viscosity polyvinyl alcohol. Mahafaly Special Reserve, Parcel 1, which encom- Tubes were marked with the date, name, and num- passes a gradient from xerophytic vegetation to a ber of the individual animal. Care was taken during narrow strip of riverine forest dominated by Tama- collection to avoid contamination of samples with rindus indica on the west bank of the Sakamena soil. River. Parcel 1 has been completely fenced since Three samples were collected from each animal 1979. on nonconsecutive days to increase the likelihood There are approximately 54 P. verreauxi social of positive diagnoses in cases of low or recent in- groups with home ranges partly or completely with- fection. Whereas most helminth eggs are passed in the boundaries of Parcel 1. Groups contain 2±14 continually, protozoan cyst output is highly vari- animals, vary markedly in sexual composition,19 able, even within the same day and from hour to and have home ranges of 4±6 ha, with considerable hour.2 overlap between neighboring ranges. Sifakas at Beza primarily eat young leaves, shoots, and sea- Parasitologic analyses sonally available fruit.8,15 Samples were transported to the Anthropological Parasitology Laboratory at Yale University. Each Sample collection specimen was examined using the zinc sulfate ¯o- Ninety fecal samples were collected from thirty tation and formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation 1- to 30-yr-old male and female sifaka during July± techniques.2,10,24 August 2001. Individual animals were identi®ed and followed. Their fecal samples were obtained RESULTS off dry leaf litter immediately after defecation and No intestinal parasites were recovered. 276 JOURNAL OF ZOO AND WILDLIFE MEDICINE DISCUSSION ly ``slow'' life history traits. Controlling for body mass, females in this population give birth for the Our results con®rm previous suggestions of an ®rst time later and have a longer reproductive life absent or low intestinal parasite burden in the Pro- than other primates, including chimpanzees and hu- pithecus of Madagascar.5,16 No enteric parasites mans, or mammals belonging to other orders.17,18 were found in 34 free-ranging golden crowned si- More detailed parasitologic research on similar faka (P. tattersalli) in northeastern Madagascar us- wild primate populations may help us understand ing a single-sampling regime and zinc sulfate ¯o- the determinants of variations in life history pat- tation technique.5 Using the direct smear technique terns between taxa. on fecal samples from 18 P. verreauxi from Beza Mahafaly, Raveloarisoa (2000) diagnosed that one Acknowledgments: We thank the Government of of 18 P. verreauxi from Beza Mahafaly was posi- Madagascar for permission to undertake this re- tive for Ogmocotyle by direct smear and another search and the following persons for collecting the was positive for Enterobius.16