Quantity judgments of sequentially presented food items by capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella).

PubMed

Evans, Theodore A; Beran, Michael J; Harris, Emily H; Rice, Daniel F

2009-01-01

Recent assessments have shown that capuchin monkeys, like chimpanzees and other Old World primate species, are sensitive to quantitative differences between sets of visible stimuli. In the present study, we examined capuchins' performance in a more sophisticated quantity judgment task that required the ability to form representations of food quantities while viewing the quantities only one piece at a time. In three experiments, we presented monkeys with the choice between two sets of discrete homogeneous food items and allowed the monkeys to consume the set of their choice. In Experiments 1 and 2, monkeys compared an entirely visible food set to a second set, presented item-by-item into an opaque container. All monkeys exhibited high accuracy in choosing the larger set, even when the entirely visible set was presented last, preventing the use of one-to-one item correspondence to compare quantities. In Experiment 3, monkeys compared two sets that were each presented item-by-item into opaque containers, but at different rates to control for temporal cues. Some monkeys performed well in this experiment, though others exhibited near-chance performance, suggesting that this species' ability to form representations of food quantities may be limited compared to previously tested species such as chimpanzees. Overall, these findings support the analog magnitude model of quantity representation as an explanation for capuchin monkeys' quantification of sequentially presented food items.

Claustrum projections to prefrontal cortex in the capuchin monkey (Cebus apella)

PubMed Central

Reser, David H.; Richardson, Karyn E.; Montibeller, Marina O.; Zhao, Sherry; Chan, Jonathan M. H.; Soares, Juliana G. M.; Chaplin, Tristan A.; Gattass, Ricardo; Rosa, Marcello G. P.

2014-01-01

We examined the pattern of retrograde tracer distribution in the claustrum following intracortical injections into the frontal pole (area 10), and in dorsal (area 9), and ventral lateral (area 12) regions of the rostral prefrontal cortex in the tufted capuchin monkey (Cebus apella). The resulting pattern of labeled cells was assessed in relation to the three-dimensional geometry of the claustrum, as well as recent reports of claustrum-prefrontal connections in other primates. Claustrum-prefrontal projections were extensive, and largely concentrated in the ventral half of the claustrum, especially in the rostral 2/3 of the nucleus. Our data are consistent with a topographic arrangement of claustrum-cortical connections in which prefrontal and association cortices receive connections largely from the rostral and medial claustrum. Comparative aspects of claustrum-prefrontal topography across primate species and the implications of claustrum connectivity for understanding of cortical functional networks are explored, and we hypothesize that the claustrum may play a role in controlling or switching between resting state and task-associated cortical networks. PMID:25071475

Grasping primate development: Ontogeny of intrinsic hand and foot proportions in capuchin monkeys (Cebus albifrons and Sapajus apella).

PubMed

Young, Jesse W; Heard-Booth, Amber N

2016-09-01

Young primates have relatively large hands and feet for their body size, perhaps enhancing grasping ability. We test the hypothesis that selection for improved grasping ability is responsible for these scaling trends by examining the ontogeny of intrinsic hand and foot proportions in capuchin monkeys (Cebus albifrons and Sapajus apella). If selection for improved grasping ability is responsible for the observed patterns of hand and foot growth in primates, we predicted that fingers and toes would be longer early in life and proportionally decline with age. We measured the lengths of manual and pedal metapodials and phalanges in a mixed-longitudinal radiographic sample. Bone lengths were (a) converted into phalangeal indices (summed non-distal phalangeal length/metapodial length) to test for age-related changes in intrinsic proportions and (b) fit to Gompertz models of growth to test for differences in the dynamics of phalangeal versus metapodial growth. Manual and pedal phalangeal indices nearly universally decreased with age in capuchin monkeys. Growth curve analyses revealed that metapodials generally grew at a faster rate, and for a longer duration, than corresponding phalanges. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that primates are under selection for increased grasping ability early in life. Relatively long digits may be functionally adaptive for growing capuchins, permitting a more secure grasp on both caregivers and arboreal supports, as well as facilitating early foraging. Additional studies of primates and other mammals, as well as tests of grasping performance, are required to fully evaluate the adaptive significance of primate hand and foot growth. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Intestinal parasites in white-faced capuchin monkeys Cebus capucinus (Primates: Cebidae) inhabiting a protected area in the Limón province of Northeastern Costa Rica].

PubMed

Chinchilla, Misael; Urbani, Bernardo; Valerio, Idalia; Vanegas, Juan Carlos

2010-12-01

Deforestation of tropical forests is threatening monkey biodiversity and their health status, dependent of an ecologically undisturbed area. To asses this relationship, we analyzed parasite occurrence in their intestines. The study was conducted at the Estación Biológica La Suerte (EBLS), Limón, Costa Rica. The group of white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) was observed between March and December of 2006. A total of 75 feces samples were obtained. Once a sample was collected, the eaten plant type was identified to family and species level, and feces were processed in the laboratory to determine parasite incidence. Results showed that Moraceae was the most represented family in the samples. Among parasites, Strongyloides spp. and Acanthocephala were the most common. Positive prevalence of parasites was found similar and independent of sex and age of capuchin individuals. Microsporids were mainly reported in feces associated with Piperaceae. A low presence of these parasites was found in samples associated with Myrtaceae, with possible anti-parasite active components. The occurrence of parasites was relatively high in EBLS, when compared to other regions in Costa Rica. The higher occurrence of parasites observed in capuchins at EBLS may be due to the fact that this rain forest is surrounded by areas affected by human activities. We suggest the promotion of research in neotropical primates parasitology, for a better comprehension of the parasite-host relationship, and in a long term, being able to understand the ecosystems where they coexist, and consequently, preserve the biodiversity of the whole region.

Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella) Modulate Their Use of an Uncertainty Response Depending on Risk

PubMed Central

Beran, Michael J.; Perdue, Bonnie M.; Church, Barbara A.; Smith, J. David

2015-01-01

Metacognition refers to thinking about thinking, and there has been a great deal of interest in how this ability manifests across primates. Based on much of the work to date, a tentative division has been drawn with New World monkeys on one side and Old World monkeys and apes on the other. Specifically, Old World monkeys, apes and humans often show patterns reflecting metacognition, but New World monkeys typically fail to do so, or show less convincing behavioral patterns. However, recent data suggests that this difference may relate to other aspects of some experimental tasks. For example, one possibility is that risk tolerance affects how capuchin monkeys, a New World primate species, tend to perform. Specifically, it has recently been argued that on tasks in which there are two or three options, the ‘risk’ of guessing is tolerable for capuchins since there is a high probability of being correct even if they ‘know they do not know’ or feel something akin to uncertainty. The current study investigated this possibility by manipulating the degree of risk (2-choices versus 6-choices) and found that capuchin monkeys used the uncertainty response more on 6-choice trials than on 2-choice trials. We also found that rate of reward does not appear to underlie these patterns of performance, and propose that the degree of risk is modulating the use of the uncertainty response in capuchin monkeys. Thus, the apparent differences between New and Old world monkeys in metacognition may reflect differences in risk tolerance rather than access to metacognitive states. PMID:26551351

Divergent personality structures of brown (Sapajus apella) and white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Robinson, Lauren M; Morton, F Blake; Gartner, Marieke C; Widness, Jane; Paukner, Annika; Essler, Jennifer L; Brosnan, Sarah F; Weiss, Alexander

2016-11-01

One way to gain insights into personality evolution is by comparing the personality structures of related species. We compared the personality structure of 240 wild white-faced capuchin monkeys to the personality structure of 100 captive brown capuchin monkeys. An ancillary goal was to test the degree to which different personality questionnaires yielded similar personality dimensions. Both species were rated on a common set of 26 antonym pairs. The brown capuchin monkeys were also rated on the 54-item Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. Our cross-species comparisons revealed 3 personality dimensions-Assertiveness, Openness, and Neuroticism-shared by brown and white-faced capuchins, suggesting that these dimensions were present in the common ancestor of these species. Our comparison of the dimensions derived from the antonym pairs and the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire revealed that three common dimensions were identified by both questionnaires. In addition, the dimension Attentiveness was only identified using the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. These results indicate that major features of capuchin personality are conserved and that the structure of some traits, such as those related to focus, persistence, and attention, diverged. Further work is needed to identify the evolutionary bases that led to the conservation of some dimensions but not others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Older, sociable capuchins (Cebus capucinus) invent more social behaviors, but younger monkeys innovate more in other contexts

PubMed Central

Perry, Susan E.; Godoy, Irene

2017-01-01

An important extension to our understanding of evolutionary processes has been the discovery of the roles that individual and social learning play in creating recurring phenotypes on which selection can act. Cultural change occurs chiefly through invention of new behavioral variants combined with social transmission of the novel behaviors to new practitioners. Therefore, understanding what makes some individuals more likely to innovate and/or transmit new behaviors is critical for creating realistic models of culture change. The difficulty in identifying what behaviors qualify as new in wild animal populations has inhibited researchers from understanding the characteristics of behavioral innovations and innovators. Here, we present the findings of a long-term, systematic study of innovation (10 y, 10 groups, and 234 individuals) in wild capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) in Lomas Barbudal, Costa Rica. Our methodology explicitly seeks novel behaviors, requiring their absence during the first 5 y of the study to qualify as novel in the second 5 y of the study. Only about 20% of 187 innovations identified were retained in innovators’ individual behavioral repertoires, and 22% were subsequently seen in other group members. Older, more social monkeys were more likely to invent new forms of social interaction, whereas younger monkeys were more likely to innovate in other behavioral domains (foraging, investigative, and self-directed behaviors). Sex and rank had little effect on innovative tendencies. Relative to apes, capuchins devote more of their innovations repertoire to investigative behaviors and social bonding behaviors and less to foraging and comfort behaviors. PMID:28739946

Rise to power: a case study of male fecal androgen and cortisol levels before and after a non-aggressive rank change in a group of wild white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Schoof, Valérie A M; Jack, Katharine M; Carnegie, Sarah D

2011-01-01

We examined fecal androgen and cortisol levels in three adult male white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) before and after a non-aggressive rank increase in one habituated group residing in the Santa Rosa Sector of the Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Fecal samples (n = 116) were collected opportunistically between July 2006 and July 2007. Alpha males had higher mean androgen levels than subordinates, and acquisition of the alpha position was linked to an immediate increase in mean androgens. Cortisol levels also increased in the alpha male after acquisition of his new rank, though this increase was delayed relative to the change in rank. These results indicate that, during a non-aggressive rank change, androgen and cortisol levels in male white-faced capuchins are physiological responses to dominance rank, rather than precursors that facilitate rank acquisition. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Histochemistry profile of the biceps brachii muscle fibres of capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella, Linnaeus, 1758).

PubMed

Bortoluci, C H F; Simionato, L H; Rosa Junior, G M; Oliveira, J A; Lauris, J R P; Moraes, L H R; Rodrigues, A C; Andreo, J C

2014-08-01

A general analysis of the behaviour of "Cebus" shows that when this primate moves position to feed or perform another activity, it presents different ways of locomotion. This information shows that the brachial biceps muscle of this animal is frequently used in their locomotion activities, but it should also be remembered that this muscle is also used for other development activities like hiding, searching for objects, searching out in the woods, and digging in the soil. Considering the above, it was decided to research the histoenzimologic characteristics of the brachial biceps muscle to observe whether it is better adpted to postural or phasic function. To that end, samples were taken from the superficial and deep regions, the inserts proximal (medial and lateral) and distal brachial biceps six capuchin monkeys male and adult, which were subjected to the reactions of m-ATPase, NADH-Tr. Based on the results of these reactions fibres were classified as in Fast Twitch Glycolitic (FG), Fast Twitch Oxidative Glycolitic (FOG) and Slow Twitc (SO). In general, the results, considering the muscle as a whole, show a trend of frequency FOG> FG> SO. The data on the frequency were studied on three superficial regions FOG=FG>SO; the deep regions of the inserts proximal FOG=FG=SO and inserting the distal FOG>FG=SO. In conclusion, the biceps brachii of the capuchin monkey is well adapted for both postural and phasic activities.

Capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) use positive, but not negative, auditory cues to infer food location.

PubMed

Heimbauer, Lisa A; Antworth, Rebecca L; Owren, Michael J

2012-01-01

Nonhuman primates appear to capitalize more effectively on visual cues than corresponding auditory versions. For example, studies of inferential reasoning have shown that monkeys and apes readily respond to seeing that food is present ("positive" cuing) or absent ("negative" cuing). Performance is markedly less effective with auditory cues, with many subjects failing to use this input. Extending recent work, we tested eight captive tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) in locating food using positive and negative cues in visual and auditory domains. The monkeys chose between two opaque cups to receive food contained in one of them. Cup contents were either shown or shaken, providing location cues from both cups, positive cues only from the baited cup, or negative cues from the empty cup. As in previous work, subjects readily used both positive and negative visual cues to secure reward. However, auditory outcomes were both similar to and different from those of earlier studies. Specifically, all subjects came to exploit positive auditory cues, but none responded to negative versions. The animals were also clearly different in visual versus auditory performance. Results indicate that a significant proportion of capuchins may be able to use positive auditory cues, with experience and learning likely playing a critical role. These findings raise the possibility that experience may be significant in visually based performance in this task as well, and highlight that coming to grips with evident differences between visual versus auditory processing may be important for understanding primate cognition more generally.

Dioctophyma renale (Goeze, 1782) in the abdominal cavity of a capuchin monkey (Cebus apella), Brazil.

PubMed

Ishizaki, Mirian Naomi; Imbeloni, Aline Amaral; Muniz, José Augusto Pereira Carneiro; Scalercio, Sarah Raphaella Rocha de Azevedo; Benigno, Raimundo Nonato Moraes; Pereira, Washington Luiz Assunção; Cunha Lacreta Junior, Antonio Carlos

2010-10-29

This study reports a case of parasitism by Dioctophyma renale (Goeze, 1762) encysted in the abdominal cavity of a capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) coming from the Centro Nacional de Primatas, Brazil. The animal was sent to the Veterinary Clinic sector with an increase in abdominal volume and no occurrence of any other clinical signs. Upon palpation, a movable circular mass with a diameter of approximately 10 cm was found. Urinalysis, complete blood count and serum biochemistry were performed without revealing any alterations. The animal was then submitted to an abdominal ultrasound exam. The cyst was punctured and a surgical removal procedure was performed, revealing a brownish-colored cylindrical structure that was already deteriorated, making it impossible to perform morphological analysis and classification. In the sediment of the liquid found, eggs were encountered that had morphological characteristics compatible with D. renale. The objective of this paper is to report the first case of parasitism by D. renale in C. apella (Linnaeus, 1758). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Milk composition of captive tufted capuchins (Cebus apella).

PubMed

Milligan, Lauren A

2010-01-01

Little is known about the milk composition of nonhuman primates, and it has never been examined in capuchin monkeys (genus Cebus). This article reports on the macronutrient milk composition (fat, crude protein (CP), lactose, dry matter (DM), and total gross energy (GE)) of captive housed tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) (n=8). C. apella milk averaged 5.22% fat, 2.40% CP, 6.94% lactose, 16.48% DM, and 0.89 kcal/g. Fat was the most variable macronutrient and was significantly higher in samples collected after 2 months of lactation. To explore the adaptive significance of C. apella milk composition, results were compared with data on milk composition from a closely related cebid, Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis, and another large-brained anthropoid, Homo sapiens. C. apella milk was only significantly different from Saimiri milk in CP and the proportion of energy from CP. Compared with human milk, C. apella milk was lower in lactose but higher in fat, CP, DM, GE, and the proportion of energy from CP. Results from this small dataset suggest that among anthropoid primates, the macronutrient composition of milk is influenced by phylogeny, may vary relative to infant growth rates, but may not be related in any direct way to relative brain size. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Trichromacy increases fruit intake rates of wild capuchins (Cebus capucinus imitator)

PubMed Central

Chiou, Kenneth L.; Walco, Emily R.; Bergstrom, Mackenzie L.; Kawamura, Shoji; Fedigan, Linda M.

2017-01-01

Intraspecific color vision variation is prevalent among nearly all diurnal monkeys in the neotropics and is seemingly a textbook case of balancing selection acting to maintain genetic polymorphism. Clear foraging advantages to monkeys with trichromatic vision over those with dichromatic “red-green colorblind” vision have been observed in captive studies; however, evidence of trichromatic advantage during close-range foraging has been surprisingly scarce in field studies, perhaps as a result of small sample sizes and strong impacts of environmental or individual variation on foraging performance. To robustly test the effects of color vision type on foraging efficiency in the wild, we conducted an extensive study of dichromatic and trichromatic white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus imitator), controlling for plant-level and monkey-level variables that may affect fruit intake rates. Over the course of 14 months, we collected behavioral data from 72 monkeys in Sector Santa Rosa, Costa Rica. We analyzed 19,043 fruit feeding events within 1,602 foraging bouts across 27 plant species. We find that plant species, color conspicuity category, and monkey age class significantly impact intake rates, while sex does not. When plant species and age are controlled for, we observe that trichromats have higher intake rates than dichromats for plant species with conspicuously colored fruits. This study provides clear evidence of trichromatic advantage in close-range fruit feeding in wild monkeys. Taken together with previous reports of dichromatic advantage for finding cryptic foods, our results illuminate an important aspect of balancing selection maintaining primate opsin polymorphism. PMID:28894009

"Unwilling" versus "Unable": Capuchin Monkeys' ("Cebus Apella") Understanding of Human Intentional Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Webb; Barnes, Jennifer L.; Mahajan, Neha; Yamaguchi, Mariko; Santos, Laurie R.

2009-01-01

A sensitivity to the intentions behind human action is a crucial developmental achievement in infants. Is this intention reading ability a unique and relatively recent product of human evolution and culture, or does this capacity instead have roots in our non-human primate ancestors? Recent work by Call and colleagues (2004) lends credence to the…

Conceptual thresholds for same and different in old-(Macaca mulatta) and new-world (Cebus apella) monkeys

PubMed Central

Flemming, Timothy M.

2011-01-01

Learning of the relational same/different (S/D) concept has been demonstrated to be largely dependent upon stimulus sets containing more than two items for pigeons and old-world monkeys. Stimulus arrays containing several images for use in same/different discrimination procures (e.g. 16 identical images vs. 16 nonidentical images) have been shown to facilitate and even be necessary for learning of relational concepts (Flemming, Beran & Washburn, 2007; Wasserman, Young & Fagot, 2001; Young, Wasserman & Garner, 1997). In the present study, we investigate the threshold at which a new world primate, the capuchin (Cebus apella) may be able to make such a discrimination. Utilizing a method of increasing entropy, rather than conventional procedures of decreasing entropy, we demonstrate unique evidence that capuchin monkeys are readily capable of making 2-item relational S/D conditional discriminations. In another experiment, we examine the supposed level of difficulty in making S/D discriminations by rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Whereas pigeons (Columba livia) and baboons (Papio papio) have shown marked difficulty simultaneously discriminating same from different arrays at all when composed of fewer than 8 items each, rhesus monkeys seem to understand that pairs of stimuli connote sameness and difference just the same (Flemming et al., 2007). With sustained accurate performance of 2-item S/D discriminations, both experienced and task-naïve rhesus monkeys appear quite certain in their conceptual knowledge of same and different. We conclude that learning of the same/different relational concept may be less dependent upon high levels of entropy contrast than originally hypothesized for nonhuman primates. PMID:21238555

Working and waiting for better rewards: self-control in two monkey species (Cebus apella and Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Evans, Theodore A; Perdue, Bonnie M; Parrish, Audrey E; Beran, Michael J

2014-03-01

Self-control is typically defined as choosing a greater, delayed reward over a lesser, more immediate reward. However, in nature, there are other costs besides delay associated with obtaining the greatest outcome including increased effort, potential punishment, and low probability of reward. Effort is an interesting case because it sometimes impairs self-control, by acting as an additional cost, and at other times facilitates self-control, by distracting one from impulsive options. Additionally, different species may perform differently in effortful self-control tasks, based on their natural ecology. To gain insight into these aspects of self-control behavior, we examined capuchin monkeys' and rhesus monkeys' self-control in separate working and waiting choice tasks. We hypothesized that capuchins would show greater self-control in the working task, given their naturally higher activity level, whereas rhesus would perform similarly in both tasks. Rhesus performed as predicted, whereas contrary to our hypothesis, capuchins exhibited lesser performance in the working task. Nonetheless, these results may still stem from inherent species differences interacting with details of the methodology. Capuchins, being highly energetic and social monkeys, may have divided their energy and attention between the working task and other elements of the test environment such as visible group mates or manipulanda. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Delay Choice vs. Delay Maintenance: Different Measures of Delayed Gratification in Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella)

PubMed Central

Addessi, Elsa; Paglieri, Fabio; Beran, Michael J.; Evans, Theodore A.; Macchitella, Luigi; De Petrillo, Francesca; Focaroli, Valentina

2013-01-01

Delaying gratification involves two components: (i) delay choice (selecting a delayed reward over an immediate one), and (ii) delay maintenance (sustaining the decision to delay gratification even if the immediate reward is available during the delay). In primates, two tasks most commonly have explored these components, the Intertemporal choice task and the Accumulation task. It is unclear whether these tasks provide equivalent measures of delay of gratification. Here, we compared the performance of the same capuchin monkeys, belonging to two study populations, between these tasks. We found only limited evidence of a significant correlation in performance. Consequently, in contrast to what is often assumed, our data provide only partial support to the hypothesis that these tasks provide equivalent measures of delay of gratification. PMID:23544770

Ecotourism and primate habituation: Behavioral variation in two groups of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) from Costa Rica.

PubMed

Webb, Shasta E; McCoy, Michael B

2014-09-01

The increase of ecotourism operations within Costa Rica during the last 20 yrs has brought more and more humans into close, direct contact with several wildlife species. One of these species is the white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinos), highly gregarious, and with exposure over time, willing to come into close vicinity of humans and their developments. Such contact has its advantages and disadvantages for the ecotourism industry. We observed white-faced monkeys in order to assess the impact of human presence and development on monkey behavior, with a focus on aggressive, affiliative, and foraging behaviors in Curú Wildlife Refuge (CWR), located in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, and to ascertain the degree of over-habituation of capuchin popula- tions at CWR. Though there exists no discrete behavioral parameters that measure over-habituation, it can be defined as an extreme state of habituation in which non-human primates not only lose fear of humans, but also actively include humans in social interactions or treat them as a food resource. We used instantaneous focal animal and group scan sampling during 8 wks in March and April 2012. Two groups (approximately 20-30 individuals each) of capuchins were observed; the first near the tourist development at the Southwestern area of CWR, representing a habituated population that regularly foraged, rested, and groomed in the presence of humans. The second, was observed in the Northeastern area of CWR, did not visit the center of human activity and exhibited fear of humans. The habituated group exhibited significantly fewer instances of threatened behavior in response to human presence (p < 0.0001) than the non-habituated group, and spent significantly more time eating and foraging (p < 0.0001). While the habituated monkeys at CWR may not be over-habituated, they could become that way as development, especially ecotourism, increases. Over-habituation is a problem that affects capuchins in certain ecotourism sites in Costa Rica. It is critical that the consequences of habituation be studied more carefully, primarily in areas where ecotourism operations draw visitors to wildlife habitats.

A comparative analysis of global and local processing of hierarchical visual stimuli in young children (Homo sapiens) and monkeys (Cebus apella).

PubMed

De Lillo, Carlo; Spinozzi, Giovanna; Truppa, Valentina; Naylor, Donna M

2005-05-01

Results obtained with preschool children (Homo sapiens) were compared with results previously obtained from capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) in matching-to-sample tasks featuring hierarchical visual stimuli. In Experiment 1, monkeys, in contrast with children, showed an advantage in matching the stimuli on the basis of their local features. These results were replicated in a 2nd experiment in which control trials enabled the authors to rule out that children used spurious cues to solve the matching task. In a 3rd experiment featuring conditions in which the density of the stimuli was manipulated, monkeys' accuracy in the processing of the global shape of the stimuli was negatively affected by the separation of the local elements, whereas children's performance was robust across testing conditions. Children's response latencies revealed a global precedence in the 2nd and 3rd experiments. These results show differences in the processing of hierarchical stimuli by humans and monkeys that emerge early during childhood. 2005 APA, all rights reserved

a Maximum Entropy Model of the Bearded Capuchin Monkey Habitat Incorporating Topography and Spectral Unmixing Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, A. M.; Bernardes, S.; Nibbelink, N.; Biondi, L.; Presotto, A.; Fragaszy, D. M.; Madden, M.

2012-07-01

Movement patterns of bearded capuchin monkeys (Cebus (Sapajus) libidinosus) in northeastern Brazil are likely impacted by environmental features such as elevation, vegetation density, or vegetation type. Habitat preferences of these monkeys provide insights regarding the impact of environmental features on species ecology and the degree to which they incorporate these features in movement decisions. In order to evaluate environmental features influencing movement patterns and predict areas suitable for movement, we employed a maximum entropy modelling approach, using observation points along capuchin monkey daily routes as species presence points. We combined these presence points with spatial data on important environmental features from remotely sensed data on land cover and topography. A spectral mixing analysis procedure was used to generate fraction images that represent green vegetation, shade and soil of the study area. A Landsat Thematic Mapper scene of the area of study was geometrically and atmospherically corrected and used as input in a Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) procedure and a linear spectral unmixing approach was used to generate the fraction images. These fraction images and elevation were the environmental layer inputs for our logistic MaxEnt model of capuchin movement. Our models' predictive power (test AUC) was 0.775. Areas of high elevation (>450 m) showed low probabilities of presence, and percent green vegetation was the greatest overall contributor to model AUC. This work has implications for predicting daily movement patterns of capuchins in our field site, as suitability values from our model may relate to habitat preference and facility of movement.

Capuchin monkeys do not show human-like pricing effects.

PubMed

Catapano, Rhia; Buttrick, Nicholas; Widness, Jane; Goldstein, Robin; Santos, Laurie R

2014-01-01

Recent work in judgment and decision-making has shown that a good's price can have irrational effects on people's preferences. People tend to prefer goods that cost more money and assume that such expensive goods will be more effective, even in cases where the price of the good is itself arbitrary. Although much work has documented the existence of these pricing effects, unfortunately little work has addressed where these price effects come from in the first place. Here we use a comparative approach to distinguish between different accounts of this bias and to explore the origins of these effects. Specifically, we test whether brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) are also susceptible to pricing effects within the context of an experimentally trained token economy. Using a capuchin population previously trained in a token market, we explored whether monkeys used price as an indicator of value across four experiments. Although monkeys demonstrated an understanding of which goods had which prices (consistently shifting preferences to cheaper goods when prices were increased), we observed no evidence that such price information affected their valuation of different kinds of goods. These results suggest that human pricing effects may involve more sophisticated human-unique cognitive capacities, such as an understanding of market forces and signaling.

Capuchin monkeys do not show human-like pricing effects

PubMed Central

Catapano, Rhia; Buttrick, Nicholas; Widness, Jane; Goldstein, Robin; Santos, Laurie R.

2014-01-01

Recent work in judgment and decision-making has shown that a good's price can have irrational effects on people's preferences. People tend to prefer goods that cost more money and assume that such expensive goods will be more effective, even in cases where the price of the good is itself arbitrary. Although much work has documented the existence of these pricing effects, unfortunately little work has addressed where these price effects come from in the first place. Here we use a comparative approach to distinguish between different accounts of this bias and to explore the origins of these effects. Specifically, we test whether brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) are also susceptible to pricing effects within the context of an experimentally trained token economy. Using a capuchin population previously trained in a token market, we explored whether monkeys used price as an indicator of value across four experiments. Although monkeys demonstrated an understanding of which goods had which prices (consistently shifting preferences to cheaper goods when prices were increased), we observed no evidence that such price information affected their valuation of different kinds of goods. These results suggest that human pricing effects may involve more sophisticated human-unique cognitive capacities, such as an understanding of market forces and signaling. PMID:25520677

Quantifying seasonal fallback on invertebrates, pith, and bromeliad leaves by white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) in a tropical dry forest.

PubMed

Mosdossy, Krisztina N; Melin, Amanda D; Fedigan, Linda M

2015-09-01

Fallback foods (FBFs) are hypothesized to shape the ecology, morphology, and behavior of primates, including hominins. Identifying FBFs is therefore critical for revealing past and present foraging adaptations. Recent research suggests invertebrates act as seasonal FBFs for many primate species and human populations. Yet, studies measuring the consumption of invertebrates relative to ecological variation are widely lacking. We address this gap by examining food abundance and entomophagy by primates in a seasonal forest. We study foraging behavior of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus)-a species renowned for its intelligence and propensity for extractive foraging-along with the abundance of invertebrates, dietary ripe fruits, pith, and bromeliads. Consumption events and processing time are recorded during focal animal samples. We determine abundance of vegetative foods through phenological and density records. Invertebrates are collected in malaise, pan, and terrestrial traps; caterpillar abundance is inferred from frass traps. Invertebrates are abundant throughout the year and capuchins consume invertebrates-including caterpillars-frequently when fruit is abundant. However, capuchins spend significantly more time processing protected invertebrates when fruit and caterpillars are low in abundance. Invertebrate foraging patterns are not uniform. Caterpillar consumption is consistent with a preferred strategy, whereas capuchins appear to fallback on invertebrates requiring high handling time. Capuchins are convergent with hominins in possessing large brains and high levels of sensorimotor intelligence, thus our research has broad implications for primate evolution, including factors shaping cognitive innovations, brain size, and the role of entomophagy in the human diet. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cyto-, myelo- and chemoarchitecture of the prefrontal cortex of the Cebus monkey

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background According to several lines of evidence, the great expansion observed in the primate prefrontal cortex (PfC) was accompanied by the emergence of new cortical areas during phylogenetic development. As a consequence, the structural heterogeneity noted in this region of the primate frontal lobe has been associated with diverse behavioral and cognitive functions described in human and non-human primates. A substantial part of this evidence was obtained using Old World monkeys as experimental model; while the PfC of New World monkeys has been poorly studied. In this study, the architecture of the PfC in five capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) was analyzed based on four different architectonic tools, Nissl and myelin staining, histochemistry using the lectin Wisteria floribunda agglutinin and immunohistochemistry using SMI-32 antibody. Results Twenty-two architectonic areas in the Cebus PfC were distinguished: areas 8v, 8d, 9d, 12l, 45, 46v, 46d, 46vr and 46dr in the lateral PfC; areas 11l, 11m, 12o, 13l, 13m, 13i, 14r and 14c in the orbitofrontal cortex, with areas 14r and 14c occupying the ventromedial corner; areas 32r, 32c, 25 and 9m in the medial PfC, and area 10 in the frontal pole. This number is significantly higher than the four cytoarchitectonic areas previously recognized in the same species. However, the number and distribution of these areas in Cebus were to a large extent similar to those described in Old World monkeys PfC in more recent studies. Conclusions The present parcellation of the Cebus PfC considerably modifies the scheme initially proposed for this species but is in line with previous studies on Old World monkeys. Thus, it was observed that the remarkable anatomical similarity between the brains of genera Macaca and Cebus may extend to architectonic aspects. Since monkeys of both genera evolved independently over a long period of time facing different environmental pressures, the similarities in the architectonic maps of PfC in both genera are issues of interest. However, additional data about the connectivity and function of the Cebus PfC are necessary to evaluate the possibility of potential homologies or parallelisms. PMID:21232115

Wild capuchin monkeys (Cebus libidinosus) use anvils and stone pounding tools.

PubMed

Fragaszy, Dorothy; Izar, Patrícia; Visalberghi, Elisabetta; Ottoni, Eduardo B; de Oliveira, Marino Gomes

2004-12-01

We conducted an exploratory investigation in an area where nut-cracking by wild capuchin monkeys is common knowledge among local residents. In addition to observing male and female capuchin monkeys using stones to pound open nuts on stone "anvils," we surveyed the surrounding area and found physical evidence that monkeys cracked nuts on rock outcrops, boulders, and logs (collectively termed anvils). Anvils, which were identified by numerous shallow depressions on the upper surface, the presence of palm shells and debris, and the presence of loose stones of an appropriate size to pound nuts, were present even on the tops of mesas. The stones used to crack nuts can weigh >1 kg, and are remarkably heavy for monkeys that weigh <4 kg. The abundance of shell remains and depressions in the anvil surface at numerous anvil sites indicate that nut-cracking activity is common and long-enduring. Many of the stones found on anvils (presumably used to pound nuts) are river pebbles that are not present in the local area we surveyed (except on or near the anvils); therefore, we surmise that they were transported to the anvil sites. Ecologically and behaviorally, nut-cracking by capuchins appears to have strong parallels to nut-cracking by wild chimpanzees. The presence of abundant anvil sites, limited alternative food resources, abundance of palms, and the habit of the palms in this region to produce fruit at ground level all likely contribute to the monkeys' routine exploitation of palm nuts via cracking them with stones. This discovery provides a new reference point for discussions regarding the evolution of tool use and material culture in primates. Routine tool use to exploit keystone food resources is not restricted to living great apes and ancestral hominids. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The hybrid delay task: Can capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) sustain a delay after an initial choice to do so?

PubMed Central

Paglieri, Fabio; Focaroli, Valentina; Bramlett, Jessica; Tierno, Valeria; McIntyre, Joseph M.; Addessi, Elsa; Evans, Theodore A.; Beran, Michael J.

2013-01-01

Choosing to wait for a better outcome (delay choice) and sustaining the delay prior to that outcome (delay maintenance) are both prerequisites for successful self control in intertemporal choices. However, most existing experimental methods test these skills in isolation from each other, and no significant correlation has been observed in performance across these tasks. In this study we introduce a new paradigm, the hybrid delay task, which combines an initial delay choice with a subsequent delay maintenance stage. This allows testing how often choosing to wait is paired with the actual ability to do so. We tested 18 capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) from two laboratories in various conditions, and we found that subjects frequently chose the delayed reward but then failed to wait for it, due to poor delay maintenance. However, performance improved with experience and different behavioral responses for error correction were evident. These findings have far reaching implications: if such a high error rate was observed also in other species (possibly including Homo sapiens), this may indicate that delay choice tasks that make use of salient, prepotent stimuli do not reliably assess generalized self control, insofar as choosing to wait does not entail always being able to do so. PMID:23274585

Relationship of early infant state measures to behavior over the first year of life in the tufted capuchin monkey (Cebus apella).

PubMed

Byrne, G; Suomi, S J

1998-01-01

Data on activity states were collected from 29 group-housed capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) infants for 3 h each week from birth to 11 weeks of age. The amounts of time spent in sleeping/drowsy, alert-quiet, and alert-active states were measured in these subjects. Videotaped observations of these infants were recorded 3 times/week in the home cage over the first year of life and were scored for a number of social and exploratory behaviors. The extent to which early infant activity state scores predicted later behavior in the home cage was examined. Infant state measures correlated significantly with home cage behavior during months 2-6 in that infants that had been more active in early infancy spent more time alone, with other animals, and in exploration and play and less time with mothers than did quieter infants. Early state measures were less successful in predicting home cage scores beyond 8 months of age, whereas differences in behavior attributable to housing variables became more salient in the latter part of the first year. There was also a negative correlation between mother and infant activity in months 2 and 3, in that more sedentary mothers tended to have more active infants.

The elusive illusion: Do children (Homo sapiens) and capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) see the Solitaire illusion?

PubMed

Parrish, Audrey E; Agrillo, Christian; Perdue, Bonnie M; Beran, Michael J

2016-02-01

One approach to gaining a better understanding of how we perceive the world is to assess the errors that human and nonhuman animals make in perceptual processing. Developmental and comparative perspectives can contribute to identifying the mechanisms that underlie systematic perceptual errors often referred to as perceptual illusions. In the visual domain, some illusions appear to remain constant across the lifespan, whereas others change with age. From a comparative perspective, many of the illusions observed in humans appear to be shared with nonhuman primates. Numerosity illusions are a subset of visual illusions and occur when the spatial arrangement of stimuli within a set influences the perception of quantity. Previous research has found one such illusion that readily occurs in human adults, the Solitaire illusion. This illusion appears to be less robust in two monkey species, rhesus macaques and capuchin monkeys. We attempted to clarify the ontogeny of this illusion from a developmental and comparative perspective by testing human children and task-naïve capuchin monkeys in a computerized quantity judgment task. The overall performance of the monkeys suggested that they perceived the numerosity illusion, although there were large differences among individuals. Younger children performed similarly to the monkeys, whereas older children more consistently perceived the illusion. These findings suggest that human-unique perceptual experiences with the world might play an important role in the emergence of the Solitaire illusion in human adults, although other factors also may contribute. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Visual responses of ganglion cells of a New-World primate, the capuchin monkey, Cebus apella.

PubMed

Lee, B B; Silveira, L C; Yamada, E S; Hunt, D M; Kremers, J; Martin, P R; Troy, J B; da Silva-Filho, M

2000-11-01

1. The genetic basis of colour vision in New-World primates differs from that in humans and other Old-World primates. Most New-World primate species show a polymorphism; all males are dichromats and most females trichromats. 2. In the retina of Old-World primates such as the macaque, the physiological correlates of trichromacy are well established. Comparison of the retinae in New- and Old-World species may help constrain hypotheses as to the evolution of colour vision and the pathways associated with it. 3. Ganglion cell behaviour was recorded from trichromatic and dichromatic members of a New-World species (the capuchin monkey, Cebus apella) and compared with macaque data. Despite some differences in quantitative detail (such as a temporal response extended to higher frequencies), results from trichromatic animals strongly resembled those from the macaque. 4. In particular, cells of the parvocellular (PC) pathway showed characteristic frequency-dependent changes in responsivity to luminance and chromatic modulation, cells of the magnocellular (MC) pathway showed frequency-doubled responses to chromatic modulation, and the surround of MC cells received a chromatic input revealed on changing the phase of heterochromatically modulated lights. 5. Ganglion cells of dichromats were colour-blind versions of those of trichromats. 6. This strong physiological homology is consistent with a common origin of trichromacy in New- and Old-World monkeys; in the New-World primate the presence of two pigments in the middle-to-long wavelength range permits full expression of the retinal mechanisms of trichromatic vision.

Task switching in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) during computerized categorization tasks.

PubMed

Smith, Travis R; Beran, Michael J

2018-05-31

The present experiments extended to monkeys a previously used abstract categorization procedure (Castro & Wasserman, 2016) where pigeons had categorized arrays of clipart icons based upon two task rules: the number of clipart objects in the array or the variability of objects in the array. Experiment 1 replicated Castro and Wasserman by using capuchin monkeys and rhesus monkeys and reported that monkeys' performances were similar to pigeons' in terms of acquisition, pattern of errors, and the absence of switch costs. Furthermore, monkeys' insensitivity to the added irrelevant information suggested that an associative (rather than rule-based) categorization mechanism was dominant. Experiment 2 was conducted to include categorization cue reversals to determine (a) whether the monkeys would quickly adapt to the reversals and inhibit interference from a prereversal task rule (consistent with a rule-based mechanism) and (b) whether the latency to make a response prior to a correct or incorrect outcome was informative about the presence of a cognitive mechanism. The cue reassignment produced profound and long-lasting performance deficits, and a long reacquisition phase suggested the involvement of associative learning processes; however, monkeys also displayed longer latencies to choose prior to correct responses on challenging trials, suggesting the involvement of nonassociative processes. Together these performances suggest a mix of associative and cognitive-control processes governing monkey categorization judgments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) attribute value to foods and tools during voluntary exchanges with humans.

PubMed

Westergaard, Gregory C; Liv, Chanya; Rocca, Andrea M; Cleveland, Allison; Suomi, Stephen J

2004-01-01

This research examined exchange and value attribution in tufted capuchin monkeys ( Cebus apella). We presented subjects with opportunities to obtain various foods and a tool from an experimenter in exchange for the foods or tool in the subjects' possession. The times elapsed before the first chow biscuits were expelled and/or an exchange took place were recorded as the dependent measures. Laboratory chow biscuits, grapes, apples, and a metal bolt (a tool used to probe for syrup) were used as experimental stimuli. The subjects demonstrated the ability to recognize that exchanges could occur when an experimenter was present with a desirable food. Results indicate that subjects exhibited significant variation in their willingness to barter based upon the types of foods that were both in their possession and presented by the experimenter. Subjects more readily traded chow biscuits for fruit, and more readily traded apples for grapes than grapes for apples. During the exchange of tools and food, the subjects preferred the following in descending order when the probing apparatus was baited with sweet syrup: grapes, metal bolts, and chow biscuits. However when the apparatus was not baited, the values changed to the following in descending order: grapes, chow, and metal bolts. These results indicate that tufted capuchins recognize opportunities to exchange and engage in a simple barter system whereby low-valued foods are readily traded for more highly valued food. Furthermore, these capuchins demonstrate that their value for a tool changes depending upon its utility.

Consequences of lethal intragroup aggression and alpha male replacement on intergroup relations and home range use in tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella nigritus).

PubMed

Scarry, Clara J; Tujague, M Paula

2012-09-01

In conflicts between primate groups, the resource-holding potential (RHP) of competitors is frequently related to group size or male group size, which can remain relatively constant for long periods of time, promoting stable intergroup dominance relationships. Demographic changes in neighboring groups, however, could introduce uncertainty into existing relationships. Among tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella nigritus), dominant male replacement is a relatively infrequent demographic event that can have a profound effect on both the composition and size of the social group. Here, we report such a case and the consequences for home range use and intergroup aggression. Between June 2008 and August 2010, we periodically followed two neighboring groups (Macuco and Rita) in Iguazú National Park, recording daily paths (N = 143) and encounters between the groups (N = 28). We describe the events leading to a change in the male dominance hierarchy in the larger group (Macuco), which resulted in the death or dispersal of all adult males, followed by the succession of a young adult male to the dominant position. This takeover event reduced the numerical advantage in number of males between the two groups, although the ratio of total group sizes remained nearly constant. Following this shift in numerical asymmetry, the degree of escalation of intergroup aggression increased, and we observed reversals in the former intergroup dominance relationship. These changes in behavior during intergroup encounters were associated with changes in the use of overlapping areas. In the 6 months following the takeover, the area of home range overlap doubled, and the formerly dominant group's area of exclusive access was reduced by half. These results suggest that RHPin tufted capuchin monkeys is related to male group size. Furthermore, they highlight the importance of considering rare demographic events in attempts to understand the dynamics of aggression between primate groups. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Do primates see the solitaire illusion differently? A comparative assessment of humans (Homo sapiens), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), and capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella).

PubMed

Agrillo, Christian; Parrish, Audrey E; Beran, Michael J

2014-11-01

An important question in comparative psychology is whether human and nonhuman animals share similar principles of perceptual organization. Despite much empirical research, no firm conclusion has been drawn. The Solitaire illusion is a numerosity illusion in humans that occurs when one misperceives the relative number of 2 types of items presented in intermingled sets. To date, no study has investigated whether nonhuman animals perceive the Solitaire illusion as humans do. Here, we compared the perception of the Solitaire illusion in human and nonhuman primates in 3 experiments. We first observed (Experiment 1) the spontaneous behavior of chimpanzees when presented with 2 arrays composed of a different number of preferred and nonpreferred food items. In probe trials, preferred items were presented in the Solitaire pattern in 2 different spatial arrangements (either clustered centrally or distributed on the perimeter). Chimpanzees did not show any misperception of quantity in the Solitaire pattern. Next, humans, chimpanzees, rhesus monkeys, and capuchin monkeys underwent the same testing of relative quantity judgments in a computerized task that also presented the Solitaire illusion (Experiments 2 and 3). Unlike humans, chimpanzees did not appear to perceive the illusion, in agreement with Experiment 1. The performance of rhesus monkeys and capuchin monkeys was also different from that of humans, but was slightly more indicative of a potential Solitaire illusion. On the whole, our results suggest a potential discontinuity in the visual mechanisms underlying the Solitaire illusion between human and nonhuman primates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Impact of stimulus format and reward value on quantity discrimination in capuchin and squirrel monkeys.

PubMed

Gazes, Regina Paxton; Billas, Alison R; Schmitt, Vanessa

2018-03-01

Quantity discrimination abilities are seen in a diverse range of species with similarities in performance patterns, suggesting common underlying cognitive mechanisms. However, methodological factors that impact performance make it difficult to draw broad phylogenetic comparisons of numerical cognition across studies. For example, some Old World monkeys selected a higher quantity stimulus more frequently when choosing between inedible (pebbles) than edible (food) stimuli. In Experiment 1 we presented brown capuchin (Cebus [Sapajus] paella) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) with the same two-choice quantity discrimination task in three different stimulus conditions: edible, inedible, and edible replaced (in which choice stimuli were food items that stood in for the same quantity of food items that were given as a reward). Unlike Old World monkeys, capuchins selected the higher quantity stimulus more in the edible condition and squirrel monkeys showed generally poor performance across all stimulus types. Performance patterns suggested that differences in subjective reward value might motivate differences in choice behavior between and within species. In Experiment 2 we manipulated the subjective reinforcement value of the reward by varying reward type and delay to reinforcement and found that delay to reinforcement had no impact on choice behavior, while increasing the value of the reward significantly improved performance by both species. The results of this study indicate that species presented with identical tasks may respond differently to methodological factors such as stimulus and reward types, resulting in significant differences in choice behavior that may lead to spurious suggestions of species differences in cognitive abilities.

Development of manipulation in capuchin monkeys during the first 6 months.

PubMed

Adams-Curtis, L E; Fragaszy, D M

1994-03-01

This study describes the orderly changes in manipulation over the first 6 months in capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). By 6 months of age, all the basic forms of manipulation seen in adults have appeared. Actions that occur frequently in the first 8 weeks are gentle and involve sustained visual orientation and aimed reaching. Later actions are more vigorous, and involve grasping. Large increases in the rate of activity are evident over the period of development studied. The increase from the first 8 weeks to the second may be due to (a) an increase in the amount of time spent alert and active, (b) a decrease in the amount of time spent in a ventral position, (c) improvements in postural control and stamina and (d) the onset of independent locomotion. Changes in form can be attributed primarily to postural factors and to neuromuscular development (precisely aimed and controlled movements appearing in the 5th and 6th months).

Color discrimination in the tufted capuchin monkey, Sapajus spp.

PubMed

Goulart, Paulo Roney Kilpp; Bonci, Daniela Maria Oliveira; Galvão, Olavo de Faria; Silveira, Luiz Carlos de Lima; Ventura, Dora Fix

2013-01-01

The present study evaluated the efficacy of an adapted version of the Mollon-Reffin test for the behavioral investigation of color vision in capuchin monkeys. Ten tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp., formerly referred to as Cebus apella) had their DNA analyzed and were characterized as the following: one trichromat female, seven deuteranope dichromats (six males and one female), and two protanope males, one of which was identified as an "ML protanope." For their behavioral characterization, all of the subjects were tested at three regions of the Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) 1976 u'v' diagram, with each test consisting of 20 chromatic variation vectors that were radially distributed around the chromaticity point set as the test background. The phenotypes inferred from the behavioral data were in complete agreement with those predicted from the genetic analysis, with the threshold distribution clearly differentiating between trichromats and dichromats and the estimated confusion lines characteristically converging for deuteranopes and the "classic" protanope. The discrimination pattern of the ML protanope was intermediate between protan and deutan, with confusion lines horizontally oriented and parallel to each other. The observed phenotypic differentiation confirmed the efficacy of the Mollon-Reffin test paradigm as a useful tool for evaluating color discrimination in nonhuman primates. Especially noteworthy was the demonstration of behavioral segregation between the "classic" and "ML" protanopes, suggesting identifiable behavioral consequences of even slight variations in the spectral sensitivity of M/L photopigments in dichromats.

Capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) treat small and large numbers of items similarly during a relative quantity judgment task.

PubMed

Beran, Michael J; Parrish, Audrey E

2016-08-01

A key issue in understanding the evolutionary and developmental emergence of numerical cognition is to learn what mechanism(s) support perception and representation of quantitative information. Two such systems have been proposed, one for dealing with approximate representation of sets of items across an extended numerical range and another for highly precise representation of only small numbers of items. Evidence for the first system is abundant across species and in many tests with human adults and children, whereas the second system is primarily evident in research with children and in some tests with non-human animals. A recent paper (Choo & Franconeri, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 21, 93-99, 2014) with adult humans also reported "superprecise" representation of small sets of items in comparison to large sets of items, which would provide more support for the presence of a second system in human adults. We first presented capuchin monkeys with a test similar to that of Choo and Franconeri in which small or large sets with the same ratios had to be discriminated. We then presented the same monkeys with an expanded range of comparisons in the small number range (all comparisons of 1-9 items) and the large number range (all comparisons of 10-90 items in 10-item increments). Capuchin monkeys showed no increased precision for small over large sets in making these discriminations in either experiment. These data indicate a difference in the performance of monkeys to that of adult humans, and specifically that monkeys do not show improved discrimination performance for small sets relative to large sets when the relative numerical differences are held constant.

How tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella spp) and common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) align objects to surfaces: Insights into spatial reasoning and implications for tool use

PubMed Central

Fragaszy, Dorothy M.; Stone, Brian; Scott, Nicole M.; Menzel, Charles

2011-01-01

This report addresses phylogenetic variation in a spatial skill that underlies tool use: aligning objects to a feature of a surface. Fragaszy and Cummins-Sebree’s [2005] model of relational spatial reasoning and Skill Development and Perception-Action theories guided the design of the study. We examined how capuchins and chimpanzees place stick objects of varying shapes into matching grooves on a flat surface. Although most individuals aligned the long axis of the object with the matching groove more often than expected by chance, all typically did so with poor precision. Some individuals managed to align a second feature, and only one (a capuchin monkey) achieved above-chance success at aligning three features with matching grooves. Our findings suggest that capuchins and chimpanzees do not reliably align objects along even one axis, and that neither species can reliably or easily master object placement tasks that require managing two or more spatial relations concurrently. Moreover, they did not systematically vary their behavior in a manner that would aid discovery of the affordances of the stick-surface combination beyond sliding the stick along the surface (which may have provided haptic information about the location of the groove). These limitations have profound consequences for the forms of tool use we can expect these individuals to master. PMID:21608008

Personality and facial morphology: Links to assertiveness and neuroticism in capuchins (Sapajus [Cebus] apella)

PubMed Central

Wilson, V.; Lefevre, C. E.; Morton, F. B.; Brosnan, S. F.; Paukner, A.; Bates, T. C.

2013-01-01

Personality has important links to health, social status, and life history outcomes (e.g. longevity and reproductive success). Human facial morphology appears to signal aspects of one’s personality to others, raising questions about the evolutionary origins of such associations (e.g. signals of mate quality). Studies in non-human primates may help to achieve this goal: for instance, facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) in the male face has been associated with dominance not only in humans but also in capuchin monkeys. Here we test the association of personality (assertiveness, openness, attentiveness, neuroticism, and sociability) with fWHR, face width/lower-face height, and lower face/face height ratio in 64 capuchins (Sapajus apella). In a structural model of personality and facial metrics, fWHR was associated with assertiveness, while lower face/face height ratio was associated with neuroticism (erratic vs. stable behaviour) and attentiveness (helpfulness vs. distractibility). Facial morphology thus appears to associate with three personality domains, which may act as a signal of status in capuchins. PMID:24347756

Looking ahead? Computerized maze task performance by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella), and human children (Homo sapiens).

PubMed

Beran, Michael J; Parrish, Audrey E; Futch, Sara E; Evans, Theodore A; Perdue, Bonnie M

2015-05-01

Human and nonhuman primates are not mentally constrained to the present. They can remember the past and-at least to an extent-anticipate the future. Anticipation of the future ranges from long-term prospection such as planning for retirement to more short-term future-oriented cognition such as planning a route through a maze. Here we tested a great ape species (chimpanzees), an Old World monkey species (rhesus macaques), a New World monkey species (capuchin monkeys), and human children on a computerized maze task. All subjects had to move a cursor through a maze to reach a goal at the bottom of the screen. For best performance on the task, subjects had to "plan ahead" to the end of the maze to move the cursor in the correct direction, avoid traps, and reverse directions if necessary. Mazes varied in difficulty. Chimpanzees were better than both monkey species, and monkeys showed a particular deficit when moving away from the goal or changing directions was required. Children showed a similar pattern to monkeys regarding the effects of reversals and moves away from the goal, but their overall performance in terms of correct maze completion was similar to the chimpanzees. The results highlight similarities as well as differences in planning across species and the role that inhibitory control may play in future-oriented cognition in primates. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Complementary roles of two resilient neotropical mammalian seed dispersers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Almeida, Adriana; Morris, Rebecca J.; Lewis, Owen T.; Mikich, Sandra B.

2018-04-01

Capuchin monkeys (Cebus spp. and Sapajus spp.) and coatis (Nasua spp.) coexist in most neotropical forests, including small forest remnants. Both capuchins and coatis eat fruit and disperse seeds, but little is known about whether their roles in seed dispersal are redundant or complementary. We compiled 49 studies from the literature on feeding by capuchins and/or coatis, of which 19 were comprehensive enough for our analyses. We determined the relative importance of fruit eating to each species and compared their diets. Additionally, we analysed the structure of three fruit-frugivore networks built with both animal groups and the fruits they eat and evaluated whether fruit traits influenced the network topology. Fruits represented the largest part of capuchin and coati diets, even though coatis have been known for their opportunistic and generalist diets. Capuchins and coatis also exhibited similar general diet parameters (niche breadth and trophic diversity). The three networks exhibited high connectance values and variable niche overlap. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis, failed to detect any trait or trait combination related to food use. In conclusion, capuchins and coatis both have generalist diets; they feed on many different species of fruits and exhibit important complementarity as seed dispersers. Both are likely to be particularly important seed dispersers in disturbed and fragmented forests.

The systematics and evolution of New World primates - A review.

PubMed

Schneider, Horacio; Sampaio, Iracilda

2015-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the taxonomy of New World primates from proposals of the 1980's based on morphology to the great number of studies based on molecular data aiming for the elucidation of the phylogeny of New World monkeys. The innovations of the first molecular phylogeny presented by Schneider et al. (1993) positioned Callimico as a sister group of Callithrix and Cebuella; Callicebus as a member of the pitheciids; Brachyteles as sister to Lagothrix; and the night monkeys (Aotus), capuchins (Cebus) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri) in the same clade with the small callitrichines. These results were subsequently confirmed by dozens of subsequent studies using data from DNA sequences. Some issues difficult to resolve with the phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences, such as the diversification of the oldest lineages (pitheciids, atelids and cebids), and the confirmation of Aotus as a member of the Cebinae clade (together with Cebus/Saimiri), were clarified with new molecular approaches based on the presence or absence of Alu insertions as well as through the use of phylogenomics. At this time, all relationships at the intergeneric level had been deciphered, with the exception of the definition of the sister group of callitrichines (whether Aotus or Cebus/Saimiri are sister to callitrichines, or if Aotus, Saimiri and Cebus form a clade together). Future studies should prioritize the alpha taxonomy of most Neotropical primate groups, and the use of phylogenetic and geographic data, combined with reliable estimates of divergence times, to clarify the taxonomic status at species and genus level, as well as to help understand the evolutionary history of this remarkable and highly diversified group. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Do Social Conditions Affect Capuchin Monkeys' (Cebus apella) Choices in a Quantity Judgment Task?

PubMed

Beran, Michael J; Perdue, Bonnie M; Parrish, Audrey E; Evans, Theodore A

2012-01-01

Beran et al. (2012) reported that capuchin monkeys closely matched the performance of humans in a quantity judgment test in which information was incomplete but a judgment still had to be made. In each test session, subjects first made quantity judgments between two known options. Then, they made choices where only one option was visible. Both humans and capuchin monkeys were guided by past outcomes, as they shifted from selecting a known option to selecting an unknown option at the point at which the known option went from being more than the average rate of return to less than the average rate of return from earlier choices in the test session. Here, we expanded this assessment of what guides quantity judgment choice behavior in the face of incomplete information to include manipulations to the unselected quantity. We manipulated the unchosen set in two ways: first, we showed the monkeys what they did not get (the unchosen set), anticipating that "losses" would weigh heavily on subsequent trials in which the same known quantity was presented. Second, we sometimes gave the unchosen set to another monkey, anticipating that this social manipulation might influence the risk-taking responses of the focal monkey when faced with incomplete information. However, neither manipulation caused difficulty for the monkeys who instead continued to use the rational strategy of choosing known sets when they were as large as or larger than the average rate of return in the session, and choosing the unknown (riskier) set when the known set was not sufficiently large. As in past experiments, this was true across a variety of daily ranges of quantities, indicating that monkeys were not using some absolute quantity as a threshold for selecting (or not) the known set, but instead continued to use the daily average rate of return to determine when to choose the known versus the unknown quantity.

Capuchin monkeys' use of human and conspecific cues to solve a hidden object-choice task.

PubMed

Essler, Jennifer L; Schwartz, Lindsay P; Rossettie, Mattea S; Judge, Peter G

2017-09-01

Learning by watching others can provide valuable information with adaptive consequences, such as identifying the presence of a predator or locating a food source. The extent to which nonhuman animals can gain information by reading the cues of others is often tested by evaluating responses to human gestures, such as a point, and less often evaluated by examining responses to conspecific cues. We tested whether ten brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus [Sapajus] apella) were able to use cues from monkeys and a pointing cue from a human to obtain hidden rewards. A monkey could gain access to a reward hidden in one of two locations by reading a cue from a conspecific (e.g., reaching) or a human pointing. We then tested whether they could transfer this skill from monkeys to humans, from humans to monkeys, and from one conspecific to another conspecific. One group of monkeys was trained and tested using a conspecific as the cue-giver and was then tested with a human cue-giver. The second group of monkeys was trained and tested with a human cue-giver and was then tested with a monkey cue-giver. Monkeys that were successful with a conspecific cue-giver were also tested with a novel conspecific cue-giver. Monkeys learned to use a human point and conspecific cues to obtain rewards. Monkeys that had learned to use the cues of a conspecific to obtain rewards performed significantly better than expected by chance when they were transferred to the cues of a novel conspecific. Monkeys that learned to use a human point to obtain rewards performed significantly better than expected by chance when tested while observing conspecific cues. Some evidence suggested that transferring between conspecific cue-givers occurred with more facility than transferring across species. Results may be explained by simple rules of association learning and stimulus generalization; however, spontaneous flexible use of gestures across conspecifics and between different species may indicate capuchins can generalize learned social cues within and partially across species.

Hormonal correlates of male life history stages in wild white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus)

PubMed Central

Jack, Katharine M.; Schoof, Valérie A.M.; Sheller, Claire R.; Rich, Catherine I.; Klingelhofer, Peter P.; Ziegler, Toni E.; Fedigan, Linda

2014-01-01

Much attention has been paid to hormonal variation in relation to male dominance status and reproductive seasonality, but we know relatively little about how hormones vary across life history stages. Here we examine fecal testosterone (fT), dihydrotestosterone (fDHT), and glucocorticoid (fGC) profiles across male life history stages in wild white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus). Study subjects included 37 males residing in three habituated social groups in the Área de Conservacíon Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Male life history stages included infant (0 to <12 months; N = 3), early juvenile (1 to <3 years; N = 10), late juvenile (3 to <6 years; N = 9), subadult (6 to <10 years; N = 8), subordinate adult (≥10 years; N = 3), and alpha adult (≥ 10 years; N = 4, including one recently deposed alpha). Life history stage was a significant predictor of fT; levels were low throughout the infant and juvenile phases, doubled in subadult and subordinate adults, and were highest for alpha males. Life history stage was not a significant predictor of fDHT, fDHT:fT, or fGC levels. Puberty in white-faced capuchins appears to begin in earnest during the subadult male phase, indicated by the first significant rise in fT. Given their high fT levels and exaggerated secondary sexual characteristics, we argue that alpha adult males represent a distinctive life history stage not experienced by all male capuchins. This study is the first to physiologically validate observable male life history stages using patterns of hormone excretion in wild Neotropical primates, with evidence for a strong association between fT levels and life history stage. PMID:24184868

Color Discrimination in the Tufted Capuchin Monkey, Sapajus spp

PubMed Central

Goulart, Paulo Roney Kilpp; Bonci, Daniela Maria Oliveira; Galvão, Olavo de Faria; Silveira, Luiz Carlos de Lima; Ventura, Dora Fix

2013-01-01

The present study evaluated the efficacy of an adapted version of the Mollon-Reffin test for the behavioral investigation of color vision in capuchin monkeys. Ten tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp., formerly referred to as Cebus apella) had their DNA analyzed and were characterized as the following: one trichromat female, seven deuteranope dichromats (six males and one female), and two protanope males, one of which was identified as an “ML protanope.” For their behavioral characterization, all of the subjects were tested at three regions of the Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) 1976 u′v′ diagram, with each test consisting of 20 chromatic variation vectors that were radially distributed around the chromaticity point set as the test background. The phenotypes inferred from the behavioral data were in complete agreement with those predicted from the genetic analysis, with the threshold distribution clearly differentiating between trichromats and dichromats and the estimated confusion lines characteristically converging for deuteranopes and the “classic” protanope. The discrimination pattern of the ML protanope was intermediate between protan and deutan, with confusion lines horizontally oriented and parallel to each other. The observed phenotypic differentiation confirmed the efficacy of the Mollon-Reffin test paradigm as a useful tool for evaluating color discrimination in nonhuman primates. Especially noteworthy was the demonstration of behavioral segregation between the “classic” and “ML” protanopes, suggesting identifiable behavioral consequences of even slight variations in the spectral sensitivity of M/L photopigments in dichromats. PMID:23620819

Oxygen isotope values in bone carbonate and collagen are consistently offset for New World monkeys

PubMed Central

Crowley, Brooke Erin

2014-01-01

Stable oxygen isotopes are increasingly used in ecological research. Here, I present oxygen isotope (δ18O) values for bone carbonate and collagen from howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata), spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) and capuchins (Cebus capucinus) from three localities in Costa Rica. There are apparent differences in δ18Ocarbonate and δ18Ocollagen among species. Monkeys from moist forest have significantly lower isotope values than those from drier localities. Because patterns are similar for both substrates, discrimination (Δ) between δ18Ocarbonate and δ18Ocollagen is relatively consistent among species and localities (17.6 ± 0.9‰). Although this value is larger than that previously obtained for laboratory rats, consistency among species and localities suggests it can be used to compare δ18Ocarbonate and δ18Ocollagen for monkeys, and potentially other medium-bodied mammals. Establishing discrimination for oxygen between these substrates for wild monkeys provides a foundation for future environmental and ecological research on modern and ancient organisms. PMID:25392315

Urinary oxytocin in capuchin monkeys: Validation and the influence of social behavior.

PubMed

Benítez, Marcela E; Sosnowski, Meghan J; Tomeo, Olivia B; Brosnan, Sarah F

2018-05-24

In highly social species, like primates, oxytocin plays an important role in cooperation, and in the formation and maintenance of social relationships. Despite recent interest in the relationship between oxytocin and social behavior in nonhuman primates, relatively little is known about endogenous oxytocin in social New World Monkeys. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between oxytocin and affiliative behaviors in socially-housed captive capuchin monkeys (Sapajus [Cebus] apella) by first validating methods of analysis of urinary oxytocin in this species and, second, examining the effects of grooming and fur-rubbing behavior on oxytocin concentrations and further affiliative behavior. In the validation, we found that intranasal exogenous oxytocin significantly increased urinary oxytocin 15-60 min post-administration. Oxytocin was also implicated in both grooming and fur-rubbing behaviors. We found that oxytocin concentrations increased after subjects engaged in grooming or fur-rubbing. In addition, we found that fur-rubbing influenced affiliative behaviors, both during and after a social fur-rubbing bout. While individuals spent more time in contact and proximity while fur-rubbing, immediately following the fur-rubbing event (15-30 min afterwards) all affiliative behaviors decreased. This supports previous research that oxytocin may, in fact, initially be related to increased social distance in this species. Yet, an increase in all affiliative behaviors 30-45 min after the onset of fur-rubbing suggests that fur-rubbing, like grooming, may ultimately function to strengthen social relationships. Overall, these results support a critical role for oxytocin in affiliative behaviors that maintain and strengthen social relationships in capuchin monkeys, and highlight the complexity of the interactions among oxytocin, affiliative behaviors, and social bonding. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ASPM and the Evolution of Cerebral Cortical Size in a Community of New World Monkeys

PubMed Central

Villanea, Fernando A.; Perry, George H.; Gutiérrez-Espeleta, Gustavo A.; Dominy, Nathaniel J.

2012-01-01

The ASPM (abnormal spindle-like microcephaly associated) gene has been proposed as a major determinant of cerebral cortical size among primates, including humans. Yet the specific functions of ASPM and its connection to human intelligence remain controversial. This debate is limited in part by a taxonomic focus on Old World monkeys and apes. Here we expand the comparative context of ASPM sequence analyses with a study of New World monkeys, a radiation of primates in which enlarged brain size has evolved in parallel in spider monkeys (genus Ateles) and capuchins (genus Cebus). The primate community of Costa Rica is perhaps a model system because it allows for independent pairwise comparisons of smaller- and larger-brained species within two taxonomic families. Accordingly, we analyzed the complete sequence of exon 18 of ASPM in Ateles geoffroyi, Alouatta palliata, Cebus capucinus, and Saimiri oerstedii. As the analysis of multiple species in a genus improves phylogenetic reconstruction, we also analyzed eleven published sequences from other New World monkeys. Our exon-wide, lineage-specific analysis of eleven genera and the ratio of rates of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions (dN/dS) on ASPM revealed no detectable evidence for positive selection in the lineages leading to Ateles or Cebus, as indicated by dN/dS ratios of <1.0 (0.6502 and 0.4268, respectively). Our results suggest that a multitude of interacting genes have driven the evolution of larger brains among primates, with different genes involved in this process in different encephalized lineages, or at least with evidence for positive selection not readily apparent for the same genes in all lineages. The primate community of Costa Rica may serve as a model system for future studies that aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying cognitive capacity and cortical size. PMID:23028686

Oxygen isotope values in bone carbonate and collagen are consistently offset for New World monkeys.

PubMed

Crowley, Brooke Erin

2014-11-01

Stable oxygen isotopes are increasingly used in ecological research. Here, I present oxygen isotope (δ(18)O) values for bone carbonate and collagen from howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata), spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) and capuchins (Cebus capucinus) from three localities in Costa Rica. There are apparent differences in δ(18)Ocarbonate and δ(18)Ocollagen among species. Monkeys from moist forest have significantly lower isotope values than those from drier localities. Because patterns are similar for both substrates, discrimination (Δ) between δ(18)Ocarbonate and δ(18)Ocollagen is relatively consistent among species and localities (17.6 ± 0.9‰). Although this value is larger than that previously obtained for laboratory rats, consistency among species and localities suggests it can be used to compare δ(18)Ocarbonate and δ(18)Ocollagen for monkeys, and potentially other medium-bodied mammals. Establishing discrimination for oxygen between these substrates for wild monkeys provides a foundation for future environmental and ecological research on modern and ancient organisms. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Seasonal importance of flowers to Costa Rican capuchins (Cebus capucinus imitator): Implications for plant and primate.

PubMed

Hogan, Jeremy D; Melin, Amanda D; Mosdossy, Krisztina N; Fedigan, Linda M

2016-12-01

Our goal is to investigate flower foraging by capuchin monkeys, a behavior rarely studied in wild primates. We ask what drives seasonal variation in florivory rates: flower quality and abundance or fluctuations in fruit and invertebrate abundances. We explore how capuchins affect the reproductive success of flower food species by quantifying the potential pollination rate. We followed capuchin groups from dawn to dusk and recorded all flower foraging bouts. Flower food nutritional composition was compared to fruit and invertebrate foods. We recorded overall flower, fruit, and invertebrate abundances and compared the rate of flower foraging to these. We estimated the likelihood of pollination from the proportion of flower patch visits to each plant species that satisfied minimum behavioral requirements. Flower eating was highly seasonal, and was significantly negatively related to overall fruit and invertebrate abundance but not flower abundance. Although smaller than most fruits, flowers were nutritionally comparable to fruit foods by dry mass and contained higher average concentrations of protein. Capuchins are likely pollinators for Luehea speciosa; most foraging visits to this species occurred in a manner that makes outcrossing or geitonogamous pollination likely. Flowers are an important seasonal resource for capuchins. Flowers likely act as fallback foods during periods of reduced fruit and invertebrate abundance, and may exert evolutionary pressure disproportionate to their consumption. Capuchin florivory likely affects the reproductive success of some plants, potentially shaping forest structure. Our study illustrates the value of assessing the importance of rare foods in the primate diet. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ontogeny of Foraging Competence in Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus capucinus) for Easy versus Difficult to Acquire Fruits: A Test of the Needing to Learn Hypothesis.

PubMed

Eadie, Elizabeth Christine

2015-01-01

Which factors select for long juvenile periods in some species is not well understood. One potential reason to delay the onset of reproduction is slow food acquisition rates, either due to competition (part of the ecological risk avoidance hypothesis), or due to a decreased foraging efficiency (a version of the needing to learn hypothesis). Capuchins provide a useful genus to test the needing to learn hypothesis because they are known for having long juvenile periods and a difficult-to-acquire diet. Generalized, linear, mixed models with data from 609 fruit forage focal follows on 49, habituated, wild Cebus capucinus were used to test two predictions from the needing-to-learn hypothesis as it applies to fruit foraging skills: 1) capuchin monkeys do not achieve adult foraging return rates for difficult-to-acquire fruits before late in the juvenile period; and 2) variance in return rates for these fruits is at least partially associated with differences in foraging skill. In support of the first prediction, adults, compared with all younger age classes, had significantly higher foraging return rates when foraging for fruits that were ranked as difficult-to-acquire (return rates relative to adults: 0.30-0.41, p-value range 0.008-0.016), indicating that the individuals in the group who have the most foraging experience also achieve the highest return rates. In contrast, and in support of the second prediction, there were no significant differences between age classes for fruits that were ranked as easy to acquire (return rates relative to adults: 0.97-1.42, p-value range 0.086-0.896), indicating that strength and/or skill are likely to affect return rates. In addition, fruits that were difficult to acquire were foraged at nearly identical rates by adult males and significantly smaller (and presumably weaker) adult females (males relative to females: 1.01, p = 0.978), while subadult females had much lower foraging efficiency than the similarly-sized but more experienced adult females (subadults relative to adults: 0.34, p = 0.052), indicating that skill, specifically, is likely to have an effect on return rates. These results are consistent with the needing to learn hypothesis and indicate that long juvenile periods in capuchins may be the result of selection for more time to learn foraging skills for difficult-to-acquire fruits.

Effects of gut passage, feces, and seed handling on latency and rate of germination in seeds consumed by capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Valenta, Kim; Fedigan, Linda M

2009-04-01

One of the key measures of the effectiveness of primary seed dispersal by animals is the quality of seed dispersal (Schupp: Plant Ecol 107/108 [1993] 15-29). We present data on quality of seed dispersal by two groups of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) in Costa Rica to test the hypothesis that capuchin seed handling results in effective primary dispersal for some fruit species they consume. We examined seed handling for 27 plant species, and germination rates of 18 species consumed by capuchins. For five of the most commonly swallowed seed species, we determined germination rates and average time to germination (latency) for seeds ingested and defecated by capuchins and compared these to seeds removed directly from fruit and planted. For the same five species, we compared germination rates and latency for passed seeds planted in capuchin feces to those cleaned of feces and planted in soil. For three of five species, differences in proportion of germinated seeds were significantly higher for gut passed seeds than for controls. For four of five species, germination latency was significantly faster for gut passed seeds than for controls. Feces had either no effect on seed germination rate or precluded germination. Data presented here support the hypothesis that white-faced capuchins are effective primary dispersers.

The influence of anthropogenic edge effects on primate populations and their habitat in a fragmented rainforest in Costa Rica.

PubMed

Bolt, Laura M; Schreier, Amy L; Voss, Kristofor A; Sheehan, Elizabeth A; Barrickman, Nancy L; Pryor, Nathaniel P; Barton, Matthew C

2018-05-01

When a forest is fragmented, this increases the amount of forest edge relative to the interior. Edge effects can lead to loss of animal and plant species and decreased plant biomass near forest edges. We examined the influence of an anthropogenic forest edge comprising cattle pasture, coconut plantations, and human settlement on the mantled howler (Alouatta palliata), white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus), Central American spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), and plant populations at La Suerte Biological Research Station (LSBRS), Costa Rica. We predicted that there would be lower monkey encounter rate, mean tree species richness, and diameter at breast height (DBH) in forest edge versus interior, and that monkeys would show species-specific responses to edge based on diet, body size, and canopy height preferences. Specifically, we predicted that howler monkeys would show positive or neutral edge effects due to their flexible folivorous diet, large body size, and preference for high canopy, capuchins would show positive edge effects due to their diverse diet, small body size, and preference for low to middle canopy, and spider monkeys would show negative edge effects due their reliance on ripe fruit, large body size, and preference for high upper canopy. We conducted population and vegetation surveys along edge and interior transects at LSBRS. Contrary to predictions, total monkey encounter rate did not vary between the forest edge and forest interior. Furthermore, all three species showed neutral edge effects with no significant differences in encounter rate between forest edge and interior. Interior transects had significantly higher mean tree species richness than edge transects, and interior trees had greater DBH than edge trees, although this difference was not significant. These results suggest that forest edges negatively impact plant populations at La Suerte but that the monkeys are able to withstand these differences in vegetation.

Owl monkeys (Aotus spp.) perform self- and social anointing in captivity.

PubMed

Jefferson, Jay P; Tapanes, Elizabeth; Evans, Sian

2014-01-01

Several species of primates, including owl monkeys (Aotus spp.), anoint by rubbing their fur with odiferous substances. Previous research has shown that capuchin monkeys (Cebus and Sapajus) anoint socially by rubbing their bodies together in groups of two or more while anointing. Owl monkeys housed at the DuMond Conservancy have been observed to anoint over the last 10 years, and we report detailed new information on the anointing behavior of this population, including descriptions of social anointing which occurs frequently. We first investigated the occurrence of self-anointing in 35 Aotus spp. presented with millipedes. Detailed descriptions regarding body regions anointed were obtained for all anointers (n = 28). The median duration for a self-anointing bout was 3.6 min (range from approx. 2 s to 14.15 min). While the latency and length of anointing bouts showed considerable interindividual differences, no statistically significant differences were found between sexes, wild- or captive-born owl monkeys or across age groups. However, we found the lower back and tail were anointed at a rate significantly greater than other body parts, but there were no differences in these patterns across sex or wild- or captive-born owl monkeys. More recently, social anointing was investigated in 26 Aotus spp. presented with millipedes, of which half were observed to anoint socially. The average duration for all social anointing bouts was 72.88 s, with a median duration of 30 s (range 5-322 s). A detailed ethogram was also generated that included behaviors that were performed while anointing, including facial expressions and vocalizations. The intraindividual variability for 8 monkeys used in both investigations is discussed. These findings extend our knowledge of anointing and confirm the existence of social anointing in another genus with a unique biology (nocturnal and socially monogamous) distinct from capuchins. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Semen coagulum liquefaction, sperm activation and cryopreservation of capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) semen in coconut water solution (CWS) and TES-TRIS.

PubMed

Oliveira, Karol G; Miranda, Stefania A; Leão, Danuza L; Brito, Adriel B; Santos, Regiane R; Domingues, Sheyla F S

2011-01-01

The objectives of the present study were to test the effect of coconut water solution and TES-TRIS on the seminal coagulum liquefaction, sperm activation in fresh diluted semen, and on the cryopreservation of semen from capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). Semen was collected from six males by electro-ejaculation, diluted in TES-TRIS or coconut water solution (CWS), and incubated at 35°C until the coagulated fraction of the semen was completely liquefied. In the experiment I, after liquefaction, samples were diluted in TES-TRIS or CWS, plus 6 and 10mM/mL of caffeine. Sperm motility and vigor were evaluated during 5h. For experiment II, after liquefaction, semen samples were extended in TES-TRIS (3.5% glycerol in the final solution) or CWS (2.5% glycerol in the final solution), cryopreserved and stored in liquid nitrogen for 1 week. The seminal coagulum was liquefied in (mean±SDM) 4.5±1.7 and 2.8±1.1h in TES-TRIS and CWS, respectively. Sperm were motile in TES-TRIS and CWS for 5.0±1.4 and 1.0±0.5h, respectively. The mean motility in this period was 38±22% (TES-TRIS) and 22.0±16.0 (CWS). Motility increased after caffeine addition only in samples diluted in CWS containing 6mM (22.5±16.0) or 10mM (28.0±19.0) caffeine. Post-thaw live sperm percentage was 26.2% in TES-TRIS and 13.2% in CWS. For cryopreservation of semen from C. apella TES-TRIS (3.5% glycerol) was more appropriate than CWS (2.5% glycerol). CWS+caffeine potentially increase sperm motility and may be useful in artificial insemination of fresh diluted semen. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Dietary Adaption on Cranial Morphological Integration in Capuchins (Order Primates, Genus Cebus)

PubMed Central

Makedonska, Jana; Wright, Barth W.; Strait, David S.

2012-01-01

A fundamental challenge of morphology is to identify the underlying evolutionary and developmental mechanisms leading to correlated phenotypic characters. Patterns and magnitudes of morphological integration and their association with environmental variables are essential for understanding the evolution of complex phenotypes, yet the nature of the relevant selective pressures remains poorly understood. In this study, the adaptive significance of morphological integration was evaluated through the association between feeding mechanics, ingestive behavior and craniofacial variation. Five capuchin species were examined, Cebus apella sensu stricto, Cebus libidinosus, Cebus nigritus, Cebus olivaceus and Cebus albifrons. Twenty three-dimensional landmarks were chosen to sample facial regions experiencing high strains during feeding, characteristics affecting muscular mechanical advantage and basicranial regions. Integration structure and magnitude between and within the oral and zygomatic subunits, between and within blocks maximizing modularity and within the face, the basicranium and the cranium were examined using partial-least squares, eigenvalue variance, integration indices compared inter-specifically at a common level of sampled population variance and cluster analyses. Results are consistent with previous findings reporting a relative constancy of facial and cranial correlation patterns across mammals, while covariance magnitudes vary. Results further suggest that food material properties structure integration among functionally-linked facial elements and possibly integration between the face and the basicranium. Hard-object-feeding capuchins, especially C.apella s.s., whose faces experience particularly high biomechanical loads are characterized by higher facial and cranial integration especially compared to C.albifrons, likely because morphotypes compromising feeding performance are selected against in species relying on obdurate fallback foods. This is the first study to report a link between food material properties and facial and cranial integration. Furthermore, results do not identify the consistent presence of cranial modules yielding support to suggestions that despite the distinct embryological imprints of its elements the cranium of placental mammals is not characterized by a modular architecture. PMID:23110039

Visuospatial learning and memory in the Cebus apella and microglial morphology in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus and CA1 lacunosum molecular layer.

PubMed

Santos-Filho, Carlos; de Lima, Camila M; Fôro, César A R; de Oliveira, Marcus A; Magalhães, Nara G M; Guerreiro-Diniz, Cristovam; Diniz, Daniel G; Vasconcelos, Pedro F da C; Diniz, Cristovam W P

2014-11-01

We investigated whether the morphology of microglia in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus (DG-Mol) or in the lacunosum molecular layer of CA1 (CA1-LMol) was correlated with spatial learning and memory in the capuchin monkey (Cebus apella). Learning and memory was tested in 4 monkeys with visuo-spatial, paired associated learning (PAL) tasks from the Cambridge battery of neuropsychological tests. After testing, monkeys were sacrificed, and hippocampi were sectioned. We specifically immunolabeled microglia with an antibody against the adapter binding, ionized calcium protein. Microglia were selected from the middle and outer thirds of the DG-Mol (n=268) and the CA1-LMol (n=185) for three-dimensional reconstructions created with Neurolucida and Neuroexplorer software. Cluster and discriminant analyses, based on microglial morphometric parameters, identified two major morphological microglia phenotypes (types I and II) found in both the CA1-LMol and DG-Mol of all individuals. Compared to type II, type I microglia were significantly smaller, thinner, more tortuous and ramified, and less complex (lower fractal dimensions). PAL performance was both linearly and non-linearly correlated with type I microglial morphological features from the rostral and caudal DG-Mol, but not with microglia from the CA1-LMol. These differences in microglial morphology and correlations with PAL performance were consistent with previous proposals of hippocampal regional contributions for spatial learning and memory. Our results suggested that at least two morphological microglial phenotypes provided distinct physiological roles to learning-associated activity in the rostral and caudal DG-Mol of the monkey brain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental evidence for route integration and strategic planning in wild capuchin monkeys.

PubMed

Janson, Charles H

2007-07-01

Both in captivity and the wild, primates are found to travel mostly to the nearest available resource, but they may skip over the closest resource and travel to more distant resources, which are often found to be more productive. This study examines the tradeoff between distance and reward in the foraging choices of one group of wild capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella nigritus) using feeding platforms in large-scale foraging experiments conducted over four years. Three feeding sites were arrayed in an oblique triangle, such that once the monkey group had chosen one site to feed, they had a choice between two remaining sites, a close one with less food and the other up to 2.3 times as far away but with more food. Sites were provisioned once per day. The capuchins generally chose the closer feeding site, even when the more distant site offered up to 12 times as much food. The distances to, rewards of, or various profitability measures applied to each alternative site individually did not explain the group's choices in ways consistent with foraging theory or principles of operant psychology. The group's site choices were predicted only by comparing efficiency measures of entire foraging pathways: (1) direct travel to the more rewarding distant site, versus (2) the longer 'detour' through the closer site on the way to the more distant one. The group chose the detour more often when the reward was larger and the added detour distance shorter. They appeared to be more sensitive to the absolute increase in detour distance than to the relative increase compared to the straight route. The qualitative and quantitative results agree with a simple rule: do not use the detour unless the energy gain from extra food outweighs the energy cost of extra travel. These results suggest that members of this group integrate information on spatial location, reward, and perhaps potential food competition in their choice of multi-site foraging routes, with important implications for social foraging.

Social and Environmental Factors Affecting Fecal Glucocorticoids in Wild, Female White-Faced Capuchins (Cebus capucinus)

PubMed Central

CARNEGIE, SARAH D.; FEDIGAN, LINDA M.; ZIEGLER, TONI E.

2016-01-01

Assessing glucocorticoid levels in free-ranging nonhuman primates provides a means to determine the social and environmental stress load for individuals. We investigated the effect of four proximate variables—reproductive state, season, male rank stability, and dominance rank—on the level of fecal glucocorticoids (cortisol metabolites) in eight adult female white-faced capuchin monkeys in Costa Rica. Reproductive state, season, and male rank stability significantly affected fecal glucocorticoids while female dominance rank did not. Cortisol levels were significantly higher in pregnant females as compared with lactating or other reproductive states. Cortisol levels were higher among females during the dry season compared with the wet season, suggesting a metabolic adaptation to maintain homeostasis in drier, hotter conditions. Although unfamiliar males present a greater infanticidal threat than do familiar ones, we found that females experienced higher glucocorticoid levels during male rank instability events, regardless of whether the alpha male role was taken over by a familiar or an unfamiliar male. Our findings provide important benchmark and comparative data for future studies on the variables that affect glucocorticoid levels in this species and other mammals. PMID:21506140

Scream-embrace displays in wild black-horned capuchin monkeys.

PubMed

Lynch Alfaro, Jessica

2008-06-01

Reintroduction of capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) into their social group in captivity can elicit sirena screams and embraces. Captive scream-embrace displays are male biased, and females never perform sirena screams. One hypothesis is that scream-embrace displays serve a tension-reduction or reconciliatory function between males with conflicting interests. Alternatively, these displays may function to maintain strong affiliative bonds between friendly male dyads. Scream and/or embrace displays in wild Brazilian black-horned capuchins were analyzed for social and ecological contexts, behavioral components, and individuals involved. Seventy-two displays were observed during the 199-day study period. Among the 66 displays for which both members could be identified by sex, there were 42 occurrences of male-male dyads, 17 of male-female dyads, and seven of female-female dyads. Scream-embrace dyads were male-male pairs significantly more often than expected from group membership, and the alpha male was the only male to engage in scream-embrace displays with females. Female-female pairs did embrace, but never emitted sirena screams. Displays most commonly occurred in "reunion" contexts, primarily the reuniting of subgroups after hours or days out of contact, but also after intergroup encounters, and across groups in "intergroup" displays. Displays were rare, but socially contagious, and subgroup reunions could elicit multiple displays in rapid succession. Although the occurrence of screams and embraces was positively correlated, both behaviors also occurred independently, and their functions may be different. Male sirena screams may be honest advertisements of united alliances, directed toward a third party, whereas the embrace may be a risky affiliative signal, directed primarily within the dyad. Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Development of snake-directed antipredator behavior by wild white-faced capuchin monkeys: II. Influence of the social environment.

PubMed

Meno, Whitney; Coss, Richard G; Perry, Susan

2013-03-01

Young animals are known to direct alarm calls at a wider range of animals than adults. If social cues are safer and/or more reliable to use than asocial cues for learning about predators, then it is expected that the development of this behavior will be affected by the social environment. Our study examined the influence of the social environment on antipredator behavior in infant, juvenile, and adult wild white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve in Costa Rica during presentations of different species of model snakes and novel models. We examined (a) the alarm calling behavior of the focal animal when alone versus in the vicinity of conspecific alarm callers and (b) the latency of conspecifics to alarm call once the focal animal alarm called. Focal animals alarm called more when alone than after hearing a conspecific alarm call. No reliable differences were found in the latencies of conspecifics to alarm call based on age or model type. Conspecifics were more likely to alarm call when focal individuals alarm called at snake models than when they alarm called at novel models. Results indicate (a) that alarm calling may serve to attract others to the predator's location and (b) that learning about specific predators may begin with a generalized response to a wide variety of species, including some nonthreatening ones, that is winnowed down via Pavlovian conditioned inhibition into a response directed toward specific dangerous species. This study reveals that conspecifics play a role in the development of antipredator behavior in white-faced capuchins. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Can Monkeys Make Investments Based on Maximized Pay-off?

PubMed Central

Steelandt, Sophie; Dufour, Valérie; Broihanne, Marie-Hélène; Thierry, Bernard

2011-01-01

Animals can maximize benefits but it is not known if they adjust their investment according to expected pay-offs. We investigated whether monkeys can use different investment strategies in an exchange task. We tested eight capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) and thirteen macaques (Macaca fascicularis, Macaca tonkeana) in an experiment where they could adapt their investment to the food amounts proposed by two different experimenters. One, the doubling partner, returned a reward that was twice the amount given by the subject, whereas the other, the fixed partner, always returned a constant amount regardless of the amount given. To maximize pay-offs, subjects should invest a maximal amount with the first partner and a minimal amount with the second. When tested with the fixed partner only, one third of monkeys learned to remove a maximal amount of food for immediate consumption before investing a minimal one. With both partners, most subjects failed to maximize pay-offs by using different decision rules with each partner' quality. A single Tonkean macaque succeeded in investing a maximal amount to one experimenter and a minimal amount to the other. The fact that only one of over 21 subjects learned to maximize benefits in adapting investment according to experimenters' quality indicates that such a task is difficult for monkeys, albeit not impossible. PMID:21423777

Quantification of hair cortisol concentration in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and tufted capuchins (Cebus apella).

PubMed

Phillips, Kimberley A; Tukan, Alyson N; Rigodanzo, Anna D; Reusch, Ryan T; Brasky, Kathleen M; Meyer, Jerrold S

2018-06-04

Quantifying cortisol concentration in hair is a non-invasive biomarker of long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activation, and thus can provide important information on laboratory animal health. Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and capuchins (Cebus apella) are New World primates increasingly used in biomedical and neuroscience research, yet published hair cortisol concentrations for these species are limited. Review of the existing published hair cortisol values from marmosets reveals highly discrepant values and the use of variable techniques for hair collection, processing, and cortisol extraction. In this investigation we utilized a well-established, standardized protocol to extract and quantify cortisol from marmoset (n = 12) and capuchin (n = 4) hair. Shaved hair samples were collected from the upper thigh during scheduled exams and analyzed via methanol extraction and enzyme immunoassay. In marmosets, hair cortisol concentration ranged from 2,710 to 6,267 pg/mg and averaged 4,070 ± 304 pg/mg. In capuchins, hair cortisol concentration ranged from 621 to 2,089 pg/mg and averaged 1,092 ± 338 pg/mg. Hair cortisol concentration was significantly different between marmosets and capuchins, with marmosets having higher concentrations than capuchins. The incorporation of hair cortisol analysis into research protocols provides a non-invasive measure of HPA axis activity over time, which offers insight into animal health. Utilization of standard protocols across laboratories is essential to obtaining valid measurements and allowing for valuable future cross-species comparisons. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Experimental field study of problem-solving using tools in free-ranging capuchins (Sapajus nigritus, formerly Cebus nigritus).

PubMed

Garber, P A; Gomes, D F; Bicca-Marques, J C

2012-04-01

Some populations of capuchins are reported to use tools to solve foraging problems in the wild. In most cases, this involves the act of pounding and digging. The use of probing tools by wild capuchins is considerably less common. Here we report on the results of an experimental field study conducted in southern Brazil designed to examine the ability of wild black-horned capuchins (Sapajus nigritus) to use a wooden dowel as a lever or a probe to obtain an embedded food reward. A group of eight capuchins was presented with two experimental platforms, each housing a clear Plexiglas box containing two bananas on a shelf and four inserted dowels. Depending on the conditions of the experiment, the capuchins were required either to pull (Condition I) or push (Conditions II and III) the dowels, in order to dislodge the food reward from the shelf so that it could be manually retrieved. In Condition I, four individuals spontaneously solved the foraging problem by pulling the dowels in 25% (72/291) of visits. In Conditions II and III, however, no capuchin successfully pushed the dowels forward to obtain the food reward. During these latter two experimental conditions, the capuchins continued to pull the dowels (41/151 or 27% of visits), even though this behavior did not result in foraging success. The results of these field experiments are consistent with an identical study conducted on wild Cebus capucinus in Costa Rica, and suggest that when using an external object as a probe to solve a foraging problem, individual capuchins were able to rapidly learn an association between the tool and the food reward, but failed to understand exactly how the tool functioned in accomplishing the task. The results also suggest that once a capuchin learned to solve this tool-mediated foraging problem, the individual persisted in using the same solution even in the face of repeated failure (slow rate of learning extinction). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Predatory threat of harpy eagles for yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys in the Atlantic Forest.

PubMed

Suscke, Priscila; Verderane, Michele; de Oliveira, Robson Santos; Delval, Irene; Fernández-Bolaños, Marcelo; Izar, Patrícia

2017-01-01

We describe seven encounters between different harpy eagle individuals (Harpia harpyja) and a group of yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus xanthosternos) in Una Biological Reserve. These interactions lasted 58 min on average. In each of those encounters, the capuchin monkeys used particular behavioral strategies against the harpy eagle that were not employed in reaction to other aerial predators. We did not observe any successful predation events, but after one of those encounters an infant disappeared from the capuchin group. As a whole, these observations indicate that the presence of harpy eagles in the group's home range increases predation risk for capuchin monkeys. The present report also suggests a reoccupation by H. harpyja of this area, as no previous recent records identify harpy eagle occurrence in Una Biological Reserve.

Monkeys reject unequal pay.

PubMed

Brosnan, Sarah F; De Waal, Frans B M

2003-09-18

During the evolution of cooperation it may have become critical for individuals to compare their own efforts and pay-offs with those of others. Negative reactions may occur when expectations are violated. One theory proposes that aversion to inequity can explain human cooperation within the bounds of the rational choice model, and may in fact be more inclusive than previous explanations. Although there exists substantial cultural variation in its particulars, this 'sense of fairness' is probably a human universal that has been shown to prevail in a wide variety of circumstances. However, we are not the only cooperative animals, hence inequity aversion may not be uniquely human. Many highly cooperative nonhuman species seem guided by a set of expectations about the outcome of cooperation and the division of resources. Here we demonstrate that a nonhuman primate, the brown capuchin monkey (Cebus apella), responds negatively to unequal reward distribution in exchanges with a human experimenter. Monkeys refused to participate if they witnessed a conspecific obtain a more attractive reward for equal effort, an effect amplified if the partner received such a reward without any effort at all. These reactions support an early evolutionary origin of inequity aversion.

Cone photopigment variations in Cebus apella monkeys evidenced by electroretinogram measurements and genetic analysis

PubMed Central

Soares, Juliana G.M.; Fiorani, Mario; Araujo, Eduardo A.; Zana, Yossi; Bonci, Daniela M.O.; Neitz, Maureen; Ventura, Dora F.; Gattass, Ricardo

2011-01-01

We investigated the color vision pattern in male and female Cebus apella monkeys by means of electroretinogram measurements and genetic analysis. Our objective was to establish a simple, fast and efficient protocol in order to determine the chromatic vision pattern in Cebus monkeys. We found five among ten possible different phenotypes, two trichromats and three dichromats. We also found that Cebus present a new allele with spectral peak near 552 nm, with the amino acid combination SFT at positions 180, 277 and 285 of the opsin gene, in addition to the previously described SYT, AFT and AFA alleles. PMID:19883678

Critically endangered blonde capuchins fish for termites and use new techniques to accomplish the task

PubMed Central

Souto, Antonio; Bione, Camila B. C.; Bastos, Monique; Bezerra, Bruna M.; Fragaszy, Dorothy; Schiel, Nicola

2011-01-01

We report the spontaneous modification and use of sticks to fish for termites, above the ground, in wild blonde capuchins (Cebus flavius). These critically endangered Neotropical primates inhabit remnants of the Atlantic Forest. They used two previously undescribed techniques to enhance their termite capture success: nest tapping and stick rotation. The current ecologically based explanation for tool use in wild capuchins (i.e. terrestrial habits and bipedalism) must be viewed cautiously. Instead, remarkable manual skills linked to a varied diet seem important in promoting tool use in different contexts. The repertoire of tool-using techniques employed by wild capuchins has been expanded, highlighting the behavioural versatility in this genus. PMID:21389018

Wild capuchin monkeys adjust stone tools according to changing nut properties.

PubMed

Luncz, Lydia V; Falótico, Tiago; Pascual-Garrido, Alejandra; Corat, Clara; Mosley, Hannah; Haslam, Michael

2016-09-14

Animals foraging in their natural environments need to be proficient at recognizing and responding to changes in food targets that affect accessibility or pose a risk. Wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) use stone tools to access a variety of nut species, including otherwise inaccessible foods. This study tests whether wild capuchins from Serra da Capivara National Park in Brazil adjust their tool selection when processing cashew (Anacardium spp.) nuts. During the ripening process of cashew nuts, the amount of caustic defensive substance in the nut mesocarp decreases. We conducted field experiments to test whether capuchins adapt their stone hammer selection to changing properties of the target nut, using stones of different weights and two maturation stages of cashew nuts. The results show that although fresh nuts are easier to crack, capuchin monkeys used larger stone tools to open them, which may help the monkeys avoid contact with the caustic hazard in fresh nuts. We demonstrate that capuchin monkeys are actively able to distinguish between the maturation stages within one nut species, and to adapt their foraging behaviour accordingly.

Wild capuchin monkeys adjust stone tools according to changing nut properties

PubMed Central

Luncz, Lydia V.; Falótico, Tiago; Pascual-Garrido, Alejandra; Corat, Clara; Mosley, Hannah; Haslam, Michael

2016-01-01

Animals foraging in their natural environments need to be proficient at recognizing and responding to changes in food targets that affect accessibility or pose a risk. Wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) use stone tools to access a variety of nut species, including otherwise inaccessible foods. This study tests whether wild capuchins from Serra da Capivara National Park in Brazil adjust their tool selection when processing cashew (Anacardium spp.) nuts. During the ripening process of cashew nuts, the amount of caustic defensive substance in the nut mesocarp decreases. We conducted field experiments to test whether capuchins adapt their stone hammer selection to changing properties of the target nut, using stones of different weights and two maturation stages of cashew nuts. The results show that although fresh nuts are easier to crack, capuchin monkeys used larger stone tools to open them, which may help the monkeys avoid contact with the caustic hazard in fresh nuts. We demonstrate that capuchin monkeys are actively able to distinguish between the maturation stages within one nut species, and to adapt their foraging behaviour accordingly. PMID:27624672

Social and environmental factors affecting fecal glucocorticoids in wild, female white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Carnegie, Sarah D; Fedigan, Linda M; Ziegler, Toni E

2011-09-01

Assessing glucocorticoid levels in free-ranging nonhuman primates provides a means to determine the social and environmental stress load for individuals. We investigated the effect of four proximate variables--reproductive state, season, male rank stability, and dominance rank--on the level of fecal glucocorticoids (cortisol metabolites) in eight adult female white-faced capuchin monkeys in Costa Rica. Reproductive state, season, and male rank stability significantly affected fecal glucocorticoids while female dominance rank did not. Cortisol levels were significantly higher in pregnant females as compared with lactating or other reproductive states. Cortisol levels were higher among females during the dry season compared with the wet season, suggesting a metabolic adaptation to maintain homeostasis in drier, hotter conditions. Although unfamiliar males present a greater infanticidal threat than do familiar ones, we found that females experienced higher glucocorticoid levels during male rank instability events, regardless of whether the alpha male role was taken over by a familiar or an unfamiliar male. Our findings provide important benchmark and comparative data for future studies on the variables that affect glucocorticoid levels in this species and other mammals. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Social facilitation of eating novel food in tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella): input provided by group members and responses affected in the observer.

PubMed

Addessi, E; Visalberghi, E

2001-11-01

Learning about food palatability from watching what conspecifics eat might be one of the advantages of group living. A previous study investigated whether group members' presence or eating activity account for social facilitation of eating of foods never previously tasted. Capuchins encountered novel colored foods when (1) alone (Alone condition) or (2) with group members visible in the nearby cage (Group-present condition) or (3) with group members present and eating a familiar food that had not been colored (Group+food condition). Social facilitation of eating occurred when group members were eating, despite the difference in color between the familiar food eaten by them and the novel food presented to the experimental subject. To clarify what subjects learnt from group members when social facilitation occurred, we further analyze here the data from the previous study. The number of visual exposures to the colored novel food (as a group member) correlated with increased consumption of that novel food when encountered later (as experimental subject). In contrast, the number of times that an individual fed on the familiar food (as a group member) did not decrease its consumption of novel food (as experimental subject). Therefore, capuchins (1) habituated to the colors of the novel foods, and (2) did not take into account that seeing group members eating a food does not provide information about the palatability of a differently colored food. Since social facilitation of eating occurs when foods do not match in color, at least in capuchins, social facilitation of eating should not be considered as a way of learning about a safe diet, but rather as a way of overcoming neophobia.

Irrational choice behavior in human and nonhuman primates.

PubMed

Perdue, Bonnie M; Brown, Ella R

2018-03-01

Choice behavior in humans has motivated a large body of research with a focus on whether decisions can be considered to be rational. In general, humans prefer having choice, as do a number of other species that have been tested, even though having increased choice does not necessarily yield a positive outcome. Humans have been found to choose an option more often only because the opportunity to select it was diminishing, an example of a deviation from economic rationality. Here we extend this paradigm to nonhuman primates in an effort to understand the mechanisms underlying this finding. In this study, we presented two groups of laboratory monkeys, capuchins (Cebus apella) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), as well as human subjects, with a computerized task in which subjects were presented with two differently colored icons. When the subject selected an icon, differing numbers of food pellets were dispensed (or points were assigned), making each icon correspond to a certain level of risk (one icon yielded 1 or 4 pellets/points and the other yielded 2 or 3). Initially, both options remained constantly available and we established choice preference scores for each subject. Then, we assessed preference patterns once the options were not continuously available. Specifically, choosing one icon would cause the other to shrink in size on the screen and eventually disappear if never selected. Selecting it would restore it to its full size. As predicted, humans shifted their risk preferences in the diminishing options phase, choosing to click on both icons more equally in order to keep both options available. At the group level, capuchin monkeys showed this pattern as well, but there was a great deal of individual variability in both capuchins and macaques. The present work suggests that there is some degree of continuity between human and nonhuman primates in the desire to have choice simply for the sake of having choice.

Influence of fruit and invertebrate consumption on the gut microbiota of wild white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Mallott, Elizabeth K; Amato, Katherine R; Garber, Paul A; Malhi, Ripan S

2018-03-01

Invertebrate consumption is thought to be an integral part of early hominin diets, and many modern human populations regularly consume insects and other arthropods. This study examines the response of gut microbial community structure and function to changes in diet in wild white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus), a primate that incorporates a large proportion of invertebrates in its diet. The goal of the study is to better understand the role of both fruit and invertebrate prey consumption on shaping primate gut microbiomes. Fecal samples (n = 169) and dietary data were collected over 12 months. The V3-V5 region of microbial 16S rRNA genes was amplified and sequenced. The IM-TORNADO pipeline was used to analyze sequences. White-faced capuchin gut bacterial communities were characterized primarily by Firmicutes (41.6%) and Proteobacteria (39.2%). There was a significant relationship between the invertebrate diet composition of individual capuchins and their gut microbiome composition. However, there was no relationship between the fruit diet composition of individual capuchins and their gut microbiome composition, even when examining multiple timescales. The results of our study indicate that there is a stronger relationship between gut microbial community structure and invertebrate diet composition than between gut microbial community structure and fruit consumption. As invertebrates and other animal prey play an important role in the diet of many primates, these results give important insight into the role of faunivory in shaping the evolution of host-microbe interactions in primates. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Behavioural Repertoires and Time Budgets of Semi-Free-Ranging and Captive Groups of Wedge-Capped Capuchin Monkeys, Cebus olivaceus, in Zoo Exhibits in Venezuela.

PubMed

Tárano, Zaida; López, Marie Charlotte

2015-01-01

The behavioural repertoires and time budgets of 2 captive groups and 1 semi-free-ranging group of Cebus olivaceus were determined with the aim to assess the impact of the zoo environment on behaviour. The repertoires were qualitatively similar between groups and to those reported for wild troops, but the captive groups showed self-directed and stereotyped behaviours not reported in the wild. The differences in repertoires between groups were easily associated with the opportunity to interact directly with the visitors, with particularities of the enclosure and with the severity of confinement. Overall, females spent more time foraging than males in the 2 captive groups, and adults rested and watched more than subadults in all the groups. Time budgets were dominated by foraging, resting, movement and affiliative interactions, but their relative importance varied between groups, with foraging being especially prominent in the most confined group. The time budgets also varied qualitatively from those reported for wild troops. We conclude the species is behaviourally able to adjust to captivity, but the slight differences along the continuum from wild to semi-free to captive are suggestive of mild stress or social tension probably due to unstimulating environmental conditions, high visitor pressure and deviations from typical sex-age group composition.

Inequity responses of monkeys modified by effort

PubMed Central

van Wolkenten, Megan; Brosnan, Sarah F.; de Waal, Frans B. M.

2007-01-01

Without joint benefits, joint actions could never have evolved. Cooperative animals need to monitor closely how large a share they receive relative to their investment toward collective goals. This work documents the sensitivity to reward division in brown, or tufted, capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). In addition to confirming previous results with a larger subject pool, this work rules out several alternative explanations and adds data on effort sensitivity. Thirteen adult monkeys exchanged tokens for rewards, showing negative reactions to receiving a less-favored reward than their partner. Because their negative reaction could not be attributed to the mere visibility of better rewards (greed hypothesis) nor to having received such rewards in the immediate past (frustration hypothesis), it must have been caused by seeing their partner obtain the better reward. Effort had a major effect in that by far the lowest level of performance in the entire study occurred in subjects required to expend a large effort while at the same time seeing their partner receive a better reward. It is unclear whether this effort–effect was based on comparisons with the partner, but it added significantly to the intensity of the inequity response. These effects are as expected if the inequity response evolved in the context of cooperative survival strategies. PMID:18000045

Inequity responses of monkeys modified by effort.

PubMed

van Wolkenten, Megan; Brosnan, Sarah F; de Waal, Frans B M

2007-11-20

Without joint benefits, joint actions could never have evolved. Cooperative animals need to monitor closely how large a share they receive relative to their investment toward collective goals. This work documents the sensitivity to reward division in brown, or tufted, capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). In addition to confirming previous results with a larger subject pool, this work rules out several alternative explanations and adds data on effort sensitivity. Thirteen adult monkeys exchanged tokens for rewards, showing negative reactions to receiving a less-favored reward than their partner. Because their negative reaction could not be attributed to the mere visibility of better rewards (greed hypothesis) nor to having received such rewards in the immediate past (frustration hypothesis), it must have been caused by seeing their partner obtain the better reward. Effort had a major effect in that by far the lowest level of performance in the entire study occurred in subjects required to expend a large effort while at the same time seeing their partner receive a better reward. It is unclear whether this effort-effect was based on comparisons with the partner, but it added significantly to the intensity of the inequity response. These effects are as expected if the inequity response evolved in the context of cooperative survival strategies.

Small but wise: Common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) use acoustic signals as cues to avoid interactions with blonde capuchin monkeys (Sapajus flavius).

PubMed

Bastos, Monique; Medeiros, Karolina; Jones, Gareth; Bezerra, Bruna

2018-03-01

Vocalizations are often used by animals to communicate and mediate social interactions. Animals may benefit from eavesdropping on calls from other species to avoid predation and thus increase their chances of survival. Here we use both observational and experimental evidence to investigate eavesdropping and how acoustic signals may mediate interactions between two sympatric and endemic primate species (common marmosets and blonde capuchin monkeys) in a fragment of Atlantic Rainforest in Northeastern Brazil. We observed 22 natural vocal encounters between the study species, but no evident visual or physical contact over the study period. These two species seem to use the same area throughout the day, but at different times. We broadcasted alarm and long distance calls to and from both species as well as two control stimuli (i.e., forest background noise and a loud call from an Amazonian primate) in our playback experiments. Common marmosets showed anti-predator behavior (i.e., vigilance and flight) when exposed to blonde capuchin calls both naturally and experimentally. However, blonde capuchin monkeys showed no anti-predator behavior in response to common marmoset calls. Blonde capuchins uttered long distance calls and looked in the direction of the speaker following exposure to their own long distance call, whereas they fled when exposed to their own alarm calls. Both blonde capuchin monkeys and common marmosets showed fear behaviors in response to the loud call from a primate species unknown to them, and showed no apparent response to the forest background noise. Common marmoset responses to blonde capuchin calls suggests that the latter is a potential predator. Furthermore, common marmosets appear to be eavesdropping on calls from blonde capuchin monkeys to avoid potentially costly encounters with them. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Personality Structure in Brown Capuchin Monkeys: Comparisons with Chimpanzees, Orangutans, and Rhesus Macaques

PubMed Central

Morton, F. Blake; Lee, Phyllis C.; Buchanan-Smith, Hannah M.; Brosnan, Sarah F.; Thierry, Bernard; Paukner, Annika; de Waal, Frans B. M.; Widness, Jane; Essler, Jennifer L.; Weiss, Alexander

2013-01-01

Species comparisons of personality structure (i.e. how many personality dimensions and the characteristics of those dimensions) can facilitate questions about the adaptive function of personality in nonhuman primates. Here we investigate personality structure in the brown capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella), a New World primate species, and compare this structure to those of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo spp.), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Brown capuchins evolved behavioral and cognitive traits that are qualitatively similar to those of great apes, and individual differences in behavior and cognition are closely associated with differences in personality. Thus, we hypothesized that brown capuchin personality structure would overlap more with great apes than with rhesus macaques. We obtained personality ratings from seven sites on 127 brown capuchin monkeys. Principal-components analysis identified five personality dimensions (Assertiveness, Openness, Neuroticism, Sociability, and Attentiveness), which were reliable across raters and, in a subset of subjects, significantly correlated with relevant behaviors up to a year later. Comparisons between species revealed that brown capuchins and great apes overlapped in personality structure, particularly chimpanzees in the case of Neuroticism. However, in some respects (i.e. capuchin Sociability and Openness) the similarities between capuchins and great apes were not significantly greater than those between capuchins and rhesus macaques. We discuss the relevance of our results to brown capuchin behavior, and the evolution of personality structure in primates. PMID:23668695

Interspecific Infanticide and Infant-Directed Aggression by Spider Monkeys (Ateles hybridus) in a Fragmented Forest in Colombia

PubMed Central

Rimbach, Rebecca; Pardo-Martinez, Alejandra; Montes-Rojas, Andres; Di Fiore, Anthony; Link, Andres

2012-01-01

Interspecific aggression amongst nonhuman primates is rarely observed and has been mostly related to scenarios of resource competition. Interspecific infanticide is even rarer, and both the ultimate and proximate socio-ecological factors explaining this behavior are still unclear. We report two cases of interspecific infanticide and five cases of interspecific infant-directed aggression occurring in a well-habituated primate community living in a fragmented landscape in Colombia. All cases were initiated by male brown spider monkeys (Ateles hybridus) and were directed toward infants of either red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus: n = 6 cases) or white-fronted capuchins (Cebus albifrons: n = 1 case). One individual, a subadult spider monkey male, was involved in all but one case of interspecific infanticide or aggression. Other adult spider monkeys participated in interspecific aggression that did not escalate into potentially lethal encounters. We suggest that competition for food resources and space in a primate community living in high population densities and restricted to a forest fragment of ca. 65 ha might partly be driving the observed patterns of interspecific aggression. On the other hand, the fact that all but one case of interspecific infanticide and aggression involved the only subadult male spider monkey suggests this behavior might either be pathological or constitute a particular case of redirected aggression. Even if the underlying principles behind interspecific aggression and infanticide are poorly understood, they represent an important factor influencing the demographic trends of the primate community at this study site. Am. J. Primatol. 74:990–997, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:22767357

Interspecific infanticide and infant-directed aggression by spider monkeys (Ateles hybridus) in a fragmented forest in Colombia.

PubMed

Rimbach, Rebecca; Pardo-Martinez, Alejandra; Montes-Rojas, Andres; Di Fiore, Anthony; Link, Andres

2012-11-01

Interspecific aggression amongst nonhuman primates is rarely observed and has been mostly related to scenarios of resource competition. Interspecific infanticide is even rarer, and both the ultimate and proximate socio-ecological factors explaining this behavior are still unclear. We report two cases of interspecific infanticide and five cases of interspecific infant-directed aggression occurring in a well-habituated primate community living in a fragmented landscape in Colombia. All cases were initiated by male brown spider monkeys (Ateles hybridus) and were directed toward infants of either red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus: n = 6 cases) or white-fronted capuchins (Cebus albifrons: n = 1 case). One individual, a subadult spider monkey male, was involved in all but one case of interspecific infanticide or aggression. Other adult spider monkeys participated in interspecific aggression that did not escalate into potentially lethal encounters. We suggest that competition for food resources and space in a primate community living in high population densities and restricted to a forest fragment of ca. 65 ha might partly be driving the observed patterns of interspecific aggression. On the other hand, the fact that all but one case of interspecific infanticide and aggression involved the only subadult male spider monkey suggests this behavior might either be pathological or constitute a particular case of redirected aggression. Even if the underlying principles behind interspecific aggression and infanticide are poorly understood, they represent an important factor influencing the demographic trends of the primate community at this study site. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Inbreeding avoidance and female mate choice shape reproductive skew in capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus imitator).

PubMed

Wikberg, Eva C; Jack, Katharine M; Fedigan, Linda M; Campos, Fernando A; Yashima, Akiko S; Bergstrom, Mackenzie L; Hiwatashi, Tomohide; Kawamura, Shoji

2017-01-01

Reproductive skew in multimale groups may be determined by the need for alpha males to offer reproductive opportunities as staying incentives to subordinate males (concessions), by the relative fighting ability of the alpha male (tug-of-war) or by how easily females can be monopolized (priority-of-access). These models have rarely been investigated in species with exceptionally long male tenures, such as white-faced capuchins, where female mate choice for novel unrelated males may be important in shaping reproductive skew. We investigated reproductive skew in white-faced capuchins at Sector Santa Rosa, Costa Rica, using 20 years of demographic, behavioural and genetic data. Infant survival and alpha male reproductive success were highest in small multimale groups, which suggests that the presence of subordinate males can be beneficial to the alpha male, in line with the concession model's assumptions. None of the skew models predicted the observed degree of reproductive sharing, and the probability of an alpha male producing offspring was not affected by his relatedness to subordinate males, whether he resided with older subordinate males, whether he was prime aged, the number of males or females in the group or the number of infants conceived within the same month. Instead, the alpha male's probability of producing offspring decreased when he was the sire of the mother, was weak and lacked a well-established position and had a longer tenure. Because our data best supported the inbreeding avoidance hypothesis and female choice for strong novel mates, these hypotheses should be taken into account in future skew models. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in captive mammals in three zoos in Mexico City, Mexico.

PubMed

Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Gayosso-Dominguez, Edgar Arturo; Villena, Isabelle; Dubey, J P

2013-09-01

Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were determined in 167 mammals in three zoos in Mexico City, Mexico, using the modified agglutination test (MAT). Overall, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 89 (53.3%) of the 167 animals tested. Antibodies were found in 35 of 43 wild Felidae: 2 of 2 bobcats (Lynx rufus); 4 of 4 cougars (Puma concolor); 10 of 13 jaguars (Panthera onca); 5 of 5 leopards (Panthera pardus); 7 of 7 lions (Panthera leo); 2 of 3 tigers (Panthera tigris); 2 of 3 ocelots (Leopardus pardalis); 2 of 2 Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae); lof 2 Jaguarundi (Herpailurus jagouaroundi); but not in 0 of 2 oncillas (Leopardus tigrinus). Such high seroprevalence in wild felids is of public health significance because of the potential of oocyst shedding. Four of 6 New World primates (2 of 2 Geoffroy's spider monkeys [Ateles geoffroyi], 1 of 3 Patas monkeys [Erythrocebus patas], and 1 of 1 white-headed capuchin [Cebus capucinus]) had high MAT titers of 3,200, suggesting recently acquired infection; these animals are highly susceptible to clinical toxoplasmosis. However, none of these animals were ill. Seropositivity to T. gondii was found for the first time in a number of species.

Mutual medication in capuchin monkeys - Social anointing improves coverage of topically applied anti-parasite medicines.

PubMed

Bowler, Mark; Messer, Emily J E; Claidière, Nicolas; Whiten, Andrew

2015-10-12

Wild and captive capuchin monkeys will anoint themselves with a range of strong smelling substances including millipedes, ants, limes and onions. Hypotheses for the function of the behaviour range from medicinal to social. However, capuchin monkeys may anoint in contact with other individuals, as well as individually. The function of social anointing has also been explained as either medicinal or to enhance social bonding. By manipulating the abundance of an anointing resource given to two groups of tufted capuchins, we tested predictions derived from the main hypotheses for the functions of anointing and in particular, social anointing. Monkeys engaged in individual and social anointing in similar proportions when resources were rare or common, and monkeys holding resources continued to join anointing groups, indicating that social anointing has functions beyond that of gaining access to resources. The distribution of individual and social anointing actions on the monkeys' bodies supports a medicinal function for both individual and social anointing, that requires no additional social bonding hypotheses. Individual anointing targets hard-to-see body parts that are harder to groom, whilst social anointing targets hard-to-reach body parts. Social anointing in capuchins is a form of mutual medication that improves coverage of topically applied anti-parasite medicines.

Wild capuchin monkeys spontaneously adjust actions when using hammer stones of different mass to crack nuts of different resistance.

PubMed

Liu, Qing; Fragaszy, Dorothy M; Visalberghi, Elisabetta

2016-09-01

Expert tool users are known to adjust their actions skillfully depending on aspects of tool type and task. We examined if bearded capuchin monkeys cracking nuts with stones of different mass adjusted the downward velocity and the height of the stone when striking palm nuts. During a field experiment carried out in FBV (Piauí, Brazil), eight adult wild capuchin monkeys (five males) cracked Orbygnia nuts of varied resistance with hammer stones differing in mass. From recorded videos, we identified the highest strike per nut-cracking episode, and for this strike, we calculated the height to which the monkey lifted the stone, the maximum velocity of the stone during the downward phase, the work done on the stone, and the kinetic energy of the strike. We found that individual capuchins achieved average maximum kinetic energy of 8.7-16.1 J when using stones between 0.9 and 1.9 kg, and maximum kinetic energy correlated positively with mass of the stone. Monkeys lifted all the stones to an individually consistent maximum height but added more work to the stone when using lighter stones. One male and one female monkey lifted stones higher when they cracked more resistant nuts. The high resistance of the Orbygnia nut elicits production of maximum kinetic energy, which the monkeys modulate to some degree by adding work to lighter stones. Capuchin monkeys, like chimpanzees, modulate their actions in nut-cracking, indicating skilled action, although neither species regulates kinetic energy as precisely as skilled human stone knappers. Kinematic analyses promise to yield new insights into the ways and extent to which nonhuman tool users develop expertise. Am J Phys Anthropol 161:53-61, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The ontogeny of handling hard-to-process food in wild brown capuchins (Cebus apella apella): evidence from foraging on the fruit of Maximiliana maripa.

PubMed

Gunst, Noëlle; Leca, Jean-Baptiste; Boinski, Sue; Fragaszy, Dorothy

2010-11-01

We examined age-related differences in wild brown capuchins' foraging efficiency and the food-processing behaviors directed toward maripa palm fruit (Maximiliana maripa). A detailed comparison of the different foraging techniques showed that plucking the fruit from the infructescence constituted the main difficulty of this task. Foraging efficiency tended to increase with age, with a threshold at which sufficient strength allowed immatures by the age of three to reach adult-level efficiency. Youngsters spent more time than older individuals browsing the infructescence and pulling the fruit in an attempt to harvest it. Infants tried to compensate for their inability to pluck fruit by adopting alternative strategies but with low payback, such as gnawing unplucked fruit and opportunistically scrounging others' partially processed food. Although around 2 years of age, young capuchins exhibited all of the behaviors used by adults, they did not reach adult-level proficiency at feeding on maripa until about 3 years (older juveniles). We compared this developmental pattern with that of extractive foraging on beetle larvae (Myelobia sp.) hidden in bamboo stalks, a more difficult food for these monkeys [Gunst N, Boinski S, Fragaszy DM. Behaviour 145:195-229, 2008]. For maripa, the challenge was mainly physical (plucking the fruit) once a tree was encountered, whereas for larvae, the challenge was primarily perceptual (locating the hidden larvae). For both foods, capuchins practice for years before achieving adult-level foraging competence, and the timeline is extended for larvae foraging (until 6 years) compared with maripa (3 years). The differing combinations of opportunities and challenges for learning to forage on these different foods illustrate how young generalist foragers (i.e. exploiting a large number of animal and plant species) may compensate for their low efficiency in extractive foraging tasks by showing earlier competence in processing less difficult but nutritious foods, such as maripa fruit. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Behavioral indicators of ovarian phase in white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Carnegie, Sarah D; Fedigan, Linda M; Ziegler, Toni E

2005-09-01

In many primate species, conspicuous behavioral and/or morphological changes are indicators of the fertile phase of the female cycle. However, several primate species, such as the white-faced capuchin, lack these cues. This is referred to as "concealed ovulation," and is argued to be a reproductive strategy that confuses paternity and lowers the risk of infanticide. We studied 10 adult female white-faced capuchins in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica, from January to June 2002. We determined their ovarian cycling patterns by analyzing fecal ovarian hormones, and compared simultaneously collected behavioral data to determine which, if any, cues females use to signal their fertile phases. We found that four females cycled during the study period but ceased to cycle without becoming pregnant. We considered several explanations for the lack of conception during our study, including reproductive seasonality. We found that female C. capucinus showed only small increases in rates of affiliative/proceptive behaviors directed toward adult males during their periovulatory phases. The best indicator of cycle phase was a significant increase in male affiliative behaviors (e.g., following and grooming bouts) and sexual behaviors (e.g., copulations and courtship displays) directed toward females during the periovulatory phase compared to the nonovulatory phase. Our finding that females exhibit little proceptive behavior, but that copulations and male courtship are nonetheless concentrated in periovulatory phases suggests that even though females do not provide behavioral and morphological cues to ovulation, males are still able to detect it. Infanticide occurs with some frequency in these monkeys, and there is evidence for postconceptive mating as a female strategy to lower risk of infanticide via paternity confusion. However, despite this occurrence of nonconceptive mating and the absence of female cues to ovulation, truly concealed ovulation does not appear to be characteristic of this study population of white-faced capuchins.

Interaction location outweighs the competitive advantage of numerical superiority in Cebus capucinus intergroup contests.

PubMed

Crofoot, Margaret C; Gilby, Ian C; Wikelski, Martin C; Kays, Roland W

2008-01-15

Numerical superiority confers a competitive advantage during contests among animal groups, shaping patterns of resource access, and, by extension, fitness. However, relative group size does not always determine the winner of intergroup contests. Smaller, presumably weaker social groups often defeat their larger neighbors, but how and when they are able to do so remains poorly understood. Models of competition between individuals suggest that location may influence contest outcome. However, because of the logistical difficulties of studying intergroup interactions, previous studies have been unable to determine how contest location and group size interact to shape relationships among groups. We address this question by using an automated radio telemetry system to study intergroup interactions among six capuchin monkey (Cebus capucinus) social groups of varying sizes. We find that the odds of winning increase with relative group size; one additional group member increases the odds of winning an interaction by 10%. However, this effect is not uniform across space; with each 100 m that a group moves away from the center of its home range, its odds of winning an interaction decrease by 31%. We demonstrate that contest outcome depends on an interaction between group size and location, such that small groups can defeat much larger groups near the center of their home range. The tendency of resident groups to win contests may help explain how small groups persist in areas with intense intergroup competition.

Anatomical analysis of thumb opponency movement in the capuchin monkey (Sapajus sp).

PubMed

Aversi-Ferreira, Roqueline A G M F; Souto Maior, Rafael; Aziz, Ashraf; Ziermann, Janine M; Nishijo, Hisao; Tomaz, Carlos; Tavares, Maria Clotilde H; Aversi-Ferreira, Tales Alexandre

2014-01-01

Capuchin monkeys present a wide variety of manipulatory skills and make routine use of tools both in captivity and in the wild. Efficient handling of objects in this genus has led several investigators to assume near-human thumb movements despite the lack of anatomical studies. Here we perform an anatomical analysis of muscles and bones in the capuchin hand. Trapezo-metacarpal joint surfaces observed in capuchins indicate that medial rotation of metacarpal I is either absent or very limited. Overall, bone structural arrangement and thumb position relative to the other digits and the hand's palm suggest that capuchins are unable to perform any kind of thumb opponency, but rather a 'lateral pinch' movement. Although the capuchin hand apparatus bears other features necessary for complex tool use, the lack thumb opposition movements suggests that a developed cognitive and motor nervous system may be even more important for high manipulatory skills than traditionally held.

Tool use by Amazonian capuchin monkeys during predation on caiman nests in a high-productivity forest.

PubMed

Torralvo, Kelly; Rabelo, Rafael M; Andrade, Alfredo; Botero-Arias, Robinson

2017-04-01

Descriptions of new tool-use events are important for understanding how ecological context may drive the evolution of tool use among primate traditions. Here, we report a possible case of the first record of tool use by wild Amazonian capuchin monkeys (Sapajus macrocephalus). The record was made by a camera trap, while we were monitoring caiman nest predation at Mamirauá Reserve in Central Amazonia. An adult individual was registered in a bipedal posture, apparently using a branch as a shovel to dig eggs out of a nest. Caiman eggs are frequently depredated by opportunistic animals, such as the capuchin monkeys. As the Mamirauá Reserve is covered by a high-productivity forest, and caiman eggs are a high-quality food resource seasonally available on the ground, we believe that tool use by capuchins is more likely to be opportunity driven, rather than necessity driven, in our study site.

Mutual medication in capuchin monkeys – Social anointing improves coverage of topically applied anti-parasite medicines

PubMed Central

Bowler, Mark; Messer, Emily J. E.; Claidière, Nicolas; Whiten, Andrew

2015-01-01

Wild and captive capuchin monkeys will anoint themselves with a range of strong smelling substances including millipedes, ants, limes and onions. Hypotheses for the function of the behaviour range from medicinal to social. However, capuchin monkeys may anoint in contact with other individuals, as well as individually. The function of social anointing has also been explained as either medicinal or to enhance social bonding. By manipulating the abundance of an anointing resource given to two groups of tufted capuchins, we tested predictions derived from the main hypotheses for the functions of anointing and in particular, social anointing. Monkeys engaged in individual and social anointing in similar proportions when resources were rare or common, and monkeys holding resources continued to join anointing groups, indicating that social anointing has functions beyond that of gaining access to resources. The distribution of individual and social anointing actions on the monkeys’ bodies supports a medicinal function for both individual and social anointing, that requires no additional social bonding hypotheses. Individual anointing targets hard-to-see body parts that are harder to groom, whilst social anointing targets hard-to-reach body parts. Social anointing in capuchins is a form of mutual medication that improves coverage of topically applied anti-parasite medicines. PMID:26456539

On the occurrence of Cebus flavius (Schreber 1774) in the Caatinga, and the use of semi-arid environments by Cebus species in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte.

PubMed

Ferreira, Renata G; Jerusalinsky, Leandro; Silva, Thiago César Farias; de Souza Fialho, Marcos; de Araújo Roque, Alan; Fernandes, Adalberto; Arruda, Fátima

2009-10-01

Cebus flavius is a recently rediscovered species and a candidate for the 25 most endangered primate species list. It was hypothesized that the distribution of C. flavius was limited to the Atlantic Forest, while the occurrence of C. libidinosus in the Rio Grande do Norte (RN) Caatinga was inferred, given its occurrence in neighboring states. As a result of a survey in ten areas of the RN Caatinga, this paper reports on four Cebus populations, including the first occurrence of C. flavius in the Caatinga, and an expansion of the northwestern limits of distribution for the species. This C. flavius population may be a rare example of a process of geographic distribution retraction, and is probably the most endangered population of this species. New areas of occurrence of C. libidinosus are also described. Tool use sites were observed in association with reports of the presence of both capuchin species.

Gambling primates: reactions to a modified Iowa Gambling Task in humans, chimpanzees and capuchin monkeys

PubMed Central

Williamson, Rebecca A.; Latzman, Robert D.; de Waal, Frans B. M.; Brosnan, Sarah F.

2014-01-01

Humans will, at times, act against their own economic self-interest, for example, in gambling situations. To explore the evolutionary roots of this behavior, we modified a traditional human gambling task, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), for use with chimpanzees, capuchin monkeys and humans. We expanded the traditional task to include two additional payoff structures to fully elucidate the ways in which these primate species respond to differing reward distributions versus overall quantities of rewards, a component often missing in the existing literature. We found that while all three species respond as typical humans do in the standard IGT payoff structure, species and individual differences emerge in our new payoff structures. Specifically, when variance avoidance and reward maximization conflicted, roughly equivalent numbers of apes maximized their rewards and avoided variance, indicating that the traditional payoff structure of the IGT is insufficient to disentangle these competing strategies. Capuchin monkeys showed little consistency in their choices. To determine whether this was a true species difference or an effect of task presentation, we replicated the experiment but increased the intertrial interval. In this case, several capuchin monkeys followed a reward maximization strategy, while chimpanzees retained the same strategy they had used previously. This suggests that individual differences in strategies for interacting with variance and reward maximization are present in apes, but not in capuchin monkeys. The primate gambling task presented here is a useful methodology for disentangling strategies of variance avoidance and reward maximization. PMID:24504555

Taste perception and food choices in capuchin monkeys and human children

PubMed Central

Addessi, Elsa; Galloway, Amy T.; Birch, Leann; Visalberghi, Elisabetta

2009-01-01

Summary Despite more than 40 million years of independent evolution, capuchin monkeys and human children share several features that make a comparison in the domain of feeding behaviour interesting. As with humans, capuchin monkeys have a long life span and an extended infancy period; moreover, they are omnivorous and food neophobic. In both species, taste provides an immediate and powerful feedback when selecting foods. In humans, acceptance and rejection responses are evident beginning in early infancy, before experiencing any consequences from the ingestion of sweet or bitter substances. Similarly, capuchins initially prefer novel foods with a high sugar content that is readily perceived through taste. However, after repeated encounters with these foods, capuchins change their preferences, responding to the feedback coming from the foods' energy content, in order to maximize the net gain of energy. Also in children, positive consequences of the ingestion of a food can be associated with the flavour of that food and can increase its consumption. Preschool children learn to prefer food with a high caloric content over food with a low caloric content and use different flavours as immediate cues to distinguish foods. Another factor influencing the consumption of a novel food is how often it is encountered. For capuchins, a food remains unfamiliar only for the first few encounters. Similarly, children’s neophobic response decreases with repeated exposures to novel foods. Furthermore, in both species social influences may help to overcome food neophobia and to accelerate the acceptance of novel foods into the diet. In conclusion, we argue that capuchin monkeys provide a good model for investigating the factors affecting the acquisition of diet in human children. PMID:19639053

Multi-Stage Mental Process for Economic Choice in Capuchins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padoa-Schioppa, Camillo; Jandolo, Lucia; Visalberghi, Elisabetta

2006-01-01

We studied economic choice behavior in capuchin monkeys by offering them to choose between two different foods available in variable amounts. When monkeys selected between familiar foods, their choice patterns were well-described in terms of relative value of the two foods. A leading view in economics and biology is that such behavior results from…

Anatomical Analysis of Thumb Opponency Movement in the Capuchin Monkey (Sapajus sp)

PubMed Central

Aversi-Ferreira, Roqueline A. G. M. F.; Maior, Rafael Souto; Aziz, Ashraf; Ziermann, Janine M.; Nishijo, Hisao; Tomaz, Carlos; Tavares, Maria Clotilde H.; Aversi-Ferreira, Tales Alexandre

2014-01-01

Capuchin monkeys present a wide variety of manipulatory skills and make routine use of tools both in captivity and in the wild. Efficient handling of objects in this genus has led several investigators to assume near-human thumb movements despite the lack of anatomical studies. Here we perform an anatomical analysis of muscles and bones in the capuchin hand. Trapezo-metacarpal joint surfaces observed in capuchins indicate that medial rotation of metacarpal I is either absent or very limited. Overall, bone structural arrangement and thumb position relative to the other digits and the hand’s palm suggest that capuchins are unable to perform any kind of thumb opponency, but rather a ‘lateral pinch’ movement. Although the capuchin hand apparatus bears other features necessary for complex tool use, the lack thumb opposition movements suggests that a developed cognitive and motor nervous system may be even more important for high manipulatory skills than traditionally held. PMID:24498307

STUDIES ON SOUTH AMERICAN YELLOW FEVER

PubMed Central

Davis, Nelson C.; Shannon, Raymond C.

1929-01-01

Yellow fever virus from M. rhesus has been inoculated into a South American monkey (Cebus macrocephalus) by blood injection and by bites of infected mosquitoes. The Cebus does not develop the clinical or pathological signs of yellow fever. Nevertheless, the virus persists in the Cebus for a time as shown by the typical symptoms and lesions which develop when the susceptible M. rhesus is inoculated from a Cebus by direct transfer of blood or by mosquito (A. aegypti) transmission. PMID:19869607

Risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in captive Sapajus spp

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in captive capuchin monkeys at a facility in the northeastern Brazil. Serum samples from 116 bearded capuchin (Sapajus libidinosus), nine blonde capuchin (Sapajus flavius), five black-capped ...

Interaction location outweighs the competitive advantage of numerical superiority in Cebus capucinus intergroup contests

PubMed Central

Crofoot, Margaret C.; Gilby, Ian C.; Wikelski, Martin C.; Kays, Roland W.

2008-01-01

Numerical superiority confers a competitive advantage during contests among animal groups, shaping patterns of resource access, and, by extension, fitness. However, relative group size does not always determine the winner of intergroup contests. Smaller, presumably weaker social groups often defeat their larger neighbors, but how and when they are able to do so remains poorly understood. Models of competition between individuals suggest that location may influence contest outcome. However, because of the logistical difficulties of studying intergroup interactions, previous studies have been unable to determine how contest location and group size interact to shape relationships among groups. We address this question by using an automated radio telemetry system to study intergroup interactions among six capuchin monkey (Cebus capucinus) social groups of varying sizes. We find that the odds of winning increase with relative group size; one additional group member increases the odds of winning an interaction by 10%. However, this effect is not uniform across space; with each 100 m that a group moves away from the center of its home range, its odds of winning an interaction decrease by 31%. We demonstrate that contest outcome depends on an interaction between group size and location, such that small groups can defeat much larger groups near the center of their home range. The tendency of resident groups to win contests may help explain how small groups persist in areas with intense intergroup competition. PMID:18184811

Techniques Used by Bearded Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) to Access Water in a Semi-Arid Environment of North-Eastern Brazil.

PubMed

Castro, Shalana Cássia do Nascimento; Souto, Antonio da Silva; Schiel, Nicola; Biondi, Luiz Matos; Caselli, Christini B

2017-01-01

The exploratory behaviour and the ability of capuchin monkeys to use tools allows them to thrive at times and places of limited food and water abundance, such as in semi-arid environments. Here, we report the behaviours employed by individuals belonging to a wild group of bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) to access natural water sources in a dry forest of north-eastern Brazil. An adult female employed a twig as a tool and her tail to gain access to accumulated rainwater in a tree hole, and other individuals used their hands and mouth to manipulate orchids' pseudobulbs and the liquid endosperm of palm nuts. The behaviour of wild Sapajus to access water from non-food sources may enable them to circumvent the risk of dehydration in environments with reduced availability of fleshy fruits and with ephemeral and rare water sources. Our findings contribute to the still scarce but accumulating reports on primate drinking behaviour and to the knowledge of tool use in wild populations of capuchin monkeys, enriching our understanding of primate strategies to gain access to a vital resource under challenging conditions. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Dissecting the mechanisms of squirrel monkey (Saimiri boliviensis) social learning

PubMed Central

Holmes, AN; Williams, LE; Brosnan, SF

2013-01-01

Although the social learning abilities of monkeys have been well documented, this research has only focused on a few species. Furthermore, of those that also incorporated dissections of social learning mechanisms, the majority studied either capuchins (Cebus apella) or marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). To gain a broader understanding of how monkeys gain new skills, we tested squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) which have never been studied in tests of social learning mechanisms. To determine whether S. boliviensis can socially learn, we ran “open diffusion” tests with monkeys housed in two social groups (N = 23). Over the course of 10 20-min sessions, the monkeys in each group observed a trained group member retrieving a mealworm from a bidirectional task (the “Slide-box”). Two thirds (67%) of these monkeys both learned how to operate the Slide-box and they also moved the door significantly more times in the direction modeled by the trained demonstrator than the alternative direction. To tease apart the underlying social learning mechanisms we ran a series of three control conditions with 35 squirrel monkeys that had no previous experience with the Slide-box. The first replicated the experimental open diffusion sessions but without the inclusion of a trained model, the second was a no-information control with dyads of monkeys, and the third was a ‘ghost’ display shown to individual monkeys. The first two controls tested for the importance of social support (mere presence effect) and the ghost display showed the affordances of the task to the monkeys. The monkeys showed a certain level of success in the group control (54% of subjects solved the task on one or more occasions) and paired controls (28% were successful) but none were successful in the ghost control. We propose that the squirrel monkeys’ learning, observed in the experimental open diffusion tests, can be best described by a combination of social learning mechanisms in concert; in this case, those mechanisms are most likely object movement reenactment and social facilitation. We discuss the interplay of these mechanisms and how they related to learning shown by other primate species. PMID:23638347

Self-control assessments of capuchin monkeys with the rotating tray task and the accumulation task.

PubMed

Beran, Michael J; Perdue, Bonnie M; Rossettie, Mattea S; James, Brielle T; Whitham, Will; Walker, Bradlyn; Futch, Sara E; Parrish, Audrey E

2016-08-01

Recent studies of delay of gratification in capuchin monkeys using a rotating tray (RT) task have shown improved self-control performance in these animals in comparison to the accumulation (AC) task. In this study, we investigated whether this improvement resulted from the difference in methods between the rotating tray task and previous tests, or whether it was the result of greater overall experience with delay of gratification tasks. Experiment 1 produced similar performance levels by capuchins monkeys in the RT and AC tasks when identical reward and temporal parameters were used. Experiment 2 demonstrated a similar result using reward amounts that were more similar to previous AC experiments with these monkeys. In Experiment 3, monkeys performed multiple versions of the AC task with varied reward and temporal parameters. Their self-control behavior was found to be dependent on the overall delay to reward consumption, rather than the overall reward amount ultimately consumed. These findings indicate that these capuchin monkeys' self-control capacities were more likely to have improved across studies because of the greater experience they had with delay of gratification tasks. Experiment 4 and Experiment 5 tested new, task-naïve monkeys on both tasks, finding more limited evidence of self-control, and no evidence that one task was more beneficial than the other in promoting self-control. The results of this study suggest that future testing of this kind should focus on temporal parameters and reward magnitude parameters to establish accurate measures of delay of gratification capacity and development in this species and perhaps others. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-Control Assessments of Capuchin Monkeys With the Rotating Tray Task and the Accumulation Task

PubMed Central

Beran, Michael J.; Perdue, Bonnie M.; Rossettie, Mattea S.; James, Brielle T.; Whitham, Will; Walker, Bradlyn; Futch, Sara E.; Parrish, Audrey E.

2016-01-01

Recent studies of delay of gratification in capuchin monkeys using a rotating tray (RT) task have shown improved self-control performance in these animals in comparison to the accumulation (AC) task. In this study, we investigated whether this improvement resulted from the difference in methods between the rotating tray task and previous tests, or whether it was the result of greater overall experience with delay of gratification tasks. Experiment 1 produced similar performance levels by capuchins monkeys in the RT and AC tasks when identical reward and temporal parameters were used. Experiment 2 demonstrated a similar result using reward amounts that were more similar to previous AC experiments with these monkeys. In Experiment 3, monkeys performed multiple versions of the AC task with varied reward and temporal parameters. Their self-control behavior was found to be dependent on the overall delay to reward consumption, rather than the overall reward amount ultimately consumed. These findings indicate that these capuchin monkeys’ self-control capacities were more likely to have improved across studies because of the greater experience they had with delay of gratification tasks. Experiment 4 and Experiment 5 tested new, task-naïve monkeys on both tasks, finding more limited evidence of self-control, and no evidence that one task was more beneficial than the other in promoting self-control. The results of this study suggest that future testing of this kind should focus on temporal parameters and reward magnitude parameters to establish accurate measures of delay of gratification capacity and development in this species and perhaps others. PMID:27298233

Tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus sp) learning how to crack nuts: does variability decline throughout development?

PubMed

Resende, Briseida Dogo; Nagy-Reis, Mariana Baldy; Lacerda, Fernanda Neves; Pagnotta, Murillo; Savalli, Carine

2014-11-01

We investigated the process of nut-cracking acquisition in a semi-free population of tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus sp) in São Paulo, Brazil. We analyzed the cracking episodes from monkeys of different ages and found that variability of actions related to cracking declined. Inept movements were more frequent in juveniles, which also showed an improvement on efficient striking. The most effective behavioral sequence for cracking was more frequently used by the most experienced monkeys, which also used non-optimal sequences. Variability in behavior sequences and actions may allow adaptive changes to behavior under changing environmental conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seasonality, extractive foraging and the evolution of primate sensorimotor intelligence.

PubMed

Melin, Amanda D; Young, Hilary C; Mosdossy, Krisztina N; Fedigan, Linda M

2014-06-01

The parallel evolution of increased sensorimotor intelligence in humans and capuchins has been linked to the cognitive and manual demands of seasonal extractive faunivory. This hypothesis is attractive on theoretical grounds, but it has eluded widespread acceptance due to lack of empirical data. For instance, the effects of seasonality on the extractive foraging behaviors of capuchins are largely unknown. Here we report foraging observations on four groups of wild capuchins (Cebus capucinus) inhabiting a seasonally dry tropical forest. We also measured intra-annual variation in temperature, rainfall, and food abundance. We found that the exploitation of embedded or mechanically protected invertebrates was concentrated during periods of fruit scarcity. Such a pattern suggests that embedded insects are best characterized as a fallback food for capuchins. We discuss the implications of seasonal extractive faunivory for the evolution of sensorimotor intelligence (SMI) in capuchins and hominins and suggest that the suite of features associated with SMI, including increased manual dexterity, tool use, and innovative problem solving are cognitive adaptations among frugivores that fall back seasonally on extractable foods. The selective pressures acting on SMI are predicted to be strongest among primates living in the most seasonal environments. This model is proffered to explain the differences in tool use between capuchin lineages, and SMI as an adaptation to extractive foraging is suggested to play an important role in hominin evolution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of ecology and evolutionary history on robust capuchin morphological diversity.

PubMed

Wright, Kristin A; Wright, Barth W; Ford, Susan M; Fragaszy, Dorothy; Izar, Patricia; Norconk, Marilyn; Masterson, Thomas; Hobbs, David G; Alfaro, Michael E; Lynch Alfaro, Jessica W

2015-01-01

Recent molecular work has confirmed the long-standing morphological hypothesis that capuchins are comprised of two distinct clades, the gracile (untufted) capuchins (genus Cebus, Erxleben, 1777) and the robust (tufted) capuchins (genus Sapajus Kerr, 1792). In the past, the robust group was treated as a single, undifferentiated and cosmopolitan species, with data from all populations lumped together in morphological and ecological studies, obscuring morphological differences that might exist across this radiation. Genetic evidence suggests that the modern radiation of robust capuchins began diversifying ∼2.5 Ma, with significant subsequent geographic expansion into new habitat types. In this study we use a morphological sample of gracile and robust capuchin craniofacial and postcranial characters to examine how ecology and evolutionary history have contributed to morphological diversity within the robust capuchins. We predicted that if ecology is driving robust capuchin variation, three distinct robust morphotypes would be identified: (1) the Atlantic Forest species (Sapajus xanthosternos, S. robustus, and S. nigritus), (2) the Amazonian rainforest species (S. apella, S. cay and S. macrocephalus), and (3) the Cerrado-Caatinga species (S. libidinosus). Alternatively, if diversification time between species pairs predicts degree of morphological difference, we predicted that the recently diverged S. apella, S. macrocephalus, S. libidinosus, and S. cay would be morphologically comparable, with greater variation among the more ancient lineages of S. nigritus, S. xanthosternos, and S. robustus. Our analyses suggest that S. libidinosus has the most derived craniofacial and postcranial features, indicative of inhabiting a more terrestrial niche that includes a dependence on tool use for the extraction of imbedded foods. We also suggest that the cranial robusticity of S. macrocephalus and S. apella are indicative of recent competition with sympatric gracile capuchin species, resulting in character displacement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selective and contagious prosocial resource donation in capuchin monkeys, chimpanzees and humans

PubMed Central

Claidière, Nicolas; Whiten, Andrew; Mareno, Mary C.; Messer, Emily J. E.; Brosnan, Sarah F.; Hopper, Lydia M.; Lambeth, Susan P.; Schapiro, Steven J.; McGuigan, Nicola

2015-01-01

Prosocial acts benefitting others are widespread amongst humans. By contrast, chimpanzees have failed to demonstrate such a disposition in several studies, leading some authors to conclude that the forms of prosociality studied evolved in humans since our common ancestry. However, similar prosocial behavior has since been documented in other primates, such as capuchin monkeys. Here, applying the same methodology to humans, chimpanzees, and capuchins, we provide evidence that all three species will display prosocial behavior, but only in certain conditions. Fundamental forms of prosociality were age-dependent in children, conditional on self-beneficial resource distributions even at age seven, and conditional on social or resource configurations in chimpanzees and capuchins. We provide the first evidence that experience of conspecific companions' prosocial behavior facilitates prosocial behavior in children and chimpanzees. Prosocial actions were manifested in all three species following rules of contingency that may reflect strategically adaptive responses. PMID:25559658

Does Presentation Format Influence Visual Size Discrimination in Tufted Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus spp.)?

PubMed Central

Truppa, Valentina; Carducci, Paola; Trapanese, Cinzia; Hanus, Daniel

2015-01-01

Most experimental paradigms to study visual cognition in humans and non-human species are based on discrimination tasks involving the choice between two or more visual stimuli. To this end, different types of stimuli and procedures for stimuli presentation are used, which highlights the necessity to compare data obtained with different methods. The present study assessed whether, and to what extent, capuchin monkeys’ ability to solve a size discrimination problem is influenced by the type of procedure used to present the problem. Capuchins’ ability to generalise knowledge across different tasks was also evaluated. We trained eight adult tufted capuchin monkeys to select the larger of two stimuli of the same shape and different sizes by using pairs of food items (Experiment 1), computer images (Experiment 1) and objects (Experiment 2). Our results indicated that monkeys achieved the learning criterion faster with food stimuli compared to both images and objects. They also required consistently fewer trials with objects than with images. Moreover, female capuchins had higher levels of acquisition accuracy with food stimuli than with images. Finally, capuchins did not immediately transfer the solution of the problem acquired in one task condition to the other conditions. Overall, these findings suggest that – even in relatively simple visual discrimination problems where a single perceptual dimension (i.e., size) has to be judged – learning speed strongly depends on the mode of presentation. PMID:25927363

Social modulation of risky decision-making in rats (Rattus norvegicus) and tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.).

PubMed

Zoratto, F; Oddi, G; Gori, E; Micucci, A; De Petrillo, F; Paglieri, F; Adriani, W; Laviola, G; Addessi, E

2018-02-24

Both human and non-human animals frequently deal with risky decisions in a social environment. Nevertheless, the influence of the social context on decision-making has been scarcely investigated. Here, we evaluated for the first time whether the presence of a conspecific influences risk preferences in rats and in tufted capuchin monkeys. Subjects received a series of choices between a constant, safe option and a variable, risky option, both alone (Alone condition) and when paired with a conspecific (Paired condition). The average payoff of the risky option was always lower than that of the safe option. Overall, the two species differed in their attitude towards risk: whereas rats were indifferent between options, capuchins exhibited a preference for the safe option. In both species, risk preferences changed in the Paired condition compared to the Alone condition, although in an opposite way. Whereas rats increased their risk preferences over time when paired with a conspecific, capuchins chose the risky option less in the Paired condition than in the Alone condition. Moreover, whereas anxiety-like behaviours decreased across sessions in rats, these behaviours where more represented in the Paired condition than in the Alone condition in capuchins. Thus, our findings extends to two distantly-related non-human species the evidence, so far available for human beings, that a decrease in anxiety corresponds to an increase in risk preferences, and vice versa. This suggests that the modulation of risk preferences by social influences observed in rats and capuchin monkeys may rely on a common, evolutionarily ancient, mechanism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aggression, grooming and group-level cooperation in white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus): insights from social networks.

PubMed

Crofoot, Margaret C; Rubenstein, Daniel I; Maiya, Arun S; Berger-Wolf, Tanya Y

2011-08-01

The form of animal social systems depends on the nature of agonistic and affiliative interactions. Social network theory provides tools for characterizing social structure that go beyond simple dyadic interactions and consider the group as a whole. We show three groups of capuchin monkeys from Barro Colorado Island, Panama, where there are strong connections between key aspects of aggression, grooming, and proximity networks, and, at least among females, those who incur risk to defend their group have particular "social personalities." Although there is no significant correlation for any of the network measures between giving and receiving aggression, suggesting that dominance relationships do not follow a simple hierarchy, strong correlations emerge for many measures between the aggression and grooming networks. At the local, but not global, scale, receiving aggression and giving grooming are strongly linked in all groups. Proximity shows no correlation with aggression at either the local or the global scale, suggesting that individuals neither seek out nor avoid aggressors. Yet, grooming has a global but not local connection to proximity. Extensive groomers who tend to direct their efforts at other extensive groomers also spend time in close proximity to many other individuals. These results indicate the important role that prosociality plays in shaping female social relationships. We also show that females who receive the least aggression, and thus pay low costs for group living, are most likely to participate in group defense. No consistent "social personality" traits characterize the males who invest in group defense. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The capuchin monkey as a flight candidate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winget, C. M.

1977-01-01

The highly evolved nervous system and associated complex behavioral capabilities of the nonhuman primates make them good candidates for certain studies in the space environment since deleterious changes in these more complex aspects of a biological status can only be demonstrated by species which share such highly evolved features with man. Important assets which urge the selection of the capuchin monkey for space experiments include his small size, high intelligence, relative disease resistance, nutritional requirements, and lower volume life support systems. The species is particularly suited for experiments on the nervous system or on process under neural control because of the similarity of capuchin and human blood chemistry profiles and endocrine systems involved in the maintenance of homeostasis and vasomotor tone.

Comparative anatomy of the arm muscles of the Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata) with some comments on locomotor mechanics and behavior.

PubMed

Aversi-Ferreira, Tales Alexandre; Aversi-Ferreira, Roqueline A G M F; Bretas, Rafael Vieira; Nishimaru, Hiroshi; Nishijo, Hisao

2016-08-01

The anatomical literature on the genus Macaca has focused mainly on the rhesus monkey. However, some aspects in the positional behaviors of the Japanese monkey may be different from those in rhesus monkey, suggesting that the anatomical details of these species are divergent. Four thoracic limbs of Macaca fuscata adults were dissected. The arm muscles in Japanese macaques are more similar to rhesus monkeys and Papio; these characteristics are closer to those of bearded capuchins than apes, indicating more proximity of this genus to New World primates. The anatomical features observed favor quadrupedal locomotor behaviors on the ground and in arboreal environments. Japanese monkeys, rhesus monkeys, and bearded capuchins, which share more primitive characteristics in their arm muscles, present features that favor both arboreal and quadrupedal locomotor behaviors, whereas apes, mainly Pan and Gorilla, which spend more time on the ground, present more quadrupedal specializations. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Integrating feeding behavior, ecological data, and DNA barcoding to identify developmental differences in invertebrate foraging strategies in wild white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Mallott, Elizabeth K; Garber, Paul A; Malhi, Ripan S

2017-02-01

Invertebrate foraging strategies in nonhuman primates often require complex extractive foraging or prey detection techniques. As these skills take time to master, juveniles may have reduced foraging efficiency or concentrate their foraging efforts on easier to acquire prey than adults. We use DNA barcoding, behavioral observations, and ecological data to assess age-based differences in invertebrate prey foraging strategies in a group of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) in northeastern Costa Rica. Invertebrate availability was monitored using canopy traps and sweep netting. Fecal samples were collected from adult female, adult male, and juvenile white-faced capuchins (n = 225). COI mtDNA sequences were compared with known sequences in GenBank and the Barcode of Life Database. Frequencies of Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera consumption were higher in juveniles than in adults. A significantly smaller proportion of juvenile fecal samples contained Gryllidae and Cercopidae sequences, compared with adults (0% and 4.2% vs. 4.6% and 12.5%), and a significantly larger proportion contained Tenthredinidae, Culicidae, and Crambidae (5.6%, 9.7%, and 5.6% vs. 1.3%, 0.7%, and 1.3%). Juveniles spent significantly more time feeding and foraging than adults, and focused their foraging efforts on prey that require different skills to capture or extract. Arthropod availability was not correlated with foraging efficiency, and the rate of consumption of specific orders of invertebrates was not correlated with the availability of those same taxa. Our data support the hypothesis that juveniles are concentrating their foraging efforts on different prey than adults, potentially focusing their foraging efforts on more easily acquired types of prey. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Testing the Glucose Hypothesis among Capuchin Monkeys: Does Glucose Boost Self-Control?

PubMed

Parrish, Audrey E; Emerson, Ishara D; Rossettie, Mattea S; Beran, Michael J

2016-08-03

The ego-depletion hypothesis states that self-control diminishes over time and with exertion. Accordingly, the glucose hypothesis attributes this depletion of self-control resources to decreases in blood glucose levels. Research has led to mixed findings among humans and nonhuman animals, with limited evidence for such a link between glucose and self-control among closely-related nonhuman primate species, but some evidence from more distantly related species (e.g., honeybees and dogs). We tested this hypothesis in capuchin monkeys by manipulating the sugar content of a calorie-matched breakfast meal following a nocturnal fast, and then presenting each monkey with the accumulation self-control task. Monkeys were presented with food items one-by-one until the subject retrieved and ate the accumulating items, which required continual inhibition of food retrieval in the face of an increasingly desirable reward. Results indicated no relationship between self-control performance on the accumulation task and glucose ingestion levels following a fast. These results do not provide support for the glucose hypothesis of self-control among capuchin monkeys within the presented paradigm. Further research assessing self-control and its physiological correlates among closely- and distantly-related species is warranted to shed light on the mechanisms underlying self-control behavior.

The ecological rationality of delay tolerance: insights from capuchin monkeys.

PubMed

Addessi, Elsa; Paglieri, Fabio; Focaroli, Valentina

2011-04-01

Both human and non-human animals often face decisions between options available at different times, and the capacity of delaying gratification has usually been considered one of the features distinguishing humans from other animals. However, this characteristic can widely vary across individuals, species, and types of task and it is still unclear whether it is accounted for by phylogenetic relatedness, feeding ecology, social structure, or metabolic rate. To disentangle these hypotheses, we evaluated temporal preferences in capuchin monkeys, South-American primates that, despite splitting off from human lineage approximately 35 million years ago, show striking behavioural analogies with the great apes. Then, we compared capuchins' performance with that of the other primate species tested so far with the same procedure. Overall, capuchins showed a delay tolerance significantly higher than closely related species, such as marmosets and tamarins, and comparable to that shown by great apes. Capuchins' tool use abilities might explain their comparatively high preference for delayed options in inter-temporal choices. Moreover, as in humans, capuchin females showed a greater delay tolerance than males, possibly because of their less opportunistic foraging style. Thus, our results shed light on the evolutionary origins of self-control supporting explanations of delay tolerance in terms of feeding ecology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insightful problem solving and emulation in brown capuchin monkeys.

PubMed

Renner, Elizabeth; Abramo, Allison M; Karen Hambright, M; Phillips, Kimberley A

2017-05-01

We investigated problem solving abilities of capuchin monkeys via the "floating object problem," a task in which the subject must use creative problem solving to retrieve a favored food item from the bottom of a clear tube. Some great apes have solved this problem by adding water to raise the object to a level at which it can be easily grabbed. We presented seven capuchins with the task over eight trials (four "dry" and four "wet"). None of the subjects solved the task, indicating that no capuchin demonstrated insightful problem solving under these experimental conditions. We then investigated whether capuchins would emulate a solution to the task. Seven subjects observed a human model solve the problem by pouring water from a cup into the tube, which brought the object to the top of the tube, allowing the subject to retrieve it. Subjects were then allowed to interact freely with an unfilled tube containing the object in the presence of water and objects that could be used to solve the task. While most subjects were unable to solve the task after viewing a demonstrator solve it, one subject did so, but in a unique way. Our results are consistent with some previous results in great ape species and indicate that capuchins do not spontaneously solve the floating object problem via insight.

Food or threat? Wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) as both predators and prey of snakes.

PubMed

Falótico, Tiago; Verderane, Michele P; Mendonça-Furtado, Olívia; Spagnoletti, Noemi; Ottoni, Eduardo B; Visalberghi, Elisabetta; Izar, Patrícia

2018-01-01

Snakes present a hazard to primates, both as active predators and by defensive envenomation. This risk might have been a selective pressure on the evolution of primate visual and cognitive systems, leading to several behavioral traits present in human and non-human primates, such as the ability to quickly learn to fear snakes. Primates seldom prey on snakes, and humans are one of the few primate species that do. We report here another case, the wild capuchin monkey (Sapajus libidinosus), which preys on snakes. We hypothesized that capuchin monkeys, due to their behavioral plasticity, and cognitive and visual skills, would be capable of discriminating dangerous and non-dangerous snakes and behave accordingly. We recorded the behavioral patterns exhibited toward snakes in two populations of S. libidinosus living 320 km apart in Piauí, Brazil. As expected, capuchins have a fear reaction to dangerous snakes (usually venomous or constricting snakes), presenting mobbing behavior toward them. In contrast, they hunt and consume non-dangerous snakes without presenting the fear response. Our findings support the tested hypothesis that S. libidinosus are capable of differentiating snakes by level of danger: on the one hand they protect themselves from dangerous snakes, on the other hand they take opportunities to prey on non-dangerous snakes. Since capuchins and humans are both predators and prey of snakes, further studies of this complex relationship may shed light on the evolution of these traits in the human lineage.

Factors affecting cashew processing by wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus, Kerr 1792).

PubMed

Visalberghi, Elisabetta; Albani, Alessandro; Ventricelli, Marialba; Izar, Patricia; Schino, Gabriele; Fragazsy, Dorothy

2016-08-01

Cashew nuts are very nutritious but so well defended by caustic chemicals that very few species eat them. We investigated how wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) living at Fazenda Boa Vista (FBV; Piauí, Brazil) process cashew nuts (Anacardium spp.) to avoid the caustic chemicals contained in the seed mesocarp. We recorded the behavior of 23 individuals toward fresh (N = 1282) and dry (N = 477) cashew nuts. Adult capuchins used different sets of behaviors to process nuts: rubbing for fresh nuts and tool use for dry nuts. Moreover, adults succeed to open dry nuts both by using teeth and tools. Age and body mass significantly affected success. Signs of discomfort (e.g., chemical burns, drooling) were rare. Young capuchins do not frequently closely observe adults processing cashew nuts, nor eat bits of nut processed by others. Thus, observing the behavior of skillful group members does not seem important for learning how to process cashew nuts, although being together with group members eating cashews is likely to facilitate interest toward nuts and their inclusion into the diet. These findings differ from those obtained when capuchins crack palm nuts, where observations of others cracking nuts and encounters with the artifacts of cracking produced by others are common and support young individuals' persistent practice at cracking. Cashew nut processing by capuchins in FBV appears to differ from that observed in a conspecific population living 320 km apart, where capuchins use tools to open both fresh and dry nuts. Moreover, in the latter population, chemical burns due to cashew caustic compounds appear to be common. The sources of these differences across populations deserve investigation, especially given that social influences on young monkeys learning to open cashew nuts at FBV seem to be nonspecific. Am. J. Primatol. 78:799-815, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Through their eyes: The influence of social models on attention and memory in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella).

PubMed

Howard, Lauren H; Festa, Cassandra; Lonsdorf, Elizabeth V

2018-05-01

The ability to learn socially is of critical importance across a wide variety of species, as it allows knowledge to be passed quickly among individuals without the need of time-consuming trial-and-error learning. Among primates, social learning research has been particularly focused on foraging tasks, including transmission dynamics and the demonstration characteristics that appear to support social learning. Less work has focused on the attentional salience of the information being viewed, especially in New World monkeys. We used a noninvasive eye-tracking paradigm previously used in human infants and great apes to examine the salience of social modeling for memory in capuchin monkeys. Like human infants and apes, capuchins were significantly more likely to remember an event that included a social model as opposed to a nonsocial model. This article provides some of the first evidence that capuchin memory is altered by the presence of a social model and presents a novel method for assessing cognitive capabilities in this species. Whether this "social memory bias" is shared across the primate order, or is present only in taxa that regularly rely on social information, is an important avenue for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Administration of high doses of copper to capuchin monkeys does not cause liver damage but induces transcriptional activation of hepatic proliferative responses.

PubMed

Araya, Magdalena; Núñez, Héctor; Pavez, Leonardo; Arredondo, Miguel; Méndez, Marco; Cisternas, Felipe; Pizarro, Fernando; Sierralta, Walter; Uauy, Ricardo; González, Mauricio

2012-02-01

Liver cells respond to copper loading upregulating protective mechanisms. However, to date, except for liver content, there are no good indicators that identify individuals with excess liver copper. We hypothesized that administering high doses of copper to young (5.5 mg Cu · kg⁻¹ . d⁻¹) and adult (7.5 mg Cu · kg⁻¹ . d⁻¹) capuchin monkeys would induce detectable liver damage. Study groups included adult monkeys (2 females, 2 males) 3-3.5 y old at enrollment treated with copper for 36 mo (ACu); age-matched controls (1 female, 3 males) that did not receive additional copper (AC); young monkeys (2 female, 2 males) treated from birth with copper for 36 mo (YCu); and young age-matched controls (2 female, 2 males) that did not receive additional copper (YC). We periodically assessed clinical, blood biochemical, and liver histological indicators and at 36 mo the hepatic mRNA abundance of MT2a, APP, DMT1, CTR1, HGF, TGFβ, and NFκΒ only in adult monkeys. After 36 mo, the liver copper concentration was 4-5 times greater in treated monkeys relative to controls. All monkeys remained healthy with normal routine serum biochemical indices and there was no evidence of liver tissue damage. Relative mRNA abundance of HGF, TGFβ and NFκB was significantly greater in ACu than in AC monkeys. In conclusion, capuchin monkeys exposed to copper at doses up to 50 times the current upper level enhanced expression of genes related to inflammation and injury without clinical, blood biochemical, or histological evidence of liver damage.

Waiting for what comes later: capuchin monkeys show self-control even for nonvisible delayed rewards.

PubMed

Perdue, Bonnie M; Bramlett, Jessica L; Evans, Theodore A; Beran, Michael J

2015-09-01

Self-control tasks used with nonhuman animals typically involve the choice between an immediate option and a delayed, but more preferred option. However, in many self-control scenarios, not only does the more impulsive option come sooner in time, it is often more concrete than the delayed option. For example, studies have presented children with the option of eating a visible marshmallow immediately, or foregoing it for a better reward that can only be seen later. Thus, the immediately available option is visible and concrete, whereas the delayed option is not visible and more abstract. We tested eight capuchin monkeys to better understand this potential effect by manipulating the visibility of the response options and the visibility of the baiting itself. Monkeys observed two food items (20 or 5 g pieces of banana) each being placed either on top of or inside of one of the two opaque containers attached to a revolving tray apparatus, either in full view of monkeys or occluded by a barrier. Trials ended when monkeys removed a reward from the rotating tray. To demonstrate self-control, monkeys should have allowed the smaller piece of food to pass if the larger piece was forthcoming. Overall, monkeys were successful on the task, allowing a smaller, visible piece of banana to pass from reach in order to access the larger, nonvisible banana piece. This was true even when the entire baiting process took place out of sight of the monkeys. This finding suggests that capuchin monkeys succeed on self-control tasks even when the delayed option is also more abstract than the immediate one-a situation likely faced by primates in everyday life.

Male endocrine response to seasonally varying environmental and social factors in a neotropical primate, Cebus capucinus.

PubMed

Schoof, Valérie A M; Bonnell, Tyler R; Jack, Katharine M; Ziegler, Toni E; Melin, Amanda D; Fedigan, Linda M

2016-04-01

Circannual variation in reproduction is pervasive in birds and mammals. In primates, breeding seasonality is variable, with seasonal birth peaks occurring even in year-round breeders. Environmental seasonality is reportedly an important contributor to the observed variation in reproductive seasonality. Given that food availability is the primary factor constraining female reproduction, predictions concerning responsiveness to environmental seasonality focus on females, with studies of males focusing primarily on social factors. We examined the influence of both environmental and social factors on male fecal testosterone (fT) and glucocorticoids (fGC) in moderately seasonally breeding white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) in Costa Rica. Over 17 months, we collected 993 fecal samples from 14 males in three groups. We used LMM to simultaneously examine the relative effects of photoperiod, fruit biomass, rainfall, temperature, female reproductive status (i.e., number of periovulatory periods, POPs), and male age and dominance rank on monthly fT and fGC levels. Male age and rank had large effects on fT and fGC. Additionally, some hormone variation was explained by environmental factors: photoperiod in the previous month (i.e., lagged photoperiod) was the best environmental predictor of monthly fT levels, whereas fGC levels were best explained by lagged photoperiod, fruit biomass, and rainfall. POPs predicted monthly fT and fGC, but this effect was reduced when all variables were considered simultaneously, possibly because lagged photoperiod and POP were highly correlated. Males may use photoperiod as a cue predicting circannual trends in the temporal distribution of fertile females, while also fine-tuning short-term hormone increases to the actual presence of ovulatory females, which may occur at any time during the year. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Male Endocrine Response to Seasonally Varying Environmental and Social Factors in a Neotropical Primate, Cebus capucinus

PubMed Central

Schoof, Valérie A. M.; Bonnell, Tyler R.; Jack, Katharine M.; Ziegler, Toni E.; Melin, Amanda D.; Fedigan, Linda M.

2018-01-01

Objective Circannual variation in reproduction is pervasive in birds and mammals. In primates, breeding seasonality is variable, with seasonal birth peaks occurring even in year-round breeders. Environmental seasonality is reportedly an important contributor to the observed variation in reproductive seasonality. Given that food availability is the primary factor constraining female reproduction, predictions concerning responsiveness to environmental seasonality focus on females, with studies of males focusing primarily on social factors. We examined the influence of both environmental and social factors on male fecal testosterone (fT) and glucocorticoids (fGC) in moderately seasonally breeding white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) in Costa Rica. Methods Over 17 months, we collected 993 fecal samples from 14 males in three groups. We used LMM to simultaneously examine the relative effects of photoperiod, fruit biomass, rainfall, temperature, female reproductive status (i.e., number of periovulatory periods, POPs), and male age and dominance rank on monthly fT and fGC levels. Results Male age and rank had large effects on fT and fGC. Additionally, some hormone variation was explained by environmental factors: photoperiod in the previous month (i.e., lagged photoperiod) was the best environmental predictor of monthly fT levels, whereas fGC levels were best explained by lagged photoperiod, fruit biomass, and rainfall. POPs predicted monthly fT and fGC, but this effect was reduced when all variables were considered simultaneously, possibly because lagged photoperiod and POP were highly correlated. Conclusions Males may use photoperiod as a cue predicting circannual trends in the temporal distribution of fertile females, while also fine-tuning short-term hormone increases to the actual presence of ovulatory females, which may occur at any time during the year. PMID:26739266

Third-party social evaluations of humans by monkeys and dogs.

PubMed

Anderson, James R; Bucher, Benoit; Chijiiwa, Hitomi; Kuroshima, Hika; Takimoto, Ayaka; Fujita, Kazuo

2017-11-01

Developmental psychologists are increasingly interested in young children's evaluations of individuals based on third-party interactions. Studies have shown that infants react negatively to agents who display harmful intentions toward others, and to those who behave unfairly. We describe experimental studies of capuchin monkeys' and pet dogs' differential reactions to people who are helpful or unhelpful in third-party contexts, and monkeys' responses to people who behave unfairly in exchanges of objects with a third party. We also present evidence that capuchin monkeys monitor the context of failures to help and violations of reciprocity, and that intentionality is one factor underlying their social evaluations of individuals whom they see interacting with others. We conclude by proposing some questions for studies of nonhuman species' third party-based social evaluations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel hepatitis B virus species discovered in capuchin monkeys sheds new light on the evolution of primate hepadnaviruses.

PubMed

de Carvalho Dominguez Souza, Breno Frederico; König, Alexander; Rasche, Andrea; de Oliveira Carneiro, Ianei; Stephan, Nora; Corman, Victor Max; Roppert, Pia Luise; Goldmann, Nora; Kepper, Ramona; Müller, Simon Franz; Völker, Christof; de Souza, Alex Junior Souza; Gomes-Gouvêa, Michele Soares; Moreira-Soto, Andrés; Stöcker, Andreas; Nassal, Michael; Franke, Carlos Roberto; Rebello Pinho, João Renato; Soares, Manoel do Carmo Pereira; Geyer, Joachim; Lemey, Philippe; Drosten, Christian; Netto, Eduardo Martins; Glebe, Dieter; Drexler, Jan Felix

2018-06-01

All known hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes occur in humans and hominoid Old World non-human primates (NHPs). The divergent woolly monkey HBV (WMHBV) forms another orthohepadnavirus species. The evolutionary origins of HBV are unclear. We analysed sera from 124 Brazilian monkeys collected during 2012-2016 for hepadnaviruses using molecular and serological tools, and conducted evolutionary analyses. We identified a novel orthohepadnavirus species in capuchin monkeys (capuchin monkey hepatitis B virus [CMHBV]). We found CMHBV-specific antibodies in five animals and high CMHBV concentrations in one animal. Non-inflammatory, probably chronic infection was consistent with an intact preCore domain, low genetic variability, core deletions in deep sequencing, and no elevated liver enzymes. Cross-reactivity of antisera against surface antigens suggested antigenic relatedness of HBV, CMHBV, and WMHBV. Infection-determining CMHBV surface peptides bound to the human HBV receptor (human sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide), but preferentially interacted with the capuchin monkey receptor homologue. CMHBV and WMHBV pseudotypes infected human hepatoma cells via the human sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide, and were poorly neutralised by HBV vaccine-derived antibodies, suggesting that cross-species infections may be possible. Ancestral state reconstructions and sequence distance comparisons associated HBV with humans, whereas primate hepadnaviruses as a whole were projected to NHP ancestors. Co-phylogenetic analyses yielded evidence for co-speciation of hepadnaviruses and New World NHP. Bayesian hypothesis testing yielded strong support for an association of the HBV stem lineage with hominoid ancestors. Neither CMHBV nor WMHBV was likely the ancestor of the divergent human HBV genotypes F/H found in American natives. Our data suggest ancestral co-speciation of hepadnaviruses and NHP, and an Old World origin of the divergent HBV genotypes F/H. The identification of a novel primate hepadnavirus offers new perspectives for urgently needed animal models of chronic hepatitis B. The origins of HBV are unclear. The new orthohepadnavirus species from Brazilian capuchin monkeys resembled HBV in elicited infection patterns and could infect human liver cells using the same receptor as HBV. Evolutionary analyses suggested that primate HBV-related viruses might have emerged in African ancestors of New World monkeys millions of years ago. HBV was associated with hominoid primates, including humans and apes, suggesting evolutionary origins of HBV before the formation of modern humans. HBV genotypes found in American natives were divergent from those found in American monkeys, and likely introduced along prehistoric human migration. Our results elucidate the evolutionary origins and dispersal of primate HBV, identify a new orthohepadnavirus reservoir, and enable new perspectives for animal models of hepatitis B. Copyright © 2018 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidence of a Conserved Molecular Response to Selection for Increased Brain Size in Primates

PubMed Central

Harrison, Peter W.; Caravas, Jason A.; Raghanti, Mary Ann; Phillips, Kimberley A.; Mundy, Nicholas I.

2017-01-01

The adaptive significance of human brain evolution has been frequently studied through comparisons with other primates. However, the evolution of increased brain size is not restricted to the human lineage but is a general characteristic of primate evolution. Whether or not these independent episodes of increased brain size share a common genetic basis is unclear. We sequenced and de novo assembled the transcriptome from the neocortical tissue of the most highly encephalized nonhuman primate, the tufted capuchin monkey (Cebus apella). Using this novel data set, we conducted a genome-wide analysis of orthologous brain-expressed protein coding genes to identify evidence of conserved gene–phenotype associations and species-specific adaptations during three independent episodes of brain size increase. We identify a greater number of genes associated with either total brain mass or relative brain size across these six species than show species-specific accelerated rates of evolution in individual large-brained lineages. We test the robustness of these associations in an expanded data set of 13 species, through permutation tests and by analyzing how genome-wide patterns of substitution co-vary with brain size. Many of the genes targeted by selection during brain expansion have glutamatergic functions or roles in cell cycle dynamics. We also identify accelerated evolution in a number of individual capuchin genes whose human orthologs are associated with human neuropsychiatric disorders. These findings demonstrate the value of phenotypically informed genome analyses, and suggest at least some aspects of human brain evolution have occurred through conserved gene–phenotype associations. Understanding these commonalities is essential for distinguishing human-specific selection events from general trends in brain evolution. PMID:28391320

Unique perceptuomotor control of stone hammers in wild monkeys.

PubMed

Mangalam, Madhur; Pacheco, Matheus Maia; Izar, Patrícia; Visalberghi, Elisabetta; Fragaszy, Dorothy Munkenbeck

2018-01-01

We analysed the patterns of coordination of striking movement and perceptuomotor control of stone hammers in wild bearded capuchin monkeys, Sapajus libidinosus as they cracked open palm nut using hammers of different mass, a habitual behaviour in our study population. We aimed to determine why these monkeys cannot produce conchoidally fractured flakes as do contemporary human knappers or as did prehistoric hominin knappers. We found that the monkeys altered their patterns of coordination of movement to accommodate changes in hammer mass. By altering their patterns of coordination, the monkeys kept the strike's amplitude and the hammer's velocity at impact constant with respect to hammer mass. In doing so, the hammer's kinetic energy at impact-which determines the propagation of a fracture/crack in a nut-varied across hammers of different mass. The monkeys did not control the hammer's kinetic energy at impact, the key parameter a perceiver-actor should control while knapping stones. These findings support the hypothesis that the perceptuomotor control of stone hammers in wild bearded capuchin monkeys is inadequate to produce conchoidally fractured flakes by knapping stones, as do humans. © 2018 The Author(s).

On Loss Aversion in Capuchin Monkeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silberberg, Alan; Roma, Peter G.; Huntsberry, Mary E.; Warren-Boulton, Frederick R.; Sakagami, Takayuki; Ruggiero, Angela M.; Suomi, Stephen J.

2008-01-01

Chen, Lakshminarayanan, and Santos (2006) claim to show in three choice experiments that monkeys react rationally to price and wealth shocks, but, when faced with gambles, display hallmark, human-like biases that include loss aversion. We present three experiments with monkeys and humans consistent with a reinterpretation of their data that…

Monkeys fail to reciprocate in an exchange task.

PubMed

Pelé, Marie; Thierry, Bernard; Call, Josep; Dufour, Valérie

2010-09-01

Exchanges form the basis of human economies. Animals too can engage in reciprocal interactions but they do not barter goods like humans, which raises the question of the abilities necessary for trading to occur. Previous studies have shown that non-human primates can exchange food with human partners. Here, we tested the ability of brown capuchin monkeys and Tonkean macaques to reciprocate in a task requiring two conspecifics to exchange tokens in order to obtain rewards from an experimenter. We recorded 56 transfers between subjects in capuchin monkeys and 10 in Tonkean macaques. All transfers were passive in both species. Capuchins preferentially picked up tokens valuable for them in the partner's compartment. They tended to manipulate the partner-valued tokens more often than the no-value ones, leading to more opportunities for these tokens to end up within reach of the partner. Despite optimal conditions where values of goods were defined and known by partners, however, none of the pairs tested engaged in short-term reciprocal interactions. These results indicate that calculated reciprocity was difficult if not impossible in the animals tested.

Terrestriality of Wild Sapajus cay (Illiger, 1815) as Revealed by Camera Traps.

PubMed

Porfirio, Grasiela; Santos, Filipe Martins; Foster, Vania; Nascimento, Leonardo França; Macedo, Gabriel Carvalho; Barreto, Wanessa Teixeira Gomes; Fonseca, Carlos; Herrera, Heitor Miraglia

2017-01-01

Although primarily arboreal, the capuchin monkey (Sapajus cay) descends to the ground for several reasons. We used terrestrial records obtained by camera-trapping surveys to investigate seasonality in the terrestriality of capuchin monkeys, reasons to descend to the ground, and periods of the day when terrestriality was more pronounced. We carried out the study in the Urucum Massif, Brazilian Pantanal. We obtained data from 2 camera-trapping surveys carried out in the dry and rainy seasons. Terrestrial behaviours were categorized, and terrestrial activity patterns were described using a kernel density approach. We observed a seasonal effect on the frequency of terrestrial behaviours of capuchin monkeys, who used the ground more during the dry season. We identified 6 different types of terrestrial behaviour, but travelling (33.3%), foraging (23.3%), and drinking water (23.3%) were the most frequently observed. All records occurred during the day, with 2 peaks in terrestrial activity. Seasonal terrestriality was mainly linked to ecological needs during periods of scarce food and water. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Digging up food: excavation stone tool use by wild capuchin monkeys.

PubMed

Falótico, Tiago; Siqueira, José O; Ottoni, Eduardo B

2017-07-24

Capuchin monkeys at Serra da Capivara National Park (SCNP) usually forage on the ground for roots and fossorial arthropods, digging primarily with their hands but also using stone tools to loosen the soil and aid the digging process. Here we describe the stone tools used for digging by two groups of capuchins on SCNP. Both groups used tools while digging three main food resources: Thiloa glaucocarpa tubers, Ocotea sp roots, and trapdoor spiders. One explanation for the occurrence of tool use in primates is the "necessity hypothesis", which states that the main function of tool use is to obtain fallback food. We tested for this, but only found a positive correlation between plant food availability and the frequency of stone tools' use. Thus, our data do not support the fallback food hypothesis for the use of tools to access burrowed resources.

Wild capuchin monkeys anticipate the amount of ripe fruit in natural trees.

PubMed

Tujague, María Paula; Janson, Charles H

2017-09-01

Tropical forests have a high diversity of tree species which have very low densities and vary across time in their seasons of peak fruiting and maturation rates. As evidence of the ability of primates to track or anticipate changes in fruit production at individual trees, researchers have used the increased speed of primate groups toward more rewarding food patches. We analyzed the speed of approach to natural trees of wild capuchin monkeys under the effect of scramble competition, after excluding any plausible visual, olfactory and auditory cues. We conducted all-day group follows of three habituated capuchin groups at Iguazú National Park, Argentina, collecting data on ranging behavior and patterns of visits to fruit trees in relation with their location and fruit availability. Travel speed varied according to the expected reward at a feeding tree, increasing as rewards increased from low values, but decreasing again at very high values. Also, travel speed varied with time of day, decreasing from the time of first activity as the monkeys became less hungry, and increasing again toward late afternoon. Measures of unripe fruit cover did not explain variation in travel speed at any distance from a focal tree. Our data imply that, after excluding sensory cues, capuchins appear to anticipate time-varying ripe fruit quantity of natural resources, suggesting that they use memory of tree location and anticipation of fruit maturation. We also confirm that speed is a good measure about expectations of resources, as has been shown in previous studies.

The association of intergroup encounters, dominance status, and fecal androgen and glucocorticoid profiles in wild male white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus)

PubMed Central

Schoof, Valérie A. M.; Jack, Katharine M.

2012-01-01

Androgens play a role in male reproductive competition, frequently via aggression, while glucocorticoids are associated with the stress response. However, the relationships of these hormones with different sources of competition (intra-versus intergroup) and dominance status are highly variable. Here we consider the fecal androgen (fA) and glucocorticoid (fGC) profiles of alpha and subordinate male Cebus capucinus in the context of intergroup competition during a rare period of low intragroup competition (i.e. all females were either pregnant or lactating). Intergroup encounters (IGEs) are a long-term reproductive strategy in male white-faced capuchins, enabling them to assess the composition of neighboring groups. IGEs pose a threat to resident males as these can result in injury or death, loss of dominance rank, group eviction, and group takeovers that are frequently associated with infanticide. From February to July 2007, fecal samples were collected from eight males in three groups of white-faced capuchins in the Santa Rosa Sector of the Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. IGE rate was positively associated with both fA and fGC levels, indicating that IGEs are perceived as reproductive challenges by resident males, and may be associated with elevated metabolic costs. Alpha males sire the majority of group offspring and, accordingly, the threat of IGEs to both future (via rank loss or eviction) and current (via infanticide) reproductive success is greater than for subordinate males. Consistent with this observation, alpha males had higher fA and fGC levels than subordinate males. Given that all females were either pregnant or lactating and pronounced overt intragroup competition was absent, we interpret the difference in hormone profiles of alpha and subordinate males as being primarily associated with variation in the perceived threats of IGEs to dominant versus subordinate males. Future studies should focus on the interaction of intra-and intergroup competition by examining hormone levels in the presence of periovulatory females. PMID:23090872

Discrimination of emotional facial expressions by tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella).

PubMed

Calcutt, Sarah E; Rubin, Taylor L; Pokorny, Jennifer J; de Waal, Frans B M

2017-02-01

Tufted or brown capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) have been shown to recognize conspecific faces as well as categorize them according to group membership. Little is known, though, about their capacity to differentiate between emotionally charged facial expressions or whether facial expressions are processed as a collection of features or configurally (i.e., as a whole). In 3 experiments, we examined whether tufted capuchins (a) differentiate photographs of neutral faces from either affiliative or agonistic expressions, (b) use relevant facial features to make such choices or view the expression as a whole, and (c) demonstrate an inversion effect for facial expressions suggestive of configural processing. Using an oddity paradigm presented on a computer touchscreen, we collected data from 9 adult and subadult monkeys. Subjects discriminated between emotional and neutral expressions with an exceptionally high success rate, including differentiating open-mouth threats from neutral expressions even when the latter contained varying degrees of visible teeth and mouth opening. They also showed an inversion effect for facial expressions, results that may indicate that quickly recognizing expressions does not originate solely from feature-based processing but likely a combination of relational processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Comparative anatomy of the pelvic vessels in the bearded capuchin (Sapajus libidinosus) and baboons, apes and modern humans.

PubMed

Aversi-Ferreira, Roqueline A G M F; de Souza Vieira, Vanessa; Tomaz, Carlos; Aversi-Ferreira, Tales Alexandre

2014-01-01

Cebus/Sapajus has shown high cognitive and manipulatory behaviour as well as intermittent bipedalism. Although the function of the muscles and bones of this genus has been widely investigated, the arterial system that supports these tissues has not been studied in much detail, and a full description of the blood vessels of the pelvis is still missing. Therefore, we studied the vessels of the pelvis of Sapajus libidinosus in terms of their origin, distribution and muscle irrigation and compared them with those of other primates available in the literature. In general, the distribution pattern and origin of arteries in the pelvis of the bearded capuchin are more similar to those of baboons compared to other primates. This similarity may be because both have a tail, a similar body shape and use, preferentially, quadrupedal movement. 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Intracerebral infection of Cebus apella with the XJ-Clone 3 strain of Junín virus.

PubMed

Carballal, G; Oubiña, J R; Molinas, F C; Nagle, C; de la Vega, M T; Videla, C; Elsner, B

1987-03-01

To assess the usefulness of the South American primate Cebus apella as a model for neurovirulence of Junín virus, eight monkeys were inoculated with 10(5) LD50 of the attenuated XJ-Clone 3 Junín virus strain by the intrathalamic route. After the second week, weight loss and polyadenopathies were observed in most animals, one-half of which had a transient leukothrombocytopenia. Moderate clinical central nervous system (CNS) involvement was present in four of eight monkeys, while the rest had only mild neurologic signs. All recovered except one, which developed a deep coma and was killed in a pre-mortem stage at 18 days post-infection (pi). Junín virus was isolated from the throat from five, from the blood from three, and from the brain from two monkeys. In the most severely ill animal, virus titers higher than viremia were detected in both inoculated and contralateral brain hemispheres, as well as in lung, lymph node, and small intestine. Junín antigens and "in vivo" bound immunoglobulins were detected by immunofluorescence (IF) in the brain of four animals at 18, 21, 40, and 155 days pi. Moderate lymphocytic parenchymal and meningeal infiltration were observed in the brain of four animals, and gliosis was also present in the most affected monkey. Although the clinical response to infection was not uniform, all infected monkeys developed high IF antibodies. Cebus apella cannot be used as a highly sensitive model for Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF). However, the results obtained show that the XJ-Clone 3 strain can replicate in the primate CNS and to induce lesions and immunoglobulin deposition. In addition, viral persistence is suggested by the late detection of viral antigens in brain at 40 and 155 days pi.

Systematic, Cross-Cortex Variation in Neuron Numbers in Rodents and Primates

PubMed Central

Charvet, Christine J.; Cahalane, Diarmuid J.; Finlay, Barbara L.

2015-01-01

Uniformity, local variability, and systematic variation in neuron numbers per unit of cortical surface area across species and cortical areas have been claimed to characterize the isocortex. Resolving these claims has been difficult, because species, techniques, and cortical areas vary across studies. We present a stereological assessment of neuron numbers in layers II–IV and V–VI per unit of cortical surface area across the isocortex in rodents (hamster, Mesocricetus auratus; agouti, Dasyprocta azarae; paca, Cuniculus paca) and primates (owl monkey, Aotus trivigratus; tamarin, Saguinus midas; capuchin, Cebus apella); these chosen to vary systematically in cortical size. The contributions of species, cortical areas, and techniques (stereology, “isotropic fractionator”) to neuron estimates were assessed. Neurons per unit of cortical surface area increase across the rostro-caudal (RC) axis in primates (varying by a factor of 1.64–2.13 across the rostral and caudal poles) but less in rodents (varying by a factor of 1.15–1.54). Layer II–IV neurons account for most of this variation. When integrated into the context of species variation, and this RC gradient in neuron numbers, conflicts between studies can be accounted for. The RC variation in isocortical neurons in adulthood mirrors the gradients in neurogenesis duration in development. PMID:23960207

Capuchins, space, time and memory: an experimental test of what-where-when memory in wild monkeys

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

There is considerable controversy about the existence, extent and adaptive value of integrated multimodal memory in non-human animals. Building on prior results showing that wild capuchin monkeys in Argentina appear to recall both the location and amount of food at patches they had previously visited, I tested whether they also track and use elapsed time as a basis for decisions about which feeding patches to visit. I presented them with an experimental array of eight feeding sites, at each of which food rewards increased with increasing elapsed time since the previous visit, similar to the pattern of ripe fruit accumulation in natural feeding trees. Over the course of 68 days, comprising two distinct renewal rate treatments, one group repeatedly visited sites in the feeding array, generating 212 valid choices between sites. Comparison of observations against simulated movements and multinomial statistical models shows that the monkeys' choices were most consistent with dynamic memory for elapsed time specific to each of the eight sites. Thus, it appears that capuchin monkeys possess and use integrated memories of prior food patch use, including where the patch is relative to their current location, how productive the patch is and how long it has been since they last visited the patch. Natural selection to use such integrated memories in foraging tasks may provide an ecologically relevant basis for the evolution of complex intelligence in primates. PMID:27708145

Cashew Nut Positioning during Stone Tool Use by Wild Bearded Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus).

PubMed

Falótico, Tiago; Luncz, Lydia V; Svensson, Magdalena S; Haslam, Michael

2016-01-01

Wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) at Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil, regularly use stone tools to break open cashew nuts (Anacardium spp.). Here we examine 2 approaches used by the capuchins to position the kidney-shaped cashew nuts on an anvil before striking with a stone tool. Lateral positioning involves placing the nut on its flatter, more stable side, therefore requiring less attention from the monkey during placement. However, the less stable and never previously described arched position, in which the nut is balanced with its curved side uppermost, requires less force to crack the outer shell. We observed cashew nut cracking in a field experimental setting. Only 6 of 20 adults, of both sexes, were observed to deliberately place cashew nuts in an arched position, which may indicate that the technique requires time and experience to learn. We also found that use of the arched position with dry nuts, but not fresh, required, in 63% of the time, an initial processing to remove one of the cashew nut lobes, creating a more stable base for the arch. This relatively rare behaviour appears to have a complex ontogeny, but further studies are required to establish the extent to which social learning is involved. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Global/local processing of hierarchical visual stimuli in a conflict-choice task by capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.).

PubMed

Truppa, Valentina; Carducci, Paola; De Simone, Diego Antonio; Bisazza, Angelo; De Lillo, Carlo

2017-03-01

In the last two decades, comparative research has addressed the issue of how the global and local levels of structure of visual stimuli are processed by different species, using Navon-type hierarchical figures, i.e. smaller local elements that form larger global configurations. Determining whether or not the variety of procedures adopted to test different species with hierarchical figures are equivalent is of crucial importance to ensure comparability of results. Among non-human species, global/local processing has been extensively studied in tufted capuchin monkeys using matching-to-sample tasks with hierarchical patterns. Local dominance has emerged consistently in these New World primates. In the present study, we assessed capuchins' processing of hierarchical stimuli with a method frequently adopted in studies of global/local processing in non-primate species: the conflict-choice task. Different from the matching-to-sample procedure, this task involved processing local and global information retained in long-term memory. Capuchins were trained to discriminate between consistent hierarchical stimuli (similar global and local shape) and then tested with inconsistent hierarchical stimuli (different global and local shapes). We found that capuchins preferred the hierarchical stimuli featuring the correct local elements rather than those with the correct global configuration. This finding confirms that capuchins' local dominance, typically observed using matching-to-sample procedures, is also expressed as a local preference in the conflict-choice task. Our study adds to the growing body of comparative studies on visual grouping functions by demonstrating that the methods most frequently used in the literature on global/local processing produce analogous results irrespective of extent of the involvement of memory processes.

Multi-step routes of capuchin monkeys in a laser pointer traveling salesman task.

PubMed

Howard, Allison M; Fragaszy, Dorothy M

2014-09-01

Prior studies have claimed that nonhuman primates plan their routes multiple steps in advance. However, a recent reexamination of multi-step route planning in nonhuman primates indicated that there is no evidence for planning more than one step ahead. We tested multi-step route planning in capuchin monkeys using a pointing device to "travel" to distal targets while stationary. This device enabled us to determine whether capuchins distinguish the spatial relationship between goals and themselves and spatial relationships between goals and the laser dot, allocentrically. In Experiment 1, two subjects were presented with identical food items in Near-Far (one item nearer to subject) and Equidistant (both items equidistant from subject) conditions with a laser dot visible between the items. Subjects moved the laser dot to the items using a joystick. In the Near-Far condition, one subject demonstrated a bias for items closest to self but the other subject chose efficiently. In the second experiment, subjects retrieved three food items in similar Near-Far and Equidistant arrangements. Both subjects preferred food items nearest the laser dot and showed no evidence of multi-step route planning. We conclude that these capuchins do not make choices on the basis of multi-step look ahead strategies. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Jaw-muscle fiber architecture in tufted capuchins favors generating relatively large muscle forces without compromising jaw gape.

PubMed

Taylor, Andrea B; Vinyard, Christopher J

2009-12-01

Tufted capuchins (sensu lato) are renowned for their dietary flexibility and capacity to exploit hard and tough objects. Cebus apella differs from other capuchins in displaying a suite of craniodental features that have been functionally and adaptively linked to their feeding behavior, particularly the generation and dissipation of relatively large jaw forces. We compared fiber architecture of the masseter and temporalis muscles between C. apella (n=12) and two "untufted" capuchins (C. capucinus, n=3; C. albifrons, n=5). These three species share broadly similar diets, but tufted capuchins occasionally exploit mechanically challenging tissues. We tested the hypothesis that tufted capuchins exhibit architectural properties of their jaw muscles that facilitate relatively large forces including relatively greater physiologic cross-sectional areas (PCSA), more pinnate fibers, and lower ratios of mass to tetanic tension (Mass/P(0)). Results show some evidence supporting these predictions, as C. apella has relatively greater superficial masseter and temporalis PCSAs, significantly so only for the temporalis following Bonferroni adjustment. Capuchins did not differ in pinnation angle or Mass/P(0). As an architectural trade-off between maximizing muscle force and muscle excursion/contraction velocity, we also tested the hypothesis that C. apella exhibits relatively shorter muscle fibers. Contrary to our prediction, there are no significant differences in relative fiber lengths between tufted and untufted capuchins. Therefore, we attribute the relatively greater PCSAs in tufted capuchins primarily to their larger muscle masses. These findings suggest that relatively large jaw-muscle PCSAs can be added to the suite of masticatory features that have been functionally linked to the exploitation of a more resistant diet by C. apella. By enlarging jaw-muscle mass to increase PCSA, rather than reducing fiber lengths and increasing pinnation, tufted capuchins appear to have increased jaw-muscle and bite forces without markedly compromising muscle excursion and contraction velocity. One performance advantage of this morphology is that it promotes relatively large bite forces at wide jaw gapes, which may be useful for processing large food items along the posterior dentition. We further hypothesize that this morphological pattern may have the ecological benefit of facilitating the dietary diversity seen in tufted capuchins. Lastly, the observed feeding on large objects, coupled with a jaw-muscle architecture that facilitates this behavior, raises concerns about utilizing C. apella as an extant behavioral model for hominins that might have specialized on small objects in their diets.

Wide distribution and ancient evolutionary history of simian foamy viruses in New World primates.

PubMed

Ghersi, Bruno M; Jia, Hongwei; Aiewsakun, Pakorn; Katzourakis, Aris; Mendoza, Patricia; Bausch, Daniel G; Kasper, Matthew R; Montgomery, Joel M; Switzer, William M

2015-10-29

Although simian foamy viruses (SFV) are the only exogenous retroviruses to infect New World monkeys (NWMs), little is known about their evolutionary history and epidemiology. Previous reports show distinct SFVs among NWMs but were limited to small numbers of captive or wild monkeys from five (Cebus, Saimiri, Ateles, Alouatta, and Callithrix) of the 15 NWM genera. Other studies also used only PCR testing or serological assays with limited validation and may have missed infection in some species. We developed and validated new serological and PCR assays to determine the prevalence of SFV in blood specimens from a large number of captive NWMs in the US (n = 274) and in captive and wild-caught NWMs (n = 236) in Peruvian zoos, rescue centers, and illegal trade markets. Phylogenetic and co-speciation reconciliation analyses of new SFV polymerase (pol) and host mitochondrial cytochrome B sequences, were performed to infer SFV and host co-evolutionary histories. 124/274 (45.2 %) of NWMs captive in the US and 59/157 (37.5 %) of captive and wild-caught NWMs in Peru were SFV WB-positive representing 11 different genera (Alouatta, Aotus, Ateles, Cacajao, Callithrix, Cebus, Lagothrix, Leontopithecus, Pithecia, Saguinus and Saimiri). Seroprevalences were lower at rescue centers (10/53, 18.9 %) compared to zoos (46/97, 47.4 %) and illegal trade markets (3/7, 8/19, 42.9 %) in Peru. Analyses showed that the trees of NWM hosts and SFVs have remarkably similar topologies at the level of species and sub-populations suggestive of co-speciation. Phylogenetic reconciliation confirmed 12 co-speciation events (p < 0.002) which was further supported by obtaining highly similar divergence dates for SFV and host genera and correlated SFV-host branch times. However, four ancient cross-genus transmission events were also inferred for Pitheciinae to Atelidae, Cacajao to ancestral Callithrix or Cebus monkeys, between Callithrix and Cebus monkeys, and Lagothrix to Alouatta. We demonstrate a broad distribution and stable co-speciation history of SFV in NWMs at the species level. Additional studies are necessary to further explore the epidemiology and natural history of SFV infection of NWMs and to determine the zoonotic potential for persons exposed to infected monkeys in captivity and in the wild.

Consideration of other primate species as flight animals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bourne, G. H.

1977-01-01

The different types of primates which might be used as flight animals are surveyed, and the pros and cons of using them are discussed. Various factors suggest that the most desirable animals for space studies are the rhesus, pig-tailed, Java, and squirrel monkeys. The capuchin monkey has assets for certain types of space experimentation.

Motor planning in different grasping tasks by capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.).

PubMed

Sabbatini, Gloria; Meglio, Giusy; Truppa, Valentina

2016-10-01

Studies on motor planning and action selection in object use reveal that what we choose to do in the present moment depends on our next planned action. In particular, many studies have shown that adult humans initially adopt uncomfortable hand postures to accommodate later task demands (i.e., the end-state comfort effect). Recent studies on action planning in different non-human primates species have provided contrasting results. Here, we tested whether capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.), natural tool users, would show planning abilities in two tasks with varying complexity: (i) an object-retrieval task involving self-directed actions (Experiment 1) and (ii) a tool-using task involving actions directed toward an external target (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, six of 10 monkeys preferentially used a radial grip (i.e., with the thumb-side oriented towards the baited end) to grasp a horizontal dowel with either the left- or right-end baited and bring it to their mouth. In Experiment 2, all six tested capuchins preferentially used a radial grip (i.e., with the thumb-side oriented towards the center of the dowel) to grasp a dowel that was positioned horizontally at different orientations and to dislodge an out-of-reach food reward. Thus, we found that the capuchins showed second-order planning abilities in both tasks, but performance differences emerged in relation to hand preference and learning across sessions. Our findings support the idea that second-order motor planning occurred in an early stage of the primate lineage. Factors affecting the ability of nonhuman primates to estimate motor costs in action selection are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

When and where to practice: social influences on the development of nut-cracking in bearded capuchins (Sapajus libidinosus).

PubMed

Eshchar, Y; Izar, P; Visalberghi, E; Resende, B; Fragaszy, D

2016-05-01

The habitual use of tools by wild capuchin monkeys presents a unique opportunity to study the maintenance and transmission of traditions. Young capuchins spend several years interacting with nuts before cracking them efficiently with stone tools. Using a two-observer method, we quantified the magnitude of the social influences that sustain this long period of practice. During five collection periods (over 26 months), one observer recorded the behavior of 16 immature monkeys, and another observer concurrently recorded behavior of group members in the focal monkey's vicinity. The two-observer method provides a means to quantify distinct social influences. Data show that immatures match the behavior of the adults in time and especially in space. The rate of manipulation of nuts by the immatures quadrupled when others in the group cracked and ate nuts, and immatures were ten times more likely to handle nuts and 40 times more likely to strike a nut with a stone when they themselves were near the anvils. Moreover, immature monkeys were three times more likely to be near an anvil when others were cracking. We suggest a model for social influence on nut-cracking development, based on two related processes: (1) social facilitation from observing group members engaged in nut-cracking, and (2) opportunity for practice provided by the anvils, hammer stones and nut shells available on and around the anvils. Nut-cracking activities by others support learning by drawing immatures to the anvils, where extended practice can take place, and by providing materials for practice at these places.

Wild bearded capuchins process cashew nuts without contacting caustic compounds.

PubMed

Sirianni, Giulia; Visalberghi, Elisabetta

2013-04-01

Complex and flexible food processing was a key element for the evolutionary success of hominins, enlarging the range of exploitable foods while enabling occupation of new habitats. Only a few primate species crack open encased food by using percussive tools and/or avoid physical contact with irritant compounds by removing the structures containing them. We describe, for the first time, how a population of bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) accesses the nutritious kernel of cashew nuts avoiding the caustic chemicals protecting it. Two processing strategies, namely rubbing/piercing and stone tool use, are used according to maturity of the nuts. The frequency of cashew nuts processing increases with capuchin age, and the same set of processing strategies appears to be absent in other capuchin populations, making cashew nuts processing an excellent candidate for social transmission. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sexual bias in probe tool manufacture and use by wild bearded capuchin monkeys.

PubMed

Falótico, Tiago; Ottoni, Eduardo B

2014-10-01

Here we examine data from a two-year research on the use of sticks as probes by two groups of wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) in Serra da Capivara National Park (PI), Brazil. The use of sticks as probes is not usually observed among wild tufted capuchin (Sapajus spp.) populations, having been reported as a customary behavior only in SCNP groups. Probe tools are used to access small prey (insects or lizards) in rock cracks or tree trunks, or honey from wasps' nests, and also to poke toads and poisonous snakes. Probe use is, so far, the only known case in which wild capuchins modify objects used as tools: branches are trimmed off, and tips, thinned. Tool preparation episodes involved up to four modification steps. Contrary to the stone tools used to crack hard nuts, probe tools don't present any weight constraint for use by females, but there is nevertheless a strong male bias (97%) in the occurrence of probe tool use. There are also no diet biases that could explain this difference. Although males hunt more often than females, the latter main prey items are lizards, which are also the main targets of probe tool use. One possibility is that females may have fewer social opportunities to learn about probe tools. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasmid profile in oral Fusobacterium nucleatum from humans and Cebus apella monkeys.

PubMed

Paula, Marcia O; Gaetti-Jardim Júnior, Elerson; Avila-Campos, Mario J

2003-01-01

Fusobacterium nucleatum is a strict anaerobe and is indigenous of the human oral cavity. This organism is commonly recovered from different monomicrobial and mixed infections in humans and animals. In this study, the plasmid profile, the plasmid stability and the penicillin-resistance association in oral F. nucleatum isolated from periodontal patients, healthy subjects and Cebus apella monkeys were evaluated. Forty-five F. nucleatum strains from patients, 38 from healthy subjects and seven from C. apella were identified and analyzed. Plasmid extraction was performed in all the isolated strains. These elements were found in 26.7% strains from patients and one strain from C. apella. Strains from healthy subjects did not show any plasmid. Most of strains showed two plasmid bands ranging from 4 to 16 Kb, but digestions with endonucleases showed that they belonged to a single plasmid. The plasmid profile was similar and stable in human and monkey strains. Also, plasmids were classified into three groups according to size. Two strains were positive to beta-lactamase production and no plasmid DNA-hybridization with a beta-lactamase gene probe was observed, suggesting a chromosomal resistance.

Functional Relationships for Investigating Cognitive Processes

PubMed Central

Wright, Anthony A.

2013-01-01

Functional relationships (from systematic manipulation of critical variables) are advocated for revealing fundamental processes of (comparative) cognition—through examples from my work in psychophysics, learning, and memory. Functional relationships for pigeon wavelength (hue) discrimination revealed best discrimination at the spectral points of hue transition for pigeons—a correspondence (i.e., functional relationship) similar to that for humans. Functional relationships for learning revealed: Item-specific or relational learning in matching to sample as a function of the pigeons’ sample-response requirement, and same/different abstract-concept learning as a function of the training set size for rhesus monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and pigeons. Functional relationships for visual memory revealed serial position functions (a 1st order functional relationship) that changed systematically with retention delay (a 2nd order relationship) for pigeons, capuchin monkeys, rhesus monkeys, and humans. Functional relationships for rhesus-monkey auditory memory also revealed systematic changes in serial position functions with delay, but these changes were opposite to those for visual memory. Functional relationships for proactive interference revealed interference that varied as a function of a ratio of delay times. Functional relationships for change detection memory revealed (qualitative) similarities and (quantitative) differences in human and monkey visual short term memory as a function of the number of memory items. It is concluded that these findings were made possible by varying critical variables over a substantial portion of the manipulable range to generate functions and derive relationships. PMID:23174335

Modulatory Effects of the Ipsi and Contralateral Ventral Premotor Cortex (PMv) on the Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Outputs to Intrinsic Hand and Forearm Muscles in Cebus apella

PubMed Central

Quessy, Stephan; Côté, Sandrine L.; Hamadjida, Adjia; Deffeyes, Joan; Dancause, Numa

2016-01-01

The ventral premotor cortex (PMv) is a key node in the neural network involved in grasping. One way PMv can carry out this function is by modulating the outputs of the primary motor cortex (M1) to intrinsic hand and forearm muscles. As many PMv neurons discharge when grasping with either arm, both PMv within the same hemisphere (ipsilateral; iPMv) and in the opposite hemisphere (contralateral; cPMv) could modulate M1 outputs. Our objective was to compare modulatory effects of iPMv and cPMv on M1 outputs to intrinsic hand and forearm muscles. We used paired-pulse protocols with intracortical microstimulations in capuchin monkeys. A conditioning stimulus was applied in either iPMv or cPMv simultaneously or prior to a test stimulus in M1 and the effects quantified in electromyographic signals. Modulatory effects from iPMv were predominantly facilitatory, and facilitation was much more common and powerful on intrinsic hand than forearm muscles. In contrast, while the conditioning of cPMv could elicit facilitatory effects, in particular to intrinsic hand muscles, it was much more likely to inhibit M1 outputs. These data show that iPMv and cPMv have very different modulatory effects on the outputs of M1 to intrinsic hand and forearm muscles. PMID:27473318

Conservation value of a native forest fragment in a region of extensive agriculture.

PubMed

Chiarello

2000-05-01

A survey of mammals and birds was carried out in a semi-deciduous forest fragment of 150 ha located in a zone of intensive agriculture in Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, south-eastern Brazil. Line transect sampling was used to census mammals and birds during six days, totalling 27.8 km of trails and 27.8 hours of observation. Twenty mammal species were confirmed in the area (except bats and small mammals), including rare or endangered species, such as the mountain lion (Puma concolor), the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), and the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis). The brown capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) and the black-tufted-ear marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) were found frequently, suggesting high population density in the fragment. Regarding the avifauna, 49 bird species were recorded, most of them typical of open areas or forest edges. Some confirmed species, however, are becoming increasingly rare in the region, as for example the muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) and the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco). The results demonstrate that forest fragment of this size are refuges for native fauna in a region dominated almost exclusively by sugar-cane plantations. Besides faunal aspects, the conservation of these fragments is of great importance for the establishment of studies related to species preservation in the long term, including reintroduction and translocation projects, as well as studies related to genetic health of isolated populations.

Systematic, cross-cortex variation in neuron numbers in rodents and primates.

PubMed

Charvet, Christine J; Cahalane, Diarmuid J; Finlay, Barbara L

2015-01-01

Uniformity, local variability, and systematic variation in neuron numbers per unit of cortical surface area across species and cortical areas have been claimed to characterize the isocortex. Resolving these claims has been difficult, because species, techniques, and cortical areas vary across studies. We present a stereological assessment of neuron numbers in layers II-IV and V-VI per unit of cortical surface area across the isocortex in rodents (hamster, Mesocricetus auratus; agouti, Dasyprocta azarae; paca, Cuniculus paca) and primates (owl monkey, Aotus trivigratus; tamarin, Saguinus midas; capuchin, Cebus apella); these chosen to vary systematically in cortical size. The contributions of species, cortical areas, and techniques (stereology, "isotropic fractionator") to neuron estimates were assessed. Neurons per unit of cortical surface area increase across the rostro-caudal (RC) axis in primates (varying by a factor of 1.64-2.13 across the rostral and caudal poles) but less in rodents (varying by a factor of 1.15-1.54). Layer II-IV neurons account for most of this variation. When integrated into the context of species variation, and this RC gradient in neuron numbers, conflicts between studies can be accounted for. The RC variation in isocortical neurons in adulthood mirrors the gradients in neurogenesis duration in development. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Self-control depletion in tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.): does delay of gratification rely on a limited resource?

PubMed

Petrillo, Francesca De; Micucci, Antonia; Gori, Emanuele; Truppa, Valentina; Ariely, Dan; Addessi, Elsa

2015-01-01

Self-control failure has enormous personal and societal consequences. One of the most debated models explaining why self-control breaks down is the Strength Model, according to which self-control depends on a limited resource. Either previous acts of self-control or taking part in highly demanding cognitive tasks have been shown to reduce self-control, possibly due to a reduction in blood glucose levels. However, several studies yielded negative findings, and recent meta-analyses questioned the robustness of the depletion effect in humans. We investigated, for the first time, whether the Strength Model applies to a non-human primate species, the tufted capuchin monkey. We tested five capuchins in a self-control task (the Accumulation task) in which food items were accumulated within individual's reach for as long as the subject refrained from taking them. We evaluated whether capuchins' performance decreases: (i) when tested before receiving their daily meal rather than after consuming it (Energy Depletion Experiment), and (ii) after being tested in two tasks with different levels of cognitive complexity (Cognitive Depletion Experiment). We also tested, in both experiments, how implementing self-control in each trial of the Accumulation task affected this capacity within each session and/or across consecutive sessions. Repeated acts of self-control in each trial of the Accumulation task progressively reduced this capacity within each session, as predicted by the Strength Model. However, neither experiencing a reduction in energy level nor taking part in a highly demanding cognitive task decreased performance in the subsequent Accumulation task. Thus, whereas capuchins seem to be vulnerable to within-session depletion effects, to other extents our findings are in line with the growing body of studies that failed to find a depletion effect in humans. Methodological issues potentially affecting the lack of depletion effects in capuchins are discussed.

Energetic payoff of tool use for capuchin monkeys in the caatinga: variation by season and habitat type.

PubMed

Emidio, Ricardo Almeida; Ferreira, Renata Gonçalves

2012-04-01

In this paper, we analyze predictions from the energetic bottleneck and opportunity models to explain the use of stones to crack open encased fruit by capuchins in dry environments. The energetic bottleneck model argues that tool use derives from the need to crack open hard-encased fruits which are key resources during periods of food scarcity. The opportunity model argues that tool use by capuchins derives from simultaneous access to stones and encased fruits. The study was conducted in the Caatinga biome, northeastern Brazil, at two areas where capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus and Sapajus spp.) regularly use stones to crack open encased fruit of Syagrus cearensis and Manihot dichotoma. Energetic gains were inferred based on the number of tool-use sites used and the mass of encased fruit consumed per month, and compared across seasons and areas occupied by the two groups. For the drier habitat, a significant increase in frequency of tool use (N(dry) = 329 vs. N(wet) = 59) and in the mean monthly mass of fruits consumed in the dry season (mean(dry) = 193g vs. mean(wet) = 13.5 g) offered support for the energetic bottleneck model. However, our inference of low energetic payoffs for tool using individuals (in the drier caatinga habitat from 13 to 193 cal·ind(-1) ·month(-1) and in the wetter caatinga habitat from 805 to 1150 cal·ind(-1) ·month(-1) ) offer support for the opportunity model. Finally, our analyses indicate that consumption of six S. cearensis fruits would equal the daily requirements of capuchins for β-carotene, and the consumption of 1.22 g·day(-1) of M. dichotoma encased fruit or 1.0 g·day(-1) of S. cearensis can supply capuchin's daily requirement of vitamin C. So, specific nutritional requirements may play a role in explaining the continuous consumption of encased fruit and customary use of stones to crack open encased fruit. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lack of prosociality in great apes, capuchin monkeys and spider monkeys: convergent evidence from two different food distribution tasks

PubMed Central

Amici, Federica; Visalberghi, Elisabetta; Call, Josep

2014-01-01

Prosociality can be defined as any behaviour performed to alleviate the needs of others or to improve their welfare. Prosociality has probably played an essential role in the evolution of cooperative behaviour and several studies have already investigated it in primates to understand the evolutionary origins of human prosociality. Two main tasks have been used to test prosociality in a food context. In the Platforms task, subjects can prosocially provide food to a partner by selecting a prosocial platform over a selfish one. In the Tokens task, subjects can prosocially provide food to a partner by selecting a prosocial token over a selfish one. As these tasks have provided mixed results, we used both tasks to test prosociality in great apes, capuchin monkeys and spider monkeys. Our results provided no compelling evidence of prosociality in a food context in any of the species tested. Additionally, our study revealed serious limitations of the Tokens task as it has been previously used. These results highlight the importance of controlling for confounding variables and of using multiple tasks to address inconsistencies present in the literature. PMID:25209941

Delay of gratification by orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) in the accumulation task.

PubMed

Parrish, Audrey E; Perdue, Bonnie M; Stromberg, Erin E; Bania, Amanda E; Evans, Theodore A; Beran, Michael J

2014-05-01

There is considerable evidence indicating that chimpanzees can delay gratification for extended time intervals, particularly in the accumulation task in which food items accumulate within a participant's reach until the participant begins to consume them. However, there is limited evidence that other ape species might also exhibit this capacity, despite there being a number of similar studies indicating that nonape species (e.g., monkeys and birds) can delay gratification, but not for nearly as long as chimpanzees. To help define the taxonomic distribution of delay of gratification behavior in the order Primates, we tested 6 orangutans in the current experiments and compared their performance with comparable data from a previous study with capuchin monkeys. We varied delay length and visibility of the items that were still available for accumulation to determine the impact of these factors on performance. Species differences on the accumulation task emerged when comparing the current data to data from a previous study. Orangutans outperformed capuchin monkeys, suggesting that ape species may generally show better delay of gratification and delay maintenance abilities than monkeys. However, more studies are necessary to rule out alternative hypotheses on the distribution of delay maintenance abilities across primate species. ©2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Reduced range of the endangered crested capuchin monkey (Sapajus robustus) and a possible hybrid zone with Sapajus nigritus.

PubMed

Martins, Waldney Pereira; Lynch Alfaro, Jessica; Rylands, Anthony B

2017-10-01

The crested capuchin monkey (Sapajus robustus) is an endangered species endemic to the highly fragmented Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Surveys for S. robustus were carried out over a 25-month period (2003-2005) to obtain more precise geographical limits for the western range of the species. Previously published localities for S. robustus were mapped, and each point was given a 25-km radius "buffer zone." The largest forest remnants in the buffer zones (>300 ha) in Minas Gerais were visited in order to interview the local people and/or survey the forests directly using playback recordings of S. robustus. Camera traps were used in key localities if interviews suggested the presence of capuchins but no animals were sighted during the surveys. Of 127 valid interviews, only 39 people reported the presence of Sapajus in nearby forest fragments. We confirmed the presence of Sapajus in only 19 of these. S. robustus occurred in four, and S. libidinosus, S. nigritus, S. xanthosternos, or S. robustus × S. nigritus (hybrids?) occurred in the remaining 15. Based on our study, the estimated geographical distribution of S. robustus is 119,654 km 2 , which represents a reduction of more than 70,000 km 2 when compared to its formerly described range. The geographical limits as defined in this study are: northeast-the Jequitinhonha River; northwest and west-the Jequitinhonha River; southwest-the Suaçuí Grande River and the Espinhaço mountains; southeast-the Doce River; east-the Atlantic Ocean. A probable hybrid zone where capuchin monkeys have morphological features of both S. nigritus and S. robustus was found between the Santo Antônio and the Suaçuí Grande rivers. The elucidation of the geographical distribution of S. robustus is important for its conservation, facilitating the delineation of priority areas for the creation of reserves and the initiation of studies of the species' ecology and behavior. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Synchronized practice helps bearded capuchin monkeys learn to extend attention while learning a tradition

PubMed Central

Eshchar, Yonat; Visalberghi, Elisabetta; Resende, Briseida; Laity, Kellie; Izar, Patrícia

2017-01-01

Culture extends biology in that the setting of development shapes the traditions that individuals learn, and over time, traditions evolve as occasional variations are learned by others. In humans, interactions with others impact the development of cognitive processes, such as sustained attention, that shape how individuals learn as well as what they learn. Thus, learning itself is impacted by culture. Here, we explore how social partners might shape the development of psychological processes impacting learning a tradition. We studied bearded capuchin monkeys learning a traditional tool-using skill, cracking nuts using stone hammers. Young monkeys practice components of cracking nuts with stones for years before achieving proficiency. We examined the time course of young monkeys’ activity with nuts before, during, and following others’ cracking nuts. Results demonstrate that the onset of others’ cracking nuts immediately prompts young monkeys to start handling and percussing nuts, and they continue these activities while others are cracking. When others stop cracking nuts, young monkeys sustain the uncommon actions of percussing and striking nuts for shorter periods than the more common actions of handling nuts. We conclude that nut-cracking by adults can promote the development of sustained attention for the critical but less common actions that young monkeys must practice to learn this traditional skill. This work suggests that in nonhuman species, as in humans, socially specified settings of development impact learning processes as well as learning outcomes. Nonhumans, like humans, may be culturally variable learners. PMID:28739944

Cannabidiol Affects MK-801-Induced Changes in the PPI Learned Response of Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus spp.).

PubMed

Saletti, Patricia G; Maior, Rafael S; Barros, Marilia; Nishijo, Hisao; Tomaz, Carlos

2017-01-01

There are several lines of evidence indicating a possible therapeutic action of cannabidiol (CBD) in schizophrenia treatment. Studies with rodents have demonstrated that CBD reverses MK-801 effects in prepulse inhibition (PPI) disruption, which may indicate that CBD acts by improving sensorimotor gating deficits. In the present study, we investigated the effects of CBD on a PPI learned response of capuchin monkeys ( Sapajus spp.). A total of seven monkeys were employed in this study. In Experiment 1, we evaluated the CBD (doses of 15, 30, 60 mg/kg, i.p.) effects on PPI. In Experiment 2, the effects of sub-chronic MK-801 (0.02 mg/kg, i.m.) on PPI were challenged by a CBD pre-treatment. No changes in PPI response were observed after CBD-alone administration. However, MK-801 increased the PPI response of our animals. CBD pre-treatment blocked the PPI increase induced by MK-801. Our findings suggest that CBD's reversal of the MK-801 effects on PPI is unlikely to stem from a direct involvement on sensorimotor mechanisms, but may possibly reflect its anxiolytic properties.

Short poly-glutamine repeat in the androgen receptor in New World monkeys.

PubMed

Hiramatsu, Chihiro; Paukner, Annika; Kuroshima, Hika; Fujita, Kazuo; Suomi, Stephen J; Inoue-Murayama, Miho

2017-12-01

The androgen receptor mediates various physiological and developmental functions and is highly conserved in mammals. Although great intraspecific length polymorphisms in poly glutamine (poly-Q) and poly glycine (poly-G) regions of the androgen receptor in humans, apes and several Old World monkeys have been reported, little is known about the characteristics of these regions in New World monkeys. In this study, we surveyed 17 species of New World monkeys and found length polymorphisms in these regions in three species (common squirrel monkeys, tufted capuchin monkeys and owl monkeys). We found that the poly-Q region in New World monkeys is relatively shorter than that in catarrhines (humans, apes and Old World monkeys). In addition, we observed that codon usage for poly-G region in New World monkeys is unique among primates. These results suggest that the length of polymorphic regions in androgen receptor genes have evolved uniquely in New World monkeys.

DIETARY FAT AND HYPERCHOLESTEREMIA IN THE CEBUS MONKEY

PubMed Central

Portman, Oscar W.; Sinisterra, Leonardo

1957-01-01

A series of studies of cholesterol metabolism in the Cebus monkey were carried out in an attempt to understand the mechanisms responsible for the great differences in serum cholesterol levels when different dietary fats were used. Three groups of monkeys, one fed diets including 45 per cent of calories as corn oil, a second corn oil plus cholesterol (0.1 gm./100 calories), and a third lard plus cholesterol for 5 months (mean serum cholesterol values were 237, 268, and 601 mg. per cent, respectively) were injected with emulsions of cholesterol-4-C14. The mean biological half-lives for the disappearance of serum radiocholesterol were 8.8, 8.4, and 6.6 days respectively. Esterification of radiocholesterol as measured by equilibration of specific activities of serum-free cholesterol and total cholesterol was delayed in the monkeys fed lard plus cholesterol. When cholesterol-4-C-14-stearate was given intravenously to a series of monkeys, an erratic non-exponential biological decay curve resulted. Specific activity for free serum cholesterol was greater than that for total cholesterol within 1 hour after the injection. After 7 months on experimental diets including corn oil with added cholesterol and lard with added cholesterol the levels of lipides in most tissues were not different for the two dietary groups, nor were they appreciably elevated above previous control figures for monkeys not fed cholesterol. Total lipide levels in the adrenals of monkeys fed corn oil were twice those of monkeys fed lard. Monkeys were fasted before and after intragastric administration of cholesterol-4-C14 in small formula meals including various fats and fatty acids. The disappearance of total cholesterol from the serum consisted of a rapid followed by a slow exponential function. The type of fat and fatty acid appeared to influence the rate of disappearance of radiocholesterol. There was a broad range of apparent activity of the different fats and fatty acids in promoting cholesterol absorption. PMID:13475627

The fourth dimension of tool use: temporally enduring artefacts aid primates learning to use tools

PubMed Central

Fragaszy, D. M.; Biro, D.; Eshchar, Y.; Humle, T.; Izar, P.; Resende, B.; Visalberghi, E.

2013-01-01

All investigated cases of habitual tool use in wild chimpanzees and capuchin monkeys include youngsters encountering durable artefacts, most often in a supportive social context. We propose that enduring artefacts associated with tool use, such as previously used tools, partly processed food items and residual material from previous activity, aid non-human primates to learn to use tools, and to develop expertise in their use, thus contributing to traditional technologies in non-humans. Therefore, social contributions to tool use can be considered as situated in the three dimensions of Euclidean space, and in the fourth dimension of time. This notion expands the contribution of social context to learning a skill beyond the immediate presence of a model nearby. We provide examples supporting this hypothesis from wild bearded capuchin monkeys and chimpanzees, and suggest avenues for future research. PMID:24101621

The fourth dimension of tool use: temporally enduring artefacts aid primates learning to use tools.

PubMed

Fragaszy, D M; Biro, D; Eshchar, Y; Humle, T; Izar, P; Resende, B; Visalberghi, E

2013-11-19

All investigated cases of habitual tool use in wild chimpanzees and capuchin monkeys include youngsters encountering durable artefacts, most often in a supportive social context. We propose that enduring artefacts associated with tool use, such as previously used tools, partly processed food items and residual material from previous activity, aid non-human primates to learn to use tools, and to develop expertise in their use, thus contributing to traditional technologies in non-humans. Therefore, social contributions to tool use can be considered as situated in the three dimensions of Euclidean space, and in the fourth dimension of time. This notion expands the contribution of social context to learning a skill beyond the immediate presence of a model nearby. We provide examples supporting this hypothesis from wild bearded capuchin monkeys and chimpanzees, and suggest avenues for future research.

Environmental enrichment of brown capuchins (Cebus apella): Behavioral and plasma and fecal cortisol measures of effectiveness

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boinski, S.; Swing, S.P.; Gross, T.S.; Davis, J.K.

1999-01-01

No consensus exists about the quantity and variety of environmental enrichment needed to achieve an acceptable level of psychological well-being among singly housed primates. Behavioral and plasma and fecal cortisol measures were used to evaluate the effectiveness of four levels of toy and foraging enrichment provided to eight wild-caught, singly housed adult male brown capuchins (Cebus apella). The 16-week-long study comprised six conditions and began with a 4-week-long preexperimental and ended with a 4-week-long postexperimental period during which the subjects were maintained at baseline enrichment levels. During the intervening 8 weeks, the subjects were randomly assigned to a sequence of four 2-week-long experimental conditions: control (baseline conditions), toy (the addition of two plastic toys to each cage), box (access to a foraging box with food treats hidden within crushed alfalfa), and box and toy (the addition of two plastic toys and access to a foraging box). Behavioral responses to changes in enrichment were rapid and extensive. Within-subject repeated-measure ANOVAs with planned post hoc contrasts identified highly significant reductions in abnormal and undesirable behaviors (and increases in normal behaviors) as the level of enrichment increased from control to toy to box to box and toy. No significant behavioral differences were found between the control and pre- and postexperimental conditions. Plasma and fecal cortisol measures revealed a different response to changing enrichment levels. Repeated-measure ANOVA models found significant changes in both these measures across the six conditions. The planned post hoc analyses, however, while finding dramatic increases in cortisol titers in both the pre- and postexperimental conditions relative to the control condition, did not distinguish cortisol responses among the four enrichment levels. Linear regressions among weekly group means in behavioral and cortisol measures (n = 16) found that plasma cortisol was significantly predicted by the proportions of both normal and abnormal behaviors; as the proportion of normal behaviors increased, the plasma cortisol measures decreased. Plasma cortisol weekly group means were also significantly and positively predicted by fecal cortisol weekly group means, but no behavioral measure significantly predicted fecal cortisol weekly group means. In sum, these findings argue strongly that access to a variety of toy and foraging enrichment positively affects behavioral and physiological responses to stress and enhances psychological well-being in singly housed brown capuchins.

Environmental enrichment of brown capuchins (Cebus apella): behavioral and plasma and fecal cortisol measures of effectiveness.

PubMed

Boinski, S; Swing, S P; Gross, T S; Davis, J K

1999-01-01

No consensus exists about the quantity and variety of environmental enrichment needed to achieve an acceptable level of psychological well-being among singly housed primates. Behavioral and plasma and fecal cortisol measures were used to evaluate the effectiveness of four levels of toy and foraging enrichment provided to eight wild-caught, singly housed adult male brown capuchins (Cebus apella). The 16-week-long study comprised six conditions and began with a 4-week-long preexperimental and ended with a 4-week-long postexperimental period during which the subjects were maintained at baseline enrichment levels. During the intervening 8 weeks, the subjects were randomly assigned to a sequence of four 2-week-long experimental conditions: control (baseline conditions), toy (the addition of two plastic toys to each cage), box (access to a foraging box with food treats hidden within crushed alfalfa), and box & toy (the addition of two plastic toys and access to a foraging box). Behavioral responses to changes in enrichment were rapid and extensive. Within-subject repeated-measure ANOVAs with planned post hoc contrasts identified highly significant reductions in abnormal and undesirable behaviors (and increases in normal behaviors) as the level of enrichment increased from control to toy to box to box & toy. No significant behavioral differences were found between the control and pre- and postexperimental conditions. Plasma and fecal cortisol measures revealed a different response to changing enrichment levels. Repeated-measure ANOVA models found significant changes in both these measures across the six conditions. The planned post hoc analyses, however, while finding dramatic increases in cortisol titers in both the pre- and postexperimental conditions relative to the control condition, did not distinguish cortisol responses among the four enrichment levels. Linear regressions among weekly group means in behavioral and cortisol measures (n=16) found that plasma cortisol was significantly predicted by the proportions of both normal and abnormal behaviors; as the proportion of normal behaviors increased, the plasma cortisol measures decreased. Plasma cortisol weekly group means were also significantly and positively predicted by fecal cortisol weekly group means, but no behavioral measure significantly predicted fecal cortisol weekly group means. In sum, these findings argue strongly that access to a variety of toy and foraging enrichment positively affects behavioral and physiological responses to stress and enhances psychological well-being in singly housed brown capuchins.

Self-control depletion in tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.): does delay of gratification rely on a limited resource?

PubMed Central

Petrillo, Francesca De; Gori, Emanuele; Truppa, Valentina; Ariely, Dan; Addessi, Elsa

2015-01-01

Self-control failure has enormous personal and societal consequences. One of the most debated models explaining why self-control breaks down is the Strength Model, according to which self-control depends on a limited resource. Either previous acts of self-control or taking part in highly demanding cognitive tasks have been shown to reduce self-control, possibly due to a reduction in blood glucose levels. However, several studies yielded negative findings, and recent meta-analyses questioned the robustness of the depletion effect in humans. We investigated, for the first time, whether the Strength Model applies to a non-human primate species, the tufted capuchin monkey. We tested five capuchins in a self-control task (the Accumulation task) in which food items were accumulated within individual’s reach for as long as the subject refrained from taking them. We evaluated whether capuchins’ performance decreases: (i) when tested before receiving their daily meal rather than after consuming it (Energy Depletion Experiment), and (ii) after being tested in two tasks with different levels of cognitive complexity (Cognitive Depletion Experiment). We also tested, in both experiments, how implementing self-control in each trial of the Accumulation task affected this capacity within each session and/or across consecutive sessions. Repeated acts of self-control in each trial of the Accumulation task progressively reduced this capacity within each session, as predicted by the Strength Model. However, neither experiencing a reduction in energy level nor taking part in a highly demanding cognitive task decreased performance in the subsequent Accumulation task. Thus, whereas capuchins seem to be vulnerable to within-session depletion effects, to other extents our findings are in line with the growing body of studies that failed to find a depletion effect in humans. Methodological issues potentially affecting the lack of depletion effects in capuchins are discussed. PMID:26322001

The effects of tradition on problem solving by two wild populations of bearded capuchin monkeys in a probing task.

PubMed

Cardoso, Raphael Moura; Ottoni, Eduardo B

2016-11-01

The effects of culture on individual cognition have become a core issue among cultural primatologists. Field studies with wild populations provide evidence on the role of social cues in the ontogeny of tool use in non-human primates, and on the transmission of such behaviours over generations through socially biased learning. Recent experimental studies have shown that cultural knowledge may influence problem solving in wild populations of chimpanzees. Here, we present the results from a field experiment comparing the performance of bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) from two wild savannah populations with distinct toolkits in a probing task. Only the population that already exhibited the customary use of probing tools succeeded in solving the new problem, suggesting that their cultural repertoire shaped their approach to the new task. Moreover, only this population, which uses stone tools in a broader range of contexts, tried to use them to solve the problem. Social interactions can affect the formation of learning sets and they affect the performance of the monkeys in problem solving. We suggest that behavioural traditions affect the ways non-human primates solve novel foraging problems using tools. © 2016 The Author(s).

Wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) strategically place nuts in a stable position during nut-cracking.

PubMed

Fragaszy, Dorothy M; Liu, Qing; Wright, Barth W; Allen, Angellica; Brown, Callie Welch; Visalberghi, Elisabetta

2013-01-01

Humans can use hand tools smoothly and effectively in varying circumstances; in other words, skillfully. A few other species of primates crack encased foods using hammer tools and anvils. Are they skilled? Positioning the food on the anvil so that it does not fall off when struck is a component of skilled cracking. We discovered that bearded capuchin monkeys deliberately place palm nuts in a relatively stable position on the anvil before striking them. In the first experiment, we marked the meridians of palm nuts where they stopped when rolled on a flat surface ("Stop meridian"). We videotaped monkeys as they cracked these nuts on an anvil. In playback we coded the position of the Stop meridian prior to each strike. Monkeys typically knocked the nuts on the anvil a few times before releasing them in a pit. They positioned the nuts so that the Stop meridian was within 30 degrees of vertical with respect to gravity more often than expected, and the nuts rarely moved after the monkeys released them. In the second experiment, 14 blindfolded people (7 men) asked to position marked nuts on an anvil as if to crack them reliably placed them with the Stop meridian in the same position as the monkeys did. In the third experiment, two people judged that palm nuts are most bilaterally symmetric along a meridian on, or close to, the Stop meridian. Thus the monkeys reliably placed the more symmetrical side of the nuts against the side of the pit, and the nuts reliably remained stationary when released. Monkeys apparently used information gained from knocking the nut to achieve this position. Thus, monkeys place the nuts skillfully, strategically managing the fit between the variable nuts and pits in the anvil, and skilled placement depends upon information generated by manual action.

Wild Bearded Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) Strategically Place Nuts in a Stable Position during Nut-Cracking

PubMed Central

Fragaszy, Dorothy M.; Liu, Qing; Wright, Barth W.; Allen, Angellica; Brown, Callie Welch; Visalberghi, Elisabetta

2013-01-01

Humans can use hand tools smoothly and effectively in varying circumstances; in other words, skillfully. A few other species of primates crack encased foods using hammer tools and anvils. Are they skilled? Positioning the food on the anvil so that it does not fall off when struck is a component of skilled cracking. We discovered that bearded capuchin monkeys deliberately place palm nuts in a relatively stable position on the anvil before striking them. In the first experiment, we marked the meridians of palm nuts where they stopped when rolled on a flat surface (“Stop meridian”). We videotaped monkeys as they cracked these nuts on an anvil. In playback we coded the position of the Stop meridian prior to each strike. Monkeys typically knocked the nuts on the anvil a few times before releasing them in a pit. They positioned the nuts so that the Stop meridian was within 30 degrees of vertical with respect to gravity more often than expected, and the nuts rarely moved after the monkeys released them. In the second experiment, 14 blindfolded people (7 men) asked to position marked nuts on an anvil as if to crack them reliably placed them with the Stop meridian in the same position as the monkeys did. In the third experiment, two people judged that palm nuts are most bilaterally symmetric along a meridian on, or close to, the Stop meridian. Thus the monkeys reliably placed the more symmetrical side of the nuts against the side of the pit, and the nuts reliably remained stationary when released. Monkeys apparently used information gained from knocking the nut to achieve this position. Thus, monkeys place the nuts skillfully, strategically managing the fit between the variable nuts and pits in the anvil, and skilled placement depends upon information generated by manual action. PMID:23460793

Capuchin Monkeys Judge Third-Party Reciprocity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, James R.; Takimoto, Ayaka; Kuroshima, Hika; Fujita, Kazuo

2013-01-01

Increasing interest is being shown in how children develop an understanding of reciprocity in social exchanges and fairness in resource distribution, including social exchanges between third parties. Although there are descriptions of reciprocity on a one-to-one basis in other species, whether nonhumans detect reciprocity and violations of…

Haloperidol-induced striatal Nur77 expression in a non-human primate model of tardive dyskinesia

PubMed Central

Mahmoudi, Souha; Blanchet, Pierre J.; Lévesque, Daniel

2015-01-01

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a delayed and potentially irreversible motor complication arising in patients chronically exposed to antipsychotic drugs. As several modern (so-called atypical) antipsychotic drugs are common offenders, the widening clinical indications for prescription as well as exposure of vulnerable individuals, TD will remain a significant drug-induced unwanted side effect. In addition, the pathophysiology of TD remains elusive and therapeutics difficult. Based on rodent experiments, we have previously shown that the transcriptional factor Nur77 (also known as NGFI-B or Nr4a1) is induced in the striatum following antipsychotic drug exposure as part of a long-term neuroadaptive process. To confirm this, we exposed adult capuchin (Cebus apella) monkeys to prolonged treatments with haloperidol (median 18.5 months, N=11) or clozapine (median 6 months, N=6). Six untreated animals were used as controls. Six haloperidol-treated animals developed mild TD movements similar to those found in humans. No TD was observed in the clozapine group. Postmortem analysis of Nur77 expression measured by in situ hybridization revealed a stark contrast between the two drugs, as Nur77 mRNA levels in the caudate-putamen were strongly upregulated in animals exposed to haloperidol while spared following clozapine treatment. Interestingly, within the haloperidol-treated group, TD-free animals showed higher Nur77 expression in putamen subterritories compared to dyskinetic animals. This suggests that Nur77 expression might be associated with a reduced risk to TD in this experimental model and could provide a novel target for drug intervention. PMID:23551242

Isolation of Madre de Dios Virus (Orthobunyavirus; Bunyaviridae), an Oropouche Virus Species Reassortant, from a Monkey in Venezuela

PubMed Central

Navarro, Juan-Carlos; Giambalvo, Dileyvic; Hernandez, Rosa; Auguste, Albert J.; Tesh, Robert B.; Weaver, Scott C.; Montañez, Humberto; Liria, Jonathan; Lima, Anderson; da Rosa, Jorge Fernando Soares Travassos; da Silva, Sandro P.; Vasconcelos, Janaina M.; Oliveira, Rodrigo; Vianez, João L. S. G.; Nunes, Marcio R. T.

2016-01-01

Oropouche virus (OROV), genus Orthobunyavirus, family Bunyaviridae, is an important cause of human illness in tropical South America. Herein, we report the isolation, complete genome sequence, genetic characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of an OROV species reassortant, Madre de Dios virus (MDDV), obtained from a sick monkey (Cebus olivaceus Schomburgk) collected in a forest near Atapirire, a small rural village located in Anzoategui State, Venezuela. MDDV is one of a growing number of naturally occurring OROV species reassortants isolated in South America and was known previously only from southern Peru. PMID:27215299

The Ecological Rationality of Delay Tolerance: Insights from Capuchin Monkeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Addessi, Elsa; Paglieri, Fabio; Focaroli, Valentina

2011-01-01

Both human and non-human animals often face decisions between options available at different times, and the capacity of delaying gratification has usually been considered one of the features distinguishing humans from other animals. However, this characteristic can widely vary across individuals, species, and types of task and it is still unclear…

Mimivirus Circulation among Wild and Domestic Mammals, Amazon Region, Brazil

PubMed Central

Dornas, Fábio P.; Rodrigues, Felipe P.; Boratto, Paulo V.M.; Silva, Lorena C.F.; Ferreira, Paulo C.P.; Bonjardim, Cláudio A.; Trindade, Giliane S.; Kroon, Erna G.; La Scola, Bernard

2014-01-01

To investigate circulation of mimiviruses in the Amazon Region of Brazil, we surveyed 513 serum samples from domestic and wild mammals. Neutralizing antibodies were detected in 15 sample pools, and mimivirus DNA was detected in 9 pools of serum from capuchin monkeys and in 16 pools of serum from cattle. PMID:24564967

Streptococcus oricebi sp. nov., isolated from the oral cavity of tufted capuchin.

PubMed

Saito, M; Shinozaki-Kuwahara, N; Hirasawa, M; Takada, K

2016-02-01

A Gram-stain-positive, catalase-negative, coccus-shaped organism was isolated from the oral cavity of tufted capuchin (Cebus apella). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis suggested classification of the organism within the genus Streptococcus. Strain M8T was related most closely to Streptococcus oralis ATCC 35037T (96.17 % similarity) followed by Streptococcus massiliensis CCUG 49690T (95.90 %) based on the 16S rRNA gene. Strain M8T was related most closely to S. massiliensis CCUG 49690T (86.58 %) based on the RNA polymerase β subunit-encoding gene (rpoB), and to Streptococcus tigurinus AZ_3aT (81.26 %) followed by S. massiliensis CCUG 49690T (80.45 %) based on the 60 kDa heat-shock protein gene (groEL). The phylogenetic trees of 16S rRNA, rpoB and groEL gene sequences showed that strain M8T was most closely related to S. massiliensis. Based on phenotypic characterization as well as 16S rRNA gene and housekeeping gene (rpoB and groEL) sequence data, a novel taxon, Streptococcus oricebi sp. nov. (type strain M8T = JCM 30719T = DSM 100101T), is proposed.

(Ir)rational choices of humans, rhesus macaques, and capuchin monkeys in dynamic stochastic environments.

PubMed

Watzek, Julia; Brosnan, Sarah F

2018-05-28

Human and animal decision-making is known to violate rational expectations in a variety of contexts. Previous models suggest that statistical structures of real-world environments can favor such seemingly irrational behavior, but this has not been tested empirically. We tested 16 capuchin monkeys, seven rhesus monkeys, and 30 humans in a computerized experiment that implemented such stochastic environments. Subjects chose from among up to three options of different value that disappeared and became available again with different probabilities. All species overwhelmingly chose transitively (A > B > C) in the control condition, where doing so maximized overall gain. Most subjects also adhered to transitivity in the test condition, where it was suboptimal, but ultimately led to negligible losses compared to the optimal, non-transitive strategy. We used a modelling approach to show that differences in temporal discounting may account for this pattern of choices on a proximate level. Specifically, when short- and long-term goals are valued similarly, near-optimal decision rules can map onto rational choice principles. Such cognitive shortcuts have been argued to have evolved to preserve mental resources without sacrificing good decision-making, and here we provide evidence that these heuristics can provide almost identical outcomes even in situations in which they lead to suboptimal choices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation of Madre de Dios Virus (Orthobunyavirus; Bunyaviridae), an Oropouche Virus Species Reassortant, from a Monkey in Venezuela.

PubMed

Navarro, Juan-Carlos; Giambalvo, Dileyvic; Hernandez, Rosa; Auguste, Albert J; Tesh, Robert B; Weaver, Scott C; Montañez, Humberto; Liria, Jonathan; Lima, Anderson; Travassos da Rosa, Jorge Fernando Soares; da Silva, Sandro P; Vasconcelos, Janaina M; Oliveira, Rodrigo; Vianez, João L S G; Nunes, Marcio R T

2016-08-03

Oropouche virus (OROV), genus Orthobunyavirus, family Bunyaviridae, is an important cause of human illness in tropical South America. Herein, we report the isolation, complete genome sequence, genetic characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of an OROV species reassortant, Madre de Dios virus (MDDV), obtained from a sick monkey (Cebus olivaceus Schomburgk) collected in a forest near Atapirire, a small rural village located in Anzoategui State, Venezuela. MDDV is one of a growing number of naturally occurring OROV species reassortants isolated in South America and was known previously only from southern Peru. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Occurrence of hemotropic mycoplasmas in non-human primates (Alouatta caraya, Sapajus nigritus and Callithrix jacchus) of southern Brazil.

PubMed

Cubilla, Michelle P; Santos, Leonilda C; de Moraes, Wanderlei; Cubas, Zalmir S; Leutenegger, Christian M; Estrada, Marko; Vieira, Rafael F C; Soares, Maurilio J; Lindsay, LeAnn L; Sykes, Jane E; Biondo, Alexander W

2017-06-01

Hemoplasmas, the erythrocyte-associated mycoplasmas, have been detected in several primates, causing mostly subclinical infection. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hemoplasma infection in captive and free-ranging monkeys from southern Brazil, as well as factors and hematological abnormalities associated with infection. Blood samples from 40 non-human primates (NHP) were tested for hemoplasmas and coinfections. An overall of 10/40 (25.0%) NHP tested positive for hemoplasmas using PCR-based assays, including 9/14 (64.3%) black howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) and 1/24 (4.2%) black-horned capuchin (Sapajus nigritus). Infection was not statistically associated with anemia, but wild-born monkeys and male black howler monkeys were more likely to be positive when compared with captive-born animals and female black howler monkeys, respectively. The sequences from the black howler monkey hemoplasma were similar (94% identity) to the squirrel monkey hemoplasma ("Candidatus Mycoplasma kahanei") and were phylogenetically located in a different cluster when compared to the human hemoplasma ("Candidatus Mycoplasma haemohominis"). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensorimotor gating impairments induced by MK-801 treatment may be reduced by tolerance effect and by familiarization in monkeys

PubMed Central

Saletti, Patricia G.; Maior, Rafael S.; Hori, Etsuro; Nishijo, Hisao; Tomaz, Carlos

2015-01-01

Dizocilpine (MK-801) is a non-competitive NMDA antagonist that induces schizophreniclike effects. It is therefore widely used in experimental models of schizophrenia including prepulse inhibition (PPI) impairments in rodents. Nevertheless, MK-801 has never been tested in monkeys on a PPI paradigm. In order to evaluate MK-801 effects on monkeys’ PPI, we tested eight capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) using three different doses of MK-801 (0.01; 0.02; 0.03 mg/kg). Results show PPI impairment in acute administration of the highest dose (0.03 mg/kg). PPI impairment induced by MK-801 was reversed by re-exposure to the PPI test throughout treatment trials, in contrast with rodent studies. These results indicate that tolerance effect and familiarization with PPI test may reduce the sensorimotor gating deficits induced by MK-801 in monkeys, suggesting a drug-training interaction. PMID:26441660

MK-801 reduces sensitivity to Müller-Lyer's illusion in capuchin monkeys.

PubMed

Jacobsen, M E; Barros, M; Maior, R S

2017-01-01

The Müller-Lyer's illusion (MLI) is a visual illusion in which the presence of contextual cues (i.e., the orientation of arrowheads) changes the perception of the length of straight lines. An altered sensitivity to the MLI has been proposed as a marker for the progression of perceptual deficits in schizophrenia. Since dizocilpine (MK-801), a noncompetitive antagonist of the NMDA glutamate receptor, induces schizophrenic-like sensory impairments, it may have potential value for investigating the neurochemical basis of the perceptual changes in schizophrenia. Here we tested the effects of MK-801 on the perception of the MLI in a nonhuman primate. Five capuchin monkeys Sapajus spp. were trained on a MLI task using a touch screen monitor. After training, the Point of Subjective Equality (PSE; i.e., the minimum difference in length between two lines which the subject can distinguish) was determined for each subject. Then, during 12 consecutive days, we evaluated changes in PSE in response to vehicle, MK-801 (5.6μg/kg, i.m.) and a no-treatment protocol (post- test). Each of these was given as a single daily treatment, on four consecutive days. Results showed that MK-801 increased the monkeys' performance in the MLI task, suggesting that NMDA receptor modulation reduces sensitivity to this illusion, similar to prodromal stage in schizophrenia patients. The MLI protocol may thus be used in nonhuman primates to screen potential antipsychotic drugs for early stages of this disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developmental sources of conservation and variation in the evolution of the primate eye.

PubMed

Dyer, Michael A; Martins, Rodrigo; da Silva Filho, Manoel; Muniz, José Augusto P C; Silveira, Luiz Carlos L; Cepko, Constance L; Finlay, Barbara L

2009-06-02

Conserved developmental programs, such as the order of neurogenesis in the mammalian eye, suggest the presence of useful features for evolutionary stability and variability. The owl monkey, Aotus azarae, has developed a fully nocturnal retina in recent evolution. Description and quantification of cell cycle kinetics show that embryonic cytogenesis is extended in Aotus compared with the diurnal New World monkey Cebus apella. Combined with the conserved mammalian pattern of retinal cell specification, this single change in retinal progenitor cell proliferation can produce the multiple alterations of the nocturnal retina, including coordinated reduction in cone and ganglion cell numbers, increase in rod and rod bipolar numbers, and potentially loss of the fovea.

Facial Width-To-Height Ratio Relates to Alpha Status and Assertive Personality in Capuchin Monkeys

PubMed Central

Lefevre, Carmen Emilia; Wilson, Vanessa A. D.; Morton, F. Blake; Brosnan, Sarah F.; Paukner, Annika; Bates, Timothy C.

2014-01-01

Social dominance hierarchies play a pivotal role in shaping the behaviour of many species, and sex differences within these hierarchies often exist. To date, however, few physical markers of dominance have been identified. Such markers would be valuable in terms of understanding the etiology of dominant behaviour and changes in social hierarchies over time. Animals may also use such traits to evaluate the potential dominance of others relative to themselves (i.e. a physical “cue”). Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), for example, has been suggested as a cue to dominance in humans, with links to both dominant behaviour and the perception of dominance in other individuals. Whether this association is present in non-human animals is currently not known. Therefore, here we examine within-species links between fWHR and dominant behaviour in 64 brown capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) aged between 2 and 40 years. fWHR was positively associated with alpha status and with a dimensional rating of assertive personality in both males and females. Moreover, fWHR showed significant sexual dimorphism in adults but not juveniles, suggesting a developmental change may occur during puberty. In a sub-sample, sex differences were mediated by weight, suggesting fWHR dimorphism does not exceed what would be expected by differences in body weight. This is the first report of an association between face shape and behaviour in a non-human species. Results are discussed in terms of the role that face-behaviour associations might play within capuchin societies, and the possible selective forces that might have led to the evolution of fWHR-dominance associations in humans. PMID:24705247

U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, 1987 Annual Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-06

Argentina to determine efficacy of the Candid #1 vaccine in both immune and nonimmune populations. 12 %0 0 Shigella Vaccines are oral products containing...in Cebus monkeys at the University of Lowell, MA. Working groups were convened to outline clinical testing of the TAP and to finalize the draft...measure exposure rates. Data collected from these studies will be used to plan field trials for vaccines that have been developed including Shigella

EFFECT OF THE LEVEL AND TYPE OF DIETARY FAT ON THE METABOLISM OF CHOLESTEROL AND BETA LIPOPROTEINS IN THE CEBUS MONKEY

PubMed Central

Portman, Oscar W.; Hegsted, D. Mark; Stare, Fredrick J.; Bruno, Dorothy; Murphy, Robert; Sinisterra, Leonardo

1956-01-01

A study was carried out to determine the effect of the level and type of dietary fat on the concentration of cholesterol and beta lipoproteins in the sera of Cebus monkeys. Three groups of monkeys were fed isocaloric diets containing a fixed ratio of alpha protein and cholesterol to calories but with different amounts of corn oil and sucrose. Corn oil provided 10, 32, and 45 per cent of the calories in the three diets, and the level of sucrose was varied inversely. After 8 weeks the serum cholesterol and Sf 12 to 100 beta lipoprotein concentrations were significantly greater in the medium and high fat groups. When corn oil was decreased from 45 to 10 per cent of dietary calories and sucrose was increased, the serum cholesterol fell in all cases, and when the reverse change was made, the concentration of serum cholesterol increased. Variation in dietary sucrose had no specific effect. Substitution of starch for sucrose with diets otherwise constant did not cause significant change in the concentration of serum cholesterol. When monkeys fed corn oil diets at any of three levels were changed to hydrogenated cottonseed oil diets at the same level, the serum cholesterol and Sf 12 to 100 beta lipoproteins rose. However, hydrogenated cottonseed oil had no greater hypercholesteremic effect than did corn oil in the absence of dietary cholesterol. Diets containing lard with cholesterol also produced strikingly greater serum lipide responses than did diets based on corn oil and cholesterol. Hydrogenated cottonseed oil had a greater hypercholesteremic effect than an unhydrogenated cottonseed oil from the same lot. Preliminary studies indicated that the saturated fats (hydrogenated cottonseed oil) produced the most striking elevation of serum cholesterol values (above controls fed corn oil) when casein was the dietary protein. PMID:13376806

Adult Cleaner Wrasse Outperform Capuchin Monkeys, Chimpanzees and Orang-utans in a Complex Foraging Task Derived from Cleaner – Client Reef Fish Cooperation

PubMed Central

Proctor, Darby; Essler, Jennifer; Pinto, Ana I.; Wismer, Sharon; Stoinski, Tara; Brosnan, Sarah F.; Bshary, Redouan

2012-01-01

The insight that animals' cognitive abilities are linked to their evolutionary history, and hence their ecology, provides the framework for the comparative approach. Despite primates renowned dietary complexity and social cognition, including cooperative abilities, we here demonstrate that cleaner wrasse outperform three primate species, capuchin monkeys, chimpanzees and orang-utans, in a foraging task involving a choice between two actions, both of which yield identical immediate rewards, but only one of which yields an additional delayed reward. The foraging task decisions involve partner choice in cleaners: they must service visiting client reef fish before resident clients to access both; otherwise the former switch to a different cleaner. Wild caught adult, but not juvenile, cleaners learned to solve the task quickly and relearned the task when it was reversed. The majority of primates failed to perform above chance after 100 trials, which is in sharp contrast to previous studies showing that primates easily learn to choose an action that yields immediate double rewards compared to an alternative action. In conclusion, the adult cleaners' ability to choose a superior action with initially neutral consequences is likely due to repeated exposure in nature, which leads to specific learned optimal foraging decision rules. PMID:23185293

Mechanisms of action of light on circadian rhythms in the monkey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winget, C. M.; Rosenblatt, L. S.; DeRoshia, C. W.; Hetherington, N. W.

1970-01-01

Light is considered by many investigators to be the primary Zeitgeber for most physiologic rhythms. In order to study the effects on biorhythms of changing photoperiods and to provide information on the nature of the wave forms and the mechanisms of entrainment, unrestrained male monkeys (Cebus albifrons, Macaca nemestrina) were maintained in a sound-proofed environmental chamber. The Cebus was initially maintained on a 12L:12D schedule; it was subjected to a 180 degrees phase shift for 14 days, then returned to the original photoperiod. In two experiments (24 days; 27 days each) the same monkey was again maintained on a 12L:12D schedule which was gradually altered to a constant light environment. Deep body temperature (DBT) data were obtained with miniature radiotransmitters. Locomotor activity (LMA) was measured by strain gauges. Under the 12L:12D regimens the Macaca DBT cycles were uniform as to phase and wave form for over 60 weeks. These wave forms were analyzed by the use of periodogram and correlogram analyses and by fitting to the Volterra Integro-Differential Equation. Phase angle relationships between Zeitgeber and physiologic parameters were characterized. After the photoperiod phase shift the DBT cycle rephased in about 9 days. During the rephasing process the wave form changed. The shapes of the wave forms of DBT and activity were maintained with increasing light until an 18L:6D photoperiod was reached. The rhythms were entrained to the onset of darkness rather than lights on. Major and minor periods of LMA were detected. Hysteresis diagrams showed that DBT led the onset of major LA by 6 hr and the end of major activity by 2 hr.

What limits tool use in nonhuman primates? Insights from tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) aligning three-dimensional objects to a surface

PubMed Central

la Cour, L. T.; Stone, B. W.; Hopkins, W.; Menzel, C.; Fragaszy, D.

2013-01-01

Perceptuomotor functions that support using hand tools can be examined in other manipulation tasks, such as alignment of objects to surfaces. We examined tufted capuchin monkeys’ and chimpanzees’ performance at aligning objects to surfaces while managing one or two spatial relations to do so. We presented 6 subjects of each species with a single stick to place into a groove, two sticks of equal length to place into two grooves, or two sticks joined as a T to place into a T-shaped groove. Tufted capuchins and chimpanzees performed equivalently on these tasks, aligning the straight stick to within 22.5° of parallel to the groove in approximately half of their attempts to place it, and taking more attempts to place the T stick than two straight sticks. The findings provide strong evidence that tufted capuchins and chimpanzees do not reliably align even one prominent axial feature of an object to a surface, and that managing two concurrent allocentric spatial relations in an alignment problem is significantly more challenging to them than managing two sequential relations. In contrast, humans from two years of age display very different perceptuomotor abilities in a similar task: they align sticks to a groove reliably on each attempt, and they readily manage two allocentric spatial relations concurrently. Limitations in aligning objects and in managing two or more relations at a time significantly constrain how nonhuman primates can use hand tools. PMID:23820935

First report on Aonchotheca annulosa Dujardin, 1845 (Nematoda, Capillariidae) in a Hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas) from a zoo in northern Turkey.

PubMed

Umur, Sinasi; Moravec, Frantiśek; Gurler, Ali; Bolukbas, Cenk; Acici, Mustafa

2012-12-01

A dead male Hamadryas baboon, Papio hamadryas, from a zoo in Samsun in northern Turkey was submitted for necropsy examination. Standard techniques were performed for necropsy and for parasitic identification. A total of 14 nematodes were recovered from the small intestine. All nematodes were identified as Aonchotheca annulosa. This nematode is most often reported from murid rodents under natural conditions. To date, little is known about the occurrence of A. annulosa in monkeys, with the exception of a single report in a capuchin monkey. This is the first record of A. annulosa from P. hamadryas. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Dental remains of cebid platyrrhines from the earliest late Miocene of Western Amazonia, Peru: Macroevolutionary implications on the extant capuchin and marmoset lineages.

PubMed

Marivaux, Laurent; Adnet, Sylvain; Altamirano-Sierra, Ali J; Pujos, François; Ramdarshan, Anusha; Salas-Gismondi, Rodolfo; Tejada-Lara, Julia V; Antoine, Pierre-Olivier

2016-11-01

Undoubted fossil Cebidae have so far been primarily documented from the late middle Miocene of Colombia, the late Miocene of Brazilian Amazonia, the early Miocene of Peruvian Amazonia, and very recently from the earliest Miocene of Panama. The evolutionary history of cebids is far from being well-documented, with notably a complete blank in the record of callitrichine stem lineages until and after the late middle Miocene (Laventan SALMA). Further documenting their evolutionary history is therefore of primary importance. Recent field efforts in Peruvian Amazonia (Contamana area, Loreto Department) have allowed for the discovery of an early late Miocene (ca. 11 Ma; Mayoan SALMA) fossil primate-bearing locality (CTA-43; Pebas Formation). In this study, we analyze the primate material, which consists of five isolated teeth documenting two distinct Cebidae: Cebus sp., a medium-sized capuchin (Cebinae), and Cebuella sp., a tiny marmoset (Callitrichinae). Although limited, this new fossil material of platyrrhines contributes to documenting the post-Laventan evolutionary history of cebids, and besides testifies to the earliest occurrences of the modern Cebuella and Cebus/Sapajus lineages in the Neotropics. Regarding the evolutionary history of callitrichine marmosets, the discovery of an 11 Ma-old fossil representative of the modern Cebuella pushes back by at least 6 Ma the age of the Mico/Cebuella divergence currently proposed by molecular biologists (i.e., ca. 4.5 Ma). This also extends back to > 11 Ma BP the divergence between Callithrix and the common ancestor (CA) of Mico/Cebuella, as well as the divergence between the CA of marmosets and Callimico (Goeldi's callitrichine). This discovery from Peruvian Amazonia implies a deep evolutionary root of the Cebuella lineage in the northwestern part of South America (the modern western Amazon basin), slightly before the recession of the Pebas mega-wetland system (PMWS), ca. 10.5 Ma, and well-before the subsequent establishment of the Amazon drainage system (ca. 9-7 Ma). During the late middle/early late Miocene interval, the PMWS was seemingly not a limiting factor for dispersals and widespread distribution of terrestrial mammals, but it was also likely a source of diversification via a complex patchwork of submerged/emerged lands varying through time. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sleep-inducing N-alkyl-5-[m-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-5-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidinones and N-alkyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)cinnamamides.

PubMed

Houlihan, W J; Gogerty, J H; Ryan, E A; Schmitt, G

1985-01-01

A series of N-alkyl-3-[m-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-5-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidinones and N-alkyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)-cinnamamides were prepared and screened in a series of tests designed to detect potential sleep inducers. The more active members of the series were evaluated for their ability to induce sleep in Cebus monkeys. The most active compound, N-methyl-5-[m-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-5-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidinone, was equal to methaqualone.

Wild monkeys flake stone tools.

PubMed

Proffitt, Tomos; Luncz, Lydia V; Falótico, Tiago; Ottoni, Eduardo B; de la Torre, Ignacio; Haslam, Michael

2016-11-03

Our understanding of the emergence of technology shapes how we view the origins of humanity. Sharp-edged stone flakes, struck from larger cores, are the primary evidence for the earliest stone technology. Here we show that wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) in Brazil deliberately break stones, unintentionally producing recurrent, conchoidally fractured, sharp-edged flakes and cores that have the characteristics and morphology of intentionally produced hominin tools. The production of archaeologically visible cores and flakes is therefore no longer unique to the human lineage, providing a comparative perspective on the emergence of lithic technology. This discovery adds an additional dimension to interpretations of the human Palaeolithic record, the possible function of early stone tools, and the cognitive requirements for the emergence of stone flaking.

Evidence that monkeys (Macaca tonkeana and Sapajus apella) read moves, but no evidence that they read goals.

PubMed

Costes-Thiré, Morgane; Levé, Marine; Uhlrich, Pierre; Pasquaretta, Cristian; De Marco, Arianna; Thierry, Bernard

2015-08-01

Whereas most experiments indicate that monkeys have no theory of mind, a study carried out by Wood and collaborators (2007) claimed that they can make inferences about the intentions of another individual. We applied the experimental procedure devised by these authors to investigate whether monkeys can recognize goal-directed actions. We tested 16 Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) and 12 tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella). Each subject was submitted to 24 trials in randomized order. The experimenter presented 2 containers, 1 of which was potentially baited with a food reward. After the experimenter had either intentionally or accidentally made an action on 1 of the containers, the subject was asked to select 1 of them. We found that individuals in both species failed to distinguish between accidental and intentional actions. However, they displayed a significant preference for the container touched by the experimenter in the hand conditions, and not in the elbow conditions. These results do not support those reported by Wood and collaborators, but they are consistent with other studies concluding that monkeys are not capable of mind reading. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Behavioral approach to nondyskinetic dopamine antagonists: identification of seroquel.

PubMed

Warawa, E J; Migler, B M; Ohnmacht, C J; Needles, A L; Gatos, G C; McLaren, F M; Nelson, C L; Kirkland, K M

2001-02-01

A great need exists for antipsychotic drugs which will not induce extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and tardive dyskinesias (TDs). These side effects are deemed to be a consequence of nonselective blockade of nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine D2 receptors. Nondyskinetic clozapine (1) is a low-potency D2 dopamine receptor antagonist which appears to act selectively in the mesolimbic area. In this work dopamine antagonism was assessed in two mouse behavioral assays: antagonism of apomorphine-induced climbing and antagonism of apomorphine-induced disruption of swimming. The potential for the liability of dyskinesias was determined in haloperidol-sensitized Cebus monkeys. Initial examination of a few close cogeners of 1 enhanced confidence in the Cebus model as a predictor of dyskinetic potential. Considering dibenzazepines, 2 was not dyskinetic whereas 2a was dyskinetic. Among dibenzodiazepines, 1 did not induce dyskinesias whereas its N-2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl analogue 3 was dyskinetic. The emergence of such distinctions presented an opportunity. Thus, aromatic and N-substituted analogues of 6-(piperazin-1-yl)-11H-dibenz[b,e]azepines and 11-(piperazin-1-yl)dibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepines and -oxazepines were prepared and evaluated. 11-(4-[2-(2-Hydroxyethoxy)ethyl]piperazin-1-yl)dibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepine (23) was found to be an apomorphine antagonist comparable to clozapine. It was essentially nondyskinetic in the Cebus model. With 23 as a platform, a number of N-substituted analogues were found to be good apomorphine antagonists but all were dyskinetic.

Evolution of the cerebellar cortex: the selective expansion of prefrontal-projecting cerebellar lobules.

PubMed

Balsters, J H; Cussans, E; Diedrichsen, J; Phillips, K A; Preuss, T M; Rilling, J K; Ramnani, N

2010-02-01

It has been suggested that interconnected brain areas evolve in tandem because evolutionary pressures act on complete functional systems rather than on individual brain areas. The cerebellar cortex has reciprocal connections with both the prefrontal cortex and motor cortex, forming independent loops with each. Specifically, in capuchin monkeys cerebellar cortical lobules Crus I and Crus II connect with prefrontal cortex, whereas the primary motor cortex connects with cerebellar lobules V, VI, VIIb, and VIIIa. Comparisons of extant primate species suggest that the prefrontal cortex has expanded more than cortical motor areas in human evolution. Given the enlargement of the prefrontal cortex relative to motor cortex in humans, our hypothesis would predict corresponding volumetric increases in the parts of the cerebellum connected to the prefrontal cortex, relative to cerebellar lobules connected to the motor cortex. We tested the hypothesis by comparing the volumes of cerebellar lobules in structural MRI scans in capuchins, chimpanzees and humans. The fractions of cerebellar volume occupied by Crus I and Crus II were significantly larger in humans compared to chimpanzees and capuchins. Our results therefore support the hypothesis that in the cortico-cerebellar system, functionally related structures evolve in concert with each other. The evolutionary expansion of these prefrontal-projecting cerebellar territories might contribute to the evolution of the higher cognitive functions of humans. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Do monkeys choose to choose?

PubMed

Perdue, Bonnie M; Evans, Theodore A; Washburn, David A; Rumbaugh, Duane M; Beran, Michael J

2014-06-01

Both empirical and anecdotal evidence supports the idea that choice is preferred by humans. Previous research has demonstrated that this preference extends to nonhuman animals, but it remains largely unknown whether animals will actively seek out or prefer opportunities to choose. Here we explored the issue of whether capuchin and rhesus monkeys choose to choose. We used a modified version of the SELECT task-a computer program in which monkeys can choose the order of completion of various psychomotor and cognitive tasks. In the present experiments, each trial began with a choice between two icons, one of which allowed the monkey to select the order of task completion, and the other of which led to the assignment of a task order by the computer. In either case, subjects still had to complete the same number of tasks and the same number of task trials. The tasks were relatively easy, and the monkeys responded correctly on most trials. Thus, global reinforcement rates were approximately equated across conditions. The only difference was whether the monkey chose the task order or it was assigned, thus isolating the act of choosing. Given sufficient experience with the task icons, all monkeys showed a significant preference for choice when the alternative was a randomly assigned order of tasks. To a lesser extent, some of the monkeys maintained a preference for choice over a preferred, but computer-assigned, task order that was yoked to their own previous choice selection. The results indicated that monkeys prefer to choose when all other aspects of the task are equated.

Does hierarchy stability influence testosterone and cortisol levels of bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) adult males? A comparison between two wild groups.

PubMed

Mendonça-Furtado, Olívia; Edaes, Mariana; Palme, Rupert; Rodrigues, Agatha; Siqueira, José; Izar, Patrícia

2014-11-01

Testosterone and cortisol are hormones expected to play a major role in competitive behaviours (i.e. aggression), and are related to rank and hierarchical stability. Through a non-invasive technique, we analyzed faecal testosterone (FTM(1)) and cortisol (FCM(2)) metabolites of dominant and subordinate males from two wild groups of bearded capuchin monkeys. One group had a stable dominance hierarchy while the other had an unstable hierarchy, with a marked conflict period related to a male take-over. In the unstable hierarchy group (1) the dominant male had higher FTM peaks than subordinates, and (2) basal FTM levels were higher than in the stable group. These findings are in accordance with the Challenge Hypothesis and rank-based predictions, and confirm that in Sapajus libidinosus hierarchy stability, social status, aggression rates and testosterone are closely related. Dominants of both groups had higher basal and peak FCM levels, suggesting that in S. libidinosus the dominant male has a higher allostatic load than subordinates, related to his role in protection against predators, intragroup appeasement, and control of food sources. Finally, we suggest that males of S. libidinosus are resistant to testosterone suppression by cortisol, because in the unstable group in spite of an increase in FCM there was also an increase in FTM during the conflict period. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Neotropical Behaviour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Male resource defense mating system in primates? An experimental test in wild capuchin monkeys.

PubMed

Tiddi, Barbara; Heistermann, Michael; Fahy, Martin K; Wheeler, Brandon C

2018-01-01

Ecological models of mating systems provide a theoretical framework to predict the effect of the defendability of both breeding resources and mating partners on mating patterns. In resource-based mating systems, male control over breeding resources is tightly linked to female mating preference. To date, few field studies have experimentally investigated the relationship between male resource control and female mating preference in mammals due to difficulties in manipulating ecological factors (e.g., food contestability). We tested the within-group male resource defense hypothesis experimentally in a wild population of black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) in Iguazú National Park, Argentina. Sapajus spp. represent an ideal study model as, in contrast to most primates, they have been previously argued to be characterized by female mate choice and a resource-based mating system in which within-group resource monopolization by high-ranking males drives female mating preference for those males. Here, we examined whether females (N = 12) showed a weaker preference for alpha males during mating seasons in which food distribution was experimentally manipulated to be less defendable relative to those in which it was highly defendable. Results did not support the within-group male resource defense hypothesis, as female sexual preferences for alpha males did not vary based on food defendability. We discuss possible reasons for our results, including the possibility of other direct and indirect benefits females receive in exercising mate choice, the potential lack of tolerance over food directed towards females by alpha males, and phylogenetic constraints.

Pairing and recombination features during meiosis in Cebus paraguayanus (Primates: Platyrrhini)

PubMed Central

Garcia-Cruz, Raquel; Robles, Pedro; Steinberg, Eliana R; Camats, Nuria; Brieño, Miguel A; Garcia-Caldés, Montserrat; Mudry, Marta D

2009-01-01

Background Among neotropical Primates, the Cai monkey Cebus paraguayanus (CPA) presents long, conserved chromosome syntenies with the human karyotype (HSA) as well as numerous C+ blocks in different chromosome pairs. In this study, immunofluorescence (IF) against two proteins of the Synaptonemal Complex (SC), namely REC8 and SYCP1, two recombination protein markers (RPA and MLH1), and one protein involved in the pachytene checkpoint machinery (BRCA1) was performed in CPA spermatocytes in order to analyze chromosome meiotic behavior in detail. Results Although in the vast majority of pachytene cells all autosomes were paired and synapsed, in a small number of nuclei the heterochromatic C-positive terminal region of bivalent 11 remained unpaired. The analysis of 75 CPA cells at pachytene revealed a mean of 43.22 MLH1 foci per nucleus and 1.07 MLH1 foci in each CPA bivalent 11, always positioned in the region homologous to HSA chromosome 21. Conclusion Our results suggest that C blocks undergo delayed pairing and synapsis, although they do not interfere with the general progress of pairing and synapsis. PMID:19500368

Terrestrial predator alarm vocalizations are a valid monitor of stress in captive brown capuchins (Cebus apella)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boinski, S.; Gross, T.S.; Davis, J.K.

1999-01-01

The vocal behavior of captive animals is increasingly exploited as an index of well-being. Here we show that the terrestrial predator alarm (TPA) vocalization, a robust and acoustically distinctive anti-predation vocal response present in many mammal and bird species, offers useful information on the relative well-being and stress levels of captive animals. In a 16-week experiment evaluating the effects of varying levels of physical environmental enrichment (control < toys < foraging box < foraging box and toys) in the cages of eight singly housed adult male brown capuchins, we quantified the 1) emission rate of TPAs, 2) proportions of normal and abnormal behavior sample intervals, and 3) fecal and plasma cortisol levels. Variation in TPA emission across the experimental conditions was significant. We found significant reductions in the mean TPA production rate by the group in the enriched (toys, foraging box, and foraging box and toys) compared to the control condition; pre-and post-experimental conditions, however, did not differ from the control condition. Mean TPA production by the group was also significantly positively correlated to mean group levels of fecal cortisol and proportion of abnormal behavior sample intervals, and significantly negatively correlated to the average proportion of normal behavior sample intervals in the group. Based on group means, plasma cortisol levels were positively, but not significantly, related to increasing TPA rate. At the level of the responses of an individual subject, however, the covariation between the vocal and non-vocal behavioral measures and the cortisol assays seldom attained significance. Nevertheless, the direction of the relationships among these parameters within individual subjects typically mirrored those correlations based on group means. At both the group mean and individual levels, our results are consistent with the.

Biometric values, C-reactive protein, and proteinogram of healthy blonde capuchin (Sapajus flavius) kept in northeast of Brazil.

PubMed

Mota, Stéphanie Machado; Ferreira, Adriano Fernandes; Azevedo, Jair; Nery, Thiago Lopes; Zermiani, Fabiana; Queiroga, Felisbina Luisa

2016-12-01

Sapajus flavius is a species of capuchin monkey classified as critically endangered. Studies related to their biometric values are scarce with incomplete external measurement reports available from only four specimens. Moreover, information regarding proteinogram is limited with no reference to C-reactive protein (CRP) and globulin fractions for this species. Biometric values, CRP, and proteinogram were determined for 12 clinically healthy S. flavius, kept in captivity in João Pessoa, Brazil. The measured values in biometric parameters present a tendency to be higher in males. The CRP mean values from 12 S. flavius were 1.2±0.2 mg/dL. For albumin, alpha, beta, and gamma globulin fraction parameters, the reference interval was calculated. Authors believe that with certain limitations, results obtained can be helpful for the populations in the wild, which could be of great aid in detecting unhealthy individuals and therefore contributing to the conservation of this species. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Modular Mind? A Test Using Individual Data from Seven Primate Species

PubMed Central

Amici, Federica; Barney, Bradley; Johnson, Valen E.; Call, Josep; Aureli, Filippo

2012-01-01

It has long been debated whether the mind consists of specialized and independently evolving modules, or whether and to what extent a general factor accounts for the variance in performance across different cognitive domains. In this study, we used a hierarchical Bayesian model to re-analyse individual level data collected on seven primate species (chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, gorillas, spider monkeys, brown capuchin monkeys and long-tailed macaques) across 17 tasks within four domains (inhibition, memory, transposition and support). Our modelling approach evidenced the existence of both a domain-specific factor and a species factor, each accounting for the same amount (17%) of the observed variance. In contrast, inter-individual differences played a minimal role. These results support the hypothesis that the mind of primates is (at least partially) modular, with domain-specific cognitive skills undergoing different evolutionary pressures in different species in response to specific ecological and social demands. PMID:23284816

An Experimental Analysis of Memory Processing

PubMed Central

Wright, Anthony A

2007-01-01

Rhesus monkeys were trained and tested in visual and auditory list-memory tasks with sequences of four travel pictures or four natural/environmental sounds followed by single test items. Acquisitions of the visual list-memory task are presented. Visual recency (last item) memory diminished with retention delay, and primacy (first item) memory strengthened. Capuchin monkeys, pigeons, and humans showed similar visual-memory changes. Rhesus learned an auditory memory task and showed octave generalization for some lists of notes—tonal, but not atonal, musical passages. In contrast with visual list memory, auditory primacy memory diminished with delay and auditory recency memory strengthened. Manipulations of interitem intervals, list length, and item presentation frequency revealed proactive and retroactive inhibition among items of individual auditory lists. Repeating visual items from prior lists produced interference (on nonmatching tests) revealing how far back memory extended. The possibility of using the interference function to separate familiarity vs. recollective memory processing is discussed. PMID:18047230

An enzootic outbreak of acute disease associated with pathogenic E. coli in Adler monkey colony.

PubMed

Lapin, Boris A; Yakovleva, Lelita A; Dzhikidze, Eteri K; Gvozdik, Tatiana E; Agumava, Aslan A; Stasilevich, Zinaida K; Danilova, Irina G

2015-12-01

In spring 2009 in Adler colony of the Institute of Medical Primatology, a large enzootic outbreak of acute intestine infection associated with pathogenic E. coli occurred and caused 5% mortality of population (209 animals). The epidemiological analysis, bacteriological investigation, postmortem examination, histological analysis, and PCR were used to identify the infectious agent. Marked hemorrhagic diathesis, lethargy, dehydration, diarrhea with blood, wasting, and sometimes dystrophic changes in articular cartilages were noted. Morphologically, hemorrhagic enterocolitis and massive hemorrhages were found. PCR investigation of bacteriologically isolated E. coli characterized it as enteropathogenic and enteroinvasive E. coli. The outbreak in Adler colony slightly differed from similar outbreak in Florida in 2014 by more marked hemorrhagic diathesis and articular changes in some monkeys caused by polyavitaminosis developed in the course of infection. Sensitive to infection were M. mulatta, M. fascicularis, Cercopithecus aethiops, P. hamadryas and anubis, and Cebus capucinus. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cryptochrome 2 expression level is critical for adrenocorticotropin stimulation of cortisol production in the capuchin monkey adrenal.

PubMed

Torres-Farfan, C; Abarzua-Catalan, L; Valenzuela, F J; Mendez, N; Richter, H G; Valenzuela, G J; Serón-Ferré, M

2009-06-01

Timely production of glucocorticoid hormones in response to ACTH is essential for survival by coordinating energy intake and expenditure and acting as homeostatic regulators against stress. Adrenal cortisol response to ACTH is clock time dependent, suggesting that an intrinsic circadian oscillator in the adrenal cortex contributes to modulate the response to ACTH. Circadian clock gene expression has been reported in the adrenal cortex of several species. However, there are no reports accounting for potential involvement of adrenal clock proteins on cortisol response to ACTH. Here we explored whether the clock protein cryptochrome 2 (CRY2) knockdown modifies the adrenal response to ACTH in a primate. Adrenal gland explants from adult capuchin monkey (n = 5) were preincubated for 6 h with transfection vehicle (control) or with two different Cry2 antisense and sense probes followed by 48 h incubation in medium alone (no ACTH) or with 100 nm ACTH. Under control and sense conditions, ACTH increased cortisol production, whereas CRY2 suppression inhibited ACTH-stimulated cortisol production. Expression of the steroidogenic enzymes steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase at 48 h of incubation was increased by ACTH in control explants and suppressed by Cry2 knockdown. Additionally, we found that Cry2 knockdown decreased the expression of the clock gene brain and muscle aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein (Bmal1) at the mRNA and protein levels. Altogether these results strongly support that the clock protein CRY2 is involved in the mechanism by which ACTH increases the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Thus, adequate expression levels of components of the adrenal circadian clock are required for an appropriate cortisol response to ACTH.

Marmoset monkeys evaluate third-party reciprocity.

PubMed

Kawai, Nobuyuki; Yasue, Miyuki; Banno, Taku; Ichinohe, Noritaka

2014-05-01

Many non-human primates have been observed to reciprocate and to understand reciprocity in one-to-one social exchanges. A recent study demonstrated that capuchin monkeys are sensitive to both third-party reciprocity and violation of reciprocity; however, whether this sensitivity is a function of general intelligence, evidenced by their larger brain size relative to other primates, remains unclear. We hypothesized that highly pro-social primates, even with a relatively smaller brain, would be sensitive to others' reciprocity. Here, we show that common marmosets discriminated between human actors who reciprocated in social exchanges with others and those who did not. Monkeys accepted rewards less frequently from non-reciprocators than they did from reciprocators when the non-reciprocators had retained all food items, but they accepted rewards from both actors equally when they had observed reciprocal exchange between the actors. These results suggest that mechanisms to detect unfair reciprocity in third-party social exchanges do not require domain-general higher cognitive ability based on proportionally larger brains, but rather emerge from the cooperative and pro-social tendencies of species, and thereby suggest this ability evolved in multiple primate lineages. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Percussive tool use by Taï Western chimpanzees and Fazenda Boa Vista bearded capuchin monkeys: a comparison

PubMed Central

Visalberghi, Elisabetta; Sirianni, Giulia; Fragaszy, Dorothy; Boesch, Christophe

2015-01-01

Percussive tool use holds special interest for scientists concerned with human origins. We summarize the findings from two field sites, Taï and Fazenda Boa Vista, where percussive tool use by chimpanzees and bearded capuchins, respectively, has been extensively investigated. We describe the ecological settings in which nut-cracking occurs and focus on four aspects of nut-cracking that have important cognitive implications, namely selection of tools, tool transport, tool modification and modulation of actions to reach the goal of cracking the nut. We comment on similarities and differences in behaviour and consider whether the observed differences reflect ecological, morphological, social and/or cognitive factors. Both species are sensitive to physical properties of tools, adjust their selection of hammers conditionally to the resistance of the nuts and to transport distance, and modulate the energy of their strikes under some conditions. However, chimpanzees transport hammers more frequently and for longer distances, take into account a higher number of combinations of variables and occasionally intentionally modify tools. A parsimonious interpretation of our findings is that morphological, ecological and social factors account for the observed differences. Confirmation of plausible cognitive differences in nut-cracking requires data not yet available. PMID:26483529

Social factors influencing natal dispersal in male white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Jack, Katharine M; Sheller, Claire; Fedigan, Linda M

2012-04-01

White-faced capuchin males disperse from their natal group at around 4.5 years of age, but there is much variation in dispersal timing: our youngest confirmed disperser was 19 months and the oldest 11 years old. In this study, we investigate possible factors influencing dispersal decisions in this species. Between 1983 and 2010, 64 males were born into three study groups in Santa Rosa National Park, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, and Costa Rica. As of August 2010, 21 died or were presumed dead (<14 months), 13 remained natal residents, and 30 were presumed dispersers. We used backward logistic regression to identify proximate factors that predict the occurrence of male natal dispersal. The occurrence of a takeover (significant positive association) and group size (nonsignificant negative association) were included in the model. Male age, number of maternal brothers, and number of adult males were not significant predictors of natal dispersal. The resultant model correctly classified 97% of dispersed and 89% of resident natal males, for an overall success rate of 95%. The occurrence of a group takeover was the strongest predictor of male dispersal, with natal males being 18.7 times more likely to disperse in the context of a group takeover than during peaceful times. A linear regression model showed that the tenure length of a male's probable father influences the age of natal dispersal, explaining 15% of the observed variation in age. However, when our oldest disperser was removed (an outlier) this effect disappeared. Collectively, these results indicate that group instability, as evidenced by the occurrence of a takeover, shorter tenure length of a natal male's father, and smaller group size, triggers natal dispersal in this species while the converse leads to a delay. These data add to our growing evidence of the enormous impact that takeovers have on the behavioral ecology of this species. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparing cognition by integrating concept learning, proactive interference, and list memory.

PubMed

Wright, Anthony A; Kelly, Debbie M; Katz, Jeffrey S

2018-06-01

This article describes an approach for training a variety of species to learn the abstract concept of same/different, which in turn forms the basis for testing proactive interference and list memory. The stimulus set for concept-learning training was progressively doubled from 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 . . . to 1,024 different pictures with novel-stimulus transfer following learning. All species fully learned the same/different abstract concept: capuchin and rhesus monkeys learned more readily than pigeons; nutcrackers and magpies were at least equivalent to monkeys and transferred somewhat better following initial training sets. A similar task using the 1,024-picture set plus delays was used to test proactive interference on occasional trials. Pigeons revealed greater interference with 10-s than with 1-s delays, whereas delay time had no effect on rhesus monkeys, suggesting that the monkeys' interference was event based. This same single-item same/different task was expanded to a 4-item list memory task to test animal list memory. Humans were tested similarly with lists of kaleidoscope pictures. Delays between the list and test were manipulated, resulting in strong initial recency effects (i.e., strong 4th-item memory) at short delays and changing to a strong primacy effect (i.e., strong 1st-item memory) at long delays (pigeons 0-s to 10-s delays; monkeys 0-s to 30-s delays; humans 0-s to 100-s delays). Results and findings are discussed in terms of these species' cognition and memory comparisons, evolutionary implications, and future directions for testing other species in these synergistically related tasks.

Cytologic, hormonal, and ultrasonographic correlates of the menstrual cycle of the New World monkey Cebus apella.

PubMed

Ortiz, R E; Ortiz, A C; Gajardo, G; Zepeda, A J; Parraguez, V H; Ortiz, M E; Croxatto, H B

2005-07-01

Few reports on the reproductive physiology of Cebus apella have been published. In this study we characterized menstrual cycle events by means of vaginal cytology, ultrasonography (US), and hormonal measurements in serum during three consecutive cycles in 10 females, and assessed the probability that ovulation would occur in the same ovary in consecutive cycles in 18 females. The lengths and phases of the cycles were determined according to vaginal cytology. Taking the first day of endometrial bleeding as the first day of the cycle, the mean cycle length +/- SEM was 19.5+/-0.4 days, with follicular and luteal phases lasting 8.2+/-0.2 and 11.3+/-0.4 days, respectively. The follicular phase included menstruation and the periovulatory period, which was characterized by the presence of a large number of superficial eosinophilic cells in the vaginal smear. The myometrium, endometrium, and ovaries were clearly distinguished on US examination. During each menstrual cycle a single follicle was recruited at random from either ovary. The follicle grew from 3 mm to a maximum diameter of 8-9 mm over the course of 8 days, in association with increasing estradiol (E(2)) serum levels (from 489+/-41 to 1600+/-92 pmol/L). At ovulation, the mean diameter of the dominant follicle usually decreased by >20%, 1 day after the maximum E(2) level was reached. Ovulation was associated with an abrupt fall in E(2), a decreased number of eosinophilic cells, the presence of leukocytes and intermediate cells in the vaginal smear, and a progressive increase in progesterone (P) levels that reached a maximum of 892+/-65 nmol/L on days 3-6 of the luteal phase. The menstrual cycle of Cebus apella differs in several temporal and quantitative aspects from that in humans and Old World primates, but it exhibits the same correlations between ovarian endocrine and morphologic parameters. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Phylogenomics of species from four genera of New World monkeys by flow sorting and reciprocal chromosome painting

PubMed Central

Dumas, Francesca; Stanyon, Roscoe; Sineo, Luca; Stone, Gary; Bigoni, Francesca

2007-01-01

Background The taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships of New World monkeys (Platyrrhini) are difficult to distinguish on the basis of morphology and because diagnostic fossils are rare. Recently, molecular data have led to a radical revision of the traditional taxonomy and phylogeny of these primates. Here we examine new hypotheses of platyrrhine evolutionary relationships by reciprocal chromosome painting after chromosome flow sorting of species belonging to four genera of platyrrhines included in the Cebidae family: Callithrix argentata (silvered-marmoset), Cebuella pygmaea (pygmy marmoset), Callimico goeldii (Goeldi's marmoset) and Saimiri sciureus (squirrel monkey). This is the first report of reciprocal painting in marmosets. Results The paints made from chromosome flow sorting of the four platyrrhine monkeys provided from 42 to 45 hybridization signals on human metaphases. The reciprocal painting of monkey probes on human chromosomes revealed that 21 breakpoints are common to all four studied species. There are only three additional breakpoints. A breakpoint on human chromosome 13 was found in Callithrix argentata, Cebuella pygmaea and Callimico goeldii, but not in Saimiri sciureus. There are two additional breakpoints on human chromosome 5: one is specific to squirrel monkeys, and the other to Goeldi's marmoset. Conclusion The reciprocal painting results support the molecular genomic assemblage of Cebidae. We demonstrated that the five chromosome associations previously hypothesized to phylogenetically link tamarins and marmosets are homologous and represent derived chromosome rearrangements. Four of these derived homologous associations tightly nest Callimico goeldii with marmosets. One derived association 2/15 may place squirrel monkeys within the Cebidae assemblage. An apparently common breakpoint on chromosome 5q33 found in both Saimiri and Aotus nancymae could be evidence of a phylogenetic link between these species. Comparison with previous reports shows that many syntenic associations found in platyrrhines have the same breakpoints and are homologous, derived rearrangements showing that the New World monkeys are a closely related group of species. Our data support the hypothesis that the ancestral karyotype of the Platyrrhini has a diploid number of 2n = 54 and is almost identical to that found today in capuchin monkeys; congruent with a basal position of the Cebidae among platyrrhine families. PMID:17767727

A conserved pattern of differential expansion of cortical areas in simian primates.

PubMed

Chaplin, Tristan A; Yu, Hsin-Hao; Soares, Juliana G M; Gattass, Ricardo; Rosa, Marcello G P

2013-09-18

The layout of areas in the cerebral cortex of different primates is quite similar, despite significant variations in brain size. However, it is clear that larger brains are not simply scaled up versions of smaller brains: some regions of the cortex are disproportionately large in larger species. It is currently debated whether these expanded areas arise through natural selection pressures for increased cognitive capacity or as a result of the application of a common developmental sequence on different scales. Here, we used computational methods to map and quantify the expansion of the cortex in simian primates of different sizes to investigate whether there is any common pattern of cortical expansion. Surface models of the marmoset, capuchin, and macaque monkey cortex were registered using the software package CARET and the spherical landmark vector difference algorithm. The registration was constrained by the location of identified homologous cortical areas. When comparing marmosets with both capuchins and macaques, we found a high degree of expansion in the temporal parietal junction, the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, all of which are high-level association areas typically involved in complex cognitive and behavioral functions. These expanded maps correlated well with previously published macaque to human registrations, suggesting that there is a general pattern of primate cortical scaling.

Comprehensive characterization of evolutionary conserved breakpoints in four New World Monkey karyotypes compared to Chlorocebus aethiops and Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Fan, Xiaobo; Supiwong, Weerayuth; Weise, Anja; Mrasek, Kristin; Kosyakova, Nadezda; Tanomtong, Alongkoad; Pinthong, Krit; Trifonov, Vladimir A; Cioffi, Marcelo de Bello; Grothmann, Pierre; Liehr, Thomas; Oliveira, Edivaldo H C de

2015-11-01

Comparative cytogenetic analysis in New World Monkeys (NWMs) using human multicolor banding (MCB) probe sets were not previously done. Here we report on an MCB based FISH-banding study complemented with selected locus-specific and heterochromatin specific probes in four NWMs and one Old World Monkey (OWM) species, i.e. in Alouatta caraya (ACA), Callithrix jacchus (CJA), Cebus apella (CAP), Saimiri sciureus (SSC), and Chlorocebus aethiops (CAE), respectively. 107 individual evolutionary conserved breakpoints (ECBs) among those species were identified and compared with those of other species in previous reports. Especially for chromosomal regions being syntenic to human chromosomes 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 16 previously cryptic rearrangements could be observed. 50.4% (54/107) NWM-ECBs were colocalized with those of OWMs, 62.6% (62/99) NWM-ECBs were related with those of Hylobates lar (HLA) and 66.3% (71/107) NWM-ECBs corresponded with those known from other mammalians. Furthermore, human fragile sites were aligned with the ECBs found in the five studied species and interestingly 66.3% ECBs colocalized with those fragile sites (FS). Overall, this study presents detailed chromosomal maps of one OWM and four NWM species. This data will be helpful to further investigation on chromosome evolution in NWM and hominoids in general and is prerequisite for correct interpretation of future sequencing based genomic studies in those species.

Analysis of the heterochromatin of Cebus (Primates, Platyrrhini) by micro-FISH and banding pattern comparisons.

PubMed

Nieves, Mariela; De Oliveira, Edivaldo H C; Amaral, Paulo J S; Nagamachi, Cleusa Y; Pieczarka, Julio C; Mühlmann, María C; Mudry, Marta D

2011-04-01

The karyotype of the neotropical primate genus Cebus (Platyrrhini: Cebidae), considered the most ancestral one, shows the greatest amount of heterochromatin described among Platyrrhini genera. Banding techniques and restriction enzyme digestion have previously revealed great variability of quantity and composition of heterochromatin in this genus. In this context, we use fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to analyse this genomic region and discuss its possible role in the diversification of Cebus.We used a heterochromatin probe for chromosome 11 of Cebus libidinosus (11qHe+ CLI probe), obtained by chromosome microdissection. Twenty-six specimens belonging to the families Atelidae, Cebidae, Callitrichidae and Pithecidae (Platyrrhini) were studied. Fourteen out of 26 specimens were Cebus (Cebidae) individuals of C. libidinosus, C. xanthosternos, C. apella, C. nigritus, C. albifrons, C. kaapori and C. olivaceus. In Cebus specimens, we found 6 to 22 positive signals located in interstitial and telomeric positions along the different species. No hybridization signal was observed among the remaining Ceboidea species, thus reinforcing the idea of a Cebus-specific heterochromatin composed of a complex system of repetitive sequences.

Corvids Outperform Pigeons and Primates in Learning a Basic Concept.

PubMed

Wright, Anthony A; Magnotti, John F; Katz, Jeffrey S; Leonard, Kevin; Vernouillet, Alizée; Kelly, Debbie M

2017-04-01

Corvids (birds of the family Corvidae) display intelligent behavior previously ascribed only to primates, but such feats are not directly comparable across species. To make direct species comparisons, we used a same/different task in the laboratory to assess abstract-concept learning in black-billed magpies ( Pica hudsonia). Concept learning was tested with novel pictures after training. Concept learning improved with training-set size, and test accuracy eventually matched training accuracy-full concept learning-with a 128-picture set; this magpie performance was equivalent to that of Clark's nutcrackers (a species of corvid) and monkeys (rhesus, capuchin) and better than that of pigeons. Even with an initial 8-item picture set, both corvid species showed partial concept learning, outperforming both monkeys and pigeons. Similar corvid performance refutes the hypothesis that nutcrackers' prolific cache-location memory accounts for their superior concept learning, because magpies rely less on caching. That corvids with "primitive" neural architectures evolved to equal primates in full concept learning and even to outperform them on the initial 8-item picture test is a testament to the shared (convergent) survival importance of abstract-concept learning.

[Pharmaceutical history of capuchin monastery in Prague-Hradčan Part II. Capuchin balsam (Balsamum capucinorum)].

PubMed

Nesměrák, Karel; Kunešová, Jana

2015-06-01

The history of traditional capuchin balsam is the focal point of the second part of the article on the unknown history of pharmacy at the capuchin monastery in Prague-Hradčany. Capuchin balsam, a medicinal speciality, was being manufactured in the monastery from the end of the 18th century till the year 1950. It is a spirit tincture, its prescription originating from the formulation by Oswald Croll. Balsamum Peruvianum, Gummiresina myrrha, Gummiresina olibanum, and Styrax are the main ingredients, besides assorted plants. The balsam was taken as an antiseptic, antiphlogistic, and analgesic. The balsam was a favoured rustic medicine, and it was sold also abroad (Germany, Poland, USA, Ireland, Belgium). The profit made from the sale of the balsam supported the reconstruction and the maintenance of the monastery and the local theological studies. Other medical formulations connected with the name of the capuchin order are also mentioned.Key words: pharmaceutical history capuchins capuchin balsam monastics pharmacies.

Visuotopic organization of the cebus pulvinar: a double representation the contralateral hemifield.

PubMed

Gattass, R; Oswaldo-Cruz, E; Sousa, A P

1978-08-18

The projection of the visual field in the pulvinar nucleus was studied in 17 Cebus monkeys using electrophysiological techniques. Visual space is represented in two regions of the pulvinar; (1) the ventrolateral group, Pvlg, comprising nuclei P delta, P delta, P gamma, P eta and P mu 1; and (2) P mu. In the first group, which corresponds to the pulvinar inferior and ventral part of the pulvinar lateralis, we observed a greater respresentation of the central part of the visual field. Approximately 58% of the volume of the ventrolateral group is concerned with the visual space within 10 degrees of the fovea. This portion of the visual field is represented at its lateral aspects, mainly close to the level of the caudal pole of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Projection of the vertical meridian runs along its lateral border while that of the horizontal one is found running from the dorsal third of the LGN's hilus to the medial border of the ventro-lateral group. The lower quadrant is represented at its dorsal portion while the upper quadrant is represented at the ventral one. In Pmu the representation is rotated 90 degrees clockwise around the rostrocaudal axis: the vertical meridian is found at the ventromedial border of this nucleus. Thus, the lower quadrant is represented at the later portion of Pmu and the upper at its medial portion. Both projections are restricted to the contralateral hemifield.

Environmental perturbations can be detected through microwear texture analysis in two platyrrhine species from Brazilian Amazonia.

PubMed

Estalrrich, Almudena; Young, Mariel B; Teaford, Mark F; Ungar, Peter S

2015-11-01

Recent dental microwear studies have shown that fossil species differ from one another in texture attributes-both in terms of central tendency and dispersion. Most comparative studies used to interpret these results have relied on poorly provenienced museum samples that are not well-suited to consideration of within species variation in diet. Here we present a study of two species of platyrrhine monkeys, Alouatta belzebul (n = 60) and Sapajus apella (n = 28) from Pará State in the Brazilian Amazon in order to assess effects of habitat variation on microwear (each species was sampled from forests that differ in the degree of disturbance from highly disturbed to minimally disturbed). Results indicate that microwear texture values vary between habitats-more for the capuchins than the howler monkeys. This is consistent with the notion that diets of the more folivorous A. belzebul are less affected by habitat disturbance than those of the more frugivorous S. apella. It also suggests that microwear holds the potential to reflect comparatively subtle differences in within-species variation in fossil taxa if sample size and control over paleohabitat allow. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive neurons in the cerebral cortex of humans and other haplorrhine primates

PubMed Central

Raghanti, Mary Ann; Conley, Tiffini; Sudduth, Jessica; Erwin, Joseph M.; Stimpson, Cheryl D.; Hof, Patrick R.; Sherwood, Chet C.

2012-01-01

We examined the distribution of neurons immunoreactive for neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the posterior part of the superior temporal cortex (Brodmann's area 22 or area Tpt) of humans and nonhuman haplorrhine primates. NPY has been implicated in learning and memory and the density of NPY-expressing cortical neurons and axons is reduced in depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease. Due to the role that NPY plays in both cognition and neurodegenerative diseases, we tested the hypothesis that the density of cortical and interstitial neurons expressing NPY was increased in humans relative to other primate species. The study sample included great apes (chimpanzee and gorilla), Old World monkeys (pigtailed macaque, moor macaque, and baboon) and New World monkeys (squirrel monkey and capuchin). Stereologic methods were used to estimate the density of NPY-immunoreactive (-ir) neurons in layers I-VI of area Tpt and the subjacent white matter. Adjacent Nissl-stained sections were used to calculate local densities of all neurons. The ratio of NPY-ir neurons to total neurons within area Tpt and the total density of NPY-ir neurons within the white matter were compared among species. Overall, NPY-ir neurons represented only an average of 0.006% of the total neuron population. While there were significant differences among species, phylogenetic trends in NPY-ir neuron distributions were not observed and humans did not differ from other primates. However, variation among species warrants further investigation into the distribution of this neuromodulator system. PMID:23042407

Female sociality and sexual conflict shape offspring survival in a Neotropical primate.

PubMed

Kalbitzer, Urs; Bergstrom, Mackenzie L; Carnegie, Sarah D; Wikberg, Eva C; Kawamura, Shoji; Campos, Fernando A; Jack, Katharine M; Fedigan, Linda M

2017-02-21

Most mammals live in social groups in which members form differentiated social relationships. Individuals may vary in their degree of sociality, and this variation can be associated with differential fitness. In some species, for example, female sociality has a positive effect on infant survival. However, investigations of such cases are still rare, and no previous study has considered how male infanticide might constrain effects of female sociality on infant survival. Infanticide is part of the male reproductive strategy in many mammals, and it has the potential to override, or even reverse, effects of female reproductive strategies, including sociality. Therefore, we investigated the relationships between female sociality, offspring survival, and infanticide risk in wild white-faced capuchin monkeys using long-term data from Santa Rosa, Costa Rica. Female capuchins formed differentiated bonds, and bond strength was predicted by kin relationship, rank difference, and the presence of female infants. Most females formed stable bonds with their top social partners, although bond stability varied considerably. Offspring of highly social females, who were often high-ranking females, exhibited higher survivorship during stable periods compared with offspring of less social females. However, offspring of highly social females were more likely to die or disappear during periods of alpha male replacements, probably because new alpha males are central to the group, and therefore more likely to target the infants of highly social, central females. This study shows that female sociality in mammals can have negative fitness consequences that are imposed by male behavior.

Female sociality and sexual conflict shape offspring survival in a Neotropical primate

PubMed Central

Kalbitzer, Urs; Bergstrom, Mackenzie L.; Carnegie, Sarah D.; Wikberg, Eva C.; Kawamura, Shoji; Campos, Fernando A.; Jack, Katharine M.; Fedigan, Linda M.

2017-01-01

Most mammals live in social groups in which members form differentiated social relationships. Individuals may vary in their degree of sociality, and this variation can be associated with differential fitness. In some species, for example, female sociality has a positive effect on infant survival. However, investigations of such cases are still rare, and no previous study has considered how male infanticide might constrain effects of female sociality on infant survival. Infanticide is part of the male reproductive strategy in many mammals, and it has the potential to override, or even reverse, effects of female reproductive strategies, including sociality. Therefore, we investigated the relationships between female sociality, offspring survival, and infanticide risk in wild white-faced capuchin monkeys using long-term data from Santa Rosa, Costa Rica. Female capuchins formed differentiated bonds, and bond strength was predicted by kin relationship, rank difference, and the presence of female infants. Most females formed stable bonds with their top social partners, although bond stability varied considerably. Offspring of highly social females, who were often high-ranking females, exhibited higher survivorship during stable periods compared with offspring of less social females. However, offspring of highly social females were more likely to die or disappear during periods of alpha male replacements, probably because new alpha males are central to the group, and therefore more likely to target the infants of highly social, central females. This study shows that female sociality in mammals can have negative fitness consequences that are imposed by male behavior. PMID:28167774

Locomotor variation and bending regimes of capuchin limb bones.

PubMed

Demes, Brigitte; Carlson, Kristian J

2009-08-01

Primates are very versatile in their modes of progression, yet laboratory studies typically capture only a small segment of this variation. In vivo bone strain studies in particular have been commonly constrained to linear locomotion on flat substrates, conveying the potentially biased impression of stereotypic long bone loading patterns. We here present substrate reaction forces (SRF) and limb postures for capuchin monkeys moving on a flat substrate ("terrestrial"), on an elevated pole ("arboreal"), and performing turns. The angle between the SRF vector and longitudinal axes of the forearm or leg is taken as a proxy for the bending moment experienced by these limb segments. In both frontal and sagittal planes, SRF vectors and distal limb segments are not aligned, but form discrepant angles; that is, forces act on lever arms and exert bending moments. The positions of the SRF vectors suggest bending around oblique axes of these limb segments. Overall, the leg is exposed to greater moments than the forearm. Simulated arboreal locomotion and turns introduce variation in the discrepancy angles, thus confirming that expanding the range of locomotor behaviors studied will reveal variation in long bone loading patterns that is likely characteristic of natural locomotor repertoires. "Arboreal" locomotion, even on a linear noncompliant branch, is characterized by greater variability of force directions and discrepancy angles than "terrestrial" locomotion (significant for the forearm only), partially confirming the notion that life in trees is associated with greater variation in long bone loading. Directional changes broaden the range of external bending moments even further.

Angiotensin II receptors in testes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Millan, M.A.; Aguilera, G.

Receptors for angiotensin II (AII) were identified and characterized in testes of rats and several primate species. Autoradiographic analysis of the binding of 125I-labeled (Sar1,Ile8)AII to rat, rhesus monkey, cebus monkey, and human testicular slide-mounted frozen sections indicated specific binding to Leydig cells in the interstitium. In rat collagenase-dispersed interstitial cells fractionated by Percoll gradient, AII receptor content was parallel to that of hCG receptors, confirming that the AII receptors are in the Leydig cells. In rat dispersed Leydig cells, binding was specific for AII and its analogs and of high affinity (Kd, 4.8 nM), with a receptor concentration ofmore » 15 fmol/10(6) cells. Studies of AII receptors in rat testes during development reveals the presence of high receptor density in newborn rats which decreases toward the adult age (4934 +/- 309, 1460 +/- 228, 772 +/- 169, and 82 +/- 12 fmol/mg protein at 5, 15, 20, and 30 days of age, respectively) with no change in affinity. At all ages receptors were located in the interstitium, and the decrease in binding was parallel to the decrease in the interstitial to tubular ratio observed with age. AII receptor properties in membrane-rich fractions from prepuberal testes were similar in the rat and rhesus monkey. Binding was time and temperature dependent, reaching a plateau at 60 min at 37 C, and was increased by divalent cations, EGTA, and dithiothreitol up to 0.5 mM. In membranes from prepuberal monkey testes, AII receptors were specific for AII analogs and of high affinity (Kd, 4.2 nM) with a receptor concentration of 7599 +/- 1342 fmol/mg protein. The presence of AII receptors in Leydig cells in rat and primate testes in conjunction with reports of the presence of other components of the renin-angiotensin system in the testes suggests that the peptide has a physiological role in testicular function.« less

Short-term vs long-term calcium hydroxide therapy after immediate tooth replantation: a histomorphometric study in monkey's teeth.

PubMed

Panzarini, Sônia Regina; Gulinelli, Jéssica Lemos; Saito, Célia T M H; Poi, Wilson Roberto; Sonoda, Celso Koogi; Américo de Oliveira, José; Melo, Moriel Evangelista; de Souza Gomes, Weglis Dyanne

2012-06-01

Endodontic treatment is an important step of tooth replantation protocols, but the ideal moment for definitive obturation of replanted teeth has not yet been established. In this study, a histomorphometric analysis was undertaken to evaluate the repair process on immediate replantation of monkey's teeth after calcium hydroxide (CH) therapy for 1 and 6 months followed by root canal filling with a CH-based sealer (Sealapex(®) ). The maxillary and mandibular lateral incisors of five female Cebus apella monkeys were extracted, kept in sterile saline for 15 min, replanted and splinted with stainless steel orthodontic wire and composite resin for 10 days. In Group I (control), definitive root canal filling was performed before tooth extraction. In Groups II and III, CH therapy started after removal of splint, and definitive root canal filling was performed 1 and 6 months later, respectively. The animals were euthanized 9 months after replantation, and specimens were processed for histomorphometric analysis. In all groups, epithelial attachment occurred at the cementoenamel junction or very close to this region; the areas of resorption on root surface had small extension and depth and were repaired by newly formed cementum; and the periodontal ligament was organized. Statistical analysis of the scores obtained for the histomorphometric parameters did not show any statistically significant difference (P = 0.1221) among the groups. The results suggests that when endodontic treatment is initiated 10 days after immediate replantation and an antibiotic regimen is associated, definitive root canal filling can be performed after a short-term CH therapy. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The fate of benzoic acid in various species

PubMed Central

Bridges, J. W.; French, M. R.; Smith, R. L.; Williams, R. T.

1970-01-01

1. The urinary excretion of orally administered [14C]benzoic acid in man and 20 other species of animal was examined. 2. At a dose of 50mg/kg, benzoic acid was excreted by the rodents (rat, mouse, guinea pig, golden hamster, steppe lemming and gerbil), the rabbit, the cat and the capuchin monkey almost entirely as hippuric acid (95–100% of 24h excretion). 3. In man at a dose of 1mg/kg and the rhesus monkey at 20mg/kg benzoic acid was excreted entirely as hippuric acid. 4. At 50mg/kg benzoic acid was excreted as hippuric acid to the extent of about 80% of the 24h excretion in the squirrel monkey, pig, dog, ferret, hedgehog and pigeon, the other 20% being found as benzoyl glucuronide and benzoic acid, the latter possibly arising by decomposition of the former. 5. On increasing the dose of benzoic acid to 200mg/kg in the ferret, the proportion of benzoyl glucuronide excreted increased and that of hippuric acid decreased. This did not occur in the rabbit, which excreted 200mg/kg almost entirely as hippuric acid. It appears that the hedgehog and ferret are like the dog in respect to their metabolism of benzoic acid. 6. The Indian fruit bat produced only traces of hippuric acid and possibly has a defect in the glycine conjugation of benzoic acid. The main metabolite in this animal (dose 50mg/kg) was benzoyl glucuronide. 7. The chicken, side-necked turtle and gecko converted benzoic acid mainly into ornithuric acid, but all three species also excreted smaller amounts of hippuric acid. PMID:4990586

Representation of the visual field in the primary visual area of the marmoset monkey: magnification factors, point-image size, and proportionality to retinal ganglion cell density.

PubMed

Chaplin, Tristan A; Yu, Hsin-Hao; Rosa, Marcello G P

2013-04-01

The primary visual area (V1) forms a systematic map of the visual field, in which adjacent cell clusters represent adjacent points of visual space. A precise quantification of this map is key to understanding the anatomical relationships between neurons located in different stations of the visual pathway, as well as the neural bases of visual performance in different regions of the visual field. We used computational methods to quantify the visual topography of V1 in the marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small diurnal monkey. The receptive fields of neurons throughout V1 were mapped in two anesthetized animals using electrophysiological recordings. Following histological reconstruction, precise 3D reconstructions of the V1 surface and recording sites were generated. We found that the areal magnification factor (M(A) ) decreases with eccentricity following a function that has the same slope as that observed in larger diurnal primates, including macaque, squirrel, and capuchin monkeys, and humans. However, there was no systematic relationship between M(A) and polar angle. Despite individual variation in the shape of V1, the relationship between M(A) and eccentricity was preserved across cases. Comparison between V1 and the retinal ganglion cell density demonstrated preferential magnification of central space in the cortex. The size of the cortical compartment activated by a punctiform stimulus decreased from the foveal representation towards the peripheral representation. Nonetheless, the relationship between the receptive field sizes of V1 cells and the density of ganglion cells suggested that each V1 cell receives information from a similar number of retinal neurons, throughout the visual field. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Response to social challenge in young bonnet (Macaca radiata) and pigtail (Macaca nemestrina) macaques is related to early maternal experiences.

PubMed

Weaver, Ann; Richardson, Rebecca; Worlein, Julie; De Waal, Frans; Laudenslager, Mark

2004-04-01

Previous experience affects how young primates respond to challenging social situations. The present retrospective study looked at one aspect of early experience, the quality of the mother-infant relationship, to determine its relationship to young bonnet and pigtail macaques' responses to two social challenges: temporary maternal separation at 5-6 months and permanent transfer to an unfamiliar peer group at 16-17 months. Relationship quality was measured quantitatively on 30 macaque mother-infant pairs with the Relationship Quality Index (RQI), the ratio of relative affiliation to relative agonism as previously applied to capuchin monkeys. Infants with high RQI values had amicable mother-infant relationships and infants with low RQI values had agonistic mother-infant relationships. Young monkeys with amicable and agonistic relationships showed consistent differences in behavior before, during, and after each social challenge, supporting the hypothesis that juveniles from amicable mother-infant relationships based on the RQI coped more effectively with social challenges than did juveniles from agonistic mother-infant relationships. Results suggest 1) characteristic amicability or agonism in early mother-offspring macaque relationships has the potential to influence offspring behavior in tense social contexts and 2) the RQI is useful as one of a coordinated suite of methods for studying the development of social skills. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The ecology of primate material culture.

PubMed

Koops, Kathelijne; Visalberghi, Elisabetta; van Schaik, Carel P

2014-11-01

Tool use in extant primates may inform our understanding of the conditions that favoured the expansion of hominin technology and material culture. The 'method of exclusion' has, arguably, confirmed the presence of culture in wild animal populations by excluding ecological and genetic explanations for geographical variation in behaviour. However, this method neglects ecological influences on culture, which, ironically, may be critical for understanding technology and thus material culture. We review all the current evidence for the role of ecology in shaping material culture in three habitual tool-using non-human primates: chimpanzees, orangutans and capuchin monkeys. We show that environmental opportunity, rather than necessity, is the main driver. We argue that a better understanding of primate technology requires explicit investigation of the role of ecological conditions. We propose a model in which three sets of factors, namely environment, sociality and cognition, influence invention, transmission and retention of material culture. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

The origins of cognitive dissonance: evidence from children and monkeys.

PubMed

Egan, Louisa C; Santos, Laurie R; Bloom, Paul

2007-11-01

In a study exploring the origins of cognitive dissonance, preschoolers and capuchins were given a choice between two equally preferred alternatives (two different stickers and two differently colored M&M's, respectively). On the basis of previous research with adults, this choice was thought to cause dissonance because it conflicted with subjects' belief that the two options were equally valuable. We therefore expected subjects to change their attitude toward the unchosen alternative, deeming it less valuable. We then presented subjects with a choice between the unchosen option and an option that was originally as attractive as both options in the first choice. Both groups preferred the novel over the unchosen option in this experimental condition, but not in a control condition in which they did not take part in the first decision. These results provide the first evidence of decision rationalization in children and nonhuman primates. They suggest that the mechanisms underlying cognitive-dissonance reduction in human adults may have originated both developmentally and evolutionarily earlier than previously thought.

Exophthalmos due to odontogenic intraorbital abscess in Cebus apella.

PubMed

Oriá, Arianne P; Pinna, Melissa H; Estrela-Lima, Alessandra; Junior, Deusdete G; Libório, Fernanda A; de Assis Dórea Neto, Francisco; Oliveira, Alberto V D; Nogueira, Marcos; Requião, Katia

2013-04-01

The accumulation of pus in the orbit originating from an infected dental root is classified as odontogenic intraorbital abscess. Clinical, laboratory, and image evaluation of a non-human primate was performed. The patient was cured after surgical therapy. This represents the first report of an odontogenic periodontal abscess in Cebus apella. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The relationships among jaw-muscle fiber architecture, jaw morphology, and feeding behavior in extant apes and modern humans.

PubMed

Taylor, Andrea B; Vinyard, Christopher J

2013-05-01

The jaw-closing muscles are responsible for generating many of the forces and movements associated with feeding. Muscle physiologic cross-sectional area (PCSA) and fiber length are two architectural parameters that heavily influence muscle function. While there have been numerous comparative studies of hominoid and hominin craniodental and mandibular morphology, little is known about hominoid jaw-muscle fiber architecture. We present novel data on masseter and temporalis internal muscle architecture for small- and large-bodied hominoids. Hominoid scaling patterns are evaluated and compared with representative New- (Cebus) and Old-World (Macaca) monkeys. Variation in hominoid jaw-muscle fiber architecture is related to both absolute size and allometry. PCSAs scale close to isometry relative to jaw length in anthropoids, but likely with positive allometry in hominoids. Thus, large-bodied apes may be capable of generating both absolutely and relatively greater muscle forces compared with smaller-bodied apes and monkeys. Compared with extant apes, modern humans exhibit a reduction in masseter PCSA relative to condyle-M1 length but retain relatively long fibers, suggesting humans may have sacrificed relative masseter muscle force during chewing without appreciably altering muscle excursion/contraction velocity. Lastly, craniometric estimates of PCSAs underestimate hominoid masseter and temporalis PCSAs by more than 50% in gorillas, and overestimate masseter PCSA by as much as 30% in humans. These findings underscore the difficulty of accurately estimating jaw-muscle fiber architecture from craniometric measures and suggest models of fossil hominin and hominoid bite forces will be improved by incorporating architectural data in estimating jaw-muscle forces. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Elongation as a factor in artefacts of humans and other animals: an Acheulean example in comparative context.

PubMed

Gowlett, J A J

2013-11-19

Elongation is a commonly found feature in artefacts made and used by humans and other animals and can be analysed in comparative study. Whether made for use in hand or beak, the artefacts have some common properties of length, breadth, thickness and balance point, and elongation can be studied as a factor relating to construction or use of a long axis. In human artefacts, elongation can be traced through the archaeological record, for example in stone blades of the Upper Palaeolithic (traditionally regarded as more sophisticated than earlier artefacts), and in earlier blades of the Middle Palaeolithic. It is now recognized that elongation extends to earlier Palaeolithic artefacts, being found in the repertoire of both Neanderthals and more archaic humans. Artefacts used by non-human animals, including chimpanzees, capuchin monkeys and New Caledonian crows show selection for diameter and length, and consistent interventions of modification. Both chimpanzees and capuchins trim side branches from stems, and appropriate lengths of stave are selected or cut. In human artefacts, occasional organic finds show elongation back to about 0.5 million years. A record of elongation achieved in stone tools survives to at least 1.75 Ma (million years ago) in the Acheulean tradition. Throughout this tradition, some Acheulean handaxes are highly elongated, usually found with others that are less elongated. Finds from the million-year-old site of Kilombe and Kenya are given as an example. These findings argue that the elongation need not be integral to a design, but that artefacts may be the outcome of adjustments to individual variables. Such individual adjustments are seen in animal artefacts. In the case of a handaxe, the maker must balance the adjustments to achieve a satisfactory outcome in the artefact as a whole. It is argued that the need to make decisions about individual variables within multivariate objects provides an essential continuity across artefacts made by different species.

Responses to a simple barter task in chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes.

PubMed

Brosnan, Sarah F; de Waal, Frans B M

2005-07-01

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) frequently participate in social exchange involving multiple goods and services of variable value, yet they have not been tested in a formalized situation to see whether they can barter using multiple tokens and rewards. We set up a simple barter economy with two tokens and two associated rewards and tested chimpanzees on their ability to obtain rewards by returning the matching token in situations in which their access to tokens was unlimited or limited. Chimpanzees easily learned to associate value with the tokens, as expected, and did barter, but followed a simple strategy of favoring the higher-value token, regardless of the reward proffered, instead of a more complex but more effective strategy of returning the token that matched the reward. This response is similar to that shown by capuchin monkeys in our previous study. We speculate that this response, while not ideal, may be sufficient to allow for stability of the social exchange system in these primates, and that the importance of social barter to both species may have led to this convergence of strategies.

Defining Reward Value by Cross-Modal Scaling

PubMed Central

Casey, Anna H.; Silberberg, Alan; Paukner, Annika; Suomi, Stephen J.

2013-01-01

Researchers in comparative psychology often use different food rewards in their studies, with food values defined by a pre-experimental preference test. While this technique rank orders food values, it provides limited information about value differences because preferences may reflect not only value differences, but also the degree to which one good may “substitute” for another (e.g., one food may substitute well for another food, but neither substitutes well for water). We propose scaling the value of food pairs by a third food that is less substitutable for either food offered in preference tests (cross-modal scaling). Here, Cebus monkeys chose between four pairwise alternatives: fruits A vs. B; cereal amount X vs. fruit A and cereal amount Y vs. fruit B where X and Y were adjusted to produce indifference between each cereal amount and each fruit; and cereal amounts X vs. Y. When choice was between perfect substitutes (different cereal amounts), preferences were nearly absolute; so too when choice was between close substitutes (fruits); however, when choice was between fruits and cereal amounts, preferences were more modest and less likely due to substitutability. These results suggest that scaling between-good value differences in terms of a third, less-substitutable good may be better than simple preference tests in defining between-good value differences. PMID:23771492

Synteny of human chromosomes 14 and 15 in the platyrrhines (Primates, Platyrrhini)

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

In order to study the intra- and interspecific variability of the 14/15 association in Platyrrhini, we analyzed 15 species from 13 genera, including species that had not been described yet. The DNA libraries of human chromosomes 14 and 15 were hybridized to metaphases of Alouatta guariba clamitans, A. caraya, A. sara, Ateles paniscus chamek, Lagothrix lagothricha, Brachyteles arachnoides, Saguinus midas midas, Leontopithecus chrysomelas, Callimico goeldii, Callithrix sp., Cebus apella, Aotus nigriceps, Cacajao melanocephalus,Chiropotes satanas and Callicebus caligatus. The 14/15 hybridization pattern was present in 13 species, but not in Alouatta sara that showed a 14/15/14 pattern and Aotus nigriceps that showed a 15/14/15/14 pattern. In the majority of the species, the HSA 14 homologue retained synteny for the entire chromosome, whereas the HSA 15 homologue displayed fragmented segments. Within primates, the New World monkeys represent the taxon with the highest variability in chromosome number (2n = 16 to 62). The presence of the HSA 14/15 association in all species and subspecies studied herein confirms that this association is the ancestral condition for platyrrhines and that this association has been retained in most platyrrhines, despite the occurrence of extensive inter- and intrachromosomal rearrangements in this infraorder of Primates. PMID:21637455

Synteny of human chromosomes 14 and 15 in the platyrrhines (Primates, Platyrrhini).

PubMed

Gifalli-Iughetti, Cristiani; Koiffmann, Célia P

2009-10-01

In order to study the intra- and interspecific variability of the 14/15 association in Platyrrhini, we analyzed 15 species from 13 genera, including species that had not been described yet. The DNA libraries of human chromosomes 14 and 15 were hybridized to metaphases of Alouatta guariba clamitans, A. caraya, A. sara, Ateles paniscus chamek, Lagothrix lagothricha, Brachyteles arachnoides, Saguinus midas midas, Leontopithecus chrysomelas, Callimico goeldii, Callithrix sp., Cebus apella, Aotus nigriceps, Cacajao melanocephalus,Chiropotes satanas and Callicebus caligatus. The 14/15 hybridization pattern was present in 13 species, but not in Alouatta sara that showed a 14/15/14 pattern and Aotus nigriceps that showed a 15/14/15/14 pattern. In the majority of the species, the HSA 14 homologue retained synteny for the entire chromosome, whereas the HSA 15 homologue displayed fragmented segments. Within primates, the New World monkeys represent the taxon with the highest variability in chromosome number (2n = 16 to 62). The presence of the HSA 14/15 association in all species and subspecies studied herein confirms that this association is the ancestral condition for platyrrhines and that this association has been retained in most platyrrhines, despite the occurrence of extensive inter- and intrachromosomal rearrangements in this infraorder of Primates.

Assessment of mammal reproduction for hunting sustainability through community-based sampling of species in the wild.

PubMed

Mayor, Pedro; El Bizri, Hani; Bodmer, Richard E; Bowler, Mark

2017-08-01

Wildlife subsistence hunting is a major source of protein for tropical rural populations and a prominent conservation issue. The intrinsic rate of natural increase. (r max ) of populations is a key reproductive parameter in the most used assessments of hunting sustainability. However, researchers face severe difficulties in obtaining reproductive data in the wild, so these assessments often rely on classic reproductive rates calculated mostly from studies of captive animals conducted 30 years ago. The result is a flaw in almost 50% of studies, which hampers management decision making. We conducted a 15-year study in the Amazon in which we used reproductive data from the genitalia of 950 hunted female mammals. Genitalia were collected by local hunters. We examined tissue from these samples to estimate birthrates for wild populations of the 10 most hunted mammals. We compared our estimates with classic measures and considered the utility of the use of r max in sustainability assessments. For woolly monkey (Lagothrix poeppigii) and tapir (Tapirus terrestris), wild birthrates were similar to those from captive populations, whereas birthrates for other ungulates and lowland-paca (Cuniculus paca) were significantly lower than previous estimates. Conversely, for capuchin monkeys (Sapajus macrocephalus), agoutis (Dasyprocta sp.), and coatis (Nasua nasua), our calculated reproductive rates greatly exceeded often-used values. Researchers could keep applying classic measures compatible with our estimates, but for other species previous estimates of r max may not be appropriate. We suggest that data from local studies be used to set hunting quotas. Our maximum rates of population growth in the wild correlated with body weight, which suggests that our method is consistent and reliable. Integration of this method into community-based wildlife management and the training of local hunters to record pregnancies in hunted animals could efficiently generate useful information of life histories of wild species and thus improve management of natural resources. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Maternal melatonin selectively inhibits cortisol production in the primate fetal adrenal gland

PubMed Central

Torres-Farfan, Claudia; Richter, Hans G; Germain, Alfredo M; Valenzuela, Guillermo J; Campino, Carmen; Rojas-García, Pedro; Forcelledo, María Luisa; Torrealba, Fernando; Serón-Ferré, María

2004-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that in primates, maternal melatonin restrains fetal and newborn adrenal cortisol production. A functional G-protein-coupled MT1 membrane-bound melatonin receptor was detected in 90% gestation capuchin monkey fetal adrenals by (a) 2-[125I] iodomelatonin binding (Kd, 75.7 ± 6.9 pm; Bmax, 2.6 ± 0.4 fmol (mg protein)−1), (b) cDNA identification, and (c) melatonin inhibition of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)- and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH)-stimulated cortisol but not of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS) production in vitro. Melatonin also inhibited ACTH-induced 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase mRNA expression. To assess the physiological relevance of these findings, we next studied the effect of chronic maternal melatonin suppression (induced by exposure to constant light during the last third of gestation) on maternal plasma oestradiol during gestation and on plasma cortisol concentration in the 4- to 6-day-old newborn. Constant light suppressed maternal melatonin without affecting maternal plasma oestradiol concentration, consistent with no effect on fetal DHAS, the precursor of maternal oestradiol. However, newborns from mothers under constant light condition had twice as much plasma cortisol as newborns from mothers maintained under a normal light–dark schedule. Newborns from mothers exposed to chronic constant light and daily melatonin replacement had normal plasma cortisol concentration. Our results support a role of maternal melatonin in fetal and neonatal primate cortisol regulation. PMID:14673186

Scenes from the past: radiologic evidence of anthropogenic mummification in the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily.

PubMed

Panzer, Stephanie; Zink, Albert R; Piombino-Mascali, Dario

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to use paleoradiologic analyses to investigate a sample of the mummies in the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, in order to assess skeletal abnormalities and the state of preservation, especially the condition of the internal organs, and to determine radiologic evidence of anthropogenic mummification. Ten 19th and early 20th century mummies with good external preservation were investigated by using a portable direct radiography unit inside the Capuchin Catacombs. The radiographs clearly demonstrated signs of anthropogenic mummification in nine of the 10 mummies investigated. The embalming methods that had been used included (a) evisceration and arterial injection; (b) the placement of foreign materials into the orbits and the nasal and oral cavities; and (c) filling of the thoracic, abdominal, and rectal cavities with foreign materials. Organ preservation varied greatly among the mummies, although brain tissue was found in all of the mummies. Analyses of the skeletal material of the mummies showed evidence of healed vertebral fractures, age-related degenerative changes, and, in one of the child mummies, a remarkable skeletal pathologic condition. The radiographs clearly illustrated different methods of anthropogenic mummification in the catacomb mummies of Palermo, allowed assessment of the preservation of the mummies, and demonstrated skeletal abnormalities.

Sleeping site preferences in Sapajus cay Illiger 1815 (Primates: Cebidae) in a disturbed fragment of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest, Rancho Laguna Blanca, Eastern Paraguay.

PubMed

Smith, Rebecca L; Hayes, Sarah E; Smith, Paul; Dickens, Jeremy K

2018-01-01

Wild primates can spend up to half of their lives sleeping, during which time they are subjected to many of the same selective pressures that they face when awake. Choosing an appropriate sleeping site can thus have important fitness consequences. We examined the sleeping site preferences of wild hooded capuchins (Sapajus cay) in a small degraded fragment of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest at Rancho Laguna Blanca (RLB) in eastern Paraguay. Sleeping trees and sites were identified during 5 months of field observations and their physical characteristics were compared to those of non-sleeping trees and sites. Capuchins preferred larger emergent trees with more main and forked branches, no lianas and denser undergrowth directly below. These were found in sites of more mature forest with fewer small trees, less liana coverage and denser undergrowth but more fruiting trees. The species composition of the sleeping sites differed from that of the non-sleeping sites and was dominated by Albizia niopoides (Mimosaceae) as well as Peltophorum dubium (Fabaceae) and Anadenanthera colubrina (Fabaceae). The capuchins were found to sleep most often in these three tree species: 69.23% in Albizia niopoides (Mimosaceae), 11.54% in Peltophorum dubium (Fabaceae) and 11.54% in Anadenanthera colubrina (Fabaceae). We found evidence for the predator avoidance, thermoregulatory, social contact and feeding site proximity hypotheses. We found no support for parasite avoidance, given the reuse of sites, although the small size of the forest fragment may have restricted this. Their preference for older-growth forest suggests that selective logging impacts hooded capuchins. However, their persistence in a disturbed fragment shows they are highly adaptable, providing support for the value of conservation and reforestation of even small fragments of the Paraguayan Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest.

A wire length minimization approach to ocular dominance patterns in mammalian visual cortex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chklovskii, Dmitri B.; Koulakov, Alexei A.

2000-09-01

The primary visual area (V1) of the mammalian brain is a thin sheet of neurons. Because each neuron is dominated by either right or left eye one can treat V1 as a binary mixture of neurons. The spatial arrangement of neurons dominated by different eyes is known as the ocular dominance (OD) pattern. We propose a theory for OD patterns based on the premise that they are evolutionary adaptations to minimize the length of intra-cortical connections. Thus, the existing OD patterns are obtained by solving a wire length minimization problem. We divide all the neurons into two classes: right- and left-eye dominated. We find that if the number of connections of each neuron with the neurons of the same class differs from that with the other class, the segregation of neurons into monocular regions indeed reduces the wire length. The shape of the regions depends on the relative number of neurons in the two classes. If both classes are equally represented we find that the optimal OD pattern consists of alternating stripes. If one class is less numerous than the other, the optimal OD pattern consists of patches of the underrepresented (ipsilateral) eye dominated neurons surrounded by the neurons of the other class. We predict the transition from stripes to patches when the fraction of neurons dominated by the ipsilateral eye is about 40%. This prediction agrees with the data in macaque and Cebus monkeys. Our theory can be applied to other binary cortical systems.

Microbial survey of the mummies from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Italy: biodeterioration risk and contamination of the indoor air

PubMed Central

Piñar, Guadalupe; Piombino-Mascali, Dario; Maixner, Frank; Zink, Albert; Sterflinger, Katja

2013-01-01

The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo contain over 1800 preserved bodies dating from the 16th to 20th centuries AD and showing evidence of biodeterioration. An extensive microbiological and molecular investigation was recently performed. Samples were taken from skin, muscle, hair, bone, stuffing materials, clothes, and surrounding walls as well as from the indoor air. In this study, we witnessed that the different degradation phenomena observed on the variety of materials located at the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo are biological in origin. Molecular techniques showed the dominance of halophilic species of the domains Bacteria and Archaea on the walls and – as a result of salt emanating from the walls – on the mummies themselves. Nevertheless, specialized microorganisms belonging to taxa well-known for their cellulolytic and proteolytic activities were detected on clothes and stuffing material, and on skin, muscle, hair, and bone, respectively. This specialized microbiota is threatening the conservation of the mummies themselves. Additionally, sequences related to the human skin microbiome and to some pathogenic Bacteria (order Clostridiales) and fungi (genus Phialosimplex) were identified on samples derived from the mummies. Furthermore, a phosphate-reducing fungus, Penicillium radicum, was detected on bone. Finally, the high concentration of airborne fungal spores is not conducive to the conservation of the human remains and is posing a potential health risk for visitors. PMID:23772650

Scaling Reward Value with Demand Curves versus Preference Tests

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Lindsay P.; Silberberg, Alan; Casey, Anna H.; Paukner, Annika; Suomi, Stephen J.

2016-01-01

In Experiment 1, six capuchins lifted a weight during a 10-minute session to receive a food piece. Across conditions, the weight was increased across six different amounts for three different food types. The number of food pieces obtained as a function of the weight lifted was fitted by a demand equation that is hypothesized to quantify food value. For most subjects, this analysis showed that the three food types differed little in value. In Experiment 2, these monkeys were given pairwise choices among these food types. In 13 of 18 comparisons, preferences at least equaled a 3-to-1 ratio; in seven comparisons, preference was absolute. There was no relation between values based on degree of preference versus values based on the demand equation. When choices in the present report were compared to similar data with these subjects from another study, between-study lability in preference emerged. This outcome contrasts with the finding in demand analysis that test-retest reliability is high. We attribute the unreliability and extreme assignment of value based on preference tests to high substitutability between foods. We suggest use of demand analysis instead of preference tests for studies that compare the values of different foods. A better strategy might be to avoid manipulating value by using different foods. Where possible, value should be manipulated by varying amounts of a single food type because, over an appropriate range, more food is consistently more valuable than less. Such an approach would be immune to problems in between-food substitutability. PMID:26908005

Age-related variation in the mechanical properties of foods processed by Sapajus libidinosus.

PubMed

Chalk, Janine; Wright, Barth W; Lucas, Peter W; Schuhmacher, Katherine D; Vogel, Erin R; Fragaszy, Dorothy; Visalberghi, Elisabetta; Izar, Patrícia; Richmond, Brian G

2016-02-01

The diet of tufted capuchins (Sapajus) is characterized by annual or seasonal incorporation of mechanically protected foods. Reliance on these foods raises questions about the dietary strategies of young individuals that lack strength and experience to access these resources. Previous research has demonstrated differences between the feeding competencies of adult and juvenile tufted capuchins. Here we test the hypothesis that, compared to adults, juveniles will process foods with lower toughness and elastic moduli. We present data on variation in the toughness and elastic modulus of food tissues processed by Sapajus libidinosus during the dry season at Fazenda Boa Vista, Brazil. Food mechanical property data were collected using a portable universal mechanical tester. Results show that food tissues processed by the capuchins showed significant differences in toughness and stiffness. However, we found no relationship between an individual's age and mean or maximum food toughness or elastic modulus, indicating both juvenile and adult S. libidinosus are able to process foods of comparable properties. Although it has been suggested that juveniles avoid mechanically protected foods, age-related differences in feeding competence are not solely due to variation in food toughness or stiffness. Other factors related to food type (e.g., learning complex behavioral sequences, achieving manual dexterity, obtaining physical strength to lift stone tools, or recognizing subtle cues about food state) combined with food mechanical properties better explain variation in juvenile feeding competency. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Visible spatial contiguity of social information and reward affects social learning in brown capuchins (Sapajus apella) and children (Homo sapiens).

PubMed

Wood, Lara A; Whiten, Andrew

2017-11-01

Animal social learning is typically studied experimentally by the presentation of artificial foraging tasks. Although productive, results are often variable even for the same species. We present and test the hypothesis that one cause of variation is that spatial distance between rewards and the means of reward release causes conflicts for participants' attentional focus. We investigated whether spatial contiguity between a visible reward and the means of release would affect behavioral responses that evidence social learning, testing 21 brown capuchins ( Sapajus apella ), a much-studied species with variant evidence for social learning, and one hundred eighty 2- to 4-year-old human children ( Homo sapiens ), a benchmark species known for a strong social learning disposition. Participants were presented with a novel transparent apparatus where a reward was either proximal or distal to a demonstrated means of releasing it. A distal reward location decreased attention toward the location of the demonstration and impaired subsequent success in gaining rewards. Generally, the capuchins produced the alternative method to that demonstrated, whereas children copied the method demonstrated, although a distal reward location reduced copying in younger children. We conclude that some design features in common social learning tasks may significantly degrade the evidence for social learning. We have demonstrated this for 2 different primates but suggest that it is a significant factor to control for in social learning research across all taxa. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Microbial survey of the mummies from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Italy: biodeterioration risk and contamination of the indoor air.

PubMed

Piñar, Guadalupe; Piombino-Mascali, Dario; Maixner, Frank; Zink, Albert; Sterflinger, Katja

2013-11-01

The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo contain over 1800 preserved bodies dating from the 16th to 20th centuries AD and showing evidence of biodeterioration. An extensive microbiological and molecular investigation was recently performed. Samples were taken from skin, muscle, hair, bone, stuffing materials, clothes, and surrounding walls as well as from the indoor air. In this study, we witnessed that the different degradation phenomena observed on the variety of materials located at the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo are biological in origin. Molecular techniques showed the dominance of halophilic species of the domains Bacteria and Archaea on the walls and - as a result of salt emanating from the walls - on the mummies themselves. Nevertheless, specialized microorganisms belonging to taxa well-known for their cellulolytic and proteolytic activities were detected on clothes and stuffing material, and on skin, muscle, hair, and bone, respectively. This specialized microbiota is threatening the conservation of the mummies themselves. Additionally, sequences related to the human skin microbiome and to some pathogenic Bacteria (order Clostridiales) and fungi (genus Phialosimplex) were identified on samples derived from the mummies. Furthermore, a phosphate-reducing fungus, Penicillium radicum, was detected on bone. Finally, the high concentration of airborne fungal spores is not conducive to the conservation of the human remains and is posing a potential health risk for visitors. © 2013 The Authors. FEMS Microbiology Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies.

Mitochondrial DNA diversity in the acanthocephalan Prosthenorchis elegans in Colombia based on cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene sequence.

PubMed

Falla, Ana Carolina; Brieva, Claudia; Bloor, Paul

2015-12-01

Prosthenorchis elegans is a member of the Phylum Acanthocephala and is an important parasite affecting New World Primates in the wild in South America and in captivity around the world. It is of significant management concern due to its pathogenicity and mode of transmission through intermediate hosts. Current diagnosis of P. elegans is based on the detection of eggs by coprological examination. However, this technique lacks both specificity and sensitivity, since eggs of most members of the genus are morphologically indistinguishable and shed intermittently, making differential diagnosis difficult, and coprological examinations are often negative in animals severely infected at death. We examined sequence variation in 633 bp of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) sequence in 37 isolates of P. elegans from New World monkeys (Saguinus leucopus and Cebus albifrons) in Colombia held in rescue centers and from the wild. Intraspecific divergence ranged from 0.0 to 1.6% and was comparable with corresponding values within other species of acanthocephalans. Furthermore, comparisons of patterns of sequence divergence within the Acanthocephala suggest that Prosthenorchis represents a separate genus within the Oligacanthorhynchida. Six distinct haplotypes were identified within P. elegans which grouped into one of two well-supported mtDNA haplogroups. No association between haplogroup/haplotype, holding facility and species was found. This information will help pave the way to the development of molecular-based diagnostic tools for the detection of P. elegans as well as furthering research into the life cycle, intermediate hosts and epidemiological aspects of the species.

Morphological study of the eye and adnexa in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus sp.)

PubMed Central

Silva, Danielle Nascimento; Oriá, Arianne Pontes; Araujo, Nayone Lantyer; Martins-Filho, Emanoel; Muramoto, Caterina; Libório, Fernanda de Azevedo

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to describe the anatomic and histologic features of the Sapajus sp. eye, comparing similarities and differences of humans and other species of non-human primates for biomedical research purposes. Computed tomography (CT) of adnexa, eye and orbit live animal, as well as formolized pieces of the same structures of Sapajus sp. for anatomical and histological study were also performed. The anatomical description of the eye and adnexa was performed using the techniques of topographic dissection and exenteration. Histological fragments were fixated in buffered formalin 10%, processed by the routine paraffin inclusion technique, stained with hematoxylin-eosin and special stains. CT scan evaluation showed no differences between the live animal and the formolized head on identification of visual apparatus structures. Anatomic and histologic evaluation revealed rounded orbit, absence of the supraorbital foramen and frontal notch, little exposure of the sclera, with slight pigmentation of the exposed area and marked pigmentation at the sclerocorneal junction. Masson's Trichrome revealed the Meibomian glands, the corneal epithelium and Bowman's membrane; in the choroid, melanocytes and Bruch's membrane were observed; and in the retina, cones and rods as well as, optic nerve, the lamina cribrosa of the nerve fibers bundles. Toluidine blue highlighted the membranes: Bowman, Descemet and the endothelium; in the choroid: melanocytes; and in the retina: nuclear layers and retinal pigment epithelium. In view of the observed results Sapajus sp. is an important experimental model for research in the ophthalmology field, which has been shown due to the high similarity of its anatomical and histological structures with the human species. PMID:29206882

Percussive technology in human evolution: an introduction to a comparative approach in fossil and living primates.

PubMed

de la Torre, Ignacio; Hirata, Satoshi

2015-11-19

Percussive technology is part of the behavioural suite of several fossil and living primates. Stone Age ancestors used lithic artefacts in pounding activities, which could have been most important in the earliest stages of stone working. This has relevant evolutionary implications, as other primates such as chimpanzees and some monkeys use stone hammer-and-anvil combinations to crack hard-shelled foodstuffs. Parallels between primate percussive technologies and early archaeological sites need to be further explored in order to assess the emergence of technological behaviour in our evolutionary line, and firmly establish bridges between Primatology and Archaeology. What are the anatomical, cognitive and ecological constraints of percussive technology? How common are percussive activities in the Stone Age and among living primates? What is their functional significance? How similar are archaeological percussive tools and those made by non-human primates? This issue of Phil. Trans. addresses some of these questions by presenting case studies with a wide chronological, geographical and disciplinary coverage. The studies presented here cover studies of Brazilian capuchins, captive chimpanzees and chimpanzees in the wild, research on the use of percussive technology among modern humans and recent hunter-gatherers in Australia, the Near East and Europe, and archaeological examples of this behaviour from a million years ago to the Holocene. In summary, the breadth and depth of research compiled here should make this issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, a landmark step forward towards a better understanding of percussive technology, a unique behaviour shared by some modern and fossil primates. © 2015 The Author(s).

Evaluation of the immunological cellular response of Cebus apella exposed to the carcinogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and treated with CANOVA®.

PubMed

Feio, Danielle Cristinne Azevedo; Muniz, José Augusto Pereira Carneiro; Montenegro, Raquel Carvalho; Burbano, Rommel Rodriguez; De Brito Junior, Lacy Cardoso; De Lima, Patrícia Danielle Lima

2014-01-01

The immune response modifier Canova® is a homeopathic remedy indicated for patients with depressed immune system, since this drug appears to increase adaptive immunity and induce an immune response against multiple and severe pathological conditions, including cancer. We evaluated the pattern of immune cellular response in non-human primates of the species Cebus apella exposed to N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) with and without Canova®. Twelve animals were divided into four groups, with three animals each: negative control and three experimental groups, MNU-alone (35 days); MNU (35 days)-plus-Canova® (3 days) and Canova®-alone (3 days). The animals received MNU orally and Canova® by three intravenous injections. Evaluation of the cellular immune response was performed by immunophenotyping of T-lymphocytes (CD4(+), CD8(+)), B-lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Analysis was also performed of the cell cycle. Our results suggest an increase of T-lymphocytes (CD4(+)CD3(+)) only in the Canova® group, while in the MNU-plus-Canova® group only B-lymphocytes increased. Copyright © 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Ethical issues when modelling brain disorders innon-human primates.

PubMed

Neuhaus, Carolyn P

2018-05-01

Non-human animal models of human diseases advance our knowledge of the genetic underpinnings of disease and lead to the development of novel therapies for humans. While mice are the most common model organisms, their usefulness is limited. Larger animals may provide more accurate and valuable disease models, but it has, until recently, been challenging to create large animal disease models. Genome editors, such as Clustered Randomised Interspersed Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR), meet some of these challenges and bring routine genome engineering of larger animals and non-human primates (NHPs) well within reach. There is growing interest in creating NHP models of brain disorders such as autism, depression and Alzheimer's, which are very difficult to model or study in other organisms, including humans. New treatments are desperately needed for this set of disorders. This paper is novel in asking: Insofar as NHPs are being considered for use as model organisms for brain disorders, can this be done ethically? The paper concludes that it cannot. Notwithstanding ongoing debate about NHPs' moral status, (1) animal welfare concerns, (2) the availability of alternative methods of studying brain disorders and (3) unmet expectations of benefit justify a stop on the creation of NHP model organisms to study brain disorders. The lure of using new genetic technologies combined with the promise of novel therapeutics presents a formidable challenge to those who call for slow, careful, and only necessary research involving NHPs. But researchers should not create macaques with social deficits or capuchin monkeys with memory deficits just because they can. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Computerized spatial delayed recognition span task: a specific tool to assess visuospatial working memory

PubMed Central

Satler, Corina; Belham, Flávia Schechtman; Garcia, Ana; Tomaz, Carlos; Tavares, Maria Clotilde H.

2015-01-01

A new tablet device version (IOS platform) of the Spatial Delayed Recognition Span Task (SDRST) was developed with the aim of investigating visuospatial Working Memory (WM) abilities based on touchscreen technology. This new WM testing application will be available to download for free in Apple Store app (“SDRST app”). In order to verify the feasibility of this computer-based task, we conducted three experiments with different manipulations and groups of participants. We were interested in investigating if (1) the SDRST is sensitive enough to tap into cognitive differences brought by aging and dementia; (2) different experimental manipulations work successfully; (3) cortical brain activations seen in other WM tasks are also demonstrated here; and (4) non-human primates are able to answer the task. Performance (scores and response time) was better for young than older adults and higher for the latter when compared to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. All groups performed better with facial stimuli than with images of scenes and with emotional than with neutral stimuli. Electrophysiology data showed activation on prefrontal and frontal areas of scalp, theta band activity on the midline area, and gamma activity in left temporal area. There are all scalp regions known to be related to attention and WM. Besides those data, our sample of adult captive capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) answered the task above chance level. Taken together, these results corroborate the reliability of this new computer-based SDRST as a measure of visuospatial WM in clinical and non-clinical populations as well as in non-human primates. Its tablet app allows the task to be administered in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, homes, schools, laboratories, universities, and research institutions. PMID:25964758

Temporal variation in black-caiman-nest predation in varzea of central Brazilian amazonia

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

On the Amazon floodplain, the main predators of black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) eggs are jaguars (Panthera onca), tegu lizards (Tupinambis teguixim), capuchin monkeys (Sapajus macrocephalus) and humans (Homo sapiens). In this study, we investigated the relationship between predator attacks on nests and incubation period, and evaluated the influence of initial predation on subsequent predation in the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve. We also evaluated the influence of presence of females near the nests and manipulation of nests on the occurrence of attacks. We compared results from data obtained with camera traps and vestiges left by predators on estimates of rates of predation by different predators. Egg predation was recorded in 32% of the 658 black caiman nests monitored during two years. Our results suggest that the probability of predation on black caiman eggs is relatively constant throughout the incubation period and that predation on eggs was lower when adults, presumably females, were present. Careful opening of nests and handling of eggs did not increase the number of attacks on black caiman nests. Nest opening by a predator appeared to increase the chances of a subsequent attack because most of the attacks on nests occurred soon after a predator first opened the nest. However, attacks by another species of predator do not appear to be necessary to initiate attacks by any other species of predator. Results based on camera traps and vestiges differed, but use of vestiges was adequate for identifying the principal predators on eggs in black caiman nests and, in many circumstances, the vestiges may be better for estimating predation by humans. In this study, opening nests and handling eggs did not increase the number of attacks on black caiman nests. PMID:28854258

In vitro activity of origanum vulgare essential oil against candida species

PubMed Central

Cleff, Marlete Brum; Meinerz, Ana Raquel; Xavier, Melissa; Schuch, Luiz Filipe; Schuch, Luiz Filipe; Araújo Meireles, Mário Carlos; Alves Rodrigues, Maria Regina; de Mello, João Roberto Braga

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of the essential oil extracted from Origanum vulgare against sixteen Candida species isolates. Standard strains tested comprised C. albicans (ATCC strains 44858, 4053, 18804 and 3691), C. parapsilosis (ATCC 22019), C. krusei (ATCC 34135), C. lusitaniae (ATCC 34449) and C. dubliniensis (ATCC MY646). Six Candida albicans isolates from the vaginal mucous membrane of female dogs, one isolate from the cutaneous tegument of a dog and one isolate of a capuchin monkey were tested in parallel. A broth microdilution technique (CLSI) was used, and the inoculum concentration was adjusted to 5 x 106 CFU mL-1. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography. Susceptibility was expressed as Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Fungicidal Concentration (MFC). All isolates tested in vitro were sensitive to O. vulgare essential oil. The chromatographic analysis revealed that the main compounds present in the essential oil were 4-terpineol (47.95%), carvacrol (9.42%), thymol (8.42%) and □-terpineol (7.57%). C. albicans isolates obtained from animal mucous membranes exhibited MIC and MFC values of 2.72 μL mL-1 and 5 μL mL-1, respectively. MIC and MFC values for C. albicans standard strains were 2.97 μL mL-1 and 3.54 μL mL-1, respectively. The MIC and MFC for non-albicans species were 2.10 μL mL-1 and 2.97 μL mL-1, respectively. The antifungal activity of O. vulgare essential oil against Candida spp. observed in vitro suggests its administration may represent an alternative treatment for candidiasis. PMID:24031471

Temporal variation in black-caiman-nest predation in varzea of central Brazilian amazonia.

PubMed

Torralvo, Kelly; Botero-Arias, Robinson; Magnusson, William E

2017-01-01

On the Amazon floodplain, the main predators of black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) eggs are jaguars (Panthera onca), tegu lizards (Tupinambis teguixim), capuchin monkeys (Sapajus macrocephalus) and humans (Homo sapiens). In this study, we investigated the relationship between predator attacks on nests and incubation period, and evaluated the influence of initial predation on subsequent predation in the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve. We also evaluated the influence of presence of females near the nests and manipulation of nests on the occurrence of attacks. We compared results from data obtained with camera traps and vestiges left by predators on estimates of rates of predation by different predators. Egg predation was recorded in 32% of the 658 black caiman nests monitored during two years. Our results suggest that the probability of predation on black caiman eggs is relatively constant throughout the incubation period and that predation on eggs was lower when adults, presumably females, were present. Careful opening of nests and handling of eggs did not increase the number of attacks on black caiman nests. Nest opening by a predator appeared to increase the chances of a subsequent attack because most of the attacks on nests occurred soon after a predator first opened the nest. However, attacks by another species of predator do not appear to be necessary to initiate attacks by any other species of predator. Results based on camera traps and vestiges differed, but use of vestiges was adequate for identifying the principal predators on eggs in black caiman nests and, in many circumstances, the vestiges may be better for estimating predation by humans. In this study, opening nests and handling eggs did not increase the number of attacks on black caiman nests.

Computerized spatial delayed recognition span task: a specific tool to assess visuospatial working memory.

PubMed

Satler, Corina; Belham, Flávia Schechtman; Garcia, Ana; Tomaz, Carlos; Tavares, Maria Clotilde H

2015-01-01

A new tablet device version (IOS platform) of the Spatial Delayed Recognition Span Task (SDRST) was developed with the aim of investigating visuospatial Working Memory (WM) abilities based on touchscreen technology. This new WM testing application will be available to download for free in Apple Store app ("SDRST app"). In order to verify the feasibility of this computer-based task, we conducted three experiments with different manipulations and groups of participants. We were interested in investigating if (1) the SDRST is sensitive enough to tap into cognitive differences brought by aging and dementia; (2) different experimental manipulations work successfully; (3) cortical brain activations seen in other WM tasks are also demonstrated here; and (4) non-human primates are able to answer the task. Performance (scores and response time) was better for young than older adults and higher for the latter when compared to Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. All groups performed better with facial stimuli than with images of scenes and with emotional than with neutral stimuli. Electrophysiology data showed activation on prefrontal and frontal areas of scalp, theta band activity on the midline area, and gamma activity in left temporal area. There are all scalp regions known to be related to attention and WM. Besides those data, our sample of adult captive capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) answered the task above chance level. Taken together, these results corroborate the reliability of this new computer-based SDRST as a measure of visuospatial WM in clinical and non-clinical populations as well as in non-human primates. Its tablet app allows the task to be administered in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, homes, schools, laboratories, universities, and research institutions.

Evidence of aortic dissection and Marfan syndrome in a mummy from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily.

PubMed

Panzer, Stephanie; Thompson, Randall C; Hergan, Klaus; Zink, Albert R; Piombino-Mascali, Dario

2018-06-08

The authors report on the assessment of an anthropogenic mummy of a young man from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily, tentatively dated from the mid- to late 19 th century AD. The mummy was investigated by full-body CT examination. CT images clearly showed aortic dissection classified as Stanford-A. Due to the relation of aortic dissection to inherited connective tissue diseases in young people, such as Marfan syndrome, conspicuous and pathological findings possibly indicating the presence of underlying Marfan syndrome were assessed. Several systemic features were scored that supported the presence of underlying Marfan syndrome in this mummy. These findings were: pectus carinatum and chest asymmetry, dural ectasia, protrusio acetabuli, dolichocephaly, down-slanting palpebral fissures, malar hypoplasia and (probable) reduced elbow extension. Aortic dissection, a cardinal feature of Marfan syndrome, turned out to be the diagnostic key for the paleoradiological diagnosis of this disease. The demonstrated CT findings contribute to the spectrum of cardiovascular diseases and inherited connective tissue disease in the fields of paleopathology and paleoradiology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dental microwear texture analysis of late Pliocene Procynocephalus subhimalayanus (Primates: Cercopithecidae) of the Upper Siwaliks, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Frank L'Engle; Holmes, Noelle A.

2012-09-01

Late Pliocene Procynocephalus subhimalayanus from the Upper Siwaliks, India is known from only three specimens. The dietary proclivities of this taxon have implications for reconstructing the paleoecology of the Upper Siwaliks. The dental microwear texture properties of Procynocephalus are compared to those from extant tropical forest primates including Alouatta palliata (n = 11), Cebus apella (n = 13), Gorilla gorilla (n = 9), Lophocebus albigena (n = 15) and Trachypithecus cristatus (n = 12). Dental microwear textures are generated by scanning the surface enamel of Facet 9 using white-light confocal microscopy at 100x. Four variables were extracted from scale-sensitive fractal analysis, and the data were ranked before ANOVA with post-hoc tests of significance and multivariate analyses were performed. Procynocephalus clusters closest to Lophocebus, Cebus and some Gorilla specimens suggesting hard-object feeding characterized a portion of its diet. The dental microwear texture of Procynocephalus supports interpretations of widespread grasslands of the Late Pliocene Kansal Formation (Pinjor zone). The extreme enamel complexity characterizing Procynocephalus may derive from consumption of underground storage organs, or other foods with high grit loads. Foods consumed near ground level carry a heavy load of abrasive minerals possibly contributing to greater enamel surface complexity and textural fill volume.

'For Good, God, and the Empire': French Franciscan Sisters in Ethiopia 1896-1937

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guidi, Pierre

2018-01-01

In 1897, four French Franciscan sisters arrived in Ethiopia, having been summoned there by the Capuchin missionaries. In 1925, they ran an orphanage, a dispensary, a leper colony and 10 schools with 350 girl students. The students were freed slaves, orphans and upper-class Ethiopian and European girls. After providing a brief background to the…

Functional analysis of aldehyde oxidase using expressed chimeric enzyme between monkey and rat.

PubMed

Itoh, Kunio; Asakawa, Tasuku; Hoshino, Kouichi; Adachi, Mayuko; Fukiya, Kensuke; Watanabe, Nobuaki; Tanaka, Yorihisa

2009-01-01

Aldehyde oxidase (AO) is a homodimer with a subunit molecular mass of approximately 150 kDa. Each subunit consists of about 20 kDa 2Fe-2S cluster domain storing reducing equivalents, about 40 kDa flavine adenine dinucleotide (FAD) domain and about 85 kDa molybdenum cofactor (MoCo) domain containing a substrate binding site. In order to clarify the properties of each domain, especially substrate binding domain, chimeric cDNAs were constructed by mutual exchange of 2Fe-2S/FAD and MoCo domains between monkey and rat. Chimeric monkey/rat AO was referred to one with monkey type 2Fe-2S/FAD domains and a rat type MoCo domain. Rat/monkey AO was vice versa. AO-catalyzed 2-oxidation activities of (S)-RS-8359 were measured using the expressed enzyme in Escherichia coli. Substrate inhibition was seen in rat AO and chimeric monkey/rat AO, but not in monkey AO and chimeric rat/monkey AO, suggesting that the phenomenon might be dependent on the natures of MoCo domain of rat. A biphasic Eadie-Hofstee profile was observed in monkey AO and chimeric rat/monkey AO, but not rat AO and chimeric monkey/rat AO, indicating that the biphasic profile might be related to the properties of MoCo domain of monkey. Two-fold greater V(max) values were observed in monkey AO than in chimeric rat/monkey AO, and in chimeric monkey/rat AO than in rat AO, suggesting that monkey has the more effective electron transfer system than rat. Thus, the use of chimeric enzymes revealed that 2Fe-2S/FAD and MoCo domains affect the velocity and the quantitative profiles of AO-catalyzed (S)-RS-8359 2-oxidation, respectively.

The susceptibility of rhesus monkeys to motion sickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corcoran, Meryl L.; Daunton, Nancy G.; Fox, Robert A.

1990-01-01

The susceptibility of rhesus monkeys to motion sickness was investigated using test conditions that are provocative for eliciting motion sickness in squirrel monkeys. Ten male rhesus monkeys and ten male Bolivian squirrel monkeys were rotated in the vertical axis at 150 deg/s for a maximum duration of 45 min. Each animal was tested in two conditions, continuous rotation and intermittent rotation. None of the rhesus monkeys vomited during the motion tests but all of the squirrel monkeys did. Differences were observed between the species in the amount of activity that occurred during motion test, with the squirrel monkeys being significantly more active than the rhesus monkeys. These results, while substantiating anecdotal reports of the resistance of rhesus monkeys to motion sickness, should be interpreted with caution because of the documented differences that exist between various species with regard to stimuli that are provocative for eliciting motion sickness.

Using photographs to study animal social cognition and behaviour: Do capuchins' responses to photos reflect reality?

PubMed

Morton, F Blake; Brosnan, Sarah F; Prétôt, Laurent; Buchanan-Smith, Hannah M; O'Sullivan, Eoin; Stocker, Martina; D'Mello, Daniel; Wilson, Vanessa A D

2016-03-01

Behavioural responses to photos are often used to infer what animals understand about their social environment, but are rarely validated against the same stimuli in real life. If subjects' responses to photos do not reflect responses to the same live stimuli, it is difficult to conclude what happens in reality based on photo responses alone. We compared capuchins' responses to photos versus live stimuli in an identical scenario within research cubicles. Subjects had the opportunity to approach food placed in front of an alpha group member and, in a separate condition, photos depicting the same individual. Subjects' latencies to approach food when placed in front of the real alpha negatively correlated with time subjects spent in close proximity to the alpha in their main enclosure. We therefore predicted subjects' latencies to approach food in the presence of photos would positively correlate with their latencies to approach food in the presence of the real alpha inside the cubicles, but negatively correlate with time they spent in proximity to the alpha in their enclosure. Neither prediction was supported. While not necessarily surprising, we explain why these results should be an important reminder that care is needed when interpreting results from photo studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic analysis of HERV-K LTR-like elements in primates: presence in some new world monkeys and evidence of recent parallel evolution in these species and in homo sapiens.

PubMed

Kim, H S; Wadekar, R V; Takenaka, O; Hyun, B H; Crow, T J

1999-01-01

Solitary long terminal repeats (LTRs) of the human endogenous retroviruses K family (HERV-K) have been found to be coexpressed with sequences of closely located genes. We identified forty-three HERV-K LTR-like elements in primates (African great apes, two Old World monkeys, and two New World monkeys) and analyzed them along with human-specific HERV-K LTRs. We report detection of HERV-K LTR-like elements from New World monkeys, as represented by the squirrel monkey and the night monkey, for the first time. Analysis revealed a high degree of sequence homology with human-specific HERV-K LTRs. A phylogenetic tree obtained by the neighbor-joining method revealed that five sequence (SMS-1, 2, 5, 6, 7) from the squirrel monkey and three sequences (NM6-4, 5, 9) from the night monkey are more closely related to human-specific HERV-K LTRs than they are to those of apes (the chimpanzee and gorilla) and Old World monkeys (the African green monkey and rhesus monkey). The findings are consistent with the concept the HERV-K LTR-like elements have proliferated independently and recently in the genome of primates, and that such proliferation has been more recent in Homo sapiens and in these representatives of New World monkeys than in some Old World monkeys.

Canine distemper virus isolated from a monkey efficiently replicates on Vero cells expressing non-human primate SLAM receptors but not human SLAM receptor.

PubMed

Feng, Na; Liu, Yuxiu; Wang, Jianzhong; Xu, Weiwei; Li, Tiansong; Wang, Tiecheng; Wang, Lei; Yu, Yicong; Wang, Hualei; Zhao, Yongkun; Yang, Songtao; Gao, Yuwei; Hu, Guixue; Xia, Xianzhu

2016-08-02

In 2008, an outbreak of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection in monkeys was reported in China. We isolated CDV strain (subsequently named Monkey-BJ01-DV) from lung tissue obtained from a rhesus monkey that died in this outbreak. We evaluated the ability of this virus on Vero cells expressing SLAM receptors from dog, monkey and human origin, and analyzed the H gene of Monkey-BJ01-DV with other strains. The Monkey-BJ01-DV isolate replicated to the highest titer on Vero cells expressing dog-origin SLAM (10(5.2±0.2) TCID50/ml) and monkey-origin SLAM (10(5.4±0.1) TCID50/ml), but achieved markedly lower titers on human-origin SLAM cells (10(3.3±0.3) TCID50/ml). Phylogenetic analysis of the full-length H gene showed that Monkey-BJ01-DV was highly related to other CDV strains obtained during recent CDV epidemics among species of the Canidae family in China, and these Monkey strains CDV (Monkey-BJ01-DV, CYN07-dV, Monkey-KM-01) possessed a number of amino acid specific substitutions (E276V, Q392R, D435Y and I542F) compared to the H protein of CDV epidemic in other animals at the same period. Our results suggested that the monkey origin-CDV-H protein could possess specific substitutions to adapt to the new host. Monkey-BJ01-DV can efficiently use monkey- and dog-origin SLAM to infect and replicate in host cells, but further adaptation may be required for efficient replication in host cells expressing the human SLAM receptor.

Molecular Cloning of Pituitary Glycoprotein α-Subunit and Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Chorionic Gonadotropin β-Subunits from New World Squirrel Monkey and Owl Monkey

PubMed Central

Scammell, Jonathan G.; Funkhouser, Jane D.; Moyer, Felricia S.; Gibson, Susan V.; Willis, Donna L.

2008-01-01

The goal of this study was to characterize the gonadotropins expressed in pituitary glands of the New World squirrel monkey (Saimiri sp.) and owl monkey (Aotus sp.). The various subunits were amplified from total RNA from squirrel monkey and owl monkey pituitary glands by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the deduced amino acid sequences compared to those of other species. Mature squirrel monkey and owl monkey glycoprotein hormone α-polypeptides (96 amino acids in length) were determined to be 80% homologous to the human sequence. The sequences of mature β subunits of follicle stimulating hormone (FSHβ) from squirrel monkey and owl monkey (111 amino acids in length) are 92% homologous to human FSHβ. New World primate glycoprotein hormone α-polypeptides and FSHβ subunits showed conservation of all cysteine residues and consensus N-linked glycosylation sites. Attempts to amplify the β-subunit of luteinizing hormone from squirrel monkey and owl monkey pituitary glands were unsuccessful. Rather, the β-subunit of chorionic gonadotropin (CG) was amplified from pituitaries of both New World primates. Squirrel monkey and owl monkey CGβ are 143 and 144 amino acids in length and 77% homologous with human CGβ. The greatest divergence is in the C terminus, where all four sites for O-linked glycosylation in human CGβ, responsible for delayed metabolic clearance, are predicted to be absent in New World primate CGβs. It is likely that CG secreted from pituitary of New World primates exhibits a relatively short half-life compared to human CG. PMID:17897645

Molecular cloning of pituitary glycoprotein alpha-subunit and follicle stimulating hormone and chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunits from New World squirrel monkey and owl monkey.

PubMed

Scammell, Jonathan G; Funkhouser, Jane D; Moyer, Felricia S; Gibson, Susan V; Willis, Donna L

2008-02-01

The goal of this study was to characterize the gonadotropins expressed in pituitary glands of the New World squirrel monkey (Saimiri sp.) and owl monkey (Aotus sp.). The various subunits were amplified from total RNA from squirrel monkey and owl monkey pituitary glands by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the deduced amino acid sequences compared to those of other species. Mature squirrel monkey and owl monkey glycoprotein hormone alpha-polypeptides (96 amino acids in length) were determined to be 80% homologous to the human sequence. The sequences of mature beta subunits of follicle stimulating hormone (FSHbeta) from squirrel monkey and owl monkey (111 amino acids in length) are 92% homologous to human FSHbeta. New World primate glycoprotein hormone alpha-polypeptides and FSHbeta subunits showed conservation of all cysteine residues and consensus N-linked glycosylation sites. Attempts to amplify the beta-subunit of luteinizing hormone from squirrel monkey and owl monkey pituitary glands were unsuccessful. Rather, the beta-subunit of chorionic gonadotropin (CG) was amplified from pituitaries of both New World primates. Squirrel monkey and owl monkey CGbeta are 143 and 144 amino acids in length and 77% homologous with human CGbeta. The greatest divergence is in the C terminus, where all four sites for O-linked glycosylation in human CGbeta, responsible for delayed metabolic clearance, are predicted to be absent in New World primate CGbetas. It is likely that CG secreted from pituitary of New World primates exhibits a relatively short half-life compared to human CG.

Seroepidemiological survey of pathogenic Yersinia in breeding squirrel monkeys in Japan.

PubMed

Iwata, Taketoshi; Une, Yumi; Lee, Ken-ichi; Nakamura, Shin-ichi; Taniguchi, Takahide; Hayashidani, Hideki

2010-08-01

To investigate the prevalence of antibodies to pathogenic Yersinia in breeding squirrel monkeys, the serum samples of 252 squirrel monkeys from 9 zoological gardens in Japan were tested by ELISA using plasmid-encoded Yersinia outer membrane protein (Yops) as the antigen. The cutoff value was calculated by using the serum samples of the squirrel monkeys from Suriname, where no prevalence of pathogenic Yersinia have been reported. According to the cutoff value, 164 of 252 (65.1%) squirrel monkeys were considered positive against pathogenic Yersinia. These positive monkeys belonged to 8 of the 9 zoological gardens, and the percentage of the seropositive monkeys ranged from 22.2 to 89.4%. Furthermore, in one zoological garden, the positive rate of the squirrel monkeys which were over 1 year old (95.7%) was significantly higher than those which were under 1 year old (23.3%). These results suggested that pathogenic Yersinia is highly prevalent among breeding monkeys in Japan.

Monkey liver cytochrome P450 2C19 is involved in R- and S-warfarin 7-hydroxylation.

PubMed

Hosoi, Yoshio; Uno, Yasuhiro; Murayama, Norie; Fujino, Hideki; Shukuya, Mitsunori; Iwasaki, Kazuhide; Shimizu, Makiko; Utoh, Masahiro; Yamazaki, Hiroshi

2012-12-15

Cynomolgus monkeys are widely used as primate models in preclinical studies. However, some differences are occasionally seen between monkeys and humans in the activities of cytochrome P450 enzymes. R- and S-warfarin are model substrates for stereoselective oxidation in humans. In this current research, the activities of monkey liver microsomes and 14 recombinantly expressed monkey cytochrome P450 enzymes were analyzed with respect to R- and S-warfarin 6- and 7-hydroxylation. Monkey liver microsomes efficiently mediated both R- and S-warfarin 7-hydroxylation, in contrast to human liver microsomes, which preferentially catalyzed S-warfarin 7-hydroxylation. R-Warfarin 7-hydroxylation activities in monkey liver microsomes were not inhibited by α-naphthoflavone or ketoconazole, and were roughly correlated with P450 2C19 levels and flurbiprofen 4-hydroxylation activities in microsomes from 20 monkey livers. In contrast, S-warfarin 7-hydroxylation activities were not correlated with the four marker drug oxidation activities used. Among the 14 recombinantly expressed monkey P450 enzymes tested, P450 2C19 had the highest activities for R- and S-warfarin 7-hydroxylations. Monkey P450 3A4 and 3A5 slowly mediated R- and S-warfarin 6-hydroxylations. Kinetic analysis revealed that monkey P450 2C19 had high V(max) and low K(m) values for R-warfarin 7-hydroxylation, comparable to those for monkey liver microsomes. Monkey P450 2C19 also mediated S-warfarin 7-hydroxylation with V(max) and V(max)/K(m) values comparable to those for recombinant human P450 2C9. R-warfarin could dock favorably into monkey P450 2C19 modeled. These results collectively suggest high activities for monkey liver P450 2C19 toward R- and S-warfarin 6- and 7-hydroxylation in contrast to the saturation kinetics of human P450 2C9-mediated S-warfarin 7-hydroxylation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interspecies radioimmunoassay for the major structural proteins of primate type-D retroviruses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colcher, D.; Teramoto, Y.A.; Schlom, J.

1977-12-01

A competition radioimmunoassay has been developed in which type-D retroviruses from three primate species compete. The assay utilizes the major structural protein (36,000 daltons) of the endogenous squirrel monkey retrovirus and antisera directed against the major structural protein (27,000 daltons) of the Mason-Pfizer monkey virus isolated from rhesus monkeys. Purified preparations of both viruses grown in heterologous cells, as well as extracts of heterologous cells infected with squirrel monkey retrovirus or Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, compete completely in the assay. Addition of an endogenous virus of the langur monkey also results in complete blocking. No blocking in the assay is observedmore » with type-C baboon viruses, woolly monkey virus, and gibbon virus. Various other type-C and type-B viruses also showed no reactivity. An interspecies assay has thus been developed that recognizes the type-D retroviruses from both Old World monkey (rhesus and langur) and New World monkey (squirrel) species.« less

SV40 host-substituted variants: a new look at the monkey DNA inserts and recombinant junctions.

PubMed

Singer, Maxine; Winocour, Ernest

2011-04-10

The available monkey genomic data banks were examined in order to determine the chromosomal locations of the host DNA inserts in 8 host-substituted SV40 variant DNAs. Five of the 8 variants contained more than one linked monkey DNA insert per tandem repeat unit and in all cases but one, the 19 monkey DNA inserts in the 8 variants mapped to different locations in the monkey genome. The 50 parental DNAs (32 monkey and 18 SV40 DNA segments) which spanned the crossover and flanking regions that participated in monkey/monkey and monkey/SV40 recombinations were characterized by substantial levels of microhomology of up to 8 nucleotides in length; the parental DNAs also exhibited direct and inverted repeats at or adjacent to the crossover sequences. We discuss how the host-substituted SV40 variants arose and the nature of the recombination mechanisms involved. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Low blood cell counts in wild Japanese monkeys after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

PubMed

Ochiai, Kazuhiko; Hayama, Shin-ichi; Nakiri, Sachie; Nakanishi, Setsuko; Ishii, Naomi; Uno, Taiki; Kato, Takuya; Konno, Fumiharu; Kawamoto, Yoshi; Tsuchida, Shuichi; Omi, Toshinori

2014-07-24

In April 2012 we carried out a 1-year hematological study on a population of wild Japanese monkeys inhabiting the forest area of Fukushima City. This area is located 70 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which released a large amount of radioactive material into the environment following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. For comparison, we examined monkeys inhabiting the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture, located approximately 400 km from the NPP. Total muscle cesium concentration in Fukushima monkeys was in the range of 78-1778 Bq/kg, whereas the level of cesium was below the detection limit in all Shimokita monkeys. Compared with Shimokita monkeys, Fukushima monkeys had significantly low white and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, and the white blood cell count in immature monkeys showed a significant negative correlation with muscle cesium concentration. These results suggest that the exposure to some form of radioactive material contributed to hematological changes in Fukushima monkeys.

Low blood cell counts in wild Japanese monkeys after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

PubMed Central

Ochiai, Kazuhiko; Hayama, Shin-ichi; Nakiri, Sachie; Nakanishi, Setsuko; Ishii, Naomi; Uno, Taiki; Kato, Takuya; Konno, Fumiharu; Kawamoto, Yoshi; Tsuchida, Shuichi; Omi, Toshinori

2014-01-01

In April 2012 we carried out a 1-year hematological study on a population of wild Japanese monkeys inhabiting the forest area of Fukushima City. This area is located 70 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which released a large amount of radioactive material into the environment following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. For comparison, we examined monkeys inhabiting the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture, located approximately 400 km from the NPP. Total muscle cesium concentration in Fukushima monkeys was in the range of 78–1778 Bq/kg, whereas the level of cesium was below the detection limit in all Shimokita monkeys. Compared with Shimokita monkeys, Fukushima monkeys had significantly low white and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, and the white blood cell count in immature monkeys showed a significant negative correlation with muscle cesium concentration. These results suggest that the exposure to some form of radioactive material contributed to hematological changes in Fukushima monkeys. PMID:25060710

The pattern of the arterial supply of the pancreas in anthropoid apes, catarrhine monkeys and platyrrhine monkeys.

PubMed

Shawuti, Alimujiang; Miyaki, Takayoshi; Saito, Toshiyuki; Itoh, Masahiro

2009-11-01

To get the full understanding of the arterial distribution to the pancreas, the analysis of the distribution of the variety of monkey species would be helpful. In this study, we studied the layout of the pancreatic artery in anthropoids (1 gorilla, 3 chimpanzees and 2 white-handed gibbons), in catarrhine monkeys (1 hamadryas baboon, 2 anubid baboons, 10 savannah monkeys) and in platyrrhine monkeys (6 squirrel monkeys). The pancreas of the monkeys was supplied by the arteries originating from the celiac trunk and/or superior mesenteric artery. There were three patterns in the arterial distribution; (1) the celiac artery supplied the major area of the pancreas. (2) the superior mesenteric artery supplied the major area of the pancreas. (3) the celiac artery supplied the whole pancreas. The pattern of the arterial distribution to the monkey pancreas had a wide variety. The result would be helpful for the elucidation of the development of the vascular distribution in the pancreas.

Monkey liver cytochrome P450 2C9 is involved in caffeine 7-N-demethylation to form theophylline.

PubMed

Utoh, Masahiro; Murayama, Norie; Uno, Yasuhiro; Onose, Yui; Hosaka, Shinya; Fujino, Hideki; Shimizu, Makiko; Iwasaki, Kazuhide; Yamazaki, Hiroshi

2013-12-01

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is a phenotyping substrate for human cytochrome P450 1A2. 3-N-Demethylation of caffeine is the main human metabolic pathway, whereas monkeys extensively mediate the 7-N-demethylation of caffeine to form pharmacological active theophylline. Roles of monkey P450 enzymes in theophylline formation from caffeine were investigated using individual monkey liver microsomes and 14 recombinantly expressed monkey P450 enzymes, and the results were compared with those for human P450 enzymes. Caffeine 7-N-demethylation activity in microsomes from 20 monkey livers was not strongly inhibited by α-naphthoflavone, quinidine or ketoconazole, and was roughly correlated with diclofenac 4'-hydroxylation activities. Monkey P450 2C9 had the highest activity for caffeine 7-N-demethylation. Kinetic analysis revealed that monkey P450 2C9 had a high Vmax/Km value for caffeine 7-N-demethylation, comparable to low Km value for monkey liver microsomes. Caffeine could dock favorably with monkey P450 2C9 modeled for 7-N-demethylation and with human P450 1A2 for 3-N-demethylation. The primary metabolite theophylline was oxidized to 8-hydroxytheophylline in similar ways by liver microsomes and by recombinant P450s in both humans and monkeys. These results collectively suggest a high activity for monkey liver P450 2C9 toward caffeine 7-N-demethylation, whereas, in humans, P450 1A2-mediated caffeine 3-N-demethylation is dominant.

What interests them in the pictures?--differences in eye-tracking between rhesus monkeys and humans.

PubMed

Hu, Ying-Zhou; Jiang, Hui-Hui; Liu, Ci-Rong; Wang, Jian-Hong; Yu, Cheng-Yang; Carlson, Synnöve; Yang, Shang-Chuan; Saarinen, Veli-Matti; Rizak, Joshua D; Tian, Xiao-Guang; Tan, Hen; Chen, Zhu-Yue; Ma, Yuan-Ye; Hu, Xin-Tian

2013-10-01

Studies estimating eye movements have demonstrated that non-human primates have fixation patterns similar to humans at the first sight of a picture. In the current study, three sets of pictures containing monkeys, humans or both were presented to rhesus monkeys and humans. The eye movements on these pictures by the two species were recorded using a Tobii eye-tracking system. We found that monkeys paid more attention to the head and body in pictures containing monkeys, whereas both monkeys and humans paid more attention to the head in pictures containing humans. The humans always concentrated on the eyes and head in all the pictures, indicating the social role of facial cues in society. Although humans paid more attention to the hands than monkeys, both monkeys and humans were interested in the hands and what was being done with them in the pictures. This may suggest the importance and necessity of hands for survival. Finally, monkeys scored lower in eye-tracking when fixating on the pictures, as if they were less interested in looking at the screen than humans. The locations of fixation in monkeys may provide insight into the role of eye movements in an evolutionary context.

Effects of social reorganization on dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability and cocaine self-administration in male cynomolgus monkeys.

PubMed

Czoty, P W; Gould, R W; Gage, H D; Nader, M A

2017-09-01

Studies have demonstrated that brain dopamine D2/D3 receptors (D2/D3R) and the reinforcing effects of cocaine can be influenced by a monkey's position in the social dominance hierarchy. In this study, we manipulated the social ranks of monkeys by reorganizing social groups and assessed effects on D2/D3R availability and cocaine self-administration. Male cynomolgus monkeys (N = 12) had been trained to self-administer cocaine under a concurrent cocaine-food reinforcement schedule. Previously, PET measures of D2/D3R availability in the caudate nucleus and putamen had been obtained with [ 18 F]fluoroclebopride during cocaine abstinence, while monkeys lived in stable social groups of four monkeys/pen. For this study, monkeys were reorganized into groups that consisted of (1) four previously dominant, (2) four previously subordinate, and (3) a mix of previously dominant and subordinate monkeys. After 3 months, D2/D3R availability was redetermined and cocaine self-administration was reexamined. D2/D3R availability significantly increased after reorganization in monkeys who were formerly subordinate, with the greatest increases observed in those that became dominant. No consistent changes in D2/D3R availability were observed in formerly dominant monkeys. Cocaine self-administration did not vary according to rank after reorganization of social groups. However, when compared to their previous cocaine self-administration data, the potency of cocaine as a reinforcer decreased in 9 of 11 monkeys. These results indicate that changing the social conditions can alter D2/D3R availability in subordinate monkeys in a manner suggestive of environmental enrichment. In most monkeys, social reorganization shifted the cocaine dose-response curve to the right, also consistent with environmental enrichment.

Muscimol inactivation of caudal fastigial nucleus and posterior interposed nucleus in monkeys with strabismus.

PubMed

Joshi, Anand C; Das, Vallabh E

2013-10-01

Previously, we showed that neurons in the supraoculomotor area (SOA), known to encode vergence angle in normal monkeys, encode the horizontal eye misalignment in strabismic monkeys. The SOA receives afferent projections from the caudal fastigial nucleus (cFN) and the posterior interposed nucleus (PIN) in the cerebellum. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the potential roles of the cFN and PIN in 1) conjugate eye movements and 2) binocular eye alignment in strabismic monkeys. We used unilateral injections of the GABAA agonist muscimol to reversibly inactivate the cFN (4 injections in exotropic monkey S1 with ≈ 4° of exotropia; 5 injections in esotropic monkey S2 with ≈ 34° of esotropia) and the PIN (3 injections in monkey S1). cFN inactivation induced horizontal saccade dysmetria in all experiments (mean 39% increase in ipsilesional saccade gain and 26% decrease in contralesional gain). Also, mean contralesional smooth-pursuit gain was decreased by 31%. cFN inactivation induced a divergent change in eye alignment in both monkeys, with exotropia increasing by an average of 9.8° in monkey S1 and esotropia decreasing by an average of 11.2° in monkey S2 (P < 0.001). Unilateral PIN inactivation in monkey S1 resulted in a mean increase in the gain of upward saccades by 13% and also induced a convergent change in eye alignment, reducing exotropia by an average of 2.7° (P < 0.001). We conclude that cFN/PIN influences on conjugate eye movements in strabismic monkeys are similar to those postulated in normal monkeys and cFN/PIN play important and complementary roles in maintaining the steady-state misalignment in strabismus.

SOME EVIDENCE OF PSYCHIC BLINDNESS IN MONKEYS WITH FOCAL-HEAD IRRADIATION OF THE TEMPORAL LOBES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDowell, A.A.; Brown, W.L.

1963-12-01

This study was conducted to compare the effects of various extra-cage social stimuli on the free-cage behavior of normal monkeys and of monkeys with previous focal-head irradiation. Four control and four focal-head irradiated monkeys with nearly identical training histories were used, the latter being the survivors of a focal-head irradiation study conducted 41/2 yr earlier. They had received 3000 r x radiation to an area of the head containing the inferior parietal lobule and posterior aspect of the temporal lobe, and repeated 30 days later Each group was systematically observed under each of four socialstimulus conditions with the order ofmore » condition presentation counterbalanced within each group over a 4-day period. The four social-stimulus conditions included: absence of social stimulus, an adult male monkey, an adult female monkey at menses, and an adult female monkey at estimated time of ovulation. The socialstimulus conditions showed no effect on the nondirected activities of the normal monkeys, but produced a marked decrease in the nondirected activities of the focal-head irradiated monkeys, with the least number of such activities being manifest in the presence of the adult female monkey at ovulation. Under conditions of social stimulation the normal monkeys showed a marked decrease in total directed activities of the non-social-stimulus condition, while the focal-head irradiated monkeys showed a marked increase, the effect in each instance being greatest in the presence of the female at ovulation. The directed activities, toward the cage as an object, of the controls decreasrd and those of the experimental subjects increased. The controls were more than twice as responsive to the female at estimated time of ovulation as to the other two social stimuli, while the experimental monkeys were equally responsive to each of the three social stimuli. The data suggest the presence of psychic blindness in the monkeys previously exposed to focal-head irradiation of the temporal lobes. (BBB)« less

Early adaptation to altered gravitational environments in the squirrel monkey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuller, C. A.

1985-01-01

The feeding behavior of two squirrel monkeys flown in Spacelab 3 is compared to that of six monkeys exposed to 1.5 G through centrifugation. The monkeys in the centrifugation study were housed unrestrained in cages, maintained at 25 C + or - 1 C, exposed to a 12:12 light/dark cycle, and had unrestrained access to food and water. The Spacelab monkeys were maintained at 26 C, exposed to a 12:12 light/dark cycle and had unlimited food and water. It is observed that the centrifuge rats displayed a change in feeding behavior for 4 days prior to resuming a normal pattern; one Spacelab monkey exhibited a 6 day depression before recover to control levels, and the feeding pattern of the second monkey was not influenced by the environment. It is noted that the effect of an altered dynamic environment is variable on the feeding behavior of individual monkeys.

Adrenergic responsiveness is reduced, while baseline cardiac function is preserved in old adult conscious monkeys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sato, N.; Kiuchi, K.; Shen, Y. T.; Vatner, S. F.; Vatner, D. E.

1995-01-01

To examine the physiological deficit to adrenergic stimulation with aging, five younger adult (3 +/- 1 yr old) and nine older adult (17 +/- 1 yr old) healthy monkeys were studied after instrumentation with a left ventricular (LV) pressure gauge, aortic and left atrial catheters, and aortic flow probes to measure cardiac output directly. There were no significant changes in baseline hemodynamics in conscious older monkeys. For example, an index of contractility, the first derivative of LV pressure (LV dP/dt) was similar (3,191 +/- 240, young vs. 3,225 +/- 71 mmHg/s, old) as well as in isovolumic relaxation, tau (24.3 +/- 1.7 ms, young vs. 23.0 +/- 1.0 ms, old) was similar. However, inotropic, lusitropic, and chronotropic responses to isoproterenol (Iso; 0.1 micrograms/kg), norepinephrine (NE; 0.4 micrograms/kg), and forskolin (For; 75 nmol/kg) were significantly (P < 0.05) depressed in older monkeys. For example. Iso increased LV dP/dt by by 146 +/- 14% in younger monkeys and by only 70 +/- 5% in older monkeys. Iso also reduced tau more in younger monkeys (-28 +/- 7%) compared with older monkeys (-13 +/- 3%). Furthermore, peripheral vascular responsiveness to Iso, NE, For, and phenylephrine (PE; 5 micrograms/kg) was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in older monkeys. For example, phenylephrine (5 micrograms/kg) increased total peripheral resistence by 69 +/- 4% in younger monkeys and by only 45 +/- 3% in older monkeys. Thus in older monkeys without associated cardiovascular disease, baseline hemodynamics are preserved, but adrenergic receptor responsiveness is reduced systemically, not just in the heart.

EXPERIMENTS ON THE TRANSMISSION OF SCARLET FEVER TO THE LOWER MONKEYS

PubMed Central

Draper, George; Hanford, John M.

1913-01-01

1. The reported successful transfer of scarlet fever to both higher and lower monkeys is not definitely established. 2. In the course of the experiments here reported, the infectious agent can be assumed to have been carried over to the monkeys. The failure to cause infection probably proceeds from the insusceptibility of the monkeys employed, or to the manner of introducing the agent. 3. The temperature curve and leucocyte count of monkeys are unsatisfactory criteria for the diagnosis of disease in those animals. 4. Monkeys frequently have transient blotchy, erythematous eruptions on the face and neck, and almost always a bran-like desquamation. 5. Monkeys are highly resistant to infection with microorganisms from human beings. PMID:19867663

Humans and monkeys use different strategies to solve the same short-term memory tasks.

PubMed

Wittig, John H; Morgan, Barak; Masseau, Evan; Richmond, Barry J

2016-11-01

The neural mechanisms underlying human working memory are often inferred from studies using old-world monkeys. Humans use working memory to selectively memorize important information. We recently reported that monkeys do not seem to use selective memorization under experimental conditions that are common in monkey research, but less common in human research. Here we compare the performance of humans and monkeys under the same experimental conditions. Humans selectively remember important images whereas monkeys largely rely on recency information from nonselective memorization. Working memory studies in old-world monkeys must be interpreted cautiously when making inferences about the mechanisms underlying human working memory. © 2016 Wittig, et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Ethograms indicate stable well-being during prolonged training phases in rhesus monkeys used in neurophysiological research.

PubMed

Hage, Steffen R; Ott, Torben; Eiselt, Anne-Kathrin; Jacob, Simon N; Nieder, Andreas

2014-01-01

Awake, behaving rhesus monkeys are widely used in neurophysiological research. Neural signals are typically measured from monkeys trained with operant conditioning techniques to perform a variety of behavioral tasks in exchange for rewards. Over the past years, monkeys' psychological well-being during experimentation has become an increasingly important concern. We suggest objective criteria to explore whether training sessions during which the monkeys work under controlled water intake over many days might affect their behavior. With that aim, we analyzed a broad range of species-specific behaviors over several months ('ethogram') and used these ethograms as a proxy for the monkeys' well-being. Our results show that monkeys' behavior during training sessions is unaffected by the duration of training-free days in-between. Independently of the number of training-free days (two or nine days) with ad libitum food and water supply, the monkeys were equally active and alert in their home group cages during training phases. This indicates that the monkeys were well habituated to prolonged working schedules and that their well-being was stably ensured during the training sessions.

Allergic asthma induced in rhesus monkeys by house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae).

PubMed

Schelegle, E S; Gershwin, L J; Miller, L A; Fanucchi, M V; Van Winkle, L S; Gerriets, J P; Walby, W F; Omlor, A M; Buckpitt, A R; Tarkington, B K; Wong, V J; Joad, J P; Pinkerton, K B; Wu, R; Evans, M J; Hyde, D M; Plopper, C G

2001-01-01

To establish whether allergic asthma could be induced experimentally in a nonhuman primate using a common human allergen, three female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were sensitized with house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae) allergen (HDMA) by subcutaneous injection, followed by four intranasal sensitizations, and exposure to allergen aerosol 3 hours per day, 3 days per week for up to 13 weeks. Before aerosol challenge, all three monkeys skin-tested positive for HDMA. During aerosol challenge with HDMA, sensitized monkeys exhibited cough and rapid shallow breathing and increased airway resistance, which was reversed by albuterol aerosol treatment. Compared to nonsensitized monkeys, there was a fourfold reduction in the dose of histamine aerosol necessary to produce a 150% increase in airway resistance in sensitized monkeys. After aerosol challenge, serum levels of histamine were elevated in sensitized monkeys. Sensitized monkeys exhibited increased levels of HDMA-specific IgE in serum, numbers of eosinophils and exfoliated cells within lavage, and elevated CD25 expression on circulating CD4(+) lymphocytes. Intrapulmonary bronchi of sensitized monkeys had focal mucus cell hyperplasia, interstitial infiltrates of eosinophils, and thickening of the basement membrane zone. We conclude that a model of allergic asthma can be induced in rhesus monkeys using a protocol consisting of subcutaneous injection, intranasal instillation, and aerosol challenge with HDMA.

Allergic Asthma Induced in Rhesus Monkeys by House Dust Mite (Dermatophagoides farinae)

PubMed Central

Schelegle, Edward S.; Gershwin, Laurel J.; Miller, Lisa A.; Fanucchi, Michelle V.; Van Winkle, Laura S.; Gerriets, Joan P.; Walby, William F.; Omlor, Amanda M.; Buckpitt, Alan R.; Tarkington, Brian K.; Wong, Viviana J.; Joad, Jesse P.; Pinkerton, Kent B.; Wu, Reen; Evans, Michael J.; Hyde, Dallas M.; Plopper, Charles G.

2001-01-01

To establish whether allergic asthma could be induced experimentally in a nonhuman primate using a common human allergen, three female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were sensitized with house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae) allergen (HDMA) by subcutaneous injection, followed by four intranasal sensitizations, and exposure to allergen aerosol 3 hours per day, 3 days per week for up to 13 weeks. Before aerosol challenge, all three monkeys skin-tested positive for HDMA. During aerosol challenge with HDMA, sensitized monkeys exhibited cough and rapid shallow breathing and increased airway resistance, which was reversed by albuterol aerosol treatment. Compared to nonsensitized monkeys, there was a fourfold reduction in the dose of histamine aerosol necessary to produce a 150% increase in airway resistance in sensitized monkeys. After aerosol challenge, serum levels of histamine were elevated in sensitized monkeys. Sensitized monkeys exhibited increased levels of HDMA-specific IgE in serum, numbers of eosinophils and exfoliated cells within lavage, and elevated CD25 expression on circulating CD4+ lymphocytes. Intrapulmonary bronchi of sensitized monkeys had focal mucus cell hyperplasia, interstitial infiltrates of eosinophils, and thickening of the basement membrane zone. We conclude that a model of allergic asthma can be induced in rhesus monkeys using a protocol consisting of subcutaneous injection, intranasal instillation, and aerosol challenge with HDMA. PMID:11141508

Germline transmission in transgenic Huntington's disease monkeys.

PubMed

Moran, Sean; Chi, Tim; Prucha, Melinda S; Ahn, Kwang Sung; Connor-Stroud, Fawn; Jean, Sherrie; Gould, Kenneth; Chan, Anthony W S

2015-07-15

Transgenic nonhuman primate models are an increasingly popular model for neurologic and neurodegenerative disease because their brain functions and neural anatomies closely resemble those of humans. Transgenic Huntington's disease monkeys (HD monkeys) developed clinical features similar to those seen in HD patients, making the monkeys suitable for a preclinical study of HD. However, until HD monkey colonies can be readily expanded, their use in preclinical studies will be limited. In the present study, we confirmed germline transmission of the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) transgene in both embryonic stem cells generated from three male HD monkey founders (F0) and in second-generation offspring (F1) produced via artificial insemination by using intrauterine insemination technique. A total of five offspring were produced from 15 females that were inseminated by intrauterine insemination using semen collected from the three HD founders (5 of 15, 33%). Thus far, sperm collected from the HD founder (rHD8) has led to two F1 transgenic HD monkeys with germline transmission rate at 100% (2 of 2). mHTT expression was confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction using skin fibroblasts from the F1 HD monkeys and induced pluripotent stem cells established from one of the F1 HD monkeys (rHD8-2). Here, we report the stable germline transmission and expression of the mHTT transgene in HD monkeys, which suggest possible expansion of HD monkey colonies for preclinical and biomedical research studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of an Adenovirus-based Anti-cocaine Vaccine to Reduce Cocaine Self-administration and Reacqusition using a Choice Procedure in Rhesus Macaques

PubMed Central

Evans, Suzette M.; Foltin, Richard W.; Hicks, Martin J.; Rosenberg, Jonathan B.; De, Bishnu P.; Janda, Kim D.; Kaminsky, Stephen M.; Crystal, Ronald G.

2016-01-01

Immunopharmacotherapy offers an approach for treating cocaine abuse by specifically targeting the cocaine molecule and preventing its access to the CNS. dAd5GNE is a novel cocaine vaccine that attenuates the stimulant and the reinforcing effects of cocaine in rats. The goal of this study was to extend and validate dAd5GNE vaccine efficacy in non-human primates. Six experimentally naïve adult female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained to self-administer 0.1 mg/kg/injection intravenous (i.v.) cocaine or receive candy; then 4 monkeys were administered the vaccine and 2 monkeys were administered vehicle intramuscularly, with additional vaccine boosts throughout the study. The reinforcing effects of cocaine were measured during self-administration, extinction, and reacquisition (relapse) phases. Serum antibody titers in the vaccinated monkeys remained high throughout the study. There was no change in the preference for cocaine over candy over a 20-week period in 5 of the 6 monkeys; only one of the 4 (25%) vaccinated monkeys showed a decrease in cocaine choice. All 6 monkeys extinguished responding for cocaine during saline extinction testing; vaccinated monkeys tended to take longer to extinguish responding than control monkeys (17.5 vs. 7.0 sessions). Vaccination substantially retarded reacquisition of cocaine self-administration; control monkeys resumed cocaine self-administration within 6–41 sessions and 1 vaccinated monkey resumed cocaine self-administration in 19 sessions. The other 3 vaccinated monkeys required between 57–94 sessions to resume cocaine self-administration even in the context of employing several manipulations to encourage cocaine reacquisition. These data suggest that the dAdGNE vaccine may have therapeutic potential for humans who achieve cocaine abstinence as part of a relapse prevention strategy. PMID:27697554

Cup tool use by squirrel monkeys.

PubMed

Buckmaster, Christine L; Hyde, Shellie A; Parker, Karen J; Lyons, David M

2015-12-01

Captive-born male and female squirrel monkeys spontaneously 'invented' a cup tool use technique to Contain (i.e., hold and control) food they reduced into fragments for consumption and to Contain water collected from a valve to drink. Food cup use was observed more frequently than water cup use. Observations indicate that 68% (n = 39/57) of monkeys in this population used a cup (a plastic slip cap) to Contain food, and a subset of these monkeys, 10% (n = 4/39), also used a cup to Contain water. Cup use was optional and did not replace, but supplemented, the hand/arm-to-mouth eating and direct valve drinking exhibited by all members of the population. Strategies monkeys used to bring food and cups together for food processing activity at preferred upper-level perching areas, in the arboreal-like environment in which they lived, provides evidence that monkeys may plan food processing activity with the cups. Specifically, prior to cup use monkeys obtained a cup first before food, or obtained food and a cup from the floor simultaneously, before transporting both items to upper-level perching areas. After food processing activity with cups monkeys rarely dropped the cups and more often placed the cups onto perching. Monkeys subsequently returned to use cups that they previously placed on perching after food processing activity. The latter behavior is consistent with the possibility that monkeys may keep cups at preferred perching sites for future food processing activity and merits experimental investigation. Reports of spontaneous tool use by squirrel monkeys are rare and this is the first report of population-level tool use. These findings offer insights into the cognitive abilities of squirrel monkeys and provide a new context for behavior studies with this genus and for comparative studies with other primates. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Molecular cloning and characterization of rhesus monkey platelet glycoprotein Ibα, a major ligand-binding subunit of GPIb-IX-V complex.

PubMed

Qiao, Jianlin; Shen, Yang; Shi, Meimei; Lu, Yanrong; Cheng, Jingqiu; Chen, Younan

2014-05-01

Through binding to von Willebrand factor (VWF), platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ibα, the major ligand-binding subunit of the GPIb-IX-V complex, initiates platelet adhesion and aggregation in response to exposed VWF or elevated fluid-shear stress. There is little data regarding non-human primate platelet GPIbα. This study cloned and characterized rhesus monkey (Macaca Mullatta) platelet GPIbα. DNAMAN software was used for sequence analysis and alignment. N/O-glycosylation sites and 3-D structure modelling were predicted by online OGPET v1.0, NetOGlyc 1.0 Server and SWISS-MODEL, respectively. Platelet function was evaluated by ADP- or ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation. Rhesus monkey GPIbα contains 2,268 nucleotides with an open reading frame encoding 755 amino acids. Rhesus monkey GPIbα nucleotide and protein sequences share 93.27% and 89.20% homology respectively, with human. Sequences encoding the leucine-rich repeats of rhesus monkey GPIbα share strong similarity with human, whereas PEST sequences and N/O-glycosylated residues vary. The GPIbα-binding residues for thrombin, filamin A and 14-3-3ζ are highly conserved between rhesus monkey and human. Platelet function analysis revealed monkey and human platelets respond similarly to ADP, but rhesus monkey platelets failed to respond to low doses of ristocetin where human platelets achieved 76% aggregation. However, monkey platelets aggregated in response to higher ristocetin doses. Monkey GPIbα shares strong homology with human GPIbα, however there are some differences in rhesus monkey platelet activation through GPIbα engagement, which need to be considered when using rhesus monkey platelet to investigate platelet GPIbα function. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Vaccination of rhesus monkeys with recombinant antigen fragments and protection from hepatitis E virus infection].

PubMed

Ma, Yan-bing; Xie, Tian-hong; Zhang, Guang-ming; Li, Chun-hong; Dai, Xie-Jie; Dai, Chang-bai; Sun, Mao-sheng; Lu, Jian; Bi, Sheng-li

2002-12-01

To observe anti-HEV IgG response to vaccination of recombinant antigen fragments and evaluate its protection from Hepatitis E Virus infection in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Twelve monkeys were divided into three groups and immunized respectively with three different recombinant antigens: namely Ag1 (carboxyl terminal 431 amino acids of ORF2), Ag2 (128aa fragment at the carboxyl terminal of ORF2), and Ag3 (full length ORF3 ligated with two ORF2 fragments encoded by 6743-7126nt and 6287-6404nt). The monkeys were challenged intravenously with fecal suspension from experimentally infected rhesus monkeys, and the other three monkeys served as the placebo group for challenge with HEV. The dynamic changes of the levels of ALT and anti-HEV IgG were examined. Pathological changes of liver tissue were observed by light microscope. Excretion of virus was detected by RT-nPCR. Hepatic histopathology of two monkeys in the placebo group was consistent with acute viral hepatitis, and ALT was elevated 3-4 weeks after inoculated with virus, up to 10-20 times higher than normal level. The liver tissue of monkeys immunized with antigen kept normal, ALT in several monkeys elevated mildly, and anti-HEV IgG conversation occurred at 1-2 weeks after vaccination, with the titer reaching 1:12,800. The virus RNA could be detected by RT-nPCR from days 7 to 50 in monkeys of control group, and from days 7 to 21 in vaccinated monkeys after challenged with virus. The recombinant antigens could induce the production of anti-HEV IgG, which protected rhesus monkeys from acute Hepatitis symptoms related to HEV infection.

Cloning of Macaque Monkeys by Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer.

PubMed

Liu, Zhen; Cai, Yijun; Wang, Yan; Nie, Yanhong; Zhang, Chenchen; Xu, Yuting; Zhang, Xiaotong; Lu, Yong; Wang, Zhanyang; Poo, Muming; Sun, Qiang

2018-02-08

Generation of genetically uniform non-human primates may help to establish animal models for primate biology and biomedical research. In this study, we have successfully cloned cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). We found that injection of H3K9me3 demethylase Kdm4d mRNA and treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A at one-cell stage following SCNT greatly improved blastocyst development and pregnancy rate of transplanted SCNT embryos in surrogate monkeys. For SCNT using fetal monkey fibroblasts, 6 pregnancies were confirmed in 21 surrogates and yielded 2 healthy babies. For SCNT using adult monkey cumulus cells, 22 pregnancies were confirmed in 42 surrogates and yielded 2 babies that were short-lived. In both cases, genetic analyses confirmed that the nuclear DNA and mitochondria DNA of the monkey offspring originated from the nucleus donor cell and the oocyte donor monkey, respectively. Thus, cloning macaque monkeys by SCNT is feasible using fetal fibroblasts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lactobacillus and Pediococcus species richness and relative abundance in the vagina of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Gravett, Michael G.; Jin, Ling; Pavlova, Sylvia I.; Tao, Lin

2012-01-01

Background The rhesus monkey is an important animal model to study human vaginal health to which lactic acid bacteria play a significant role. However, the vaginal lactic acid bacterial species richness and relative abundance in rhesus monkeys is largely unknown. Methods Vaginal swab samples were aseptically obtained from 200 reproductive aged female rhesus monkeys. Following Rogosa agar plating, single bacterial colonies representing different morphotypes were isolated and analyzed for whole-cell protein profile, species-specifc PCR, and 16S rRNA gene sequence. Results A total of 510 Lactobacillus strains of 17 species and one Pediococcus acidilactici were identified. The most abundant species was L. reuteri, which colonized the vaginas of 86% monkeys. L. johnsonii was the second most abundant species, which colonized 36% of monkeys. The majority of monkeys were colonized by multiple Lactobacillus species. Conclusions The vaginas of rhesus monkeys are frequently colonized by multiple Lactobacillus species, dominated by L. reuteri. PMID:22429090

Lentivirus-mediated RNA interference of vascular endothelial growth factor in monkey eyes with iris neovascularization.

PubMed

Yuan, Meng-Ke; Tao, Yong; Yu, Wen-Zhen; Kai, Wang; Jiang, Yan-Rong

2010-08-25

To explore the in vivo anti-angiogenesis effects resulting from lentivirus-mediated RNAi of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in monkeys with iris neovascularization (INV). Five specific recombinant lentiviral vectors for RNA interference, targeting Macaca mulatta VEGFA, were designed and the one with best knock down efficacy (LV-GFP-VEGFi1) in H1299 cells and RF/6A cells was selected by real-time PCR for in vivo use. A laser-induced retinal vein occlusion model was established in one eye of seven cynomolgus monkeys. In monkeys number 1, 3, and 5 (Group 1), the virus (1x10(8) particles) was intravitreally injected into the preretinal space of the animal's eye immediately after laser coagulation; and in monkeys number 2, 4, and 6 (Group 2), the virus (1x10(8) particles) was injected at 10 days after laser coagulation. In monkey number 7, a blank control injection was performed. In monkeys number 1 and 2, virus without RNAi sequence was used; in monkeys number 3 and 4, virus with nonspecific RNAi sequence was used; and in monkeys 5 and 6, LV-GFP-VEGFi1 was used. In monkey number 5, at 23 days after laser treatment, no obvious INV was observed, while fluorescein angiography of the iris revealed high fluorescence at the margin of pupil and point posterior synechiae. At 50 days after laser treatment, only a slight ectropion uvea was found. However, in the other eyes, obvious INV or hyphema was observed. The densities of new iridic vessels all significantly varied: between monkey number 5 and number 3 (36.01+/-4.49/mm(2) versus 48.68+/-9.30/mm(2), p=0.025), between monkey number 3 and monkey number 7 (48.68+/-9.30/mm(2) versus 74.38+/-9.23/mm(2), p=0.002), and between monkey number 5 and number 7 (36.01+/-4.49/mm(2) versus 74.38+/-9.23/mm(2), p<0.001). Lentivirus-mediated RNAi of VEGF may be a new strategy to treat iris neovascularization, while further studies are needed to investigate the long-term effect.

Using infective mosquitoes to challenge monkeys with Plasmodium knowlesi in malaria vaccine studies.

PubMed

Murphy, Jittawadee R; Weiss, Walter R; Fryauff, David; Dowler, Megan; Savransky, Tatyana; Stoyanov, Cristina; Muratova, Olga; Lambert, Lynn; Orr-Gonzalez, Sachy; Zeleski, Katie Lynn; Hinderer, Jessica; Fay, Michael P; Joshi, Gyan; Gwadz, Robert W; Richie, Thomas L; Villasante, Eileen Franke; Richardson, Jason H; Duffy, Patrick E; Chen, Jingyang

2014-06-03

When rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are used to test malaria vaccines, animals are often challenged by the intravenous injection of sporozoites. However, natural exposure to malaria comes via mosquito bite, and antibodies can neutralize sporozoites as they traverse the skin. Thus, intravenous injection may not fairly assess humoral immunity from anti-sporozoite malaria vaccines. To better assess malaria vaccines in rhesus, a method to challenge large numbers of monkeys by mosquito bite was developed. Several species and strains of mosquitoes were tested for their ability to produce Plasmodium knowlesi sporozoites. Donor monkey parasitaemia effects on oocyst and sporozoite numbers and mosquito mortality were documented. Methylparaben added to mosquito feed was tested to improve mosquito survival. To determine the number of bites needed to infect a monkey, animals were exposed to various numbers of P. knowlesi-infected mosquitoes. Finally, P. knowlesi-infected mosquitoes were used to challenge 17 monkeys in a malaria vaccine trial, and the effect of number of infectious bites on monkey parasitaemia was documented. Anopheles dirus, Anopheles crascens, and Anopheles dirus X (a cross between the two species) produced large numbers of P. knowlesi sporozoites. Mosquito survival to day 14, when sporozoites fill the salivary glands, averaged only 32% when donor monkeys had a parasitaemia above 2%. However, when donor monkey parasitaemia was below 2%, mosquitoes survived twice as well and contained ample sporozoites in their salivary glands. Adding methylparaben to sugar solutions did not improve survival of infected mosquitoes. Plasmodium knowlesi was very infectious, with all monkeys developing blood stage infections if one or more infected mosquitoes successfully fed. There was also a dose-response, with monkeys that received higher numbers of infected mosquito bites developing malaria sooner. Anopheles dirus, An. crascens and a cross between these two species all were excellent vectors for P. knowlesi. High donor monkey parasitaemia was associated with poor mosquito survival. A single infected mosquito bite is likely sufficient to infect a monkey with P. knowlesi. It is possible to efficiently challenge large groups of monkeys by mosquito bite, which will be useful for P. knowlesi vaccine studies.

Reference values of clinical chemistry and hematology parameters in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Chen, Younan; Qin, Shengfang; Ding, Yang; Wei, Lingling; Zhang, Jie; Li, Hongxia; Bu, Hong; Lu, Yanrong; Cheng, Jingqiu

2009-01-01

Rhesus monkey models are valuable to the studies of human biology. Reference values for clinical chemistry and hematology parameters of rhesus monkeys are required for proper data interpretation. Whole blood was collected from 36 healthy Chinese rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) of either sex, 3 to 5 yr old. Routine chemistry and hematology parameters, and some special coagulation parameters including thromboelastograph and activities of coagulation factors were tested. We presented here the baseline values of clinical chemistry and hematology parameters in normal Chinese rhesus monkeys. These data may provide valuable information for veterinarians and investigators using rhesus monkeys in experimental studies.

Systems Biology of the Vervet Monkey

PubMed Central

Jasinska, Anna J.; Schmitt, Christopher A.; Service, Susan K.; Cantor, Rita M.; Dewar, Ken; Jentsch, James D.; Kaplan, Jay R.; Turner, Trudy R.; Warren, Wesley C.; Weinstock, George M.; Woods, Roger P.; Freimer, Nelson B.

2013-01-01

Nonhuman primates (NHP) provide crucial biomedical model systems intermediate between rodents and humans. The vervet monkey (also called the African green monkey) is a widely used NHP model that has unique value for genetic and genomic investigations of traits relevant to human diseases. This article describes the phylogeny and population history of the vervet monkey and summarizes the use of both captive and wild vervet monkeys in biomedical research. It also discusses the effort of an international collaboration to develop the vervet monkey as the most comprehensively phenotypically and genomically characterized NHP, a process that will enable the scientific community to employ this model for systems biology investigations. PMID:24174437

Exposure of the endangered golden monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) to heavy metals: a comparison of wild and captive animals.

PubMed

Liu, Qiang; Chen, Yi-Ping; Maltby, Lorraine; Ma, Qing-Yi

2015-05-01

Golden monkeys are endemic to China and of high conservation concern. Conservation strategies include captive breeding, but the success of captive breeding programs may be being compromised by environmental pollution. Heavy metal exposure of wild and captive golden monkeys living in the Qinling Mountains was assessed by measuring fecal metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Mn, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn). Captive monkeys were exposed to higher concentrations of As, Hg, Pb, and Cr than monkeys living in the wild, while high background levels of Mn led to high exposure of wild monkeys. Seasonal variations in metal exposures were detected for both wild and captive monkeys; possible reasons being seasonal changes in either diet (wild monkeys) or metal content of food (captive monkeys). Coal combustion, waste incineration, and traffic-related activities were identified as possible sources of heavy metals exposure for captive animals. Efforts to conserve this endangered primate are potentially compromised by metal pollutants derived from increasing anthropogenic activities. Providing captive animals with uncontaminated food and relocating captive breeding centers away from sources of pollution will reduce pollutant exposure; but ultimately, there is a need to improve environmental quality by controlling pollutants at source.

Knuckle walking signal in the manual digits of Pan and Gorilla.

PubMed

Matarazzo, Stacey

2008-01-01

This article examines the curvature of the manual proximal and middle phalanges of species belonging to Pan, Gorilla, Ateles, Macaca, Pongo, Hylobates, and Cebus to determine whether middle phalangeal curvature, when considered in conjunction with proximal phalangeal curvature, yields a locomotor signal. Prior studies have demonstrated the discriminatory power of proximal phalanges for separating suspensory species (including knuckle walkers) from pronograde quadrupedal species, but less emphasis has been placed on the distinguishing phalangeal characteristics of taxa within the suspensory category. This study demonstrates, first, that middle phalanges discriminate suspensory from nonsuspensory species, although not as cleanly as proximal phalanges. Finer discrimination of locomotor signals, including subtle differences among animals employing different modes of suspension, is possible through a comparison of the curvatures of the proximal phalanges and corresponding middle phalanges. Their relative curvature differs in quadrupeds, brachiators, and knuckle walkers. Knuckle walkers (Pan and Gorilla) have relatively little curvature of the middle phalanges coupled with marked curvature of the proximal phalanges, whereas brachiators (Ateles and Hylobates) display marked curvature of both proximal and middle phalanges, and pronograde quadrupeds (Cebus and Macaca) have relatively straight proximal and moderately curved middle phalanges. Quadrumanous climbers (Pongo) have a unique combination of traits, whereby curvature is high in both proximal and middle phalanges, but less so in the latter than the former. These differences, predictable on the basis of the biomechanical forces to which digits are subjected, may open a new venue for future research on the locomotor repertoire of prebipedal ancestors of hominins. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Effects of Habitat Structure and Fragmentation on Diversity and Abundance of Primates in Tropical Deciduous Forests in Bolivia.

PubMed

Pyritz, Lennart W; Büntge, Anna B S; Herzog, Sebastian K; Kessler, Michael

2010-10-01

Habitat structure and anthropogenic disturbance are known to affect primate diversity and abundance. However, researchers have focused on lowland rain forests, whereas endangered deciduous forests have been neglected. We aimed to investigate the relationships between primate diversity and abundance and habitat parameters in 10 deciduous forest fragments southeast of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. We obtained primate data via line-transect surveys and visual and acoustic observations. In addition, we assessed the vegetation structure (canopy height, understory density), size, isolation time, and surrounding forest area of the fragments. We interpreted our results in the context of the historical distribution data for primates in the area before fragmentation and interviews with local people. We detected 5 of the 8 historically observed primate species: Alouatta caraya, Aotus azarae boliviensis, Callithrix melanura, Callicebus donacophilus, and Cebus libidinosus juruanus. Total species number and detection rates decreased with understory density. Detection rates also negatively correlated with forest areas in the surroundings of a fragment, which may be due to variables not assessed, i.e., fragment shape, distance to nearest town. Observations for Alouatta and Aotus were too few to conduct further statistics. Cebus and Callicebus were present in 90% and 70% of the sites, respectively, and their density did not correlate with any of the habitat variables assessed, signaling high ecological plasticity and adaptability to anthropogenic impact in these species. Detections of Callithrix were higher in areas with low forest strata. Our study provides baseline data for future fragmentation studies in Neotropical dry deciduous forests and sets a base for specific conservation measures.

Induction, management, and complications of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in rhesus monkeys.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Min; Shin, Jun-Seop; Min, Byoung-Hoon; Kim, Hyun-Je; Kim, Jung-Sik; Yoon, Il-Hee; Jeong, Won-Young; Lee, Ga-Eul; Kim, Min-Sun; Kim, Ju-Eun; Jin, Sang-Man; Park, Chung-Gyu

2016-11-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) model using streptozotocin (STZ) which induces chemical ablation of β cell in the pancreas has been widely used for various research purposes in non-human primates. However, STZ has been known to have a variety of adverse effects such as nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and even mortality. The purpose of this study is to report DM induction by STZ, toxicity associated with STZ and procedure and complication of exogenous insulin treatment for DM management in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) that are expected to be transplanted with porcine islets within 2 months. Streptozotocin (immediately dissolved in normal saline, 110 mg/kg) was slowly infused via central catheter for 10 minutes in 22 rhesus monkeys. Clinical signs, complete blood count and blood chemistry were monitored to evaluate toxicity for 1 week after STZ injection. Monkey basal C-peptides were measured and intravenous glucose tolerance test was performed to confirm complete induction of DM. Exogenous insulin was subcutaneously injected to maintain blood glucose in diabetic rhesus monkeys and the complications were recorded while in insulin treatment. Severe salivation and vomiting were observed within 1 hour after STZ injection in 22 rhesus monkeys. One monkey died at 6 hours after STZ injection and the reason for the death was unknown. Pancreatitis was noticed in one monkey after STZ injection, but the monkey recovered after 5 days by medical treatment. Serum total protein and albumin decreased whereas the parameters for the liver function such as aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase significantly increased (P<.05) after STZ injection, but they were resolved within 1 week. Azotemia was not observed. Monkey fasting C-peptide levels after STZ injection were <0.1 ng/mL in 18 rhesus monkeys, but 0.34, 0.22, 0.16 ng/mL in three monkeys, respectively. The value of daily insulin requirement was 0.92±0.26IU/kg/d (range=0.45-1.29) in the monkeys. Diabetic ketoacidosis was observed in one rhesus monkeys, but the monkey recovered after 24 hours by fluid and insulin treatment. Streptozotocin was effective for inducing DM in rhesus monkeys, but various adverse effects such as pancreatitis, liver toxicity or death were observed. Therefore, careful and suitable medical managements should be implemented to eliminate the risks of mortality and severe adverse effects. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of an intragastric challenge model for Shigella dysenteriae 1 in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) for the pre-clinical assessment of Shigella vaccine formulations

PubMed Central

Islam, Dilara; Ruamsap, Nattaya; Khantapura, Patchariya; Aksomboon, Ajchara; Srijan, Apichai; Wongstitwilairoong, Boonchai; Bodhidatta, Ladaporn; Gettayacamin, Montip; Venkatesan, Malabi M; Mason, Carl J

2014-01-01

Shigellosis is a worldwide disease, characterized by abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and the passage of blood- and mucus-streaked stools. Rhesus monkeys and other primates are the only animals that are naturally susceptible to shigellosis. A suitable animal model is required for the pre-clinical evaluation of vaccines candidates. In this study, the minimal dose of Shigella dysenteriae1 1617 strain required to produce dysentery in four of five (80% attack rate) monkeys using an escalating dose range for three groups [2 × 108, 2 × 109 and 2 × 1010 colony forming unit (CFU)] was determined. In addition, the monkeys were re-infected. The identified optimal challenge dose was 2 × 109 CFU; this dose elicited 60% protection in monkeys when they were re-challenged with a one log higher dose (2 × 1010 CFU). The challenge dose, 2 × 1010 CFU, produced severe dysentery in all monkeys, with one monkey dying within 24 h, elicited 100% protection when re-challenged with the same dose. All monkeys exhibited immune responses. This study concludes that the rhesus monkey model closely mimics the disease and immune response seen in humans and is a suitable animal model for the pre-clinical evaluation of Shigella vaccine candidates. Prior infection with the 1617 strain can protect monkeys against subsequent re-challenges with homologous strains. PMID:24028276

Androgen resistance in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.).

PubMed

Gross, Katherine L; Westberry, Jenne M; Hubler, Tina R; Sadosky, Patti W; Singh, Ravinder J; Taylor, Robert L; Scammell, Jonathan G

2008-08-01

The goal of this study was to understand the basis for high androgen levels in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.). Mass spectrometry was used to analyze serum testosterone, androstenedione, and dihydrotestosterone of male squirrel monkeys during the nonbreeding (n = 7) and breeding (n = 10) seasons. All hormone levels were elevated compared with those of humans, even during the nonbreeding season; the highest levels occurred during the breeding season. The ratio of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in squirrel monkeys is high during the breeding season compared to man. Squirrel monkeys may have high testosterone to compensate for inefficient metabolism to dihydrotestosterone. We also investigated whether squirrel monkeys have high androgens to compensate for low-activity androgen receptors (AR). The response to dihydrotestosterone in squirrel monkey cells transfected with AR and AR-responsive reporter plasmids was 4-fold, compared with 28-fold in human cells. This result was not due to overexpression of cellular FKBP51, which causes glucocorticoid and progestin resistance in squirrel monkeys, because overexpression of FKBP51 had no effect on dihydrotestosterone-stimulated reporter activity in a human fibroblast cell line. To test whether the inherently low levels of FKBP52 in squirrel monkeys contribute to androgen insensitivity, squirrel monkey cells were transfected with an AR expression plasmid, an AR-responsive reporter plasmid, and a plasmid expressing FKBP52. Expression of FKBP52 decreased the EC50 or increased the maximal response to dihydrotestosterone. Therefore, the high androgen levels in squirrel monkeys likely compensate for their relatively low 5 alpha-reductase activity during the breeding season and AR insensitivity resulting from low cellular levels of FKBP52.

The Monkey game: A computerized verbal working memory task for self-reliant administration in primary school children.

PubMed

Van de Weijer-Bergsma, Eva; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H; Jolani, Shahab; Van Luit, Johannes E H

2016-06-01

In two studies, the psychometric properties of an online self-reliant verbal working memory task (the Monkey game) for primary school children (6-12 years of age) were examined. In Study 1, children (n = 5,203) from 31 primary schools participated. The participants completed computerized verbal and visual-spatial working memory tasks (i.e., the Monkey game and the Lion game) and a paper-and-pencil version of Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices. Reading comprehension and math achievement test scores were obtained from the schools. First, the internal consistency of the Monkey game was examined. Second, multilevel modeling was used to examine the effects of classroom membership. Multilevel multivariate regression analysis was used to examine the Monkey game's concurrent relationship with the Lion game and its predictive relationships with reading comprehension and math achievement. Also, age-related differences in performance were examined. In Study 2, the concurrent relationships between the Monkey game and two tester-led computerized working memory tasks were further examined (n = 140). Also, the 1- and 2-year stability of the Monkey game was investigated. The Monkey game showed excellent internal consistency, good concurrent relationships with the other working memory measures, and significant age differences in performance. Performance on the Monkey game was also predictive of subsequent reading comprehension and mathematics performance, even after controlling for individual differences in intelligence. Performance on the Monkey game was influenced by classroom membership. The Monkey game is a reliable and suitable instrument for the online computerized and self-reliant assessment of verbal working memory in primary school children.

Sterile Protection against Plasmodium knowlesi in Rhesus Monkeys from a Malaria Vaccine: Comparison of Heterologous Prime Boost Strategies

PubMed Central

Jiang, George; Shi, Meng; Conteh, Solomon; Richie, Nancy; Banania, Glenna; Geneshan, Harini; Valencia, Anais; Singh, Priti; Aguiar, Joao; Limbach, Keith; Kamrud, Kurt I.; Rayner, Jonathan; Smith, Jonathan; Bruder, Joseph T.; King, C. Richter; Tsuboi, Takafumi; Takeo, Satoru; Endo, Yaeta; Doolan, Denise L.; Richie, Thomas L.; Weiss, Walter R.

2009-01-01

Using newer vaccine platforms which have been effective against malaria in rodent models, we tested five immunization regimens against Plasmodium knowlesi in rhesus monkeys. All vaccines included the same four P. knowlesi antigens: the pre-erythrocytic antigens CSP, SSP2, and erythrocytic antigens AMA1, MSP1. We used four vaccine platforms for prime or boost vaccinations: plasmids (DNA), alphavirus replicons (VRP), attenuated adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad), or attenuated poxvirus (Pox). These four platforms combined to produce five different prime/boost vaccine regimens: Pox alone, VRP/Pox, VRP/Ad, Ad/Pox, and DNA/Pox. Five rhesus monkeys were immunized with each regimen, and five Control monkeys received a mock vaccination. The time to complete vaccinations was 420 days. All monkeys were challenged twice with 100 P. knowlesi sporozoites given IV. The first challenge was given 12 days after the last vaccination, and the monkeys receiving the DNA/Pox vaccine were the best protected, with 3/5 monkeys sterilely protected and 1/5 monkeys that self-cured its parasitemia. There was no protection in monkeys that received Pox malaria vaccine alone without previous priming. The second sporozoite challenge was given 4 months after the first. All 4 monkeys that were protected in the first challenge developed malaria in the second challenge. DNA, VRP and Ad5 vaccines all primed monkeys for strong immune responses after the Pox boost. We discuss the high level but short duration of protection in this experiment and the possible benefits of the long interval between prime and boost. PMID:19668343

Outbreak of pasteurellosis in captive Bolivian squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis)

PubMed Central

YOSHINO, Mizuki; SASAKI, Jun; KURAMOCHI, Konomi; IKEZAWA, Mitsutaka; MUKAIZAWA, Natsuko; GORYO, Masanobu

2017-01-01

In September 2012, five Bolivian squirrel monkeys housed in a zoological park died within sequential several days without obvious clinical signs. In a necrospy, one monkey presented swelling of the kidney with multifocal white nodules in the parenchyma, and other two had pulmonary congestion. Histopathologically, multifocal bacterial colonies of gram-negative coccobacillus were found in the sinusoid of the liver in all monkeys examined (Nos.1−4). Additionally, purulent pyelonephritis, pneumonia and disseminated small bacterial colonies in blood vessels were observed. Immunohistochemically, the bacterial colonies from two monkeys were positive for P. multocida capsular serotype D. Based on these findings, these monkeys were diagnosed as septicemia caused by acute P. multocida infection. PMID:28190821

Outbreak of larval Echinococcus multilocularis infection in Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata) in a zoo, Hokkaido: western blotting patterns in the infected monkeys.

PubMed

Sato, Chiaki; Kawase, Shiro; Yano, Shoki; Nagano, Hideki; Fujimoto, Satoshi; Kobayashi, Nobuyuki; Miyahara, Kazuro; Yamada, Kazutaka; Sato, Motoyoshi; Kobayashi, Yoshiyasu

2005-01-01

A high prevalence of larval Echinococcus multilocularis (Em) infection was found in zoo primates in Hokkaido, Japan. In October 1997, a Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata) died and histopathologically diagnosed as alveolar hydatidosis. Serum samples were collected from the remaining Japanese monkeys and examined for antibodies against Em by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting. Serological tests showed 12 more animals of the remaining 57 monkeys were possibly infected. Ultrasonography revealed that nine of these 12 animals had a cystic lesion in the liver. The band patterns of western blotting in the monkeys were very similar to those in human.

Outbreak of pasteurellosis in captive Bolivian squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis).

PubMed

Yoshino, Mizuki; Sasaki, Jun; Kuramochi, Konomi; Ikezawa, Mitsutaka; Mukaizawa, Natsuko; Goryo, Masanobu

2017-03-23

In September 2012, five Bolivian squirrel monkeys housed in a zoological park died within sequential several days without obvious clinical signs. In a necrospy, one monkey presented swelling of the kidney with multifocal white nodules in the parenchyma, and other two had pulmonary congestion. Histopathologically, multifocal bacterial colonies of gram-negative coccobacillus were found in the sinusoid of the liver in all monkeys examined (Nos.1-4). Additionally, purulent pyelonephritis, pneumonia and disseminated small bacterial colonies in blood vessels were observed. Immunohistochemically, the bacterial colonies from two monkeys were positive for P. multocida capsular serotype D. Based on these findings, these monkeys were diagnosed as septicemia caused by acute P. multocida infection.

Pancreas anatomy and surgical procedure for pancreatectomy in rhesus monkeys.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Fu, Lan; Lu, Yan-Rong; Guo, Zhi-Guang; Zhang, Zhao-Da; Cheng, Jing-Qiu; Hu, Wei-Ming; Liu, Xu-Bao; Mai, Gang; Zeng, Yong; Tian, Bo-Le

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the pancreas anatomy and surgical procedure for harvesting pancreas for islet isolation while performing pancreatectomy to induce diabetes in rhesus monkeys. The necropsy was performed in three cadaveric monkeys. Two monkeys underwent the total pancreatectomy and four underwent partial pancreatectomy (70-75%). The greater omentum without ligament to transverse colon, the cystic artery arising from the proper hepatic artery and the branches supplying the paries posterior gastricus from the splenic artery were observed. For pancreatectomy, resected pancreas can be used for islet isolation. Diabetes was not induced in the monkeys undergoing partial pancreatectomy (70-75%). Pancreas anatomy in rhesus monkeys is not the same as in human. Diabetes can be induced in rhesus monkeys by total but not partial pancreatectomy (70-75%). Resected pancreas can be used for islet isolation while performing pancreatectomy to induce diabetes. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Causal prophylactic efficacy of primaquine, tafenoquine, and atovaquone-proguanil against Plasmodium cynomolgi in a rhesus monkey model.

PubMed

DiTusa, Charles; Kozar, Michael P; Pybus, Brandon; Sousa, Jason; Berman, Jonathan; Gettayacamin, Montip; Im-erbsin, Rawiwan; Tungtaeng, Anchalee; Ohrt, Colin

2014-10-01

Since the 1940s, the large animal model to assess novel causal prophylactic antimalarial agents has been the Plasmodium cynomolgi sporozoite-infected Indian-origin rhesus monkey. In 2009 the model was reassessed with 3 clinical standards: primaquine (PQ), tafenoquine (TQ), and atovaquone-proguanil. Both control monkeys were parasitemic on day 8 post-sporozoite inoculation on day 0. Primaquine at 1.78 mg base/kg/day on days (-1) to 8 protected 1 monkey and delayed parasitemia patency of the other monkey to day 49. Tafenoquine at 6 mg base/kg/day on days (-1) to 1 protected both monkeys. However, atovaquone-proguanil at 10 mg atovaquone/kg/day on days (-1) to 8 did not protect either monkey and delayed patency only to days 18-19. Primaquine and TQ at the employed regimens are proposed as appropriate doses of positive control drugs for the model at present.

Behavioral Retardation in a Macaque with Autosomal Trisomy and Aging Mother.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waal, Frans B. M. de; And Others

1996-01-01

The social development of a female rhesus monkey was followed from birth until death, age 32 months. The monkey had an extra autosome and was hydrocephalic. The monkey showed serious motor deficiencies, delayed social development, poorly established dominance relationships, and heavy dependence on mother and kin. The monkey was, however, well…

Social Recovery of Monkeys Isolated for the First Year of Life: 1. Rehabilitation and Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novak, M. A.; Harlow, H. F.

1975-01-01

This experiment demonstrated that 12-month-old monkeys reared in social isolation developed appropriate species-typical behavior through the use of adaptation, self pacing of visual input and exposure to younger "therapist" monkeys. A critical period of socialization is not indicated in the rhesus monkey. (GO)

Monkey bites among US military members, Afghanistan, 2011.

PubMed

Mease, Luke E; Baker, Katheryn A

2012-10-01

Bites from Macaca mulatta monkeys, native to Afghanistan, can cause serious infections. To determine risk for US military members in Afghanistan, we reviewed records for September-December 2011. Among 126 animal bites and exposures, 10 were monkey bites. Command emphasis is vital for preventing monkey bites; provider training and bite reporting promote postexposure treatment.

Geophagy in brown spider monkeys (Ateles hybridus) in a lowland tropical rainforest in Colombia.

PubMed

Link, Andres; de Luna, Ana Gabriela; Arango, Ricardo; Diaz, Maria Clara

2011-01-01

Spider monkeys and howler monkeys are the only Neotropical primates that eat soil from mineral licks. Not all species within these genera visit mineral licks, and geophagy has been restricted to populations of Ateles belzebuth belzebuth,Ateles belzebuth chamek and Alouatta seniculus in western Amazonian rainforests. With the aid of a camera trap we studied the visitation patterns of a group of brown spider monkeys (Ateles hybridus) to a mineral lick at Serrania de Las Quinchas, in Colombia. Spider monkeys visited the lick frequently throughout the year, with a monthly average of 21.7 ± 7.2 visits per 100 days of camera trapping (n = 14 months). Spider monkeys visited the mineral lick almost always on days with no rain, or very little (<3 mm) rain, suggesting that proximate environmental variables might determine spider monkeys' decisions to come to the ground at the licks. This study expands the geographical occurrence of mineral lick use by spider monkeys providing additional data for future assessments on the biogeographical correlates of mineral lick use by platyrrhines. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Rhesus monkey lens as an in vitro model for studying oxidative stress

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zigler, J.S. Jr.; Lucas, V.A.; Du, X.Y.

1989-10-01

Lenses from young rhesus monkeys were incubated in the presence of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} or oxygen radical generating systems to determine their suitability as a model for investigating lenticular oxidative stress. Additionally, direct comparisons were made between the effects found with the monkey lenses and those observed with cultured rat lenses exposed to the same oxidizing systems. As in earlier studies with rat lenses the monkey lenses exhibited impaired ability to actively accumulate from the medium radioactively labelled rubidium and choline following exposure to oxidative stress. Based on the effects of various scavengers of oxygen radicals it appeared that themore » mechanisms responsible for lens damage were the same for both rat and monkey lenses. However, rat lenses were damaged by lower concentrations of oxidants than were monkey lenses. It was concluded that oxidative stress affects both rat and monkey lenses by similar mechanisms but that lenses from monkeys, and probably other primates, are more resistant to these effects because they have better endogenous antioxidant defenses.« less

Causal cognition in a non-human primate: field playback experiments with Diana monkeys.

PubMed

Zuberbühler, K

2000-09-14

Crested guinea fowls (Guttera pucherani) living in West African rainforests give alarm calls to leopards (Panthera pardus) and sometimes humans (Homo sapiens), two main predators of sympatric Diana monkeys (Cercopithecus diana). When hearing these guinea fowl alarm calls, Diana monkeys respond as if a leopard were present, suggesting that by default the monkeys associate guinea fowl alarm calls with the presence of a leopard. To assess the monkeys' level of causal understanding, I primed monkeys to the presence of either a leopard or a human, before exposing them to playbacks of guinea fowl alarm calls. There were significant differences in the way leopard-primed groups and human-primed groups responded to guinea fowl alarm calls, suggesting that the monkeys' response was not directly driven by the alarm calls themselves but by the calls' underlying cause, i.e. the predator most likely to have caused the calls. Results are discussed with respect to three possible cognitive mechanisms - associative learning, specialized learning programs, and causal reasoning - that could have led to causal knowledge in Diana monkeys.

An assessment of domain-general metacognitive responding in rhesus monkeys.

PubMed

Brown, Emily Kathryn; Templer, Victoria L; Hampton, Robert R

2017-02-01

Metacognition is the ability to monitor and control one's cognition. Monitoring may involve either public cues or introspection of private cognitive states. We tested rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in a series of generalization tests to determine which type of cues control metacognition. In Experiment 1, monkeys learned a perceptual discrimination in which a "decline-test" response allowed them to avoid tests and receive a guaranteed small reward. Monkeys declined more difficult than easy tests. In Experiments 2-4, we evaluated whether monkeys generalized this metacognitive responding to new perceptual tests. Monkeys showed a trend toward generalization in Experiments 2 & 3, and reliable generalization in Experiment 4. In Experiments 5 & 6, we presented the decline-test response in a delayed matching-to-sample task. Memory tests differed from perceptual tests in that the appearance of the test display could not control metacognitive responding. In Experiment 6, monkeys made prospective metamemory judgments before seeing the tests. Generalization across perceptual tests with different visual properties and mixed generalization from perceptual to memory tests provide provisional evidence that domain-general, private cues controlled metacognition in some monkeys. We observed individual differences in generalization, suggesting that monkeys differ in use of public and private metacognitive cues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of antibody to adult T-cell leukemia virus-associated antigens (ATLA) in Japanese monkeys and other non-human primates.

PubMed

Hayami, M; Komuro, A; Nozawa, K; Shotake, T; Ishikawa, K; Yamamoto, K; Ishida, T; Honjo, S; Hinuma, Y

1984-02-15

The prevalence of adult T-cell-leukemia virus (ATLV) infection was examined in Japanese monkeys living naturally in various parts of Japan and in other species of non-human primates imported into and kept in Japan. Sera of 2,650 Japanese monkeys from 41 troops throughout Japan were tested. High incidences of anti-ATLV-associated antigen (ATLA)-positive monkeys were found in most troops, not only in the endemic area of human ATL(Southwestern Japan), but also in non-endemic areas. The incidence of sero-positive individuals increased gradually with age, reaching a maximum when the animals became adult, indicating age dependency, like that found by epidemiological studies on humans. Anti-ATLA antibodies were also detected in 90 of 815 sera of imported non-human primates of 33 species other than Japanese monkeys. All the anti-ATLA sero-positive monkeys were Catarrhines (Old World monkeys), mainly macaques of Asian origin. Some sero-positive monkeys were also found among animals of African origin, but no antibody was detected in Prosimians and Platyrrhines (New World monkeys). The clear-cut difference between the geographical distribution of sero-positive simians and that of humans indicates the improbability of direct transmission of ATLV from simians to humans.

Molecular characterization of Blastocystis isolates from children and rhesus monkeys in Kathmandu, Nepal.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Hisao; Wu, Zhiliang; Pandey, Kishor; Pandey, Basu Dev; Sherchand, Jeevan Bahadur; Yanagi, Tetsuo; Kanbara, Hiroji

2009-03-23

To investigate the possible transmission of Blastocystis organisms between local rhesus monkeys and children in Kathmandu, Nepal, we compared the subtype (ST) and sequence of Blastocystis isolates from children with gastrointestinal symptoms and local rhesus monkeys. Twenty and 10 Blastocystis isolates were established from 82 and 10 fecal samples obtained from children and monkeys, respectively. Subtype analysis with seven sequence-tagged site (STS) primers indicated that the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. ST1, ST2 and ST3 was 20%, 20% and 60% in the child isolates, respectively. In contrast to human isolates, ST3 was not found in monkey isolates and the prevalence of ST1 and ST2 was 50% and 70%, respectively, including three mixed STs1 and 2 and one isolate not amplified by any STS primers, respectively. Since Blastocystis sp. ST2 has been reported as the most dominant genotype in the survey of Blastocystis infection among the various monkey species, sequence comparison of the 150bp variable region of the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene was conducted among ST2 isolates of humans and monkeys. Sequence alignment of 24 clones developed from ST2 isolates of 4 humans and 4 monkeys showed three distinct subgroups, defined as ST2A, ST2B and ST2C. These three subgroups were shared between the child and monkey isolates. These results suggest that the local rhesus monkeys are a possible source of Blastocystis sp. ST2 infection of humans in Kathmandu.

Evaluation of an intragastric challenge model for Shigella dysenteriae 1 in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) for the pre-clinical assessment of Shigella vaccine formulations.

PubMed

Islam, Dilara; Ruamsap, Nattaya; Khantapura, Patchariya; Aksomboon, Ajchara; Srijan, Apichai; Wongstitwilairoong, Boonchai; Bodhidatta, Ladaporn; Gettayacamin, Montip; Venkatesan, Malabi M; Mason, Carl J

2014-06-01

Shigellosis is a worldwide disease, characterized by abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and the passage of blood- and mucus-streaked stools. Rhesus monkeys and other primates are the only animals that are naturally susceptible to shigellosis. A suitable animal model is required for the pre-clinical evaluation of vaccines candidates. In this study, the minimal dose of Shigella dysenteriae1 1617 strain required to produce dysentery in four of five (80% attack rate) monkeys using an escalating dose range for three groups [2 × 10(8) , 2 × 10(9) and 2 × 10(10) colony forming unit (CFU)] was determined. In addition, the monkeys were re-infected. The identified optimal challenge dose was 2 × 10(9) CFU; this dose elicited 60% protection in monkeys when they were re-challenged with a one log higher dose (2 × 10(10) CFU). The challenge dose, 2 × 10(10) CFU, produced severe dysentery in all monkeys, with one monkey dying within 24 h, elicited 100% protection when re-challenged with the same dose. All monkeys exhibited immune responses. This study concludes that the rhesus monkey model closely mimics the disease and immune response seen in humans and is a suitable animal model for the pre-clinical evaluation of Shigella vaccine candidates. Prior infection with the 1617 strain can protect monkeys against subsequent re-challenges with homologous strains. © 2013 The Authors. APMIS published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Distribution and abundance of sacred monkeys in Igboland, southern Nigeria.

PubMed

Baker, Lynne R; Tanimola, Adebowale A; Olubode, Oluseun S; Garshelis, David L

2009-07-01

Although primates are hunted on a global scale, some species are protected against harassment and killing by taboos or religious doctrines. Sites where the killing of sacred monkeys or the destruction of sacred groves is forbidden may be integral to the conservation of certain species. In 2004, as part of a distribution survey of Sclater's guenon (Cercopithecus sclateri) in southern Nigeria, we investigated reports of sacred monkeys in the Igbo-speaking region of Nigeria. We confirmed nine new sites where primates are protected as sacred: four with tantalus monkeys (Chlorocebus tantalus) and five with mona monkeys (Cercopithecus mona). During 2004-2006, we visited two communities (Akpugoeze and Lagwa) previously known to harbor sacred populations of Ce. sclateri to estimate population abundance and trends. We directly counted all groups and compared our estimates with previous counts when available. We also estimated the size of sacred groves and compared these with grove sizes reported in the literature. The mean size of the sacred groves in Akpugoeze (2.06 ha, n = 10) was similar to others in Africa south of the Sahel, but larger than the average grove in Lagwa (0.49 ha, n = 15). We estimated a total population of 124 Sclater's monkeys in 15 groups in Lagwa and 193 monkeys in 20 groups in Akpugoeze. The Akpugoeze population was relatively stable over two decades, although the proportion of infants declined, and the number of groups increased. As Sclater's monkey does not occur in any official protected areas, sacred populations are important to the species' long-term conservation. Despite the monkeys' destruction of human crops, most local people still adhere to the custom of not killing monkeys. These sites represent ideal locations in which to study the ecology of Sclater's monkey and human-wildlife interactions. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Comprehensive Evaluation for Substrate Selectivity of Cynomolgus Monkey Cytochrome P450 2C9, a New Efavirenz Oxidase.

PubMed

Hosaka, Shinya; Murayama, Norie; Satsukawa, Masahiro; Uehara, Shotaro; Shimizu, Makiko; Iwasaki, Kazuhide; Iwano, Shunsuke; Uno, Yasuhiro; Yamazaki, Hiroshi

2015-07-01

Cynomolgus monkeys are widely used as primate models in preclinical studies, because of their evolutionary closeness to humans. In humans, the cytochrome P450 (P450) 2C enzymes are important drug-metabolizing enzymes and highly expressed in livers. The CYP2C enzymes, including CYP2C9, are also expressed abundantly in cynomolgus monkey liver and metabolize some endogenous and exogenous substances like testosterone, S-mephenytoin, and diclofenac. However, comprehensive evaluation regarding substrate specificity of monkey CYP2C9 has not been conducted. In the present study, 89 commercially available drugs were examined to find potential monkey CYP2C9 substrates. Among the compounds screened, 20 drugs were metabolized by monkey CYP2C9 at a relatively high rates. Seventeen of these compounds were substrates or inhibitors of human CYP2C9 or CYP2C19, whereas three drugs were not, indicating that substrate specificity of monkey CYP2C9 resembled those of human CYP2C9 or CYP2C19, with some differences in substrate specificities. Although efavirenz is known as a marker substrate for human CYP2B6, efavirenz was not oxidized by CYP2B6 but by CYP2C9 in monkeys. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that monkey CYP2C9 and human CYP2B6 formed the same mono- and di-oxidized metabolites of efavirenz at 8 and 14 positions. These results suggest that the efavirenz 8-oxidation could be one of the selective markers for cynomolgus monkey CYP2C9 among the major three CYP2C enzymes tested. Therefore, monkey CYP2C9 has the possibility of contributing to limited specific differences in drug oxidative metabolism between cynomolgus monkeys and humans. Copyright © 2015 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Aged monkeys as a partial model for Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Hurley, P J; Elsworth, J D; Whittaker, M C; Roth, R H; Redmond, D E

2011-09-01

Parkinson's Disease (PD) and the natural aging process share a number of biochemical mechanisms, including reduced function of dopaminergic systems. The present study aims to determine the extent that motor and behavioral changes in aged monkeys resemble parkinsonism induced by the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine. The behavioral and physiological changes in PD are believed to result largely from selective depletion of dopamine in the nigrostriatal system. In the present study, ten aged female monkeys were compared with three groups: 9 untreated young adult female monkeys, 10 young adult male monkeys and 13 older male monkeys that had been exposed to MPTP. Trained observers, blind as to age and drug condition and without knowledge of the hypotheses, scored the monkeys using the Parkinson's factor score (Parkscore), which has been validated by a high correlation with post mortem striatal dopamine (DA) concentrations. The aged animals had higher scores on the Parkscore compared with the young adults, with most of its component behavioral items showing significance (tremor, Eating Problems, Delayed initiation of movement, and Poverty of Movement). L-Dopa and DA-agonists did not clearly reverse the principal measure of parkinsonism. DA concentrations post mortem were 63% lower in 3 aged monkeys in the ventral putamen compared with 4 young adults, with greater reductions in putamen than in caudate (45%). We conclude that aged monkeys, unexposed to MPTP, show a similar profile of parkinsonism to that seen after the neurotoxin exposure to MPTP in young adult monkeys. The pattern of greater DA depletion in putamen than in caudate in aged monkeys is the same as in human Parkinson's disease and contrasts with the greater depletion in caudate seen after MPTP. Aged monkeys of this species reflect many facets of Parkinson's disease, but like older humans do not improve with standard dopamine replacement pharmacotherapies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aged monkeys as a partial model for Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Hurley, P.J.; Elsworth, J.D.; Whittaker, M.C.; Roth, R.H.; Redmond, D.E.

2011-01-01

Parkinson's Disease (PD) and the natural aging process share a number of biochemical mechanisms, including reduced function of dopaminergic systems. The present study aims to determine the extent that motor and behavioral changes in aged monkeys resemble parkinsonism induced by the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine. The behavioral and physiological changes in PD are believed to result largely from selective depletion of dopamine in the nigrostriatal system. In the present study, ten aged female monkeys were compared with three groups: 9 untreated young adult female monkeys, 10 young adult male monkeys and 13 older male monkeys that had been exposed to MPTP. Trained observers, blind as to age and drug condition and without knowledge of the hypotheses, scored the monkeys using the Parkinson's factor score (Parkscore), which has been validated by a high correlation with post mortem striatal dopamine (DA) concentrations. The aged animals had higher scores on the Parkscore compared with the young adults, with most of its component behavioral items showing significance (tremor, eating problems, delayed initiation of movement, and poverty of movement). L-Dopa and DA-agonists did not clearly reverse the principal measure of parkinsonism. DA concentrations post mortem were 63% lower in 3 aged monkeys in the ventral putamen compared with 4 young adults, with greater reductions in putamen than in caudate (45%). We conclude that aged monkeys, unexposed to MPTP, show a similar profile of parkinsonism to that seen after the neurotoxin exposure to MPTP in young adult monkeys. The pattern of greater DA depletion in putamen than in caudate in aged monkeys is the same as in human Parkinson's disease and contrasts with the greater depletion in caudate seen after MPTP. Aged monkeys of this species reflect many facets of Parkinson's disease, but like older humans do not improve with standard dopamine replacement pharmacotherapies. PMID:21620883

Pharmacokinetic modeling: Prediction and evaluation of route dependent dosimetry of bisphenol A in monkeys with extrapolation to humans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fisher, Jeffrey W., E-mail: jeffrey.fisher@fda.hhs.gov; Twaddle, Nathan C.; Vanlandingham, Michelle

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed for bisphenol A (BPA) in adult rhesus monkeys using intravenous (iv) and oral bolus doses of 100 {mu}g d6-BPA/kg (). This calibrated PBPK adult monkey model for BPA was then evaluated against published monkey kinetic studies with BPA. Using two versions of the adult monkey model based on monkey BPA kinetic data from and , the aglycone BPA pharmacokinetics were simulated for human oral ingestion of 5 mg d16-BPA per person (Voelkel et al., 2002). Voelkel et al. were unable to detect the aglycone BPA in plasma, but were able to detectmore » BPA metabolites. These human model predictions of the aglycone BPA in plasma were then compared to previously published PBPK model predictions obtained by simulating the Voelkel et al. kinetic study. Our BPA human model, using two parameter sets reflecting two adult monkey studies, both predicted lower aglycone levels in human serum than the previous human BPA PBPK model predictions. BPA was metabolized at all ages of monkey (PND 5 to adult) by the gut wall and liver. However, the hepatic metabolism of BPA and systemic clearance of its phase II metabolites appear to be slower in younger monkeys than adults. The use of the current non-human primate BPA model parameters provides more confidence in predicting the aglycone BPA in serum levels in humans after oral ingestion of BPA. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A bisphenol A (BPA) PBPK model for the infant and adult monkey was constructed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The hepatic metabolic rate of BPA increased with age of the monkey. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The systemic clearance rate of metabolites increased with age of the monkey. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gut wall metabolism of orally administered BPA was substantial across all ages of monkeys. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Aglycone BPA plasma concentrations were predicted in humans orally given oral doses of deuterated BPA.« less

Widespread and evolutionary analysis of a MITE family Monkey King in Brassicaceae.

PubMed

Dai, Shutao; Hou, Jinna; Long, Yan; Wang, Jing; Li, Cong; Xiao, Qinqin; Jiang, Xiaoxue; Zou, Xiaoxiao; Zou, Jun; Meng, Jinling

2015-06-19

Miniature inverted repeat transposable elements (MITEs) are important components of eukaryotic genomes, with hundreds of families and many copies, which may play important roles in gene regulation and genome evolution. However, few studies have investigated the molecular mechanisms involved. In our previous study, a Tourist-like MITE, Monkey King, was identified from the promoter region of a flowering time gene, BnFLC.A10, in Brassica napus. Based on this MITE, the characteristics and potential roles on gene regulation of the MITE family were analyzed in Brassicaceae. The characteristics of the Tourist-like MITE family Monkey King in Brassicaceae, including its distribution, copies and insertion sites in the genomes of major Brassicaceae species were analyzed in this study. Monkey King was actively amplified in Brassica after divergence from Arabidopsis, which was indicated by the prompt increase in copy number and by phylogenetic analysis. The genomic variations caused by Monkey King insertions, both intra- and inter-species in Brassica, were traced by PCR amplification. Genomic sequence analysis showed that most complete Monkey King elements are located in gene-rich regions, less than 3kb from genes, in both the B. rapa and A. thaliana genomes. Sixty-seven Brassica expressed sequence tags carrying Monkey King fragments were also identified from the NCBI database. Bisulfite sequencing identified specific DNA methylation of cytosine residues in the Monkey King sequence. A fragment containing putative TATA-box motifs in the MITE sequence could bind with nuclear protein(s) extracted from leaves of B. napus plants. A Monkey King-related microRNA, bna-miR6031, was identified in the microRNA database. In transgenic A. thaliana, when the Monkey King element was inserted upstream of 35S promoter, the promoter activity was weakened. Monkey King, a Brassicaceae Tourist-like MITE family, has amplified relatively recently and has induced intra- and inter-species genomic variations in Brassica. Monkey King elements are most abundant in the vicinity of genes and may have a substantial effect on genome-wide gene regulation in Brassicaceae. Monkey King insertions potentially regulate gene expression and genome evolution through epigenetic modification and new regulatory motif production.

Transmission of Staphylococcus aureus from Humans to Green Monkeys in The Gambia as Revealed by Whole-Genome Sequencing.

PubMed

Senghore, Madikay; Bayliss, Sion C; Kwambana-Adams, Brenda A; Foster-Nyarko, Ebenezer; Manneh, Jainaba; Dione, Michel; Badji, Henry; Ebruke, Chinelo; Doughty, Emma L; Thorpe, Harry A; Jasinska, Anna J; Schmitt, Christopher A; Cramer, Jennifer D; Turner, Trudy R; Weinstock, George; Freimer, Nelson B; Pallen, Mark J; Feil, Edward J; Antonio, Martin

2016-10-01

Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen of humans and animals. We genome sequenced 90 S. aureus isolates from The Gambia: 46 isolates from invasive disease in humans, 13 human carriage isolates, and 31 monkey carriage isolates. We inferred multiple anthroponotic transmissions of S. aureus from humans to green monkeys (Chlorocebus sabaeus) in The Gambia over different time scales. We report a novel monkey-associated clade of S. aureus that emerged from a human-to-monkey switch estimated to have occurred 2,700 years ago. Adaptation of this lineage to the monkey host is accompanied by the loss of phage-carrying genes that are known to play an important role in human colonization. We also report recent anthroponotic transmission of the well-characterized human lineages sequence type 6 (ST6) and ST15 to monkeys, probably because of steadily increasing encroachment of humans into the monkeys' habitat. Although we have found no evidence of transmission of S. aureus from monkeys to humans, as the two species come into ever-closer contact, there might be an increased risk of additional interspecies exchanges of potential pathogens. The population structures of Staphylococcus aureus in humans and monkeys in sub-Saharan Africa have been previously described using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). However, these data lack the power to accurately infer details regarding the origin and maintenance of new adaptive lineages. Here, we describe the use of whole-genome sequencing to detect transmission of S. aureus between humans and nonhuman primates and to document the genetic changes accompanying host adaptation. We note that human-to-monkey switches tend to be more common than the reverse and that a novel monkey-associated clade is likely to have emerged from such a switch approximately 2,700 years ago. Moreover, analysis of the accessory genome provides important clues as to the genetic changes underpinning host adaptation and, in particular, shows that human-to-monkey switches tend to be associated with the loss of genes known to confer adaptation to the human host. Copyright © 2016 Senghore et al.

Natural Plasmodium infection in monkeys in the state of Rondônia (Brazilian Western Amazon)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Simian malaria is still an open question concerning the species of Plasmodium parasites and species of New World monkeys susceptible to the parasites. In addition, the lingering question as to whether these animals are reservoirs for human malaria might become important especially in a scenario of eradication of the disease. To aid in the answers to these questions, monkeys were surveyed for malaria parasite natural infection in the Amazonian state of Rondônia, Brazil, a state with intense environmental alterations due to human activities, which facilitated sampling of the animals. Methods Parasites were detected and identified in DNA from blood of monkeys, by PCR with primers for the 18S rRNA, CSP and MSP1 genes and sequencing of the amplified fragments. Multiplex PCR primers for the 18S rRNA genes were designed for the parasite species Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae/Plasmodium brasilianum and Plasmodium simium. Results An overall infection rate of 10.9% was observed or 20 out 184 monkey specimens surveyed, mostly by P. brasilianum. However, four specimens of monkeys were found infected with P. falciparum, two of them doubly infected with P. brasilianum and P. falciparum. In addition, a species of monkey of the family Aotidae, Aotus nigriceps, is firstly reported here naturally infected with P. brasilianum. None of the monkeys surveyed was found infected with P. simium/P. vivax. Conclusion The rate of natural Plasmodium infection in monkeys in the Brazilian state of Rondônia is in line with previous surveys of simian malaria in the Amazon region. The fact that a monkey species was found that had not previously been described to harbour malaria parasites indicates that the list of monkey species susceptible to Plasmodium infection is yet to be completed. Furthermore, finding monkeys in the region infected with P. falciparum clearly indicates parasite transfer from humans to the animals. Whether this parasite can be transferred back to humans and how persistent the parasite is in monkeys in the wild so to be efficient reservoirs of the disease, is yet to be evaluated. Finding different species of monkeys infected with this parasite species suggests indeed that these animals can act as reservoirs of human malaria. PMID:23731624

Monkey Bites among US Military Members, Afghanistan, 2011

PubMed Central

Baker, Katheryn A.

2012-01-01

Bites from Macaca mulatta monkeys, native to Afghanistan, can cause serious infections. To determine risk for US military members in Afghanistan, we reviewed records for September–December 2011. Among 126 animal bites and exposures, 10 were monkey bites. Command emphasis is vital for preventing monkey bites; provider training and bite reporting promote postexposure treatment. PMID:23017939

Monkeys Match and Tally Quantities across Senses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Kerry E.; MacLean, Evan L.; Brannon, Elizabeth M.

2008-01-01

We report here that monkeys can actively match the number of sounds they hear to the number of shapes they see and present the first evidence that monkeys sum over sounds and sights. In Experiment 1, two monkeys were trained to choose a simultaneous array of 1-9 squares that numerically matched a sample sequence of shapes or sounds. Monkeys…

Get the Monkey off Your Back

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciabattini, David; Custer, Timothy J.

2008-01-01

Monkeys are the problems that need solutions, the tasks that need to be accomplished, the decisions that need to be made, and the actions that need to be taken. According to a theory, people carry monkeys around on their backs until they can successfully shift their burden to someone else and the monkey leaps from one back to the next. Managers…

Motion Sickness-Induced Food Aversions in the Squirrel Monkey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roy, M. Aaron; Brizzee, Kenneth R.

1979-01-01

Conditioned aversions to colored, flavored water were established in Squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) by following consumption with 90 min of simultaneous rotational and vertical stimulation. The experimental group (N= 13) drank significantly less of the green, almond-flavored test solution than did the control group (N=14) during three post-treatment preference testing days. Individual differences were noted in that two experimental monkeys readily drank the test solution after rotational stimulation. Only two of the experimental monkeys showed emesis during rotation, yet 10 monkeys in this group developed an aversion. These results suggest that: (1) motion sickness can be readily induced in Squirrel monkeys with simultaneous rotational and vertical stimulation, and (2) that conditioned food aversions are achieved in the absence of emesis in this species.

Characterization of the Sweet Taste Receptor Tas1r2 from an Old World Monkey Species Rhesus Monkey and Species-Dependent Activation of the Monomeric Receptor by an Intense Sweetener Perillartine

PubMed Central

Cai, Chenggu; Jiang, Hua; Li, Lei; Liu, Tianming; Song, Xuejie; Liu, Bo

2016-01-01

Sweet state is a basic physiological sensation of humans and other mammals which is mediated by the broadly acting sweet taste receptor-the heterodimer of Tas1r2 (taste receptor type 1 member 2) and Tas1r3 (taste receptor type 1 member 3). Various sweeteners interact with either Tas1r2 or Tas1r3 and then activate the receptor. In this study, we cloned, expressed and functionally characterized the taste receptor Tas1r2 from a species of Old World monkeys, the rhesus monkey. Paired with the human TAS1R3, it was shown that the rhesus monkey Tas1r2 could respond to natural sugars, amino acids and their derivates. Furthermore, similar to human TAS1R2, rhesus monkey Tas1r2 could respond to artificial sweeteners and sweet-tasting proteins. However, the responses induced by rhesus monkey Tas1r2 could not be inhibited by the sweet inhibitor amiloride. Moreover, we found a species-dependent activation of the Tas1r2 monomeric receptors of human, rhesus monkey and squirrel monkey but not mouse by an intense sweetener perillartine. Molecular modeling and sequence analysis indicate that the receptor has the conserved domains and ligand-specific interactive residues, which have been identified in the characterized sweet taste receptors up to now. This is the first report of the functional characterization of sweet taste receptors from an Old World monkey species. PMID:27479072

Spontaneous expression of mirror self-recognition in monkeys after learning precise visual-proprioceptive association for mirror images

PubMed Central

Chang, Liangtang; Zhang, Shikun; Poo, Mu-ming; Gong, Neng

2017-01-01

Mirror self-recognition (MSR) is generally considered to be an intrinsic cognitive ability found only in humans and a few species of great apes. Rhesus monkeys do not spontaneously show MSR, but they have the ability to use a mirror as an instrument to find hidden objects. The mechanism underlying the transition from simple mirror use to MSR remains unclear. Here we show that rhesus monkeys could show MSR after learning precise visual-proprioceptive association for mirror images. We trained head-fixed monkeys on a chair in front of a mirror to touch with spatiotemporal precision a laser pointer light spot on an adjacent board that could only be seen in the mirror. After several weeks of training, when the same laser pointer light was projected to the monkey's face, a location not used in training, all three trained monkeys successfully touched the face area marked by the light spot in front of a mirror. All trained monkeys passed the standard face mark test for MSR both on the monkey chair and in their home cage. Importantly, distinct from untrained control monkeys, the trained monkeys showed typical mirror-induced self-directed behaviors in their home cage, such as using the mirror to explore normally unseen body parts. Thus, bodily self-consciousness may be a cognitive ability present in many more species than previously thought, and acquisition of precise visual-proprioceptive association for the images in the mirror is critical for revealing the MSR ability of the animal. PMID:28193875

Characterization of the Sweet Taste Receptor Tas1r2 from an Old World Monkey Species Rhesus Monkey and Species-Dependent Activation of the Monomeric Receptor by an Intense Sweetener Perillartine.

PubMed

Cai, Chenggu; Jiang, Hua; Li, Lei; Liu, Tianming; Song, Xuejie; Liu, Bo

2016-01-01

Sweet state is a basic physiological sensation of humans and other mammals which is mediated by the broadly acting sweet taste receptor-the heterodimer of Tas1r2 (taste receptor type 1 member 2) and Tas1r3 (taste receptor type 1 member 3). Various sweeteners interact with either Tas1r2 or Tas1r3 and then activate the receptor. In this study, we cloned, expressed and functionally characterized the taste receptor Tas1r2 from a species of Old World monkeys, the rhesus monkey. Paired with the human TAS1R3, it was shown that the rhesus monkey Tas1r2 could respond to natural sugars, amino acids and their derivates. Furthermore, similar to human TAS1R2, rhesus monkey Tas1r2 could respond to artificial sweeteners and sweet-tasting proteins. However, the responses induced by rhesus monkey Tas1r2 could not be inhibited by the sweet inhibitor amiloride. Moreover, we found a species-dependent activation of the Tas1r2 monomeric receptors of human, rhesus monkey and squirrel monkey but not mouse by an intense sweetener perillartine. Molecular modeling and sequence analysis indicate that the receptor has the conserved domains and ligand-specific interactive residues, which have been identified in the characterized sweet taste receptors up to now. This is the first report of the functional characterization of sweet taste receptors from an Old World monkey species.

Spontaneous expression of mirror self-recognition in monkeys after learning precise visual-proprioceptive association for mirror images.

PubMed

Chang, Liangtang; Zhang, Shikun; Poo, Mu-Ming; Gong, Neng

2017-03-21

Mirror self-recognition (MSR) is generally considered to be an intrinsic cognitive ability found only in humans and a few species of great apes. Rhesus monkeys do not spontaneously show MSR, but they have the ability to use a mirror as an instrument to find hidden objects. The mechanism underlying the transition from simple mirror use to MSR remains unclear. Here we show that rhesus monkeys could show MSR after learning precise visual-proprioceptive association for mirror images. We trained head-fixed monkeys on a chair in front of a mirror to touch with spatiotemporal precision a laser pointer light spot on an adjacent board that could only be seen in the mirror. After several weeks of training, when the same laser pointer light was projected to the monkey's face, a location not used in training, all three trained monkeys successfully touched the face area marked by the light spot in front of a mirror. All trained monkeys passed the standard face mark test for MSR both on the monkey chair and in their home cage. Importantly, distinct from untrained control monkeys, the trained monkeys showed typical mirror-induced self-directed behaviors in their home cage, such as using the mirror to explore normally unseen body parts. Thus, bodily self-consciousness may be a cognitive ability present in many more species than previously thought, and acquisition of precise visual-proprioceptive association for the images in the mirror is critical for revealing the MSR ability of the animal.

Corollary discharge contributes to perceived eye location in monkeys

PubMed Central

Cavanaugh, James; FitzGibbon, Edmond J.; Wurtz, Robert H.

2013-01-01

Despite saccades changing the image on the retina several times per second, we still perceive a stable visual world. A possible mechanism underlying this stability is that an internal retinotopic map is updated with each saccade, with the location of objects being compared before and after the saccade. Psychophysical experiments have shown that humans derive such location information from a corollary discharge (CD) accompanying saccades. Such a CD has been identified in the monkey brain in a circuit extending from superior colliculus to frontal cortex. There is a missing piece, however. Perceptual localization is established only in humans and the CD circuit only in monkeys. We therefore extended measurement of perceptual localization to the monkey by adapting the target displacement detection task developed in humans. During saccades to targets, the target disappeared and then reappeared, sometimes at a different location. The monkeys reported the displacement direction. Detections of displacement were similar in monkeys and humans, but enhanced detection of displacement from blanking the target at the end of the saccade was observed only in humans, not in monkeys. Saccade amplitude varied across trials, but the monkey's estimates of target location did not follow that variation, indicating that eye location depended on an internal CD rather than external visual information. We conclude that monkeys use a CD to determine their new eye location after each saccade, just as humans do. PMID:23986562

Corollary discharge contributes to perceived eye location in monkeys.

PubMed

Joiner, Wilsaan M; Cavanaugh, James; FitzGibbon, Edmond J; Wurtz, Robert H

2013-11-01

Despite saccades changing the image on the retina several times per second, we still perceive a stable visual world. A possible mechanism underlying this stability is that an internal retinotopic map is updated with each saccade, with the location of objects being compared before and after the saccade. Psychophysical experiments have shown that humans derive such location information from a corollary discharge (CD) accompanying saccades. Such a CD has been identified in the monkey brain in a circuit extending from superior colliculus to frontal cortex. There is a missing piece, however. Perceptual localization is established only in humans and the CD circuit only in monkeys. We therefore extended measurement of perceptual localization to the monkey by adapting the target displacement detection task developed in humans. During saccades to targets, the target disappeared and then reappeared, sometimes at a different location. The monkeys reported the displacement direction. Detections of displacement were similar in monkeys and humans, but enhanced detection of displacement from blanking the target at the end of the saccade was observed only in humans, not in monkeys. Saccade amplitude varied across trials, but the monkey's estimates of target location did not follow that variation, indicating that eye location depended on an internal CD rather than external visual information. We conclude that monkeys use a CD to determine their new eye location after each saccade, just as humans do.

Species-Specific Involvement of Integrin αIIbβ3 in a Monoclonal Antibody CH12 Triggers Off-Target Thrombocytopenia in Cynomolgus Monkeys.

PubMed

Zhang, Yiting; Sun, Jianhua; Tan, Minjia; Liu, Yongzhen; Li, Qian; Jiang, Hua; Wang, Huamao; Li, Zonghai; Wan, Wei; Jiang, Hualiang; Lu, Henglei; Wang, Bingshun; Ren, Jin; Gong, Likun

2018-04-07

CH12 is a novel humanized monoclonal antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) for cancer treatment. Unfortunately, in pre-clinical safety evaluation studies, acute thrombocytopenia was observed after administration of CH12 in cynomolgus monkeys, but not rats. More importantly, in vitro experiments found that CH12 can bind and activate platelets in cynomolgus monkey, but not human peripheral blood samples. Cynomolgus monkey-specific thrombocytopenia has been reported previously; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we first showed that CH12 induced thrombocytopenia in cynomolgus monkeys through off-target platelet binding and activation, resulting in platelet destruction. We subsequently found that integrin αIIbβ3 (which is expressed on platelets) contributed to this off-target toxicity. Furthermore, three-dimensional structural modeling of the αIIbβ3 molecules in cynomolgus monkeys, humans, and rats suggested that an additional unique loop exists in the ligand-binding pocket of the αIIb subunit in cynomolgus monkeys, which may explain why CH12 binds to platelets only in cynomolgus monkeys. Moreover, this study supported the hypothesis that the minor differences between cynomolgus monkeys and humans can confuse human risk assessments and suggests that species differences can help the prediction of human risks and avoid losses in drug development. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Characterization of ovarian aging and reproductive senescence in vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus).

PubMed

Atkins, Hannah M; Willson, Cynthia J; Silverstein, Marnie; Jorgensen, Matthew; Floyd, Edison; Kaplan, Jay R; Appt, Susan E

2014-02-01

Female vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) are used as an experimental model for chronic diseases relevant to women's health. However, reproductive senescence (menopause) has not yet been characterized for vervet monkeys. Here we describe the histologic, hormonal, and menstrual markers of reproductive senescence in vervet monkeys from the Wake Forest Vervet Research Colony. Ovaries from monkeys (age, 0 to 27 y) were serially sectioned (5 μm), stained, and photographed. In every 100th section, the numbers of primordial, primary, and secondary follicles were determined, and triplicate measurements were used to calculate mean numbers of follicles per ovary. Antimüllerian hormone (AMH), follicle stimulating hormone, and menstrual cycle length were measured in additional monkeys. Primordial follicles and AMH decreased significantly with age, and significant correlations between numbers of primordial and primary follicles and between numbers of primary and secondary follicles were noted. Histologic evaluation revealed that ovaries from 4 aged monkeys (older than 23 y) were senescent. One aged monkey transitioned to menopause, experiencing cycle irregularity over 4 y, eventual cessation of menses, and plasma AMH below the level of detection. Finally, with increasing age, the percentage of female vervets with offspring declined significantly. The present study provides insight into ovarian aging and reproductive senescence in vervet monkeys. Results highlight the importance of considering this nonhuman primate as a model to investigate the relationships between ovarian aging and chronic disease risk.

Direct comparison of (+/-) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy") disposition and metabolism in squirrel monkeys and humans.

PubMed

Mueller, Melanie; Kolbrich, Erin A; Peters, Frank T; Maurer, Hans H; McCann, Una D; Huestis, Marilyn A; Ricaurte, George A

2009-06-01

The present study compared the disposition and metabolism of the recreational drug (+/-) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") in squirrel monkeys and humans because the squirrel monkey has been extensively studied for MDMA neurotoxicity. A newly developed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric procedure for simultaneous measurement of MDMA, 3,4-dihydroxymethamphetamine, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethamphetamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine was employed. In both humans and squirrel monkeys, a within-subject design permitted testing of different doses in the same subjects. Humans and squirrel monkeys were found to metabolize MDMA in similar, but not identical, pathways and proportions. In particular, amounts of 3,4-dihydroxymethamphetamine (after conjugate cleavage) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine were similar in the 2 species, but formation of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethamphetamine was greater in squirrel monkeys than in humans. Both species demonstrated nonlinear MDMA pharmacokinetics at comparable plasma MDMA concentrations (125-150 ng/mL and above). The elimination half-life of MDMA was considerably shorter in squirrel monkeys than in humans (2-3 versus 6-9 hours). In both species, there was substantial individual variability. These results suggest that the squirrel monkey may be a useful model for predicting outcomes of MDMA exposure in humans, although this will also depend on the degree to which MDMA pharmacodynamics in the squirrel monkey parallels that in humans.

Nuclear-mitochondrial incompatibility in interorder rhesus monkey-cow embryos derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer.

PubMed

Kwon, Daekee; Koo, Ok-Jae; Kim, Min-Jung; Jang, Goo; Lee, Byeong Chun

2016-10-01

Monkey interorder somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) using enucleated cow oocytes yielded poor blastocysts development and contradictory results among research groups. Determining the reason for this low blastocyst development is a prerequisite for optimizing iSCNT in rhesus monkeys. The aim of this study was to elucidate nuclear-mitochondrial incompatibility of rhesus monkey-cow iSCNT embryos and its relationship to low blastocyst development. Cytochrome b is a protein of complex III of the electron transport chain (ETC). According to meta-analysis of amino acid sequences, the homology of cytochrome b is 75 % between rhesus monkeys and cattle. To maintain the function of ETC after iSCNT, 4n iSCNT embryos were produced by fusion of non-enucleated cow oocytes and rhesus monkey somatic cells. The blastocyst development rate of 4n iSCNT embryos was higher than that of 2n embryos (P < 0.01). Formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an indirect indicator of ETC activity of cells. The ROS levels of 4n iSCNT embryos was higher than that of 2n embryos (P < 0.01). Collectively, rhesus monkey iSCNT embryos reconstructed with cow oocytes have nuclear-mitochondrial incompatibility due to fundamental species differences between rhesus monkeys and cattle. Nuclear-mitochondrial incompatibility seems to correlate with low ETC activity and extremely low blastocyst development of rhesus monkey-cow iSCNT embryos.

Rhesus monkey heart rate during exercise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delorge, J.; Thach, J. S., Jr.

1972-01-01

Various schedules of reinforcement and their relation to heart rates of rhesus monkeys during exercise are described. All the reinforcement schedules produced 100 per cent or higher increments in the heart rates of the monkeys during exercise. Resting heart rates were generally much lower than those previously reported, which was attributed to the lack of physical restraint of the monkeys during recording.

Genome Editing of Monkey.

PubMed

Liu, Zhen; Cai, Yijun; Sun, Qiang

2017-01-01

Gene-modified monkey models would be particularly valuable in biomedical and neuroscience research. Virus-based transgenic and programmable nucleases-based site-specific gene editing methods (TALEN, CRISPR-cas9) enable the generation of gene-modified monkeys with gain or loss of function of specific genes. Here, we describe the generation of transgenic and knock-out (KO) monkeys with high efficiency by lentivirus and programmable nucleases.

Sex differences in rhesus monkey toy preferences parallel those of children

PubMed Central

Hassett, Janice M.; Siebert, Erin R.; Wallen, Kim

2008-01-01

Socialization processes, parents, or peers encouraging play with gender specific toys are thought to be the primary force shaping sex differences in toy preference. A contrast in view is that toy preferences reflect biologically determined preferences for specific activities facilitated by specific toys. Sex differences in juvenile activities, such as rough and tumble play, peer preferences, and infant interest, share similarities in humans and monkeys. Thus if activity preferences shape toy preferences, male and female monkeys may show toy preferences similar to those seen in boys and girls. We compared the interactions of 34 rhesus monkeys, living within a 135 monkey troop, with human wheeled toys and plush toys. Male monkeys, like boys, showed consistent and strong preferences for wheeled toys, while female monkeys, like girls, showed greater variability in preferences. Thus, the magnitude of preference for wheeled over plush toys differed significantly between males and females. The similarities to human findings demonstrate that such preferences can develop without explicit gendered socialization. We offer the hypothesis that toy preferences reflect hormonally influenced behavioral and cognitive biases which are sculpted by social processes into the sex differences seen in monkeys and humans. PMID:18452921

[Hybrids of human and monkey adenoviruses (adeno-adeno hybrids) that can reproduce in monkey cells: biological and molecular genetic peculiarities].

PubMed

Grinenko, N F; Savitskaia, N V; Pashvykina, G V; Al'tshteĭn, A D

2003-06-01

A highly oncogenic monkey adenovirus SA7(C8) facilitates the reproduction of human adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) in monkey cells. Upon mixed infection of monkey cells with both viruses, these viruses recombine producing defective adeno-adeno hybrids Ad2C8 serologically identical to Ad2 and capable of assisting Ad2 to reproduce in monkey cells. Ad2C8 and Ad2 form an intercomplementary pair inseparable in monkey cells. Unlike oncogenic SA7(C8), Ad2C8 is a nononcogenic virus for hamsters but is able to induce tumor antigens of this virus (T and TSTA). Molecular genetic analysis of 68 clones of adeno-adeno hybrids revealed that the left part of their genome consists of Ad2 DNA, and the right part contains no less than 40% of the viral SA7(C8) genome where E2A, E3, and E4 genes are located. Apparently, the products of these genes contribute to the composition of adenoviral tumor antigens, while the E4 gene is involved in complementation of monkey and human adenoviruses and makes a contribution to host range determination of these viruses.

Lethal canine distemper virus outbreak in cynomolgus monkeys in Japan in 2008.

PubMed

Sakai, Kouji; Nagata, Noriyo; Ami, Yasushi; Seki, Fumio; Suzaki, Yuriko; Iwata-Yoshikawa, Naoko; Suzuki, Tadaki; Fukushi, Shuetsu; Mizutani, Tetsuya; Yoshikawa, Tomoki; Otsuki, Noriyuki; Kurane, Ichiro; Komase, Katsuhiro; Yamaguchi, Ryoji; Hasegawa, Hideki; Saijo, Masayuki; Takeda, Makoto; Morikawa, Shigeru

2013-01-01

Canine distemper virus (CDV) has recently expanded its host range to nonhuman primates. A large CDV outbreak occurred in rhesus monkeys at a breeding farm in Guangxi Province, China, in 2006, followed by another outbreak in rhesus monkeys at an animal center in Beijing in 2008. In 2008 in Japan, a CDV outbreak also occurred in cynomolgus monkeys imported from China. In that outbreak, 46 monkeys died from severe pneumonia during a quarantine period. A CDV strain (CYN07-dV) was isolated in Vero cells expressing dog signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM). Phylogenic analysis showed that CYN07-dV was closely related to the recent CDV outbreaks in China, suggesting continuing chains of CDV infection in monkeys. In vitro, CYN07-dV uses macaca SLAM and macaca nectin4 as receptors as efficiently as dog SLAM and dog nectin4, respectively. CYN07-dV showed high virulence in experimentally infected cynomolgus monkeys and excreted progeny viruses in oral fluid and feces. These data revealed that some of the CDV strains, like CYN07-dV, have the potential to cause acute systemic infection in monkeys.

Simian immunodeficiency virus infections in vervet monkeys (Clorocebus aethiops) at an Australian zoo.

PubMed

Joy, A; Vogelnest, L; Middleton, D J; Dale, C J; Campagna, D; Purcell, D F; Kent, S J

2001-06-01

A number of monkey species, including African green monkeys and African vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops), are frequently infected in the wild and in captivity with a Simian immunodeficiency virus strain, SIVagm, a primate lentivirus. Up to 50% of African green monkeys are estimated to be infected with SIVagm. SIV strains are very closely related to HIV-2 strains, which are a cause of AIDS in humans, predominantly in western Africa, although cases in Australia have also been reported. It is generally thought that SIV is non-pathogenic in several natural hosts, including African green monkeys. Nevertheless many SIV strains induce a profound immunodeficiency virtually identical to HIV-1 induced AIDS in humans when administered to Asian macaque species such as rhesus (Macaca mulatta) or pigtailed macaques (M nemestrina). SIV infection of Asian macaque species is frequently employed as an animal model for AIDS vaccine studies. In November 1996 a group of 10 African vervet monkeys were imported from the USA for display at Victoria's Open Range Zoo in Werribee. Two animals in this group of monkeys later developed a fatal gastroenteric illness. These diagnoses led us to initiate SIV testing of the colony.

Microbial translocation and skeletal muscle in young and old vervet monkeys.

PubMed

Kavanagh, Kylie; Brown, Richelle N; Davis, Ashley T; Uberseder, Beth; Floyd, Edison; Pfisterer, Bianca; Shively, Carol A

2016-06-01

Intestinal barrier dysfunction leads to microbial translocation (MT) and inflammation in vertebrate and invertebrate animal models. Age is recently recognized as a factor leading to MT, and in some human and animal model studies, MT was associated with physical function. We evaluated sarcopenia, inflammation, MT biomarkers, and muscle insulin sensitivity in healthy female vervet monkeys (6-27 years old). Monkeys were fed consistent diets and had large and varied environments to facilitate physical activity, and stable social conditions. Aging led to sarcopenia as indicated by reduced walking speeds and muscle mass, but general metabolic health was similar in older monkeys (n = 25) as compared to younger ones (n = 26). When older monkeys were physically active, their MT burden approximated that in young monkeys; however, when older monkeys were sedentary, MT burden was dramatically increased. MT levels were positively associated with inflammatory burden and negatively associated with skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity. Time spent being active was positively associated with insulin sensitivity as expected, but this relationship was specifically modified by the individual monkey's MT, not inflammatory burden. Our data supports clinical observations that MT interacts with physical function as a factor in healthy aging.

Metabolism of lithocholic and chenodeoxycholic acids in the squirrel monkey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suzuki, H.; Hamada, M.; Kato, F.

1985-09-01

Metabolism of lithocholic acid (LCA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) was studied in the squirrel monkey to clarify the mechanism of the lack of toxicity of CDCA in this animal. Radioactive LCA was administered to squirrel monkeys with biliary fistula. Most radioactivity was excreted in the bile in the form of unsulfated lithocholyltaurine. The squirrel monkey thus differs from humans and chimpanzees, which efficiently sulfate LCA, and is similar to the rhesus monkey and baboon in that LCA is poorly sulfated. When labeled CDCA was orally administered to squirrel monkeys, less than 20% of the dosed radioactivity was recovered as LCAmore » and its further metabolites in feces over 3 days, indicating that bacterial metabolism of CDCA into LCA is strikingly less than in other animals and in humans. It therefore appears that LCA, known as a hepatotoxic secondary bile acid, is not accumulated in the squirrel monkey, not because of its rapid turnover through sulfation, but because of the low order of its production.« less

Functional Imaging of Audio-Visual Selective Attention in Monkeys and Humans: How do Lapses in Monkey Performance Affect Cross-Species Correspondences?

PubMed

Rinne, Teemu; Muers, Ross S; Salo, Emma; Slater, Heather; Petkov, Christopher I

2017-06-01

The cross-species correspondences and differences in how attention modulates brain responses in humans and animal models are poorly understood. We trained 2 monkeys to perform an audio-visual selective attention task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), rewarding them to attend to stimuli in one modality while ignoring those in the other. Monkey fMRI identified regions strongly modulated by auditory or visual attention. Surprisingly, auditory attention-related modulations were much more restricted in monkeys than humans performing the same tasks during fMRI. Further analyses ruled out trivial explanations, suggesting that labile selective-attention performance was associated with inhomogeneous modulations in wide cortical regions in the monkeys. The findings provide initial insights into how audio-visual selective attention modulates the primate brain, identify sources for "lost" attention effects in monkeys, and carry implications for modeling the neurobiology of human cognition with nonhuman animals. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Functional Imaging of Audio–Visual Selective Attention in Monkeys and Humans: How do Lapses in Monkey Performance Affect Cross-Species Correspondences?

PubMed Central

Muers, Ross S.; Salo, Emma; Slater, Heather; Petkov, Christopher I.

2017-01-01

Abstract The cross-species correspondences and differences in how attention modulates brain responses in humans and animal models are poorly understood. We trained 2 monkeys to perform an audio–visual selective attention task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), rewarding them to attend to stimuli in one modality while ignoring those in the other. Monkey fMRI identified regions strongly modulated by auditory or visual attention. Surprisingly, auditory attention-related modulations were much more restricted in monkeys than humans performing the same tasks during fMRI. Further analyses ruled out trivial explanations, suggesting that labile selective-attention performance was associated with inhomogeneous modulations in wide cortical regions in the monkeys. The findings provide initial insights into how audio–visual selective attention modulates the primate brain, identify sources for “lost” attention effects in monkeys, and carry implications for modeling the neurobiology of human cognition with nonhuman animals. PMID:28419201

Change Detection by Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and Pigeons (Columba livia)

PubMed Central

Elmore, L. Caitlin; Magnotti, John F.; Katz, Jeffrey S.; Wright, Anthony A.

2012-01-01

Two monkeys learned a color change-detection task where two colored circles (selected from a 4-color set) were presented on a 4×4 invisible matrix. Following a delay, the correct response was to touch the changed colored circle. The monkeys' learning, color transfer, and delay transfer were compared to a similar experiment with pigeons. Monkeys, like pigeons, showed full transfer to four novel colors, and to delays as long as 6.4 s, suggesting they remembered the colors as opposed to perceptual based attentional capture process that may work at very short delays. The monkeys and pigeons were further tested to compare transfer to other dimensions. Monkeys transferred to shape and location changes, unlike the pigeons, but neither species transferred to size changes. Thus, monkeys were less restricted in their domain to detect change than pigeons, but both species learned the basic task and appear suitable for comparative studies of visual short-term memory. PMID:22428982

Effect of radiation and age on immunoglobulin levels in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, W. H.; Saphire, D. G.; Hackleman, S. M.; Braun, A. M.; Pennington, P.; Scheffler, J.; Wigle, J. C.; Cox, A. B.

1994-01-01

We report the results of a study on the immunoglobulin levels of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in a colony consisting of the survivors of monkeys that received a single whole-body exposure to protons, electrons or X rays between 1964 and 1969. This colony has been maintained to assess the long-term effects of ionizing radiation on astronauts and high-flying pilots. Of the original 358 monkeys that were retained for lifetime studies, 129 (97 irradiated and 32 controls) were available for our study. We found no significant difference between the irradiated and control monkeys in mean levels of IgA, IgG and IgM, irrespective of the radiation treatment. The availability of these aged monkeys provided a unique opportunity to compare their immunoglobulin levels to those of other monkeys of various ages, and thus assess the effect of age on immunoglobulin levels. We found that only the IgA levels increase with age.

THE COURSE OF ACUTE INTESTINAL INFECTIONS IN MONKEYS DURING THE ACTION OF IONISING RADIATION (in Russian)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stasilevich, Z.K.

1963-04-01

The influence of sublethal x irradiation on the susceptibility of monkeys to acute intestinal infections (paratyphoid B fever, Heidelberg's salmonellosis and colienteritis) was studied. Experiments were carried out on 46 macaque monkeys, aged 2 1/2 to 3 yr. In monkeys subjected to a dose of 300 r there was an elevated susceptibility to paratyphoid B fever; however, the infectious process was not aggravated. Irradiation of animals with a similar dose aggravated the infectious process in Heidelberg's salmonellosis. In monkeys with colienteritis the above dose did not influence the natural immunity of animals to this disease. A clinically marked disease (colienteritis),more » with a lethal outcome was induced in monkeys irradiated with a dose of 445 r. (auth)« less

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis physiology and cognitive control of behavior in stress inoculated monkeys.

PubMed

Parker, Karen J; Buckmaster, Christine L; Lindley, Steven E; Schatzberg, Alan F; Lyons, David M

2012-01-01

Monkeys exposed to stress inoculation protocols early in life subsequently exhibit diminished neurobiological responses to moderate psychological stressors and enhanced cognitive control of behavior during juvenile development compared to non-inoculated monkeys. The present experiments extended these findings and revealed that stress inoculated monkeys: (a) mount neurobiological responses equivalent to non-inoculated monkeys when the stressor is of sufficient intensity, and (b) continue to exhibit enhanced cognitive control as young adults compared to non-inoculated monkeys. These results suggest that stress inoculation protocols alter the appraisal of and response to moderate stressors as less threatening and permanently enhance cognitive control, at least through early adulthood. These data therefore support the notion that the stress inoculation phenotype reflects stress resilience rather than stress pathology.

Viral vector-based reversible neuronal inactivation and behavioral manipulation in the macaque monkey

PubMed Central

Nielsen, Kristina J.; Callaway, Edward M.; Krauzlis, Richard J.

2012-01-01

Viral vectors are promising tools for the dissection of neural circuits. In principle, they can manipulate neurons at a level of specificity not otherwise achievable. While many studies have used viral vector-based approaches in the rodent brain, only a few have employed this technique in the non-human primate, despite the importance of this animal model for neuroscience research. Here, we report evidence that a viral vector-based approach can be used to manipulate a monkey's behavior in a task. For this purpose, we used the allatostatin receptor/allatostatin (AlstR/AL) system, which has previously been shown to allow inactivation of neurons in vivo. The AlstR was expressed in neurons in monkey V1 by injection of an adeno-associated virus 1 (AAV1) vector. Two monkeys were trained in a detection task, in which they had to make a saccade to a faint peripheral target. Injection of AL caused a retinotopic deficit in the detection task in one monkey. Specifically, the monkey showed marked impairment for detection targets placed at the visual field location represented at the virus injection site, but not for targets shown elsewhere. We confirmed that these deficits indeed were due to the interaction of AlstR and AL by injecting saline, or AL at a V1 location without AlstR expression. Post-mortem histology confirmed AlstR expression in this monkey. We failed to replicate the behavioral results in a second monkey, as AL injection did not impair the second monkey's performance in the detection task. However, post-mortem histology revealed a very low level of AlstR expression in this monkey. Our results demonstrate that viral vector-based approaches can produce effects strong enough to influence a monkey's performance in a behavioral task, supporting the further development of this approach for studying how neuronal circuits control complex behaviors in non-human primates. PMID:22723770

Effects of local myopic defocus on refractive development in monkeys.

PubMed

Smith, Earl L; Hung, Li-Fang; Huang, Juan; Arumugam, Baskar

2013-11-01

Visual signals that produce myopia are mediated by local, regionally selective mechanisms. However, little is known about spatial integration for signals that slow eye growth. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the effects of myopic defocus are integrated in a local manner in primates. Beginning at 24 ± 2 days of age, seven rhesus monkeys were reared with monocular spectacles that produced 3 diopters (D) of relative myopic defocus in the nasal visual field of the treated eye but allowed unrestricted vision in the temporal field (NF monkeys). Seven monkeys were reared with monocular +3 D lenses that produced relative myopic defocus across the entire field of view (FF monkeys). Comparison data from previous studies were available for 11 control monkeys, 8 monkeys that experienced 3 D of hyperopic defocus in the nasal field, and 6 monkeys exposed to 3 D of hyperopic defocus across the entire field. Refractive development, corneal power, and axial dimensions were assessed at 2- to 4-week intervals using retinoscopy, keratometry, and ultrasonography, respectively. Eye shape was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging. In response to full-field myopic defocus, the FF monkeys developed compensating hyperopic anisometropia, the degree of which was relatively constant across the horizontal meridian. In contrast, the NF monkeys exhibited compensating hyperopic changes in refractive error that were greatest in the nasal visual field. The changes in the pattern of peripheral refractions in the NF monkeys reflected interocular differences in vitreous chamber shape. As with form deprivation and hyperopic defocus, the effects of myopic defocus are mediated by mechanisms that integrate visual signals in a local, regionally selective manner in primates. These results are in agreement with the hypothesis that peripheral vision can influence eye shape and potentially central refractive error in a manner that is independent of central visual experience.

Comparative study of the oxidation of propranolol enantiomers in hepatic and small intestinal microsomes from cynomolgus and marmoset monkeys.

PubMed

Shimizudani, Takeshi; Nagaoka, Kenjiro; Hanioka, Nobumitsu; Yamano, Shigeru; Narimatsu, Shizuo

2010-01-05

Oxidative metabolism of propranolol (PL) enantiomers (R-PL and S-PL) to 4-hydroxypropranolol (4-OH-PL), 5-OH-PL and N-deisopropylpropranolol (NDP) was examined in hepatic microsomes from cynomolgus and marmoset monkeys and in small intestinal microsomes from monkeys and humans. In hepatic microsomes, levels of oxidation activities were similar between the two monkey species, and substrate enantioselectivity (R-PLS-PL) was seen in the formation of NDP in cynomolgus monkeys and humans and in the formation of 5-OH-PL in marmosets. The formation of the three metabolites in cynomolgus monkeys and the formation of NDP in marmosets were biphasic, while the formation of 4-OH-PL in humans was monophasic. From the inhibition experiments using CYP antibodies, CYP2C9 and 2C19 were thought to be involved as N-deisopropylases and CYP2D6 and 3A4 as 4-hydroxylases in human small intestine. Furthermore, CYP1A, 2C and 3A enzymes could be involved in cynomolgus monkeys and CYP2C and 3A enzymes in marmosets. These results indicate that the oxidative profile of PL in hepatic and small intestinal microsomes differ considerably among cynomolgus monkeys, marmosets and humans.

A survey for Cyclospora spp. in Kenyan primates, with some notes on its biology.

PubMed

Eberhard, M L; Njenga, M N; DaSilva, A J; Owino, D; Nace, E K; Won, K Y; Mwenda, J M

2001-12-01

From March 1999 through August 2000, 511 stool samples collected from 11 different primate species in 10 geographically distinct locations in Kenya, East Africa, were screened for the presence of Cyclospora spp. oocysts. Positive samples (43/102, 42%) were identified in vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) in 4 of 4 locations; 19/206 (9%) in yellow and olive baboons (Papio cynocephalus, P. anubis, respectively) in 5 of 5 locations; and 19/76 (25%) in black and white colobus monkeys (Colobus angolensis, C. guereza, respectively) from 2 of 3 locations. DNA sequences obtained from 18 S rRNA coding regions from respective subsets of these positive samples were typed as Cyclospora cercopitheci (samples from Cercopithecus aethiops). Cyclospora papionis (samples from Papio cynocephalus and P. anubis), and Cyclospora colobi (samples from Colobus angolensis and C. guereza). Cyclospora oocysts were not detected in samples collected from patas, highland sykes, lowland sykes, blue sykes, DeBrazza, or red-tailed monkeys. A coded map showing the geographic location of the collected samples is given. Stool samples from 1 troop of vervet monkeys were collected over a 12-mo period. Positive samples ranged between 21 and 63%. These results suggest that there is no strongly marked seasonality evident in Cyclospora infection in monkeys as has been noted in human infection. This is further confirmed by the recovery of positive samples collected from vervet monkeys, baboons, and colobus monkeys at all times of the year during this survey. This absence of seasonality in infection is especially notable because of the extreme weather patterns typical of Kenya, where marked rainy and dry seasons occur. A second noteworthy observation is that the striking host specificity of the Cyclospora species initially described was confirmed in this survey. Baboons were only infected with C. papionis, vervet monkeys with C. cercopitheci, and colobus monkeys with C. colobi, despite geographic overlaps of both the monkey and parasite species and wide geographic distribution of each parasite and monkey host.

Behavioral Determinants of Cannabinoid Self-Administration in Old World Monkeys.

PubMed

John, William S; Martin, Thomas J; Nader, Michael A

2017-06-01

Reinforcing effects of Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary active ingredient in marijuana, as assessed with self-administration (SA), has only been established in New World primates (squirrel monkeys). The objective of this study was to investigate some experimental factors that may enhance intravenous SA of THC and the cannabinoid receptor (CBR) agonist CP 55 940 in Old World monkeys (rhesus and cynomolgus), a species that has been used extensively in biomedical research. In one experiment, male rhesus monkeys (N=9) were trained to respond under a fixed-ratio 10 schedule of food presentation. The effects of CP 55 940 (1.0-10 μg/kg, i.v.) and THC (3.0-300 μg/kg, i.v.) on food-maintained responding and body temperature were determined in these subjects prior to giving them access to self-administer each drug. Both drugs dose-dependently decreased food-maintained responding. CP 55 940 (0.001-3.0 μg/kg) functioned as a reinforcer in three monkeys, whereas THC (0.01-10 μg/kg) did not have reinforcing effects in any subject. CP 55 940 was least potent to decrease food-maintained responding in the monkeys in which CP 55 940 functioned as a reinforcer. Next, THC was administered daily to monkeys until tolerance developed to rate-decreasing effects. When THC SA was reexamined, it functioned as a reinforcer in three monkeys. In a group of cocaine-experienced male cynomolgus monkeys (N=4), THC SA was examined under a second-order schedule of reinforcement; THC functioned as reinforcer in two monkeys. These data suggest that SA of CBR agonists may be relatively independent of their rate-decreasing effects in Old World monkeys. Understanding individual differences in vulnerability to THC SA may lead to novel treatment strategies for marijuana abuse.

Dissociation of item and source memory in rhesus monkeys.

PubMed

Basile, Benjamin M; Hampton, Robert R

2017-09-01

Source memory, or memory for the context in which a memory was formed, is a defining characteristic of human episodic memory and source memory errors are a debilitating symptom of memory dysfunction. Evidence for source memory in nonhuman primates is sparse despite considerable evidence for other types of sophisticated memory and the practical need for good models of episodic memory in nonhuman primates. A previous study showed that rhesus monkeys confused the identity of a monkey they saw with a monkey they heard, but only after an extended memory delay. This suggests that they initially remembered the source - visual or auditory - of the information but forgot the source as time passed. Here, we present a monkey model of source memory that is based on this previous study. In each trial, monkeys studied two images, one that they simply viewed and touched and the other that they classified as a bird, fish, flower, or person. In a subsequent memory test, they were required to select the image from one source but avoid the other. With training, monkeys learned to suppress responding to images from the to-be-avoided source. After longer memory intervals, monkeys continued to show reliable item memory, discriminating studied images from distractors, but made many source memory errors. Monkeys discriminated source based on study method, not study order, providing preliminary evidence that our manipulation of retention interval caused errors due to source forgetting instead of source confusion. Finally, some monkeys learned to select remembered images from either source on cue, showing that they did indeed remember both items and both sources. This paradigm potentially provides a new model to study a critical aspect of episodic memory in nonhuman primates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Social Status in Monkeys: Effects of Social Confrontation on Brain Function and Cocaine Self-Administration.

PubMed

Gould, Robert W; Czoty, Paul W; Porrino, Linda J; Nader, Michael A

2017-04-01

Individual differences in response to social stress and environmental enrichment may contribute to variability in response to behavioral and pharmacological treatments for drug addiction. In monkeys, social status influences the reinforcing effects of cocaine and the effects of some drugs on cocaine self-administration. In this study, we used male cynomolgus macaques (n=15) living in established social groups to examine the effects of social confrontation on the reinforcing effects of cocaine using a food-drug choice procedure. On the test day, a dominant or subordinate monkey was removed from his homecage and placed into another social pen; 30 min later he was studied in a cocaine-food choice paradigm. For the group, following social confrontation, sensitivity to cocaine reinforcement was significantly greater in subordinate monkeys compared with dominant animals. Examining individual-subject data revealed that for the majority of monkeys (9/15), serving as an intruder in another social group affected cocaine self-administration and these effects were dependent on the social rank of the monkey. For subordinate monkeys, sensitivity to the reinforcing effects of cocaine increased while sensitivity decreased in dominant monkeys. To investigate potential mechanisms mediating these effects, brain glucose metabolism was studied in a subset of monkeys (n=8) using [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([ 18 F]FDG) with positron emission tomography. Dominant and subordinate monkeys displayed distinctly different patterns of brain glucose metabolism in their homecage, including areas associated with vigilance and stress/anxiety, respectively, and during social confrontation. These data demonstrate that, depending on an individual's social status, the same social experience can have divergent effects on brain function and cocaine self-administration. These phenotypic differences in response to social conditions support a personalized treatment approach to cocaine addiction.

Increased production of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 in the kidney microsomes of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.).

PubMed

Sadosky, Patti W; Scammell, Jonathan G

2008-04-01

In squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.), cortisol circulates at levels much higher than those seen in man and other Old World primates, but squirrel monkeys exhibit no physiologic signs of the mineralocorticoid effects of cortisol. These observations suggest that squirrel monkeys have mechanisms for protection of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) from these high levels of cortisol. We previously showed that the serum cortisol to cortisone ratio in these animals is low relative to that in human serum, suggesting that production of the MR protective enzyme, 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11beta-HSD2), is increased in squirrel monkeys. Here, we directly evaluate whether increased production of 11beta-HSD2, which inactivates cortisol to cortisone, is a mechanism for protection of MR. In vitro assays showed that 11beta-HSD2 activity in squirrel monkey kidney microsomes was 3 to 7 times higher than that seen in kidney microsomes from pig or rabbit. 11beta-HSD2 protein detected by Western blot analysis was 4 to 9 times greater in squirrel monkey microsomes than in pig or rabbit microsomes. Comparison of the effect of expression of either human or squirrel monkey 11beta-HSD2 on MR transactivation activity showed similar inhibition of MR response to cortisol by both enzymes, indicating that the intrinsic activities of the human and squirrel monkey enzymes are similar. These findings suggest that one mechanism by which squirrel monkeys protect the MR from activation by high cortisol levels in the kidney is by upregulation of 11beta-HSD2 activity through increased production of the enzyme.

Pulse register phonation in Diana monkey alarm calls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riede, Tobias; Zuberbühler, Klaus

2003-05-01

The adult male Diana monkeys (Cercopithecus diana) produce predator-specific alarm calls in response to two of their predators, the crowned eagles and the leopards. The acoustic structure of these alarm calls is remarkable for a number of theoretical and empirical reasons. First, although pulsed phonation has been described in a variety of mammalian vocalizations, very little is known about the underlying production mechanism. Second, Diana monkey alarm calls are based almost exclusively on this vocal production mechanism to an extent that has never been documented in mammalian vocal behavior. Finally, the Diana monkeys' pulsed phonation strongly resembles the pulse register in human speech, where fundamental frequency is mainly controlled by subglottal pressure. Here, we report the results of a detailed acoustic analysis to investigate the production mechanism of Diana monkey alarm calls. Within calls, we found a positive correlation between the fundamental frequency and the pulse amplitude, suggesting that both humans and monkeys control fundamental frequency by subglottal pressure. While in humans pulsed phonation is usually considered pathological or artificial, male Diana monkeys rely exclusively on pulsed phonation, suggesting a functional adaptation. Moreover, we were unable to document any nonlinear phenomena, despite the fact that they occur frequently in the vocal repertoire of humans and nonhumans, further suggesting that the very robust Diana monkey pulse production mechanism has evolved for a particular functional purpose. We discuss the implications of these findings for the structural evolution of Diana monkey alarm calls and suggest that the restricted variability in fundamental frequency and robustness of the source signal gave rise to the formant patterns observed in Diana monkey alarm calls, used to convey predator information.

Social Status in Monkeys: Effects of Social Confrontation on Brain Function and Cocaine Self-Administration

PubMed Central

Gould, Robert W; Czoty, Paul W; Porrino, Linda J; Nader, Michael A

2017-01-01

Individual differences in response to social stress and environmental enrichment may contribute to variability in response to behavioral and pharmacological treatments for drug addiction. In monkeys, social status influences the reinforcing effects of cocaine and the effects of some drugs on cocaine self-administration. In this study, we used male cynomolgus macaques (n=15) living in established social groups to examine the effects of social confrontation on the reinforcing effects of cocaine using a food-drug choice procedure. On the test day, a dominant or subordinate monkey was removed from his homecage and placed into another social pen; 30 min later he was studied in a cocaine-food choice paradigm. For the group, following social confrontation, sensitivity to cocaine reinforcement was significantly greater in subordinate monkeys compared with dominant animals. Examining individual-subject data revealed that for the majority of monkeys (9/15), serving as an intruder in another social group affected cocaine self-administration and these effects were dependent on the social rank of the monkey. For subordinate monkeys, sensitivity to the reinforcing effects of cocaine increased while sensitivity decreased in dominant monkeys. To investigate potential mechanisms mediating these effects, brain glucose metabolism was studied in a subset of monkeys (n=8) using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) with positron emission tomography. Dominant and subordinate monkeys displayed distinctly different patterns of brain glucose metabolism in their homecage, including areas associated with vigilance and stress/anxiety, respectively, and during social confrontation. These data demonstrate that, depending on an individual’s social status, the same social experience can have divergent effects on brain function and cocaine self-administration. These phenotypic differences in response to social conditions support a personalized treatment approach to cocaine addiction. PMID:28025974

Nutritional benefits of Crematogaster mimosae ants and Acacia drepanolobium gum for patas monkeys and vervets in Laikipia, Kenya.

PubMed

Isbell, Lynne A; Rothman, Jessica M; Young, Peter J; Rudolph, Kathleen

2013-02-01

Patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) are midsized primates that feed extensively on the gum of Acacia drepanolobium and the ants are housed in swollen thorns of this Acacia. Their diet resembles that expected more of smaller bodied primates. Patas monkeys are also more like smaller bodied primates in reproducing at high rates. We sought to better understand the convergence of patas monkeys with smaller bodied primates by comparing their feeding behavior on ants and gum with that of closely related, sympatric vervets (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), and analyzing the nutrient content of the gum of A. drepanolobium and of Crematogaster mimosae, the most common ant species eaten by patas monkeys in Laikipia, Kenya. All occurrences of feeding and moving during focal animal sampling revealed that 1) patas monkeys seek A. drepanolobium gum but vervets avoid it; 2) both species open swollen thorns most often in the morning when antsare less active; 3) patas monkeys continually feed onswollen thorns and gum while moving quickly throughout the day, whereas vervets reduce their consumption of these items and their travel rate at mid-day, and; 4) vervets eat young swollen thorns at a higher rate than patas monkeys. Patas monkeys are able to spend little time acquiring substantial amounts of energy, protein, and minerals from A. drepanolobium gum and C. mimosae ants each day. These findings, when coupled with evidence of causes of infant and adult female mortality, suggest that reproductive success of female patas monkeys is more immediately affected by illness, disease, interactions between adults and infants, and access to water than by food. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Population viability of Alouatta palliata (Primates: Atelidae) and Cebus capucinus (Primates: Cebidae) at Refugio de Vida Silvestre Privado Nogal, Sarapiquí, Heredia, Costa Rica].

PubMed

Rodríguez-Matamoros, Jorge; Villalobos-Brenes, Federico; Gutiérrez-Espeleta, Gustavo A

2012-06-01

Habitat destruction may cause wildlife population fragmentation and is considered an important factor in small population species extinction. As wildlife populations become smaller, threats to their stability and persistence arise as a result of demographic, environmental and genetic stochastic factors. The aim of this work was to study the effects of population fragmentation on the long term viability of Alouatta palliata and Cebus capucinus populations, at Refugio de Vida Silvestre Privado Nogal, Sarapiquí (RVSPN), Heredia. For this we used the computer software VORTEX to run a population viability analysis (PVA) for both species. The input data of the PVA were taken from the demography structure of the RVSPN, literature sources from the species and from PVA related papers. We evaluated two sets of scenarios: small fragmented populations to reflect the population current state, and one larger and continuous population, to reflect the effect of reforestation actions followed by RVSPN to connect forest fragments. Results suggest that both A. palliata and C. capucinus can survive in isolated forest fragments. However, if different factors as inbreeding depression, catastrophes or habitat loss were incorporated to the scenarios, the small fragmented populations become unstable and the risk of extinction increased for both species. Continuous and larger populations were more robust against the threats incorporated in the scenarios when compared to the current situation of smaller and fragmented populations. The best management option for both species would be to continue reforestation efforts in the area to connect forest fragments, with the result of larger and continuous populations of both species. It is important to continue the observation of both species populations, and to promote a habitat management to reduce the negative effects of stochastic environmental events.

Orientation perception in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Wakita, Masumi

2008-07-01

It was previously demonstrated that monkeys divide the orientation continuum into cardinal and oblique categories. However, it is still unclear how monkeys perceive within-category orientations. To better understand monkeys' perception of orientation, two experiments were conducted using five monkeys. In experiment 1, they were trained to identify either one cardinal or one oblique target orientation out of six orientations. The results showed that they readily identified the cardinal target whether it was oriented horizontally or vertically. However, a longer training period was needed to identify the oblique target orientation regardless of its degree and direction of tilt. In experiment 2, the same monkeys were trained to identify two-oblique target orientations out of six orientations. These orientations were paired, either sharing the degree of tilt, direction of tilt, or neither property. The results showed that the monkeys readily identified oblique orientations when they had either the same degree or direction of tilt. However, when the target orientations had neither the same degree nor direction of tilt, the animals had difficulty in identifying them. In summary, horizontal and vertical orientations are individually processed, indicating that monkeys do not have a category for cardinal orientation, but they may recognize cardinal orientations as non-obliques. In addition, monkeys efficiently abstract either the degree or the direction of tilt from oblique orientations, but they have difficulty combining these features to identify an oblique orientation. Thus, not all orientations within the oblique category are equally perceived.

Diabetes Mellitus Accelerates Aβ Pathology in Brain Accompanied by Enhanced GAβ Generation in Nonhuman Primates

PubMed Central

Okabayashi, Sachi; Shimozawa, Nobuhiro; Yasutomi, Yasuhiro; Yanagisawa, Katsuhiko; Kimura, Nobuyuki

2015-01-01

Growing evidence suggests that diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the strongest risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, it remains unclear why DM accelerates AD pathology. In cynomolgus monkeys older than 25 years, senile plaques (SPs) are spontaneously and consistently observed in their brains, and neurofibrillary tangles are present at 32 years of age and older. In laboratory-housed monkeys, obesity is occasionally observed and frequently leads to development of type 2 DM. In the present study, we performed histopathological and biochemical analyses of brain tissue in cynomolgus monkeys with type 2 DM to clarify the relationship between DM and AD pathology. Here, we provide the evidence that DM accelerates Aβ pathology in vivo in nonhuman primates who had not undergone any genetic manipulation. In DM-affected monkey brains, SPs were observed in frontal and temporal lobe cortices, even in monkeys younger than 20 years. Biochemical analyses of brain revealed that the amount of GM1-ganglioside-bound Aβ (GAβ)—the endogenous seed for Aβ fibril formation in the brain—was clearly elevated in DM-affected monkeys. Furthermore, the level of Rab GTPases was also significantly increased in the brains of adult monkeys with DM, almost to the same levels as in aged monkeys. Intraneuronal accumulation of enlarged endosomes was also observed in DM-affected monkeys, suggesting that exacerbated endocytic disturbance may underlie the acceleration of Aβ pathology due to DM. PMID:25675436

Macaque monkeys can learn token values from human models through vicarious reward.

PubMed

Bevacqua, Sara; Cerasti, Erika; Falcone, Rossella; Cervelloni, Milena; Brunamonti, Emiliano; Ferraina, Stefano; Genovesio, Aldo

2013-01-01

Monkeys can learn the symbolic meaning of tokens, and exchange them to get a reward. Monkeys can also learn the symbolic value of a token by observing conspecifics but it is not clear if they can learn passively by observing other actors, e.g., humans. To answer this question, we tested two monkeys in a token exchange paradigm in three experiments. Monkeys learned token values through observation of human models exchanging them. We used, after a phase of object familiarization, different sets of tokens. One token of each set was rewarded with a bit of apple. Other tokens had zero value (neutral tokens). Each token was presented only in one set. During the observation phase, monkeys watched the human model exchange tokens and watched them consume rewards (vicarious rewards). In the test phase, the monkeys were asked to exchange one of the tokens for food reward. Sets of three tokens were used in the first experiment and sets of two tokens were used in the second and third experiments. The valuable token was presented with different probabilities in the observation phase during the first and second experiments in which the monkeys exchanged the valuable token more frequently than any of the neutral tokens. The third experiments examined the effect of unequal probabilities. Our results support the view that monkeys can learn from non-conspecific actors through vicarious reward, even a symbolic task like the token-exchange task.

On the nature of directed behavior to drug-associated light cues in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Reilly, Mark P; Berndt, Sonja I; Woods, James H

2016-11-01

The present study investigated the role of drug-paired stimuli in controlling the behavior of rhesus monkeys. Systematic observations were made with nine monkeys who had a history of drug self-administration; they had been lever pressing to produce intravenous infusions of various drugs. These observations revealed that the stimulus light co-occurring with drug infusion produced robust and cue-directed behavior such as orienting, touching and biting. Experiment 1 showed that this light-directed behavior would occur in naïve monkeys exposed to a Pavlovian pairing procedure. Four monkeys were given response-independent injections of cocaine. In two monkeys, a red light preceded cocaine injections by 5 s, and a green light co-occurred with the 5-s cocaine injections. In the other two monkeys, the light presentations and cocaine injections occurred independently. Light-directed behavior occurred in all four monkeys within the first couple of trials and at high levels but decreased across sessions. The cocaine-paired stimulus maintained behavior longer and at higher levels than the uncorrelated stimuli. Furthermore, light-directed behavior was not maintained when cocaine was replaced with saline. Light-directed behavior did not occur in the absence of the lights. When these monkeys were subsequently trained to lever press for cocaine, light-directed behavior increased to levels higher than previously observed. Behavior directed towards drug-paired stimuli is robust, reliable and multiply determined; the mechanisms underlying this activity likely include Pavlovian conditioning, stimulus novelty, habituation and operant conditioning.

Reproducibility of carbachol stimulated accommodation in rhesus monkeys.

PubMed

Wendt, Mark; Glasser, Adrian

2012-06-01

Approaches are being explored to restore accommodation to the presbyopic eye. Some of these approaches can be tested in monkeys by stimulating accommodation in various ways including using carbachol iontophoresis. Knowledge of the repeatability of carbachol iontophoresis stimulated accommodation in the monkey phakic eye is necessary to understand the variability of this method of evaluating accommodation. Data from 9 to 10 separate carbachol iontophoresis experiments performed on phakic eyes from 8 monkeys were retrospectively analyzed. For each experiment, carbachol was applied iontophoretically to the eyes of anesthetized monkeys and refraction generally measured every two minutes until accommodation reached a plateau. Repeated experiments were performed in each monkey over periods ranging from 10 to 18 months. Maximum accommodation measured for each monkey ranged from 11.1 D to 18.3 D with standard deviations from 0.8 D to 2.1 D and differences in accommodative amplitude varying from 2.2 D to 7.5 D. Time to reach maximum accommodation ranged from 18 to 64 min in individual experiments. Averaged time-courses indicate that maximum accommodation is generally achieved between 10 and 20 min after carbachol administration. Although carbachol iontophoresis is considered a reliable method to stimulate maximum accommodation in anesthetized monkeys, the amplitude achieved typically varies by more than 2 D. Presbyopia treatments evaluated in this way in phakic monkeys would need to show an increase in accommodation of over 2 D to clearly demonstrate that the treatments work when being tested with carbachol iontophoresis stimulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performing monkeys of Bangladesh: characterizing their source and genetic variation.

PubMed

Hasan, M Kamrul; Feeroz, M Mostafa; Jones-Engel, Lisa; Engel, Gregory A; Akhtar, Sharmin; Kanthaswamy, Sree; Smith, David Glenn

2016-04-01

The acquisition and training of monkeys to perform is a centuries-old tradition in South Asia, resulting in a large number of rhesus macaques kept in captivity for this purpose. The performing monkeys are reportedly collected from free-ranging populations, and may escape from their owners or may be released into other populations. In order to determine whether this tradition involving the acquisition and movement of animals has influenced the population structure of free-ranging rhesus macaques in Bangladesh, we first characterized the source of these monkeys. Biological samples from 65 performing macaques collected between January 2010 and August 2013 were analyzed for genetic variation using 716 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA. Performing monkey sequences were compared with those of free-ranging rhesus macaque populations in Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. Forty-five haplotypes with 116 (16 %) polymorphic nucleotide sites were detected among the performing monkeys. As for the free-ranging rhesus population, most of the substitutions (89 %) were transitions, and no indels (insertion/deletion) were observed. The estimate of the mean number of pair-wise differences for the performing monkey population was 10.1264 ± 4.686, compared to 14.076 ± 6.363 for the free-ranging population. Fifteen free-ranging rhesus macaque populations were identified as the source of performing monkeys in Bangladesh; several of these populations were from areas where active provisioning has resulted in a large number of macaques. The collection of performing monkeys from India was also evident.

Performing monkeys of Bangladesh: characterizing their source and genetic variation

PubMed Central

Hasan, M Kamrul; Feeroz, M Mostafa; Jones-Engel, Lisa; Engel, Gregory A; Akhtar, Sharmin; Kanthaswamy, Sree; Smith, David Glenn

2016-01-01

The acquisition and training of monkeys to perform is a century's old tradition in South Asia, resulting in a large number of rhesus macaques kept in captivity for this purpose. The performing monkeys are reportedly collected from free-ranging populations and may escape from their owners or be released into other populations. In order to determine whether this tradition, that involves the acquisition and movement of animals, has influenced the population structure of free-ranging rhesus macaques in Bangladesh we first characterized the source of these monkeys. Biological samples from 65 performing macaques, collected between January 2010 and August 2013 were analyzed for genetic variation using 716 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA. Performing monkey sequences were compared with those of free-ranging rhesus macaque populations in Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. Forty-five haplotypes with 116 (16%) polymorphic nucleotide sites were detected among the performing monkeys. As for the free-ranging rhesus population, most of the substitutions (89%) were transitions and no indels (insertion/deletion) were observed. The estimate of the mean number of pair-wise difference for the performing monkey population was 10.1264 ± 4.686, compared to 14.076 ± 6.363 for the free-ranging population. Fifteen free-ranging rhesus macaque populations were identified as the source of performing monkeys in Bangladesh; several of these populations were from areas where active provisioning has resulted in a large number of macaques. Collection of performing monkeys from India was also evident. PMID:26758818

Acute Problems of Virology and Prophylaxis of Viral Diseases,

DTIC Science & Technology

Contents: Immunogenic activity of attenuated variant of langat virus in experiments with monkeys; Evaluation of various methods of immunization of...monkeys by variant Tr-21-237 of the langat virus; A study of residual pathogenicity of attenuated variant Tr-21-237 of langat virus in experiments...with monkeys; Pathomorphological indexes of residual neurovirulence of the attenuated variant Tr-21-237 of langat virus in experiments with monkeys.

Relationship between humeral geometry and shoulder muscle power among suspensory, knuckle-walking, and digitigrade/palmigrade quadrupedal primates.

PubMed

Kikuchi, Yasuhiro; Takemoto, Hironori; Kuraoka, Akio

2012-01-01

Shoulder morphology is functionally related to different patterns of locomotion in primates. To investigate this we performed a quantitative analysis of the relationship between cortical bone thickness (Cbt) of the muscle/tendon attachment site on the humerus and physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) of the shoulder muscle in primates with different locomotory habits. The deltoid, subscapularis, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus were investigated. A chimpanzee, a gibbon, a baboon, two species of macaque, a lutong, a capuchin, and a squirrel monkey were included in the study. The total length of the humerus was measured and the values were converted into three-dimensional reconstructed data on a computer by computed tomography. The Cbt values were obtained from the volumes divided by the areas of the muscle/tendon attachment sites of the humerus by computer analysis. Muscle mass, muscle fascicle length, and muscle pennation angle were measured and PCSA was calculated using these parameters. A relatively high Cbt and small PCSA were characteristic of the gibbon. The gibbon's high Cbt suggests that passive tension in the muscle/tendon attachment site of suspensory primates (brachiators) may be greater than that of quadrupedal primates, whereas the relatively small PCSA indicates an association with a large amount of internal muscle fascia to endure the passive stress of brachiation. Although chimpanzees undertake some suspensory locomotion, the results for this species resemble those of the digitigrade/palmigrade quadrupedal primates rather than those of the suspensory primate. However, the deltoid and subscapularis in chimpanzee differ from those of the other primates and appear to be affected by the peculiar locomotion of knuckle-walking, i.e. the moment arm of forelimb in chimpanzees is relatively longer than that of digitigrade/palmigrade quadrupedal primates. Hence, a large PCSA in the deltoid and subscapularis may contribute to sustaining the body weight during locomotion. On the other hand, a thin cortical bone relative to a large PCSA was a feature of the cercopithecids, indicating that digitigrade/palmigrade quadrupedal locomotion produces less tension at the muscle/tendon attachment sites compared with that produced by brachiators. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy © 2011 Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Isolation and amino acid sequences of squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciurea) insulin and glucagon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Jinghua; Eng, J.; Yalow, R.S.

1990-12-01

It was reported two decades ago that insulin was not detectable in the glucose-stimulated state in Saimiri sciurea, the New World squirrel monkey, by a radioimmunoassay system developed with guinea pig anti-pork insulin antibody and labeled park insulin. With the same system, reasonable levels were observed in rhesus monkeys and chimpanzees. This suggested that New World monkeys, like the New World hystricomorph rodents such as the guinea pig and the coypu, might have insulins whose sequences differ markedly from those of Old World mammals. In this report the authors describe the purification and amino acid sequences of squirrel monkey insulinmore » and glucagon. They demonstrate that the substitutions at B29, B27, A2, A4, and A17 of squirrel monkey insulin are identical with those previously found in another New World primate, the owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus). The immunologic cross-reactivity of this insulin in their immunoassay system is only a few percent of that of human insulin. It appears that the peptides of the New World monkeys have diverged less from those of the Old World mammals than have those of the New World hystricomorph rodents. The striking improvements in peptide purification and sequencing have the potential for adding new information concerning the evolutionary divergence of species.« less

A 4-channel 3 Tesla phased array receive coil for awake rhesus monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments.

PubMed

Khachaturian, Mark Haig

2010-01-01

Awake monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI combined with conventional neuroscience techniques has the potential to study the structural and functional neural network. The majority of monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments are performed with single coils which suffer from severe EPI distortions which limit resolution. By constructing phased array coils for monkey MRI studies, gains in SNR and anatomical accuracy (i.e., reduction of EPI distortions) can be achieved using parallel imaging. The major challenges associated with constructing phased array coils for monkeys are the variation in head size and space constraints. Here, we apply phased array technology to a 4-channel phased array coil capable of improving the resolution and image quality of full brain awake monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments. The phased array coil is that can adapt to different rhesus monkey head sizes (ages 4-8) and fits in the limited space provided by monkey stereotactic equipment and provides SNR gains in primary visual cortex and anatomical accuracy in conjunction with parallel imaging and improves resolution in fMRI experiments by a factor of 2 (1.25 mm to 1.0 mm isotropic) and diffusion MRI experiments by a factor of 4 (1.5 mm to 0.9 mm isotropic).

Muscle Feasibility for Cosmos Rhesus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgerton, V. Reggie (Principal Investigator); Roland, Roy R.; Hodgson, John A.

1994-01-01

The following tasks were proposed for the Cosmos project: 1) Complete recordings of all preflight candidates during performance of a foot pedal motor control task while in the space capsule mock-up. 2) Complete recordings of all preflight candidates during locomotion and postural tasks. 3) Complete recordings of 24-hour spontaneous cage activity in the two flight monkeys before and after flight and of at least three control (non-flight) monkeys after the flight has been completed. 4) Complete recordings of the foot pedal and motor control tasks during flight and postflight as scheduled. 5) Complete recordings of the vertical drop test pre, during and postflight for the two flight and three control monkeys. 6) Complete recordings of locomotion and posture tests of the two flight monkeys postflight. 7) Complete recordings of locomotion and postural tests of at least three control (non-flight) monkeys during the postflight period. 8) Recalibrate buckles of the two flight and of at least three control monkeys postflight. 9) Complete analysis of the 24 hour EMG recordings of all monkeys. 10) Complete analysis of the foot pedal, locomotor and postural motor control tasks for the two flight and three control monkeys. It was proposed that efforts in the first postflight year be concentrated on the two flight animals and three postflight animals.

A 4-channel 3 Tesla phased array receive coil for awake rhesus monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments

PubMed Central

Khachaturian, Mark Haig

2010-01-01

Awake monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI combined with conventional neuroscience techniques has the potential to study the structural and functional neural network. The majority of monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments are performed with single coils which suffer from severe EPI distortions which limit resolution. By constructing phased array coils for monkey MRI studies, gains in SNR and anatomical accuracy (i.e., reduction of EPI distortions) can be achieved using parallel imaging. The major challenges associated with constructing phased array coils for monkeys are the variation in head size and space constraints. Here, we apply phased array technology to a 4-channel phased array coil capable of improving the resolution and image quality of full brain awake monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments. The phased array coil is that can adapt to different rhesus monkey head sizes (ages 4–8) and fits in the limited space provided by monkey stereotactic equipment and provides SNR gains in primary visual cortex and anatomical accuracy in conjunction with parallel imaging and improves resolution in fMRI experiments by a factor of 2 (1.25 mm to 1.0 mm isotropic) and diffusion MRI experiments by a factor of 4 (1.5 mm to 0.9 mm isotropic). PMID:21243106

Immunization with Recombinant Helicobacter pylori Urease in Specific-Pathogen-Free Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Solnick, Jay V.; Canfield, Don R.; Hansen, Lori M.; Torabian, Sima Z.

2000-01-01

Immunization with urease can protect mice from challenge with Helicobacter pylori, though results vary depending on the particular vaccine, challenge strain, and method of evaluation. Unlike mice, rhesus monkeys are naturally colonized with H. pylori and so may provide a better estimate of vaccine efficacy in humans. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of H. pylori urease as a vaccine in specific-pathogen (H. pylori)-free rhesus monkeys. Monkeys raised from birth and documented to be free of H. pylori were vaccinated with orogastric (n = 4) or intramuscular (n = 5) urease. Two control monkeys were sham vaccinated. All monkeys were challenged with a rhesus monkey-derived strain of H. pylori, and the effects of vaccination were evaluated by use of quantitative cultures of gastric tissue, histology, and measurement of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and salivary IgA. Despite a humoral immune response, all monkeys were infected after H. pylori challenge, and there were no differences in the density of colonization. Immunization with urease therefore does not fully protect against challenge with H. pylori. An effective vaccine to prevent H. pylori infection will require different or more likely additional antigens, as well as improvements in the stimulation of the host immune response. PMID:10768944

Goal-directed tail use in Colombian spider monkeys (Ateles fusciceps rufiventris) is highly lateralized.

PubMed

Nelson, Eliza L; Kendall, Giulianna A

2018-02-01

Behavioral laterality refers to a bias in the use of one side of the body over the other and is commonly studied in paired organs (e.g., hands, feet, eyes, antennae). Less common are reports of laterality in unpaired organs (e.g., trunk, tongue, tail). The goal of the current study was to examine tail use biases across different tasks in the Colombian spider monkey ( Ateles fusciceps rufiventris ) for the first time (N = 14). We hypothesized that task context and task complexity influence tail laterality in spider monkeys, and we predicted that monkeys would exhibit strong preferences for using the tail for manipulation to solve out-of-reach feeding problems, but not for using the tail at rest. Our results show that a subset of spider monkeys solved each of the experimental problems through goal-directed tail use (N = 7). However, some tasks were more difficult than others, given the number of monkeys who solved the tasks. Our results supported our predictions regarding laterality in tail use and only partially replicated prior work on tail use preferences in Geoffroy's spider monkeys ( Ateles geoffroyi ). Overall, skilled tail use, but not resting tail use, was highly lateralized in Colombian spider monkeys. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Monkey-based research on human disease: the implications of genetic differences.

PubMed

Bailey, Jarrod

2014-11-01

Assertions that the use of monkeys to investigate human diseases is valid scientifically are frequently based on a reported 90-93% genetic similarity between the species. Critical analyses of the relevance of monkey studies to human biology, however, indicate that this genetic similarity does not result in sufficient physiological similarity for monkeys to constitute good models for research, and that monkey data do not translate well to progress in clinical practice for humans. Salient examples include the failure of new drugs in clinical trials, the highly different infectivity and pathology of SIV/HIV, and poor extrapolation of research on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and stroke. The major molecular differences underlying these inter-species phenotypic disparities have been revealed by comparative genomics and molecular biology - there are key differences in all aspects of gene expression and protein function, from chromosome and chromatin structure to post-translational modification. The collective effects of these differences are striking, extensive and widespread, and they show that the superficial similarity between human and monkey genetic sequences is of little benefit for biomedical research. The extrapolation of biomedical data from monkeys to humans is therefore highly unreliable, and the use of monkeys must be considered of questionable value, particularly given the breadth and potential of alternative methods of enquiry that are currently available to scientists. 2014 FRAME.

Similar substrate specificity of cynomolgus monkey cytochrome P450 2C19 to reported human P450 2C counterpart enzymes by evaluation of 89 drug clearances.

PubMed

Hosaka, Shinya; Murayama, Norie; Satsukawa, Masahiro; Uehara, Shotaro; Shimizu, Makiko; Iwasaki, Kazuhide; Iwano, Shunsuke; Uno, Yasuhiro; Yamazaki, Hiroshi

2015-12-01

Cynomolgus monkeys are used widely in preclinical studies as non-human primate species. The amino acid sequence of cynomolgus monkey cytochrome P450 (P450 or CYP) 2C19 is reportedly highly correlated to that of human CYP2C19 (92%) and CYP2C9 (93%). In the present study, 89 commercially available compounds were screened to find potential substrates for cynomolgus monkey CYP2C19. Of 89 drugs, 34 were metabolically depleted by cynomolgus monkey CYP2C19 with relatively high rates. Among them, 30 compounds have been reported as substrates or inhibitors of, either or both, human CYP2C19 and CYP2C9. Several compounds, including loratadine, showed high selectivity to cynomolgus monkey CYP2C19, and all of these have been reported as human CYP2C19 and/or CYP2C9 substrates. In addition, cynomolgus monkey CYP2C19 formed the same loratadine metabolite as human CYP2C19, descarboethoxyloratadine. These results suggest that cynomolgus monkey CYP2C19 is generally similar to human CYP2C19 and CYP2C9 in its substrate recognition functionality. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The properties of B-form monoamine oxidase in mitochondria from monkey platelet.

PubMed

Obata, Toshio; Aomine, Masahiro

The present study was examined the effect of the properties of monkey platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) based on inhibitor sensitivity. Monkey platelet showed a high MAO activity with beta-phenylethylamine (beta-PEA) as substrate and a very low A-form MAO activity with 5 hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) as substrate. Moreover, monkey platelet MAO was sensitive to the drugs deprenyl as B-form MAO inhibitor and less sensitive to clorgyline and harmaline as A form MAO inhibitor with beta-PEA as the B-form MAO substrate. B-form MAO from monkey platelet was more stable against heat treatment at 55 degrees C than B-form MAO in brain. After digestion with trypsin at 37 degrees C for 4 hrs, it was found that MAO from platelet was inhibited about 70% with beta-PEA as substrate with brain. The tricyclic antidepressant imipramine and nortriptyline inhibited B-form MAO activity more potency than B-form MAO in brain. However, when the noncyclic antidepressant nomifensine was used, monkey platelet B-form MAO activities were less potently inhibited. All these reagents were noncompetitive inhibitors of B form MAO in monkey platelet. The present studies demonstrated that monkey platelet MAO is a single of B-form MAO and sensitive to tricyclic antidepressants.

Sporadic Premature Aging in a Japanese Monkey: A Primate Model for Progeria

PubMed Central

Oishi, Takao; Imai, Hiroo; Go, Yasuhiro; Imamura, Masanori; Hirai, Hirohisa; Takada, Masahiko

2014-01-01

In our institute, we have recently found a child Japanese monkey who is characterized by deep wrinkles of the skin and cataract of bilateral eyes. Numbers of analyses were performed to identify symptoms representing different aspects of aging. In this monkey, the cell cycle of fibroblasts at early passage was significantly extended as compared to a normal control. Moreover, both the appearance of senescent cells and the deficiency in DNA repair were observed. Also, pathological examination showed that this monkey has poikiloderma with superficial telangiectasia, and biochemical assay confirmed that levels of HbA1c and urinary hyaluronan were higher than those of other (child, adult, and aged) monkey groups. Of particular interest was that our MRI analysis revealed expansion of the cerebral sulci and lateral ventricles probably due to shrinkage of the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus. In addition, the conduction velocity of a peripheral sensory but not motor nerve was lower than in adult and child monkeys, and as low as in aged monkeys. However, we could not detect any individual-unique mutations of known genes responsible for major progeroid syndromes. The present results indicate that the monkey suffers from a kind of progeria that is not necessarily typical to human progeroid syndromes. PMID:25365557

Chronic Nicotine Treatment Increases nAChRs and Microglial Expression in Monkey Substantia Nigra after Nigrostriatal Damage

PubMed Central

Campos, Carla; Parameswaran, Neeraja; William Langston, J.; Michael McIntosh, J.; Yeluashvili, Michael

2010-01-01

Our previous work had shown that long-term nicotine administration improved dopaminergic markers and nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) in the striatum of monkeys with nigrostriatal damage. The present experiments were done to determine whether nicotine treatment also led to changes in the substantia nigra, the region containing dopaminergic cell bodies. Monkeys were chronically treated with nicotine in the drinking water for 6 months after which they were injected with low dose MPTP for a further 6-month period. Nicotine was administered until the monkeys were euthanized 2 months after the last MPTP injection. Nicotine treatment did not affect the dopamine transporter or the number of tyrosine hydroxylase positive cells in the substantia nigra of lesioned monkeys. However, nicotine administration did lead to a greater increase in α3/α6β2* and α4β2* nAChRs in lesioned monkeys compared to controls. Nicotine also significantly elevated microglia and reduced the number of extracellular neuromelanin deposits in the substantia nigra of MPTP-lesioned monkeys. These findings indicate that long-term nicotine treatment modulates expression of several molecular measures in monkey substantia nigra that may result in an improvement in nigral integrity and/or function. These observations may have therapeutic implications for Parkinson’s disease. PMID:19685015

Genetic analysis of captive proboscis monkeys.

PubMed

Ogata, Mitsuaki; Seino, Satoru

2015-01-01

Information on the genetic relationships of captive founders is important for captive population management. In this study, we investigated DNA polymorphisms of four microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial control region sequence of five proboscis monkeys residing in a Japanese zoo as captive founders, to clarify their genetic relationship. We found that two of the five monkeys appeared to be genetically related. Furthermore, the haplotypes of the mitochondrial control region of the five monkeys were well differentiated from the haplotypes previously reported from wild populations from the northern area of Borneo, indicating a greater amount of genetic diversity in proboscis monkeys than previously reported. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chronic suppression of testicular function by constant infusion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist and testosterone supplementation in the bonnet monkey (Macaca radiata).

PubMed

Ravindranath, N; Ramesh, V; Krishnamurthy, H N; Rao, A J; Moudgal, R N

1992-03-01

To study the efficacy of long-term buserelin acetate infusion to desensitize pituitary and block testicular function in adult male monkeys (Macaca radiata). Proven fertile male monkeys exhibiting normal testicular function. Each of the control (n = 5) and experimental monkeys (n = 10) received a fresh miniosmotic pump every 21 days, whereas pumps in controls delivered vehicle of experimentals released 50 micrograms buserelin acetate every 24 hours. On day 170 (renewed every 60 days) a silastic capsule containing crystalline testosterone (T) was implanted in the experimental monkeys. At the end of 3 years, treatment was stopped, and recovery of testicular function and fertility monitored. (1) Treatment resulted in marked reduction of nocturnal but not basal serum T; (2) the pituitary remained desensitized to buserelin acetate throughout the 3-year period; (3) animals were largely azoospermic with occasional oligospermia exhibited by two monkeys; and (4) withdrawal of treatment restored testicular function, with 70% of animals regaining fertility. Long-term infertility (but restorable) can be induced in male monkeys by constant infusion of buserelin acetate and T.

An outbreak of toxoplasmosis in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) in South Korea.

PubMed

Oh, Hanseul; Eo, Kyung-Yeon; Gumber, Sanjeev; Hong, Jung Joo; Kim, C-Yoon; Lee, Hyun-Ho; Jung, Young-Mok; Kim, Jin; Whang, Gyu-Whan; Lee, Ji-Min; Yeo, Yong-Gu; Ryu, Bokyeong; Ryu, Ji-Sook; Lee, Seul-Kee; Kim, Ukjin; Kang, Sin-Geun; Park, Jae-Hak

2018-04-30

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an intracellular protozoan parasite that can infect warm-blooded animals including humans. New World monkeys, such as squirrel monkeys, are more susceptible to T. gondii than Old World monkeys, often developing fatal disease. In this study, seven of thirteen dead squirrel monkeys at Seoul Grand Park were tested to find the cause of sudden death. The main histopathological findings included interstitial pneumonia, necrotizing hepatitis, and splenitis. Periodic acid-Schiff staining of liver, spleen, and lung revealed cyst structures consistent with bradyzoites. Amplification of the B1 gene was detected in the liver or spleen of all monkeys. Additionally, a restriction fragment length polymorphism assay and phylogenetic analysis of the GRA6 amplicon revealed a consistent clustering with the type II strain of T. gondii. This study is the first report of T. gondii infection of squirrel monkeys in Korea, and the first report of type II T. gondii based on GRA6 analysis in Korea. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Loss of Olfactory Receptor Genes Coincides with the Acquisition of Full Trichromatic Vision in Primates

PubMed Central

Wiebe, Victor; Przeworski, Molly; Lancet, Doron; Pääbo, Svante

2004-01-01

Olfactory receptor (OR) genes constitute the molecular basis for the sense of smell and are encoded by the largest gene family in mammalian genomes. Previous studies suggested that the proportion of pseudogenes in the OR gene family is significantly larger in humans than in other apes and significantly larger in apes than in the mouse. To investigate the process of degeneration of the olfactory repertoire in primates, we estimated the proportion of OR pseudogenes in 19 primate species by surveying randomly chosen subsets of 100 OR genes from each species. We find that apes, Old World monkeys and one New World monkey, the howler monkey, have a significantly higher proportion of OR pseudogenes than do other New World monkeys or the lemur (a prosimian). Strikingly, the howler monkey is also the only New World monkey to possess full trichromatic vision, along with Old World monkeys and apes. Our findings suggest that the deterioration of the olfactory repertoire occurred concomitant with the acquisition of full trichromatic color vision in primates. PMID:14737185

STUDIES ON VARIANTS OF POLIOMYELITIS VIRUS

PubMed Central

Sabin, Albert B.; Hennessen, Walter A.; Winsser, Johan

1954-01-01

Attempts were made to "convert" highly virulent strains of the 3 immunologic types of poliomyelitis virus (Mahoney, Y-SK, and Leon) into avirulent variants. Tests involving intracerebral, intramuscular, or oral administration of virus to cynomolgus monkeys indicated that mere propagation in cultures of kidney tissue of cynomolgus monkeys had no effect on virulence when single or small numbers of virus particles were used as seed, and harvests were delayed for 24 hours or more after the appearance of cytopathogenic change. On the other hand, passages at 24 hour intervals with large inocula (105 to 106 TCD60) produced culture fluids with diminished virulence and unusual patterns of response in cynomolgus monkeys. Purification of such culture fluids by the terminal dilution technique yielded modified strains which proved to be avirulent after administration by the intracerebral, intramuscular, or oral routes in cynomolgus monkeys. Neither paralysis nor CNS lesions were found in any of more than 80 monkeys inoculated intracerebrally with various amounts of virus. However, focal neuronal lesions were found in the spinal cord of 3 of 48 monkeys inoculated intramuscularly with various amounts of the Mahoney variant, in 2 of 20 receiving the Y-SK variant, though in none of 40 inoculated with various amounts of the Leon variant. Virus recovered from the spinal cord of one of the monkeys in the Mahoney group produced no paralysis on intracerebral passage in monkeys. It is assumed that all 3 modified viruses possess a limited capacity to affect lower motor neurones of cynomolgus monkeys when these are directly exposed to them by accidental intraneural or traumatic intracerebral injection. On propagation in cynomolgus kidney cultures the modified viruses reached titers of approximately 107 TCD50 per ml., as measured by cytopathogenic activity on renal epithelial cells in vitro, yet produced no perceptible pathologic changes in the muscles, kidneys, testes, ovaries, heart, pancreas, adrenals, liver, or spleen of cynomolgus monkeys inoculated intramuscularly. The modified viruses were immunogenic after intramuscular injection, but a large proportion of cynomolgus monkeys failed to develop antibody after small doses, indicating that in this host the experimentally produced variants multiplied less readily in non-nervous tissue than the virulent parent strains. Tests with the Type 1 virus showed that the orally administered avirulent variant can induce the formation of antibody and bring about resistance to the occurrence of paralysis such as results from ingestion of the virulent, parent strain. The Types 1 and 2 modified viruses are paralytogenic in mice after direct spinal inoculation whereas the Type 3 virus is not. The Type 1 virus became paralytogenic for mice when it lost its virulence for cynomolgus monkeys by the indicated routes. The Type 2 virus lost its virulence for mice by the intracerebral but not intraspinal routes when it was still fully virulent for cynomolgus monkeys, and retained its paralytogenic activity in intraspinally inoculated mice after it had lost its virulence for cynomolgus monkeys by the indicated routes. The parent Type 3 virus was paralytogenic in intraspinally inoculated mice when it was still fully virulent for cynomolgus monkeys, but this property disappeared in the modified virus when it became avirulent for monkeys. PMID:13163327

Pathogenesis of Rift Valley Fever in Rhesus Monkeys: Role of Interferon Response

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

hemorrhagic fever characterized by epistaxis, petechial to purpuric cutaneous lesions, anorexia, and vomiting prior to death. The 14 remaining monkeys survived...DMI, FILE Copy Arch Virol (1990) 110: 195-212 Amhivesirology ( by Springer-Verlag 1990 00 N Pathogenesis of Rift Valley fever in rhesus monkeys: (NI...inoculated intravenously with Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus presented clinical disease syndromes similar to human cases of RVF. All 17 infected monkeys

Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca Mulatta) Demonstrate Robust Memory for What and Where, but Not When, in an Open-Field Test of Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampton, R.R.; Hampstead, B.M.; Murray, E.A.

2005-01-01

We adapted a paradigm developed by Clayton and Dickinson (1998), who demonstrated memory for what, where, and when in scrub jays, for use with rhesus monkeys. In the study phase of each trial, monkeys found a preferred and a less-preferred food reward in a trial-unique array of three locations in a large room. After 1h, monkeys returned to the…

LATENT INFECTIONS IN MONKEYS WITH RADIATION SICKNESS INDUCED BY FRACTIONAL IRRADIATION (in Russian)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dzhikidze, E.K.; Aksenova, A.S.

1962-03-01

ABS>Work was carried out on 29 monkeys, most of them carriers of dysentery bacteria, subjected to multifold action of roentgen (12 monkeys) and gamma rays (l7 monkeys) in daily doses of 16-26 and 34 r. A very early appearance of symptoms of radiation sickness was observed, which by clinical and morphological manifestations resembled an acute radiation process. 26 out of 29 morkeys died in periods of 27 to 95 days from the start of the experiments, the total doses ranging from 450 to 1699 r, At different periods after the irradiation 25 monkeys developed infectious complications, in the majority ofmore » cases associated with activation of latent dysenteric infection (18 monkeys). The course of infectious processes against the background of radiation sickness was frequently of an atypical nature with scarce manifestations of the main symptoms of the disease. (auth)« less

A metacognitive illusion in monkeys.

PubMed

Ferrigno, Stephen; Kornell, Nate; Cantlon, Jessica F

2017-09-13

Like humans, monkeys can make accurate judgements about their own memory by reporting their confidence during cognitive tasks. Some have suggested that animals use associative learning to make accurate confidence judgements, while others have suggested animals directly access and estimate the strength of their memories. Here we test a third, non-exclusive possibility: perhaps monkeys, like humans, base metacognitive inferences on heuristic cues. Humans are known to use cues like perceptual fluency (e.g. how easy something is to see) when making metacognitive judgements. We tested monkeys using a match-to-sample task in which the perceptual fluency of the stimuli was manipulated. The monkeys made confidence wagers on their accuracy before or after each trial. We found that monkeys' wagers were affected by perceptual fluency even when their accuracy was not. This is novel evidence that animals are susceptible to metacognitive illusions similar to those experienced by humans. © 2017 The Author(s).

Role of monkeys in the sylvatic cycle of chikungunya virus in Senegal.

PubMed

Althouse, Benjamin M; Guerbois, Mathilde; Cummings, Derek A T; Diop, Ousmane M; Faye, Ousmane; Faye, Abdourahmane; Diallo, Diawo; Sadio, Bakary Djilocalisse; Sow, Abdourahmane; Faye, Oumar; Sall, Amadou A; Diallo, Mawlouth; Benefit, Brenda; Simons, Evan; Watts, Douglas M; Weaver, Scott C; Hanley, Kathryn A

2018-03-13

Arboviruses spillover into humans either as a one-step jump from a reservoir host species into humans or as a two-step jump from the reservoir to an amplification host species and thence to humans. Little is known about arbovirus transmission dynamics in reservoir and amplification hosts. Here we elucidate the role of monkeys in the sylvatic, enzootic cycle of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in the region around Kédougou, Senegal. Over 3 years, 737 monkeys were captured, aged using anthropometry and dentition, and tested for exposure to CHIKV by detection of neutralizing antibodies. Infant monkeys were positive for CHIKV even when the virus was not detected in a concurrent survey of mosquitoes and when population immunity was too high for monkeys alone to support continuous transmission. We conclude that monkeys in this region serve as amplification hosts of CHIKV. Additional efforts are needed to identify other hosts capable of supporting continuous circulation.

Monkey Visual Short-Term Memory Directly Compared to Humans

PubMed Central

Elmore, L. Caitlin; Wright, Anthony A.

2015-01-01

Two adult rhesus monkeys were trained to detect which item in an array of memory items had changed using the same stimuli, viewing times, and delays as used with humans. Although the monkeys were extensively trained, they were less accurate than humans with the same array sizes (2, 4, & 6 items), with both stimulus types (colored squares, clip art), and showed calculated memory capacities of about one item (or less). Nevertheless, the memory results from both monkeys and humans for both stimulus types were well characterized by the inverse power-law of display size. This characterization provides a simple and straightforward summary of a fundamental process of visual short-term memory (how VSTM declines with memory load) that emphasizes species similarities based upon similar functional relationships. By more closely matching of monkey testing parameters to those of humans, the similar functional relationships strengthen the evidence suggesting similar processes underlying monkey and human VSTM. PMID:25706544

Comparative anatomy and evolution of the cardiac innervation in New World monkeys (Platyrrhini, e. Geoffroy, 1812).

PubMed

Kawashima, Tomokazu; Thorington, Richard W; Whatton, James F

2009-05-01

The morphology of the autonomic cardiac nervous system (ACNS) was examined in 24 sides of 12 New World monkeys (Platyrrhini) of all four families to document the morphology systematically and to study the evolutionary changes of the ACNS in this primate lineage. We report the following: (1) Although several trivial intra- and inter-specific variations are present, a family-dependent morphology of the ACNS does not exist in New World monkeys. (2) The sympathetic ganglia in New World monkeys consist of the superior cervical, the middle cervical, and the cervicothoracic which is composed of the inferior cervical and first and second thoracic, and the thoracic ganglia starting with the third thoracic. The general cardiac nervous system is the sympathetic middle and inferior cardiac nerves and all parasympathetic vagal cardiac branches. (3) The morphology of the ACNS in the New World monkeys is almost consistent regardless of the number of vertebrae, the cardiac position and deviation (axis), and the great arterial branching pattern of the aortic arch, and it is very similar to that in the Old World monkeys, with only one difference: the superior cervical ganglion in the New World monkeys tends to be relatively smaller, higher, and provides a narrower contribution to the spinal nerves than in the Old World monkeys. The ACNS morphology exhibits significant evolutionary changes within the primate lineage from New and Old World monkeys to humans. The comparative morphology within the lineage is concordant with the phylogeny, suggesting that the primate ACNS preserves its evolutionary history in close alignment with phylogeny.

A quantitative approach to developing Parkinsonian monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) with intracerebroventricular 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium injections.

PubMed

Li, Hao; Lei, Xiaoguang; Huang, Baihui; Rizak, Joshua D; Yang, Lichuan; Yang, Shangchuan; Wu, Jing; Lü, Longbao; Wang, Jianhong; Yan, Ting; Li, Hongwei; Wang, Zhengbo; Hu, Yingzhou; Le, Weidong; Deng, Xingli; Li, Jiali; Xu, Lin; Zhang, Baorong; Hu, Xintian

2015-08-15

Non-human primate Parkinson's disease (PD) models are essential for PD research. The most extensively used PD monkey models are induced with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). However, the modeling processes of developing PD monkeys cannot be quantitatively controlled with MPTP. Therefore, a new approach to quantitatively develop chronic PD monkey models will help to advance the goals of "reduction, replacement and refinement" in animal experiments. A novel chronic PD monkey models was reported using the intracerebroventricular administration of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) in Cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). This approach successfully produced stable and consistent PD monkeys with typical motor symptoms and pathological changes. More importantly, a sigmoidal relationship (Y=8.15801e(-0.245/x); R=0.73) was discovered between PD score (Y) and cumulative dose of MPP(+) (X). This relationship was then used to develop two additional PD monkeys under a specific time schedule (4 weeks), with planned PD scores (7) by controlling the dose and frequency of the MPP(+) administration as an independent validation of the formula. We developed Parkinsonian monkeys within controlled time frames by regulating the accumulated dose of MPP(+) intracerebroventricular administered, while limiting side effects often witnessed in models developed with the peripheral administration of MPTP, makes this model highly suitable for treatment development. This novel approach provides an edge in evaluating the mechanisms of PD pathology associated with environmental toxins and novel treatment approaches as the formula developed provides a "map" to control and predict the modeling processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implicit Memory in Monkeys: Development of a Delay Eyeblink Conditioning System with Parallel Electromyographic and High-Speed Video Measurements.

PubMed

Kishimoto, Yasushi; Yamamoto, Shigeyuki; Suzuki, Kazutaka; Toyoda, Haruyoshi; Kano, Masanobu; Tsukada, Hideo; Kirino, Yutaka

2015-01-01

Delay eyeblink conditioning, a cerebellum-dependent learning paradigm, has been applied to various mammalian species but not yet to monkeys. We therefore developed an accurate measuring system that we believe is the first system suitable for delay eyeblink conditioning in a monkey species (Macaca mulatta). Monkey eyeblinking was simultaneously monitored by orbicularis oculi electromyographic (OO-EMG) measurements and a high-speed camera-based tracking system built around a 1-kHz CMOS image sensor. A 1-kHz tone was the conditioned stimulus (CS), while an air puff (0.02 MPa) was the unconditioned stimulus. EMG analysis showed that the monkeys exhibited a conditioned response (CR) incidence of more than 60% of trials during the 5-day acquisition phase and an extinguished CR during the 2-day extinction phase. The camera system yielded similar results. Hence, we conclude that both methods are effective in evaluating monkey eyeblink conditioning. This system incorporating two different measuring principles enabled us to elucidate the relationship between the actual presence of eyelid closure and OO-EMG activity. An interesting finding permitted by the new system was that the monkeys frequently exhibited obvious CRs even when they produced visible facial signs of drowsiness or microsleep. Indeed, the probability of observing a CR in a given trial was not influenced by whether the monkeys closed their eyelids just before CS onset, suggesting that this memory could be expressed independently of wakefulness. This work presents a novel system for cognitive assessment in monkeys that will be useful for elucidating the neural mechanisms of implicit learning in nonhuman primates.

Bilirubin photoisomers in rhesus monkey serum.

PubMed

Okada, Hitoshi; Itoh, Susumu; Nii, Kohichiroh; Sugino, Masashiro; Fuke, Noriko; Koyano, Kosuke; Yasuda, Saneyuki; Kusaka, Takashi

2018-05-23

As rhesus monkeys exhibit physiological jaundice during the neonatal period, we used rhesus monkey serum to examine changes in bilirubin photoisomers. Bilirubin-rhesus monkey serum solution was irradiated with blue light-emitting diode, and changes in the absorbance and bilirubin fraction were compared with those in bilirubin- human serum albumin (HSA) and bilirubin-rat albumin solutions. The λ max decreased with light irradiation. The mean production rate of cyclobilirubin IXα was 1.98, 199 and 0.76 × 10 -2 /min in rhesus monkey serum, HSA and rat albumin, respectively. There was no significant difference between rhesus monkey serum and HSA. The (ZE)-bilirubin IXα/(ZZ)-bilirubin IXα ratio was 0.33, 0.45, and 0.10, respectively, differing significantly among the groups. The (EZ)-bilirubin IXα/(ZZ)-bilirubin IXα ratio was 0.020, 0.010, and 0.062, respectively, with no significant difference between rhesus monkey serum and HSA. The production rate of (EZ)-cyclobilirubin XIIIα(= (ZE)-cyclobilirubin XIIIα) was 0.73, 1.60, and 0.51 × 10 -2 /min, respectively, with differing significantly among the groups. The (EZ)-bilirubin IIIα/(ZZ)-bilirubin IIIα ratio was significantly different among the groups at 0.20, 0.38, and 0.15, respectively. This is the first report demonstrating the photoisomerization of bilirubin in rhesus monkey serum and the animal with the same cyclobilirubin production rate as HSA.Rhesus monkeys may be used as an animal model for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in humans to evaluate the efficacy of phototherapy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acoustic characteristics used by Japanese macaques for individual discrimination.

PubMed

Furuyama, Takafumi; Kobayasi, Kohta I; Riquimaroux, Hiroshi

2017-10-01

The vocalizations of primates contain information about speaker individuality. Many primates, including humans, are able to distinguish conspecifics based solely on vocalizations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acoustic characteristics used by Japanese macaques in individual vocal discrimination. Furthermore, we tested human subjects using monkey vocalizations to evaluate species specificity with respect to such discriminations. Two monkeys and five humans were trained to discriminate the coo calls of two unfamiliar monkeys. We created a stimulus continuum between the vocalizations of the two monkeys as a set of probe stimuli (whole morph). We also created two sets of continua in which only one acoustic parameter, fundamental frequency ( f 0 ) or vocal tract characteristic (VTC), was changed from the coo call of one monkey to that of another while the other acoustic feature remained the same ( f 0 morph and VTC morph, respectively). According to the results, the reaction times both of monkeys and humans were correlated with the morph proportion under the whole morph and f 0 morph conditions. The reaction time to the VTC morph was correlated with the morph proportion in both monkeys, whereas the reaction time in humans, on average, was not correlated with morph proportion. Japanese monkeys relied more consistently on VTC than did humans for discriminating monkey vocalizations. Our results support the idea that the auditory system of primates is specialized for processing conspecific vocalizations and suggest that VTC is a significant acoustic feature used by Japanese macaques to discriminate conspecific vocalizations. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

High Expression of UGT1A1/1A6 in Monkey Small Intestine: Comparison of Protein Expression Levels of Cytochromes P450, UDP-Glucuronosyltransferases, and Transporters in Small Intestine of Cynomolgus Monkey and Human.

PubMed

Akazawa, Takanori; Uchida, Yasuo; Miyauchi, Eisuke; Tachikawa, Masanori; Ohtsuki, Sumio; Terasaki, Tetsuya

2018-01-02

Cynomolgus monkeys have been widely used for the prediction of drug absorption in humans. The purpose of this study was to clarify the regional protein expression levels of cytochromes P450 (CYPs), UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), and transporters in small intestine of cynomolgus monkey using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and to compare them with the corresponding levels in human. UGT1A1 in jejunum and ileum were >4.57- and >3.11-fold and UGT1A6 in jejunum and ileum were >16.1- and >8.57-fold, respectively, more highly expressed in monkey than in human. Also, jejunal expression of monkey CYP3A8 (homologue of human CYP3A4) was >3.34-fold higher than that of human CYP3A4. Among apical drug efflux transporters, BCRP showed the most abundant expression in monkey and human, and the expression levels of BCRP in monkey and human were >1.74- and >1.25-fold greater than those of P-gp and >2.76- and >4.50-fold greater than those of MRP2, respectively. These findings should be helpful to understand species differences of the functions of CYPs, UGTs, and transporters between monkey and human. The UGT1A1/1A6 data would be especially important because it is difficult to identify isoforms responsible for species differences of intestinal glucuronidation by means of functional studies due to overlapping substrate specificity.

Comparison of oxime reactivation and aging of nerve agent-inhibited monkey and human acetylcholinesterases.

PubMed

Luo, Chunyuan; Tong, Min; Maxwell, Donald M; Saxena, Ashima

2008-09-25

Non-human primates are valuable animal models that are used for the evaluation of nerve agent toxicity as well as antidotes and results from animal experiments are extrapolated to humans. It has been demonstrated that the efficacy of an oxime primarily depends on its ability to reactivate nerve agent-inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE). If the in vitro oxime reactivation of nerve agent-inhibited animal AChE is similar to that of human AChE, it is likely that the results of an in vivo animal study will reliably extrapolate to humans. Therefore, the goal of this study was to compare the aging and reactivation of human and different monkey (Rhesus, Cynomolgus, and African Green) AChEs inhibited by GF, GD, and VR. The oximes examined include the traditional oxime 2-PAM, two H-oximes HI-6 and HLo-7, and the new candidate oxime MMB4. Results indicate that oxime reactivation of all three monkey AChEs was very similar to human AChE. The maximum difference in the second-order reactivation rate constant between human and three monkey AChEs or between AChEs from different monkey species was 5-fold. Aging rate constants of GF-, GD-, and VR-inhibited monkey AChEs were very similar to human AChE except for GF-inhibited monkey AChEs, which aged 2-3 times faster than the human enzyme. The results of this study suggest that all three monkey species are suitable animal models for nerve agent antidote evaluation since monkey AChEs possess similar biochemical/pharmacological properties to human AChE.

Depth perception from moving cast shadow in macaque monkey.

PubMed

Mizutani, Saneyuki; Usui, Nobuo; Yokota, Takanori; Mizusawa, Hidehiro; Taira, Masato; Katsuyama, Narumi

2015-07-15

In the present study, we investigate whether the macaque monkey can perceive motion in depth using a moving cast shadow. To accomplish this, we conducted two experiments. In the first experiment, an adult Japanese monkey was trained in a motion discrimination task in depth by binocular disparity. A square was presented on the display so that it appeared with a binocular disparity of 0.12 degrees (initial position), and moved toward (approaching) or away from (receding) the monkey for 1s. The monkey was trained to discriminate the approaching and receding motion of the square by GO/delayed GO-type responses. The monkey showed a significantly high accuracy rate in the task, and the performance was maintained when the position, color, and shape of the moving object were changed. In the next experiment, the change in the disparity was gradually decreased in the motion discrimination task. The results showed that the performance of the monkey declined as the distance of the approaching and receding motion of the square decreased from the initial position. However, when a moving cast shadow was added to the stimulus, the monkey responded to the motion in depth induced by the cast shadow in the same way as by binocular disparity; the reward was delivered randomly or given in all trials to prevent the learning of the 2D motion of the shadow in the frontal plane. These results suggest that the macaque monkey can perceive motion in depth using a moving cast shadow as well as using binocular disparity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic Human Hyperimmune Polyclonal Antibodies Against Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

antibodies and to develop the required SOPs. Both goals have been achieved. Body Phase I Objective 1: Assemble a cohort of monkey sera from IBT’s...30 serum samples (2 ml each) from monkeys vaccinated either with adjuvant, or two different doses of STEBVax were collected. The monkey sera...originated from a concurrent GLP-safety study for STEBVax in which monkeys received four injections of STEBVax at 50 and 200 μg. However upon assay, the

Piracetam-induced changes on the brainstem auditory response in anesthetized juvenile rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Report of two clinical cases.

PubMed

Durand-Rivera, A; Gonzalez-Pina, R; Hernandez-Godinez, B; Ibanez-Contreras, A; Bueno-Nava, A; Alfaro-Rodriguez, A

2012-10-01

We describe two clinical cases and examine the effects of piracetam on the brainstem auditory response in infantile female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). We found that the interwave intervals show a greater reduction in a 3-year-old rhesus monkey compared to a 1-year-old rhesus monkey. In this report, we discuss the significance of these observations. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Fetal programming of adrenal androgen excess: lessons from a nonhuman primate model of polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Abbott, David H; Zhou, Rao; Bird, Ian M; Dumesic, Daniel A; Conley, Alan J

2008-01-01

Adrenal androgen excess is found in adult female rhesus monkeys previously exposed to androgen treatment during early gestation. In adulthood, such prenatally androgenized female monkeys exhibit elevated basal circulating levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), typical of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women with adrenal androgen excess. Further androgen and glucocorticoid abnormalities in PA female monkeys are revealed by acute ACTH stimulation: DHEA, androstenedione and corticosterone responses are all elevated compared to responses in controls. Pioglitazone treatment, however, diminishes circulating DHEAS responses to ACTH in both prenatally androgenized and control female monkeys, while increasing the 17-hydroxyprogesterone response and reducing the DHEA to 17-hydroxyprogesterone ratio. Since 60-min post-ACTH serum values for 17-hydroxyprogesterone correlate negatively with basal serum insulin levels (all female monkeys on pioglitazone and placebo treatment combined), while similar DHEAS values correlate positively with basal serum insulin levels, circulating insulin levels may preferentially support adrenal androgen biosynthesis in both prenatally androgenized and control female rhesus monkeys. Overall, our findings suggest that differentiation of the monkey adrenal cortex in a hyperandrogenic fetal environment may permanently upregulate adult adrenal androgen biosynthesis through specific elevation of 17,20-lyase activity in the zona fasciculata-reticularis. As adult prenatally androgenized female rhesus monkeys closely emulate PCOS-like symptoms, excess fetal androgen programming may contribute to adult adrenal androgen excess in women with PCOS.

Essentialism in the absence of language? Evidence from rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Phillips, Webb; Shankar, Maya; Santos, Laurie R

2010-07-01

We explored whether rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) share one important feature of human essentialist reasoning: the capacity to track category membership across radical featural transformations. Specifically, we examined whether monkeys--like children (Keil, 1989)--expect a transformed object to have the internal properties of its original category. In two experiments, monkeys watched as an experimenter visually transformed a familiar fruit (e.g. apple) into a new kind of fruit (e.g. coconut) either by placing a fruit exterior over the original, or by removing an exterior shell and revealing the inside kind of fruit. The experimenter then pretended to place an inside piece of the transformed fruit into a box which the monkey was allowed to search. Results indicated that monkeys searched the box longer when they found a piece of fruit inconsistent with the inside kind, suggesting that the monkeys expected that the inside of the transformed fruit would taste like the innermost kind they saw. These results suggest that monkeys may share at least one aspect of psychological essentialism: they maintain category-specific expectations about an object's internal properties even when that object's external properties change. These results therefore suggest that some essentialist expectations may emerge in the absence of language, and thus raise the possibility that such tendencies may emerge earlier in human development than has previously been considered.

Fetal programming of adrenal androgen excess: lessons from a nonhuman primate model of polycystic ovary syndrome

PubMed Central

Abbott, David H; Zhou, Rao; Bird, Ian M; Dumesic, Daniel A; Conley, Alan J

2008-01-01

Adrenal androgen excess is found in adult female rhesus monkeys previously exposed to androgen treatment during early gestation. In adulthood, such prenatally androgenized female monkeys exhibit elevated basal circulating levels of DHEAS, typical of PCOS women with adrenal androgen excess. Further androgen and glucocorticoid abnormalities in PA female monkeys are revealed by acute ACTH stimulation: DHEA, androstenedione and corticosterone responses are all elevated compared to responses in controls. Pioglitazone treatment, however, diminishes circulating DHEAS responses to ACTH in both prenatally androgenized and control female monkeys, while increasing the 17-hydroxyprogesterone response and reducing the DHEA to 17-hydroxyprogesterone ratio. Since 60-min post-ACTH serum values for 17-hydroxyprogesterone correlate negatively with basal serum insulin levels (all female monkeys on pioglitazone and placebo treatment combined), while similar DHEAS values correlate positively with basal serum insulin levels, circulating insulin levels may preferentially support adrenal androgen biosynthesis in both prenatally androgenized and control female rhesus monkeys. Overall, our findings suggest that differentiation of the monkey adrenal cortex in a hyperandrogenic fetal environment may permanently upregulate adult adrenal androgen biosynthesis through specific elevation of 17,20-lyase activity in the zona fasciculata-reticularis. As adult prenatally androgenized female rhesus monkeys closely emulate PCOS-like symptoms, excess fetal androgen programming may contribute to adult adrenal androgen excess in women with PCOS. PMID:18493139

Visitor effect on the behavior of a group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) maintained at an island in Lake Catemaco, Veracruz/Mexico.

PubMed

Pérez-Galicia, Sergio; Miranda-Anaya, Manuel; Canales-Espinosa, Domingo; Muñoz-Delgado, Jairo

2017-12-01

We analyzed the effect of human visitors on the behavior of a group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) kept on a small tourist island. Although the spider monkey is a common species in zoos, there are very few specific studies on visitor effects on these monkeys. We conducted behavioral observations on the group of spider monkeys to evaluate the effect of visitors. We also used actimetry devices to measure the variations in the spider monkeys' locomotor activity associated with human presence. With regard to the effect on behavior, we found an increase in self-directed behaviors and a decrease in vocalization, both associated with human presence. Moreover, our results suggest that when people feed monkeys, there is an increase in agonistic behaviors. On the other hand, we found that changes in activity levels in response to human presence vary among individuals. We conclude that changes in spider monkeys' behavior could provide evidence of the negative effect of visitors in our study conditions. Although we discuss the differences in activity levels due to differences in social position, further research is required this topic. Our results can be used to inform management plans for this species in captivity. Improving this relationship between humans and non-human primates through tourism education programs would benefit ecotourism and therefore species conservation programs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of Pepsinogen I as a Biomarker of Drug-induced Gastric Mucosal Injury in Cynomolgus Monkeys.

PubMed

Ennulat, Daniela; Lynch, Karen M; Kimbrough, Carie L; Mirabile, Rosanna C; Rehm, Sabine

2017-02-01

Gastric mucosal injury is frequently observed in nonclinical studies of nonhuman primates. Because microscopic evaluation of stomach is generally a terminal procedure, our objective was to determine whether serum pepsinogen I (PG I) could serve as a noninvasive biomarker for detection of gastric mucosal injury in monkey. Serum PG I was measured using a commercial human immunoassay in cynomolgus monkeys ( n = 166) prior to dosing and/or terminally in 11 studies of up to 1 month duration. Mean ( SD) PG I values (ug/L) for monkeys with ( n = 59) and without ( n = 100) gastric mucosal degeneration were 101 (215) and 28 (12.6), respectively. For monkeys with baseline and terminal PG I data, mean ( SD) fold change (ratio of terminal to baseline PG I) for monkeys with ( n = 57) and without ( n = 76) glandular degeneration were 4.1 (11.3) and 1 (0.28). Receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC) data demonstrated moderate diagnostic accuracy for serum PG I for glandular degeneration, AUC ( SE) 0.789 (0.04), with improved diagnostic accuracy as a fold change of baseline, AUC ( SE) 0.816 (0.04), consistent with the large interindividual but low intraindividual variability of serum PG I values in control monkeys. These data demonstrate that serum PG I is a useful biomarker of drug-induced gastric mucosal injury in the cynomolgus monkey.

Cross-species transmission of a novel adenovirus associated with a fulminant pneumonia outbreak in a new world monkey colony.

PubMed

Chen, Eunice C; Yagi, Shigeo; Kelly, Kristi R; Mendoza, Sally P; Tarara, Ross P; Canfield, Don R; Maninger, Nicole; Rosenthal, Ann; Spinner, Abigail; Bales, Karen L; Schnurr, David P; Lerche, Nicholas W; Chiu, Charles Y

2011-07-01

Adenoviruses are DNA viruses that naturally infect many vertebrates, including humans and monkeys, and cause a wide range of clinical illnesses in humans. Infection from individual strains has conventionally been thought to be species-specific. Here we applied the Virochip, a pan-viral microarray, to identify a novel adenovirus (TMAdV, titi monkey adenovirus) as the cause of a deadly outbreak in a closed colony of New World monkeys (titi monkeys; Callicebus cupreus) at the California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC). Among 65 titi monkeys housed in a building, 23 (34%) developed upper respiratory symptoms that progressed to fulminant pneumonia and hepatitis, and 19 of 23 monkeys, or 83% of those infected, died or were humanely euthanized. Whole-genome sequencing of TMAdV revealed that this adenovirus is a new species and highly divergent, sharing <57% pairwise nucleotide identity with other adenoviruses. Cultivation of TMAdV was successful in a human A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell line, but not in primary or established monkey kidney cells. At the onset of the outbreak, the researcher in closest contact with the monkeys developed an acute respiratory illness, with symptoms persisting for 4 weeks, and had a convalescent serum sample seropositive for TMAdV. A clinically ill family member, despite having no contact with the CNPRC, also tested positive, and screening of a set of 81 random adult blood donors from the Western United States detected TMAdV-specific neutralizing antibodies in 2 individuals (2/81, or 2.5%). These findings raise the possibility of zoonotic infection by TMAdV and human-to-human transmission of the virus in the population. Given the unusually high case fatality rate from the outbreak (83%), it is unlikely that titi monkeys are the native host species for TMAdV, and the natural reservoir of the virus is still unknown. The discovery of TMAdV, a novel adenovirus with the capacity to infect both monkeys and humans, suggests that adenoviruses should be monitored closely as potential causes of cross-species outbreaks.

Fetal malformations and early embryonic gene expression response in cynomolgus monkeys maternally exposed to thalidomide

EPA Science Inventory

The present study was performed to determine experimental conditions for thalidomide induction of fetal malformations and to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying thalidomide teratogenicity in cynomolgus monkeys. Cynomolgus monkeys were orally administered (±)-thalidomid...

Regulatory effect of Epithalon on production of melatonin and cortisol in old monkeys.

PubMed

Goncharova, N D; Khavinson, B K; Lapin, B A

2001-04-01

The effect of Epithalon on melatonin and cortisol secretion in female rhesus monkeys of various ages was evaluated by enzyme immunoassay. Epithalon stimulated evening melatonin production and normalized circadian rhythms of cortisol production in old monkeys.

Park Rangers’ Behaviors and Their Effects on Tourists and Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mt. Huangshan, China

PubMed Central

Usui, Rie; Sheeran, Lori K.; Li, Jin-hua; Sun, Lixing; Wang, Xi; Pritchard, Alexander J.; DuVall-Lash, Alexander S.; Wagner, R. Steve

2014-01-01

Simple Summary Conflict between macaques and humans is a commonly reported problem in Asian tourism. However, without understanding how macaques are managed, the establishment of an effective management design is impracticable. This study explored how monkeys were managed and tourists were regulated at the Valley of the Wild Monkeys in Mt. Huangshan, Anhui Province, China, through a field observation. Two teams of park rangers alternated monthly and managed a group of macaques. The results suggested that undesired tourists’ interactions with monkeys were not regularly intervened by park rangers, and park rangers established dominance over the monkeys by using physical threats to manage them. Abstract Previous studies have reported the negative impacts of tourism on nonhuman primates (NHPs) and tourists and advocated the improvement of tourism management, yet what constitutes good quality management remains unclear. We explored whether rates of macaque aggression and self-directed behaviors (SDBs) differed under the supervision of two park ranger teams at the Valley of the Wild Monkeys (VWM) in Mt. Huangshan, Anhui Province, China. The two ranger teams provisioned and managed a group of macaques on an alternating monthly basis. Monkey, tourist and ranger behaviors were collected from August 16–September 30, 2012. Macaque aggression and SDB rates did not differ significantly under the management of the two teams. Overall, there was little intervention in tourist-macaque interactions by park rangers, and even when rangers discouraged tourists’ undesirable behaviors, tourist interactions with monkeys persisted. Furthermore, only one or sometimes two park rangers managed monkeys and tourists, and rangers established dominance over the monkeys to control them. In order to effectively manage tourists and monkeys by a single park ranger, we recommend that rangers: (1) prohibit tourists from feeding; (2) move around the viewing platform more frequently; and (3) limit the number of tourists each visiting session. PMID:26480324

Pattern of maternal circulating CRH in laboratory-housed squirrel and owl monkeys

PubMed Central

Power, ML; Williams, LE; Gibson, SV; Schulkin, J; Helfers, J; Zorrilla, EP

2010-01-01

The anthropoid primate placenta appears to be unique in producing corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Placental CRH is involved in an endocrine circuit key to the production of estrogens during pregnancy. CRH induces cortisol production by the maternal and fetal adrenal glands, leading to further placental CRH production. CRH also stimulates the fetal adrenal glands to produce dehydroepiandrostendione sulfate (DHEAS) which the placenta converts into estrogens. There are at least two patterns of maternal circulating CRH across gestation among anthropoids. Monkeys examined to date (Papio and Callithrix) have an early-to-mid gestational peak of circulating CRH, followed by a steady decline to a plateau level, with a possible rise near parturition. In contrast, humans and great apes have an exponential rise in circulating CRH peaking at parturition. To further document and compare patterns of maternal circulating CRH in anthropoid primates, we collected monthly blood samples on 14 squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) and 10 owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae) during pregnancy. CRH immunoreactivity was measured from extracted plasma by solid-phase RIA. Both squirrel and owl monkeys displayed a mid-gestational peak in circulating CRH: days 45–65 of the 152-day gestation for squirrel monkeys (mean±SEM CRH = 2694±276 pg/ml) and days 60–80 of the 133-day gestation for owl monkeys (9871±974 pg/ml). In squirrel monkeys, circulating CRH declined to 36% of mean peak value by two weeks before parturition and then appeared to increase; the best model for circulating CRH over gestation in squirrel monkeys was a cubic function, similar to previous results for baboons and marmosets. In owl monkeys, circulating CRH appeared to plateau with no subsequent significant decline approaching parturition, although a cubic function was the best fit. This study provides additional evidence for a mid-gestational peak of maternal circulating CRH in ancestral anthropoids that has been lost in the hominoid lineage. PMID:20872786

Early Predictors of Impaired Social Functioning in Male Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Del Rosso, Laura A.; Seil, Shannon K.; Calonder, Laura A.; Madrid, Jesus E.; Bone, Kyle J.; Sherr, Elliott H.; Garner, Joseph P.; Capitanio, John P.; Parker, Karen J.

2016-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social cognition impairments but its basic disease mechanisms remain poorly understood. Progress has been impeded by the absence of animal models that manifest behavioral phenotypes relevant to ASD. Rhesus monkeys are an ideal model organism to address this barrier to progress. Like humans, rhesus monkeys are highly social, possess complex social cognition abilities, and exhibit pronounced individual differences in social functioning. Moreover, we have previously shown that Low-Social (LS) vs. High-Social (HS) adult male monkeys exhibit lower social motivation and poorer social skills. It is not known, however, when these social deficits first emerge. The goals of this study were to test whether juvenile LS and HS monkeys differed as infants in their ability to process social information, and whether infant social abilities predicted later social classification (i.e., LS vs. HS), in order to facilitate earlier identification of monkeys at risk for poor social outcomes. Social classification was determined for N = 25 LS and N = 25 HS male monkeys that were 1–4 years of age. As part of a colony-wide assessment, these monkeys had previously undergone, as infants, tests of face recognition memory and the ability to respond appropriately to conspecific social signals. Monkeys later identified as LS vs. HS showed impairments in recognizing familiar vs. novel faces and in the species-typical adaptive ability to gaze avert to scenes of conspecific aggression. Additionally, multivariate logistic regression using infant social ability measures perfectly predicted later social classification of all N = 50 monkeys. These findings suggest that an early capacity to process important social information may account for differences in rhesus monkeys’ motivation and competence to establish and maintain social relationships later in life. Further development of this model will facilitate identification of novel biological targets for intervention to improve social outcomes in at-risk young monkeys. PMID:27788195

Control of Working Memory in Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Tu, Hsiao-Wei; Hampton, Robert R.

2014-01-01

Cognitive control is critical for efficiently using the limited resources in working memory. It is well established that humans use rehearsal to increase the probability of remembering needed information, but little is known in nonhumans, with some studies reporting the absence of active control and others subject to alternative explanations. We trained monkeys in a visual matching-to-sample paradigm with a post-sample memory cue. Monkeys either saw a remember cue that predicted the occurrence of a matching test that required memory for the sample, or a forget cue that predicted a discrimination test that did not require memory of the sample. Infrequent probe trials on which monkeys were given tests of the type not cued on that trial were used to assess whether memory was under cognitive control. Our procedures controlled for reward expectation and for the surprising nature of the probes. Monkeys matched less accurately after forget cues, while discrimination accuracy was equivalent in the two cue conditions. We also tested monkeys with lists of two consecutive sample images that shared the same cue. Again, memory for expected memory tests was superior to that on unexpected tests. Together these results show that monkeys cognitively control their working memory. PMID:25436219

Protective efficacy of recombinant BCG Tokyo (Ag85A) in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) infected intratracheally with H37Rv Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PubMed

Sugawara, I; Sun, L; Mizuno, S; Taniyama, T

2009-01-01

We have reported previously that recombinant BCG Tokyo (Ag85A) (rBCG-Ag85A[Tokyo]) shows promise as a tuberculosis vaccine, demonstrating protective efficacy in cynomolgus monkeys. As a next step, rhesus monkeys were utilized because they are also susceptible to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and show a continuous course of infection resembling human tuberculosis. The recombinant BCG vaccine (5x10(5) CFU per monkey) was administered once intradermally into the back skin to three groups of rhesus monkeys, and its protective efficacy was compared for 4months with that of its parental BCG Tokyo strain. Eight week vaccination of the monkeys with rBCG-Ag85A[Tokyo] resulted in a reduction of tubercle bacilli CFU (p<0.01) and lung pathology in animals infected intratracheally with 3000 CFU H37Rv M. tuberculosis. Vaccination prevented an increase in the old tuberculin test after challenge with M. tuberculosis and reaction of M. tuberculosis-derived antigen. Thus, it was shown that even in rhesus monkeys rBCG-Ag85A[Tokyo] induced higher protective efficacy than BCG Tokyo.

Characterization of a novel simian immunodeficiency virus from guereza colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza) in Cameroon: a new lineage in the nonhuman primate lentivirus family.

PubMed

Courgnaud, V; Pourrut, X; Bibollet-Ruche, F; Mpoudi-Ngole, E; Bourgeois, A; Delaporte, E; Peeters, M

2001-01-01

Exploration of the diversity among primate lentiviruses is necessary to elucidate the origins and evolution of immunodeficiency viruses. During a serological survey in Cameroon, we screened 25 wild-born guereza colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza) and identified 7 with HIV/SIV cross-reactive antibodies. In this study, we describe a novel lentivirus, named SIVcol, prevalent in guereza colobus monkeys. Genetic analysis revealed that SIVcol was very distinct from all other known SIV/HIV isolates, with average amino acid identities of 40% for Gag, 50% for Pol, 28% for Env, and around 25% for proteins encoded by five other genes. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that SIVcol is genetically distinct from other previously characterized primate lentiviruses and clusters independently, forming a novel lineage, the sixth in the current classification. Cercopithecidae monkeys (Old World monkeys) are subdivided into two subfamilies, the Colobinae and the Cercopithecinae, and, so far, all Cercopithecidae monkeys from which lentiviruses have been isolated belong to the Cercopithecinae subfamily. Therefore, SIVcol from guereza colobus monkeys (C. guereza) is the first primate lentivirus identified in the Colobinae subfamily and the divergence of SIVcol may reflect divergence of the host lineage.

Characterization of a Novel Simian Immunodeficiency Virus from Guereza Colobus Monkeys (Colobus guereza) in Cameroon: a New Lineage in the Nonhuman Primate Lentivirus Family

PubMed Central

Courgnaud, Valérie; Pourrut, Xavier; Bibollet-Ruche, Frédéric; Mpoudi-Ngole, Eitel; Bourgeois, Anke; Delaporte, Eric; Peeters, Martine

2001-01-01

Exploration of the diversity among primate lentiviruses is necessary to elucidate the origins and evolution of immunodeficiency viruses. During a serological survey in Cameroon, we screened 25 wild-born guereza colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza) and identified 7 with HIV/SIV cross-reactive antibodies. In this study, we describe a novel lentivirus, named SIVcol, prevalent in guereza colobus monkeys. Genetic analysis revealed that SIVcol was very distinct from all other known SIV/HIV isolates, with average amino acid identities of 40% for Gag, 50% for Pol, 28% for Env, and around 25% for proteins encoded by five other genes. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that SIVcol is genetically distinct from other previously characterized primate lentiviruses and clusters independently, forming a novel lineage, the sixth in the current classification. Cercopithecidae monkeys (Old World monkeys) are subdivided into two subfamilies, the Colobinae and the Cercopithecinae, and, so far, all Cercopithecidae monkeys from which lentiviruses have been isolated belong to the Cercopithecinae subfamily. Therefore, SIVcol from guereza colobus monkeys (C. guereza) is the first primate lentivirus identified in the Colobinae subfamily and the divergence of SIVcol may reflect divergence of the host lineage. PMID:11134299

Spontaneous Findings in the Eyes of Cynomolgus Monkeys ( Macaca fascicularis) of Mauritian Origin.

PubMed

Woicke, Jochen; Haile, Solomon; Mysore, Jagannatha; Peden, W Michael; Lejeune, Typhaine; Sanderson, Thomas; Brodie, Thomas

2018-04-01

Spontaneous findings noted in the eyes of Mauritian cynomolgus monkeys are described and descriptions are supplemented with illustrations. Findings observed after extensive histopathologic examinations (20 to 44 sections per eye) from 20 control, 17 treatment-naive stock monkeys, and 2 findings noted in drug-treated monkeys that were considered to be spontaneous are included. Also included are findings from 361 control monkeys of routine toxicity studies performed at our laboratories, for most of which a standard histopathological examination of 1 section per eye was conducted. Common observations in monkeys examined extensively and in historical controls were limited to lymphocytic or mononuclear cell infiltrations of the uvea and/or conjunctiva/sclera and, less commonly observed, melanocytoma of the ciliary body or iris. Findings noted only in monkeys examined extensively consisted of inflammation of the conjunctiva, ora serrata cysts, glial nodules, focal degeneration of the retina, cystoid degeneration of the central retina, ballooning degeneration of the ciliary epithelium, cyst of the ciliary body, and decreased pigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium. Changes recorded only in historical controls included retinal atrophy and nuclear displacement in the retina. Lesions are discussed and compared with pertinent literature.

Action Categorization in Rhesus Monkeys: discrimination of grasping from non-grasping manual motor acts.

PubMed

Nelissen, Koen; Vanduffel, Wim

2017-11-08

The ability to recognize others' actions is an important aspect of social behavior. While neurophysiological and behavioral research in monkeys has offered a better understanding of how the primate brain processes this type of information, further insight with respect to the neural correlates of action recognition requires tasks that allow recording of brain activity or perturbing brain regions while monkeys simultaneously make behavioral judgements about certain aspects of observed actions. Here we investigated whether rhesus monkeys could actively discriminate videos showing grasping or non-grasping manual motor acts in a two-alternative categorization task. After monkeys became proficient in this task, we tested their ability to generalize to a number of untrained, novel videos depicting grasps or other manual motor acts. Monkeys generalized to a wide range of novel human or conspecific grasping and non-grasping motor acts. They failed, however, for videos showing unfamiliar actions such as a non-biological effector performing a grasp, or a human hand touching an object with the back of the hand. This study shows the feasibility of training monkeys to perform active judgements about certain aspects of observed actions, instrumental for causal investigations into the neural correlates of action recognition.

Prototype Abstraction by Monkeys ("Macaca Mulatta")

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, J. David; Redford, Joshua S.; Haas, Sarah M.

2008-01-01

The authors analyze the shape categorization of rhesus monkeys ("Macaca mulatta") and the role of prototype- and exemplar-based comparison processes in monkeys' category learning. Prototype and exemplar theories make contrasting predictions regarding performance on the Posner-Homa dot-distortion categorization task. Prototype theory--which…

Transmission and Absorption Coefficients for Ocular Media of the Rhesus Monkey

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-12-01

Report SAM-TR.78-32 @LEVtt ^ \\ TRANSMISSION AND ABSORPTION COEFFICIENTS FOR OGVLAR MEDIA OF THE RHESUS MONKEY 30 JO \\ Edward F. Maher... MONKEY 5. I il | ||| MhlHWr W PI liriTl i I III I 5" . Final Report ""■"’ 15 Sep 74 - 15 Sep 76 6 «HFORMtMO OHG REPORT KUMBE...for these calculations were performed spectrophotometrically using freshly enucleated rhesus monkey eyes and narrow-bandwidth radiation. Much of the

Ultrasonographic monitoring of a spontaneous abortion in an owl monkey (Aotus nancymaae).

PubMed

Schuler, A Michele; Parks, Virginia L; Abee, Christian R; Scammell, Jonathan G

2007-07-01

This case report describes the ultrasonographic findings during an idiopathic spontaneous abortion in an owl monkey. The female owl monkey presented for a transabdominal ultrasonogram to evaluate her pregnancy. This evaluation is a routine monitoring procedure in our owl monkey breeding colony. Although the fetus and placenta appeared normal at the initial scan, no fetal heartbeat could be detected. We followed the abortion with serial ultrasonographic scans and documented complete involution of the uterus post-abortion.

Streptococcus oralis cerebral abscess following monkey bite in a 2-month-old infant.

PubMed

Thiagarajan, Srinivasan; Krishnamurthy, Sriram; Raghavan, Renitha; Mahadevan, Subramanian; Madhugiri, Venkatesh S; Sistla, Sujatha

2016-05-01

Although cerebral abscesses caused by animal bites have been reported, they are extremely rare in infants and have not been described following monkey bite. A 55-day-old male infant presented with a multi-loculated Streptococcus oralis cerebral abscess following a monkey bite on the scalp. There was a clinical response to antibiotic therapy and repeated surgical aspiration followed by a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. This is the first report of a patient with a brain abscess following a monkey bite.

Laser Raman Spectroscopy of Ultraviolet-Induced Cataracts in Rabbits and Monkeys.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

ILTRAVIOLETINHUCED CATARACTS SIN RABBITS AND MONKEYS Dwaine M. Thomas, Ph.D. ,KennethL. Schepler, Captain, USAF December 1979 Final Report for Period...3AMAN VECTROSCOPY OF .JLTRAV IOLET;NDUCED) POR U77 -FbR7 WATARACTS IN RABBITS AND MONKEYS .0 R. O,;4MIE V 111___ 2= _ 7. AUTHOR(*) S. CONTRACT OR GRANT...cataracts ABSTRACT (Continue on rev’erse side if necessary art# identify hV block numb~er) he Raman spectrl .of aormal rabbit’ana monkey lenses have been

Investigation of anti-motion sickness drugs in the squirrel monkey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheung, B. S.; Money, K. E.; Kohl, R. L.; Kinter, L. B.

1992-01-01

Early attempts to develop an animal model for anti-motion sickness drugs, using dogs and cats; were unsuccessful. Dogs did not show a beneficial effect of scopolamine (probably the best single anti-motion sickness drug for humans thus far) and the findings in cats were not definitive. The authors have developed an animal model using the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) of the Bolivian phenotype. Unrestrained monkeys in a small lucite cage were tested in an apparatus that induces motion sickness by combining vertical oscillation and horizontal rotation in a visually unrestricted laboratory environment. Signs of motion sickness were scored using a rating scale. Ten susceptible monkeys (weighing 800-1000 g) were given a total of five tests each, to establish the baseline susceptibility level. Based on the anticholinergic activity of scopolamine, the sensitivity of squirrel monkey to scopolamine was investigated, and the appropriate dose of scopolamine for this species was determined. Then various anti-motion sickness preparations were administered in subsequent tests: 100 ug scopolamine per monkey; 140 ug dexedrine; 50 ug scopolamine plus 70 ug dexedrine; 100 ug scopolamine plus 140 ug dexedrine; 3 mg promethazine; 3 mg promethazine plus 3 mg ephedrine. All these preparations were significantly effective in preventing motion sickness in the monkeys. Ephedrine, by itself, which is marginally effective in humans, was ineffective in the monkeys at the doses tried (0.3-6.0 mg). The squirrel monkey appears to be a good animal model for antimotion sickness drugs. Peripherally acting antihistamines such as astemizole and terfenadine were found to be ineffective, whereas flunarizine, and an arginine vasopressin V1 antagonist, showed significant activity in preventing motion sickness.

Translational research into species differences of endocrine toxicity via steroidogenesis inhibition by SMP-028 — For human safety in clinical study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nishizato, Yohei, E-mail: yohei-nishizato@ds-pharma.co.jp; Imai, Satoki; Okahashi, Noriko

2014-05-01

SMP-028 is a drug candidate developed for the treatment of asthma. In a 13-week repeated dose toxicity study of SMP-028 in rats and monkeys, differences of endocrine toxicological events between rats and monkeys were observed. In rats, these toxicological events mainly consisted of pathological changes in the adrenal, testis, ovary, and the other endocrine-related organs. On the other hand, in monkeys, no toxicological events were observed. The goal of this study is to try to understand the reason why only rats, but not monkeys, showed toxicological events following treatment with SMP-028 and to eventually predict the possible toxicological effect ofmore » this compound on human endocrine organs. Our results show that SMP-028 inhibits neutral cholesterol esterase more strongly than other steroidogenic enzymes in rats. Although SMP-028 also inhibits monkeys and human neutral cholesterol esterase, this inhibition is much weaker than that of rat neutral cholesterol esterase. These results indicate (1) that the difference in endocrine toxicological events between rats and monkeys is mainly due to inhibition of steroidogenesis by SMP-028 in rats, not in monkeys, and (2) that SMP-028 may not affect steroidogenesis in humans and therefore might cause no endocrine toxicological events in clinical studies. - Highlights: • SMP-028 inhibits neutral CEase more strongly than other steroidogenic enzymes in rats. • Inhibition of neutral CEase in rats by SMP-028 suppresses steroidogenesis in vivo. • SMP-028 does not inhibit neutral CEase in monkeys in vivo. • Steroidogenesis pathway in monkeys treated with SMP-028 was not suppressed. • SMP-028 may not inhibit LIPE in humans in vivo.« less

Visual habit formation in 3-month-old monkeys (Macaca mulatta): reversal of sex difference following neonatal manipulations of androgens.

PubMed

Hagger, C; Bachevalier, J

1991-10-25

The ability to perform on a concurrent visual discrimination task with 24-h intertrial intervals (24-h ITI task) develops a few weeks earlier in female than in male infant monkeys. To test whether this sex difference was related to the presence of perinatal androgens, plasma testosterone levels were reduced in male infant monkeys by neonatal orchiectomy and increased in neonatally ovariectomized female infant monkeys by treatment with either testosterone propionate (TP) or its reduced metabolite, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). At 3 months of age, the animals were tested on the 24-h ITI task and their performance compared with that of age-matched intact male and female monkeys. Orchiectomy which was followed by a slight but visible atrophy of the external genitalia, hastened performance of male infant monkeys to the level of intact infant females. Conversely, androgenization of ovariectomized female infant monkeys given DHT, which had only a slight virilizing effect on the external genitalia, showed the learning of these female infants to the rate of intact male infant monkeys. Curiously, although TP treatment in ovariectomized female infant monkeys was more effective than DHT in virilizing the external genitalia, it failed to slow the rate of learning. This dissociation between the effects of TP and DHT on external genital organs and learning abilities is discussed in terms of possible differences in dose-dependent, time-dependent, and receptor-binding mechanisms of the two androgens. The present study provides further evidence that early androgen secretions affect the organization not only of brain structures related to primary sexual characteristics but also of those related to learning abilities.

Population density-dependent hair cortisol concentrations in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Dettmer, A.M.; Novak, M.A.; Meyer, J.S.; Suomi, S.J.

2014-01-01

Summary Population density is known to influence acute measures of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity in a variety of species, including fish, deer, birds, and humans. However, the effects of population density on levels of chronic stress are unknown. Given the fact that exposure to chronically elevated levels of circulating glucocorticoids results in a host of health disparities in animals and humans alike, it is important to understand how population density may impact chronic stress. We assessed hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs), which are reliable indicators of chronic HPA axis activity, in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) to determine the influence of population density on these values. In Experiment 1, we compared HCCs of monkeys living in high-density (HD; 1 monkey/0.87m2) and low-density (LD; 1 monkey/63.37m2) environments (N=236 hair samples) and found that HD monkeys exhibited higher hair cortisol across all age categories (infant, juvenile, young adult, adult, and aged) except infancy and aged (F(5)=4.240, p=0.001), for which differences were nearly significant. HD monkeys also received more severe fight wounds than LD monkeys (χ2=26.053, p<0.001), though no effects of dominance status emerged. In Experiment 2, we examined how HCCs change with fluctuating population levels across five years in the adult LD monkeys (N=155 hair samples) and found that increased population density was significantly positively correlated with HCCs in this semi-naturalistic population (r(s)=0.975, p=0.005). These are the first findings to demonstrate that increased population density is associated with increased chronic, endogenous glucocorticoid exposure in a nonhuman primate species. We discuss the implications of these findings with respect to laboratory research, population ecology, and human epidemiology. PMID:24636502

Population density-dependent hair cortisol concentrations in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Dettmer, A M; Novak, M A; Meyer, J S; Suomi, S J

2014-04-01

Population density is known to influence acute measures of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity in a variety of species, including fish, deer, birds, and humans. However, the effects of population density on levels of chronic stress are unknown. Given the fact that exposure to chronically elevated levels of circulating glucocorticoids results in a host of health disparities in animals and humans alike, it is important to understand how population density may impact chronic stress. We assessed hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs), which are reliable indicators of chronic HPA axis activity, in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) to determine the influence of population density on these values. In Experiment 1, we compared HCCs of monkeys living in high-density (HD; 1 monkey/0.87m(2)) and low-density (LD; 1 monkey/63.37m(2)) environments (N=236 hair samples) and found that HD monkeys exhibited higher hair cortisol across all age categories (infant, juvenile, young adult, adult, and aged) except infancy and aged (F(5)=4.240, p=0.001), for which differences were nearly significant. HD monkeys also received more severe fight wounds than LD monkeys (χ(2)=26.053, p<0.001), though no effects of dominance status emerged. In Experiment 2, we examined how HCCs change with fluctuating population levels across 5 years in the adult LD monkeys (N=155 hair samples) and found that increased population density was significantly positively correlated with HCCs in this semi-naturalistic population (r(s)=0.975, p=0.005). These are the first findings to demonstrate that increased population density is associated with increased chronic, endogenous glucocorticoid exposure in a nonhuman primate species. We discuss the implications of these findings with respect to laboratory research, population ecology, and human epidemiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Threats from the past: Barbados green monkeys (Chlorocebus sabaeus) fear leopards after centuries of isolation.

PubMed

Burns-Cusato, Melissa; Glueck, Amanda C; Merchak, Andrea R; Palmer, Cristin L; Rieskamp, Joshua D; Duggan, Ivy S; Hinds, Rebecca T; Cusato, Brian

2016-05-01

Ability to recognize and differentiate between predators and non-predators is a crucial component of successful anti-predator behavior. While there is evidence that both genetic and experiential mechanisms mediate anti-predator behaviors in various animal species, it is unknown to what extent each of these two mechanisms are utilized by the green monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus). Green monkeys on the West Indies island of Barbados offer a unique opportunity to investigate the underpinnings of anti-predator behaviors in a species that has been isolated from ancestral predators for over 350 years. In the first experiment, monkeys in two free-ranging troops were presented with photographs of an ancestral predator (leopard, Panthera pardus) and a non-predator (African Buffalo, Syncerus caffer). Relative to non-predator stimuli, images of a leopard elicited less approach, more alarm calls, and more escape responses. Subsequent experiments were conducted to determine whether the monkeys were responding to a leopard-specific feature (spotted fur) or a general predator feature (forward facing eyes). The monkeys showed similar approach to images of an unfamiliar non-predator regardless of whether the image had forward facing predator eyes or side facing non-predator eyes. However, once near the images, the monkeys were less likely to reach for peanuts near the predator eyes than the non-predator eyes. The monkeys avoided an image of spotted leopard fur but approached the same image of fur when the dark spots had been removed. Taken together, the results suggest that green monkey anti-predator behavior is at least partially mediated by genetic factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Applicability of Infrared Photorefraction for Measurement of Accommodation in Awake-Behaving Normal and Strabismic Monkeys

PubMed Central

Bossong, Heather; Swann, Michelle; Glasser, Adrian; Das, Vallabh E.

2010-01-01

Purpose This study was designed to use infrared photorefraction to measure accommodation in awake-behaving normal and strabismic monkeys and describe properties of photorefraction calibrations in these monkeys. Methods Ophthalmic trial lenses were used to calibrate the slope of pupil vertical pixel intensity profile measurements that were made with a custom-built infrared photorefractor. Day to day variability in photorefraction calibration curves, variability in calibration coefficients due to misalignment of the photorefractor Purkinje image and the center of the pupil, and variability in refractive error due to off-axis measurements were evaluated. Results The linear range of calibration of the photorefractor was found for ophthalmic lenses ranging from –1 D to +4 D. Calibration coefficients were different across monkeys tested (two strabismic, one normal) but were similar for each monkey over different experimental days. In both normal and strabismic monkeys, small misalignment of the photorefractor Purkinje image with the center of pupil resulted in only small changes in calibration coefficients, that were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Off-axis measurement of refractive error was also small in the normal and strabismic monkeys (~1 D to 2 D) as long as the magnitude of misalignment was <10°. Conclusions Remote infrared photorefraction is suitable for measuring accommodation in awake, behaving normal, and strabismic monkeys. Specific challenges posed by the strabismic monkeys, such as possible misalignment of the photorefractor Purkinje image and the center of the pupil during either calibration or measurement of accommodation, that may arise due to unsteady fixation or small eye movements including nystagmus, results in small changes in measured refractive error. PMID:19029024

Functional characterization of the heterodimeric sweet taste receptor T1R2 and T1R3 from a New World monkey species (squirrel monkey) and its response to sweet-tasting proteins

PubMed Central

Liu, Bo; Ha, Matthew; Meng, Xuan-Yu; Khaleduzzaman, Mohammed; Zhang, Zhe; Li, Xia; Cui, Meng

2012-01-01

The family C G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) T1R2 and T1R3 heterodimer functions as a broadly acting sweet taste receptor. Perception of sweet taste is a species-dependent physiological process. It has been widely reported that New World monkeys and rodents can not perceive some of the artificial sweeteners and sweet-tasting proteins that can be perceived by humans, apes, and Old World monkeys. Until now, only the sweet receptors of humans, mice and rats have been functionally characterized. Here we report characterization of the sweet taste receptor (T1R2/T1R3) from a species of New World squirrel monkey. Our results show that the heterodimeric receptor of squirrel monkey does not respond to artificial sweeteners aspartame, neotame, cyclamate, saccharin and sweet-tasting protein monellin, but surprisingly, it does respond to thaumatin at high concentrations (>18 μM). This is the first report that New World monkey species can perceive some specific sweet-tasting proteins. Furthermore, the receptor responses to the sweeteners cannot be inhibited by the sweet inhibitor lactisole. We compared the response differences of the squirrel monkey and human receptors and found that the residues in T1R2 determine species-dependent sweet taste toward saccharin, while the residues in either T1R2 or T1R3 are responsible for the sweet taste difference between humans and squirrel monkeys toward monellin. Molecular models indicated that electrostatic properties of the receptors probably mediate the species-dependent response to sweet-tasting proteins. PMID:23000410

Social stimuli enhance phencyclidine (PCP) self-administration in rhesus monkeys

PubMed Central

Newman, Jennifer L.; Perry, Jennifer L.; Carroll, Marilyn E.

2007-01-01

Environmental factors, including social interaction, can alter the effects of drugs of abuse on behavior. The present study was conducted to examine the effects of social stimuli on oral phencyclidine (PCP) self-administration by rhesus monkeys. Ten adult rhesus monkeys (M. mulatta) were housed side by side in modular cages that could be configured to provide visual, auditory, and olfactory stimuli provided by another monkey located in the other side of the paired unit. During the first experiment, monkeys self-administered PCP (0.25 mg/ml) and water under concurrent fixed ratio (FR) 16 schedules of reinforcement with either a solid or a grid (social) partition separating each pair of monkeys. In the second experiment, a PCP concentration-response relationship was determined under concurrent progressive ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement under the solid and grid partition conditions. Under the concurrent FR 16 schedules, PCP and water self-administration was significantly higher during exposure to a cage mate through a grid partition than when a solid partition separated the monkeys. The relative reinforcing strength of PCP, as measured by PR break points, was greater during the grid partition condition compared to the solid partition condition indicated by an upward shift in the concentration-response curve. To determine whether the social stimuli provided by another monkey led to activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which may have evoked the increase of PCP self-administration during the grid partition condition, a third experiment was conducted to examine cortisol levels under the two housing conditions. A modest, but nonsignificant increase in cortisol levels was found upon switching from the solid to the grid partition condition. The results suggest that social stimulation among monkeys in adjoining cages leads to enhanced reinforcing strength of PCP. PMID:17560636

The role of beetle marks and flower colour on visitation by monkey beetles (hopliini) in the greater cape floral region, South Africa.

PubMed

Van Kleunen, Mark; Nänni, Ingrid; Donaldson, John S; Manning, John C

2007-12-01

A deviation from the classical beetle pollination syndrome of dull-coloured flowers with an unpleasant scent is found in the Greater Cape Floral Region of South Africa. Here, monkey beetles (Scarabaeidae) visit brightly coloured, odourless flowers with conspicuous dark spots and centres (beetle marks). The role of flower colour and markings in attracting monkey beetles is still poorly understood. Artificial model flowers with different marking patterns were used to test the effect of beetle marks on visitation by monkey beetles. To test whether monkey beetles are conditioned to the colour of the local matrix species, model flowers of different colours were placed in populations of three differently coloured species of Iridaceae. Among all three matrix species the presence of dark markings of some kind (either centres or spots) increased visitation rates but the different matrix species differed in whether the effect was due to a dark centre or to dark spots. Monkey beetles were not conditioned for the colour of the matrix species: model colour was not significant in the Hesperantha vaginata and in the Romulea monadelpha matrices, whereas yellow model flowers were preferred over orange ones in the orange-flowered Sparaxis elegans matrix. This study is the first to demonstrate that beetle marks attract pollinating monkey beetles in the Greater Cape Floral Region. In contrast to plants with the classical beetle pollination syndrome that use floral scent as the most important attractant of pollinating beetles, plants with the monkey beetle pollination syndrome rely on visual signals, and, in some areas at least, monkey beetles favour flowers with dark beetle markings over unmarked flowers.

Effects of Foveal Ablation on the Pattern of Peripheral Refractive Errors in Normal and Form-deprived Infant Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Huang, Juan; Hung, Li-Fang

2011-01-01

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine whether visual signals from the fovea contribute to the changes in the pattern of peripheral refractions associated with form deprivation myopia in monkeys. Methods. Monocular form-deprivation was produced in 18 rhesus monkeys by securing diffusers in front of their treated eyes between 22 ± 2 and 155 ± 17 days of age. In eight of these form-deprived monkeys, the fovea and most of the perifovea of the treated eye were ablated by laser photocoagulation at the start of the diffuser-rearing period. Each eye's refractive status was measured by retinoscopy along the pupillary axis and at 15° intervals along the horizontal meridian to eccentricities of 45°. Control data were obtained from 12 normal monkeys and five monkeys that had monocular foveal ablations and were subsequently reared with unrestricted vision. Results. Foveal ablation, by itself, did not produce systematic alterations in either the central or peripheral refractive errors of the treated eyes. In addition, foveal ablation did not alter the patterns of peripheral refractions in monkeys with form-deprivation myopia. The patterns of peripheral refractive errors in the two groups of form-deprived monkeys, either with or without foveal ablation, were qualitatively similar (treated eyes: F = 0.31, P = 0.74; anisometropia: F = 0.61, P = 0.59), but significantly different from those found in the normal monkeys (F = 8.46 and 9.38 respectively, P < 0.05). Conclusions. Central retinal signals do not contribute in an essential way to the alterations in eye shape that occur during the development of vision-induced axial myopia. PMID:21693598

Adaptation of skeletal muscle to spaceflight: Cosmos rhesus project. Cosmos 2044 and 2229

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodine-Fowler, Sue

1994-01-01

The proposed experiments were designed to determine the effects of the absence of weight support on hindlimb muscles of the monkey: an ankle flexor (tibialis anterior, TA), two ankle extensors (medial gastrocnemius, MG and soleus, SOL), and a knee extensor (vastus lateralis, VL). These effects were assessed by examining the biochemical and morphological properties of muscle fibers obtained from biopsies in young Rhesus monkeys (3-4 Kg). Biopsies taken from ground base experiments were analyzed to determine: (1) the effects of chair restraint at 1 G on muscle properties and (2) the growth rate of flexor and extensor muscles in the Rhesus. In addition, two sets of biopsies were taken from monkeys which were in the flight pool and the four monkeys that flew on the Cosmos 2044 and 2229 biosatellite missions. Based on data collected in rats it is generally assumed that extensors atrophy to a greater extent than flexors in response to spaceflight or hindlimb suspension. Consequently, the finding that fibers in the TA (a fast flexor) of the flight monkeys atrophied, whereas fibers in the Sol (a predominantly slow extensor) and MG (a fast extensor) grew after a 14-day spaceflight (Cosmos 2044) and 12-day spaceflight (Cosmos 2229) was unexpected. In Cosmos 2044, the TA in both flight monkeys had a 21 percent decrease in fiber size, whereas the Sol and MG both had a 79 percent increase in fiber size. In Cosmos 2229, the TA in both flight monkeys showed significant atrophy, whereas the Sol and MG showed slight growth in one monkey (906) and slight atrophy in the other monkey (151).

Establishment of an appropriate animal model for lacritin studies: cloning and characterization of lacritin in monkey eyes.

PubMed

Nakajima, T; Walkup, R D; Tochigi, A; Shearer, T R; Azuma, M

2007-11-01

Lacritin is a mitogen of human salivary gland cells as well as a stimulator of human corneal epithelial cells. It is expected to be an important factor in maintaining the surrounding ocular surface. The monkey would be a relevant animal model in which to study the role of lacritin in ophthalmic physiology and pathology. However, to our knowledge, no cDNA cloning or functional analysis of monkey lacritin has been performed. Thus, the purposes of this study were: (1) to clone the monkey ortholog of lacritin; (2) to characterize lacritin in tears from several species; and (3) to determine the tissues where lacritin is produced and secreted. cDNA for lacritin from rhesus macaque contained 547 bp, with 411 bp in an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 137 amino acids. Monkey lacritin showed 89% amino acid homology with human lacritin; one amino acid was deleted in all three monkey strains. The predicted MW of mature lacritin was 12.2 kDa, and the isoelectric point was 4.99. Lacritin showed anomalous migration at approximately 21.0 kDa on SDS-PAGE, as confirmed by immunoblotting and amino acid sequencing. Similar to native lacritin in monkey tears, a 21 kDa band was also detected in human tears. In contrast, no lacritin was observed at a similar position on SDS-PAGE in rat, rabbit and dog tears. In the monkey, lacritin mRNA was expressed highly in the lacrimal gland, moderately in the conjunctiva and the meibomian gland, and weakly in corneal epithelium. In primates, lacritin was produced in the lacrimal gland and secreted into tear fluid. These results suggest that lacritin might be important for the maintenance of the ocular surface in higher animals, such as monkeys and humans.

Effects of Long-Wavelength Lighting on Refractive Development in Infant Rhesus Monkeys

PubMed Central

Smith, Earl L.; Hung, Li-Fang; Arumugam, Baskar; Holden, Brien A.; Neitz, Maureen; Neitz, Jay

2015-01-01

Purpose Differences in the spectral composition of lighting between indoor and outdoor scenes may contribute to the higher prevalence of myopia in children who spend low amounts of time outdoors. Our goal was to determine whether environments dominated by long-wavelength light promote the development of myopia. Methods Beginning at 25 ± 2 days of age, infant monkeys were reared with long-wavelength-pass (red) filters in front of one (MRL, n = 6) or both eyes (BRL, n = 7). The filters were worn continuously until 146 ± 7 days of age. Refractive development, corneal power, and vitreous chamber depth were assessed by retinoscopy, keratometry, and ultrasonography, respectively. Control data were obtained from 6 monkeys reared with binocular neutral density (ND) filters and 33 normal monkeys reared with unrestricted vision under typical indoor lighting. Results At the end of the filter-rearing period, the median refractive error for the BRL monkeys (+4.25 diopters [D]) was significantly more hyperopic than that for the ND (+2.22 D; P = 0.003) and normal monkeys (+2.38 D; P = 0.0001). Similarly, the MRL monkeys exhibited hyperopic anisometropias that were larger than those in normal monkeys (+1.70 ± 1.55 vs. −0.013 ± 0.33 D, P < 0.0001). The relative hyperopia in the treated eyes was associated with shorter vitreous chambers. Following filter removal, the filter-reared monkeys recovered from the induced hyperopic errors. Conclusions The observed hyperopic shifts indicate that emmetropization does not necessarily target the focal plane that maximizes luminance contrast and that reducing potential chromatic cues can interfere with emmetropization. There was no evidence that environments dominated by long wavelengths necessarily promote myopia development. PMID:26447984

Effects of a Western-type diet on plasma lipids and other cardiometabolic risk factors in African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus).

PubMed

Jorgensen, Matthew J; Aycock, S Tyler; Clarkson, Thomas B; Kaplan, Jay R

2013-07-01

Our goal was to assess a nonhuman primate diet that mimicked the Western-type diet of humans with regard to palatability and the diet's effects on plasma lipid concentrations and other cardiometabolic risk factors. We evaluated male (n = 8) and female (n = 11) African green monkeys (vervets; Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) that initially were fed a standard diet. Each cohort then was divided into 2 groups, which received either standard chow or the Western diet. Food consumption and fecal quality were measured weekly. Body weight, waist circumference, and body-mass index were measured every 2 wk. CBC and clinical chemistry analyses were performed at baseline and 4 wk after the diet change. Plasma lipid concentrations, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, and fructosamine were measured at baseline and at 4, 8, and 12 wk after the diet change. Isoflavones were measured in the male monkeys at 6 wk after diet change, and lipid particle size was measured in the female monkeys at the 12-wk point. Green monkeys readily ate the Western diet and maintained baseline body weight and morphometric measures, with no adverse effects on fecal quality or clinical measures. Total plasma cholesterol was higher in monkeys fed the Western diet compared with standard chow. Isoflavones were higher in male monkeys fed standard chow compared with the Western diet, but lipid particle size did not differ by diet in female monkeys. Our data indicate that the Western diet led to changes in various biomedical risk factors of green monkeys to become similar to those of humans in the United States.

Nicotine-mediated improvement in L-dopa-induced dyskinesias in MPTP-lesioned monkeys is dependent on dopamine nerve terminal function.

PubMed

Quik, Maryka; Mallela, Archana; Chin, Matthew; McIntosh, J Michael; Perez, Xiomara A; Bordia, Tanuja

2013-02-01

L-dopa-induced dyskinesias (LIDs) are abnormal involuntary movements that develop with long term L-dopa therapy for Parkinson's disease. Studies show that nicotine administration reduced LIDs in several parkinsonian animal models. The present work was done to understand the factors that regulate the nicotine-mediated reduction in LIDs in MPTP-lesioned nonhuman primates. To approach this, we used two groups of monkeys, one with mild-moderate and the other with more severe parkinsonism rendered dyskinetic using L-dopa. In mild-moderately parkinsonian monkeys, nicotine pretreatment (300 μg/ml via drinking water) prevented the development of LIDs by ~75%. This improvement was maintained when the nicotine dose was lowered to 50 μg/ml but was lost with nicotine removal. Nicotine re-exposure again decreased LIDs. By contrast, nicotine treatment did not reduce LIDs in monkeys with more severe parkinsonism. We next determined how nicotine's ability to reduce LIDs correlated with lesion-induced changes in the striatal dopamine transporter and (3)H-dopamine release in these two groups of monkeys. The striatal dopamine transporter was reduced to 54% and 28% of control in mild-moderately and more severely parkinsonian monkeys, respectively. However, basal, K(+), α4β2* and α6β2* nAChR-evoked (3)H-dopamine release were near control levels in striatum of mild-moderately parkinsonian monkeys. By contrast, these same release measures were reduced to a significantly greater extent in striatum of more severely parkinsonian monkeys. Thus, nicotine best improves LIDs in lesioned monkeys in which striatal dopamine transmission is still relatively intact. These data suggest that nicotine treatment would most effectively reduce LIDs in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Can Monkeys (Macaca mulatta) Represent Invisible Displacement?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filion, Christine M.; Washburn, David A.; Gulledge, Jonathan P.

1996-01-01

Four experiments were conducted to assess whether or not rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) could represent the unperceived movements of a stimulus. Subjects were tested on 2 computerized tasks, HOLE (monkeys) and LASER (humans and monkeys), in which subjects needed to chase or shoot at, respectively, a moving target that either remained visible or became invisible for a portion of its path of movement. Response patterns were analyzed and compared between target-visible and target-invisible conditions. Results of Experiments 1, 2, and 3 demonstrated that the monkeys are capable of extrapolating movement. That this extrapolation involved internal representation of the target's invisible movement was suggested but not confirmed. Experiment 4, however, demonstrated that the monkeys are capable of representing the invisible displacements of a stimulus.

Object permanence in orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus).

PubMed

de Blois, S T; Novak, M A; Bond, M

1998-06-01

The authors tested orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) on object permanence tasks. In Experiment 1, orangutans solved all visible displacements and most invisible displacements except those involving movements into 2 boxes successively. In Experiment 2, performance of orangutans on double invisible displacements and control displacements (assessing simple strategies) was compared. Orangutans did not use the simple strategy of selecting the box visited last by the experimenter. Instead, poorer performance on double invisible displacements may have been related to increased memory requirements. In Experiment 3, squirrel monkeys were tested using the procedure of Experiment 1. Squirrel monkeys solved visible but did not comprehend invisible displacements. Results suggest that orangutans but not squirrel monkeys possess Stage 6 object permanence capabilities.

Suppurative bite wound by repetitive aggression of dominance hierarchy during group housing in rhesus monkeys.

PubMed

Choi, Yunjung; Ahn, Kyung-Ha; Lee, Jae-Il

2014-12-01

Group formation of rhesus monkeys, often leads to victims of repeated attacks by the high ranking animal. We reported a case of an injured middle ranking monkey from repetitive and persistent aggression. 4-male rhesus group was formed by a rapid group formation strategy 2 years ago. One monkey in the group suddenly showed depressive and reluctant movement. Physical examination revealed multiple bite wounds and scars in the dorsal skin. Overall increased opacity of the dorsal soft tissue and some free air was observed on radiographic examination. An unidentified anaerobic gram negative bacillus was isolated from the bacterial culture. Reconstructive surgery was performed and in consequence, the wound was clearly reconstructed one week later. Eventually, the afflicted monkey was separated and housed apart from the hierarchical group. This case report indicate that group formation in rhesus monkeys is essentially required sufficient time and stages, as well as more attention and a progressive contact program to reduce animal stress and fatal accidents.

Spontaneous Metacognition in Rhesus Monkeys.

PubMed

Rosati, Alexandra G; Santos, Laurie R

2016-09-01

Metacognition is the ability to think about thinking. Although monitoring and controlling one's knowledge is a key feature of human cognition, its evolutionary origins are debated. In the current study, we examined whether rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta; N = 120) could make metacognitive inferences in a one-shot decision. Each monkey experienced one of four conditions, observing a human appearing to hide a food reward in an apparatus consisting of either one or two tubes. The monkeys tended to search the correct location when they observed this baiting event, but engaged in information seeking-by peering into a center location where they could check both potential hiding spots-if their view had been occluded and information seeking was possible. The monkeys only occasionally approached the center when information seeking was not possible. These results show that monkeys spontaneously use information about their own knowledge states to solve naturalistic foraging problems, and thus provide the first evidence that nonhumans exhibit information-seeking responses in situations with which they have no prior experience. © The Author(s) 2016.

Constancy and variability in cortical structure. A study on synapses and dendritic spines in hedgehog and monkey.

PubMed

Schüz, A; Demianenko, G P

1995-01-01

Synapses and dendritic spines were investigated in the parietal cortex of the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) and the monkey (Macaca mulatta). There was no significant difference in the density of synapses between the two species (14 synapses/100 microns2 in the hedgehog, 15/100 microns2 in the monkey), neither in the size of the synaptic junctions, in the proportion of Type I and Type II synapses (8-10% were of Type II in the hedgehog, 10-14% in the monkey) nor in the proportion of perforated synapses (8% in the hedgehog, 5% in the monkey). The only striking difference at the electron microscopic level concerned the frequency of synapses in which the postsynaptic profile was deeply indented into the presynaptic terminal. Such synapses were 10 times more frequent in the monkey. Dendritic spines were investigated in Golgi-preparations. The density of spines along dendrites was similar in both species. The results are discussed with regard to connectivity in the cortex of small and large brains.

Isolation and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in a colony of captive black-capped squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis).

PubMed

Pardini, L; Dellarupe, A; Bacigalupe, D; Quiroga, M A; Moré, G; Rambeaud, M; Basso, W; Unzaga, J M; Schares, G; Venturini, M C

2015-12-01

Toxoplasmosis is commonly asymptomatic; however, it can be a fatal multisystemic disease in some animal species, such as New World monkeys. An outbreak of acute fatal toxoplasmosis was reported in a colony of black-capped squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) from the zoo of La Plata, Argentina. Post-mortem examination of two monkeys revealed macroscopical and microscopical lesions compatible with acute toxoplasmosis. The presence of Toxoplasma gondii was confirmed by immunohistochemistry on monkey tissues, bioassay in mice and PCR using the specific primers B22-B23. By PCR-RFLP analysis, T. gondii isolated in mice, deriving from both monkeys, showed the same restriction pattern, with most markers showing a type III restriction pattern, except for C22-8 (type II) and C29-2 (type I). To our knowledge this is the first report of fatal toxoplasmosis in S. boliviensis caused by a non-canonical or atypical genotype of T. gondii. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling Rett Syndrome Using TALEN-Edited MECP2 Mutant Cynomolgus Monkeys.

PubMed

Chen, Yongchang; Yu, Juehua; Niu, Yuyu; Qin, Dongdong; Liu, Hailiang; Li, Gang; Hu, Yingzhou; Wang, Jiaojian; Lu, Yi; Kang, Yu; Jiang, Yong; Wu, Kunhua; Li, Siguang; Wei, Jingkuan; He, Jing; Wang, Junbang; Liu, Xiaojing; Luo, Yuping; Si, Chenyang; Bai, Raoxian; Zhang, Kunshan; Liu, Jie; Huang, Shaoyong; Chen, Zhenzhen; Wang, Shuang; Chen, Xiaoying; Bao, Xinhua; Zhang, Qingping; Li, Fuxing; Geng, Rui; Liang, Aibin; Shen, Dinggang; Jiang, Tianzi; Hu, Xintian; Ma, Yuanye; Ji, Weizhi; Sun, Yi Eve

2017-05-18

Gene-editing technologies have made it feasible to create nonhuman primate models for human genetic disorders. Here, we report detailed genotypes and phenotypes of TALEN-edited MECP2 mutant cynomolgus monkeys serving as a model for a neurodevelopmental disorder, Rett syndrome (RTT), which is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the human MECP2 gene. Male mutant monkeys were embryonic lethal, reiterating that RTT is a disease of females. Through a battery of behavioral analyses, including primate-unique eye-tracking tests, in combination with brain imaging via MRI, we found a series of physiological, behavioral, and structural abnormalities resembling clinical manifestations of RTT. Moreover, blood transcriptome profiling revealed that mutant monkeys resembled RTT patients in immune gene dysregulation. Taken together, the stark similarity in phenotype and/or endophenotype between monkeys and patients suggested that gene-edited RTT founder monkeys would be of value for disease mechanistic studies as well as development of potential therapeutic interventions for RTT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) remember agency information from past events and integrate this knowledge with spatial and temporal features in working memory.

PubMed

Hoffman, Megan L; Beran, Michael J; Washburn, David A

2018-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether rhesus monkeys remember information about their own agency-along with spatial, temporal and contextual properties-from a previously experienced event. In Experiment 1, rhesus monkeys (n = 4) used symbols to reliably indicate whether they had performed or observed an event on a computer screen. In Experiment 2, naïve and experienced monkeys (n = 8) reported agency information when stringent controls for perceptual and proprioceptive cues were included. In Experiment 3, five of the monkeys completed a task in which they reported agency information along with spatial and temporal features of events. Two monkeys performed this agency discrimination when they could not anticipate which memory test they would receive. There was also evidence that these features were integrated in memory. Implications of this research are discussed in relation to working memory, episodic memory and self-awareness in nonhuman animals.

Analysis of prostate-specific antigen transcripts in chimpanzees, cynomolgus monkeys, baboons, and African green monkeys.

PubMed

Mubiru, James N; Yang, Alice S; Olsen, Christian; Nayak, Sudhir; Livi, Carolina B; Dick, Edward J; Owston, Michael; Garcia-Forey, Magdalena; Shade, Robert E; Rogers, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

The function of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is to liquefy the semen coagulum so that the released sperm can fuse with the ovum. Fifteen spliced variants of the PSA gene have been reported in humans, but little is known about alternative splicing in nonhuman primates. Positive selection has been reported in sex- and reproductive-related genes from sea urchins to Drosophila to humans; however, there are few studies of adaptive evolution of the PSA gene. Here, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product cloning and sequencing, we study PSA transcript variant heterogeneity in the prostates of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis), and African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops). Six PSA variants were identified in the chimpanzee prostate, but only two variants were found in cynomolgus monkeys, baboons, and African green monkeys. In the chimpanzee the full-length transcript is expressed at the same magnitude as the transcripts that retain intron 3. We have found previously unidentified splice variants of the PSA gene, some of which might be linked to disease conditions. Selection on the PSA gene was studied in 11 primate species by computational methods using the sequences reported here for African green monkey, cynomolgus monkey, baboon, and chimpanzee and other sequences available in public databases. A codon-based analysis (dN/dS) of the PSA gene identified potential adaptive evolution at five residue sites (Arg45, Lys70, Gln144, Pro189, and Thr203).

Radiation-induced endometriosis in Macaca mulatta

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fanton, J.W.; Golden, J.G.

1991-05-01

Female rhesus monkeys received whole-body doses of ionizing radiation in the form of single-energy protons, mixed-energy protons, X rays, and electrons. Endometriosis developed in 53% of the monkeys during a 17-year period after exposure. Incidence rates for endometriosis related to radiation type were: single-energy protons, 54%; mixed-energy protons, 73%; X rays, 71%; and electrons, 57%. The incidence of endometriosis in nonirradiated control monkeys was 26%. Monkeys exposed to single-energy protons, mixed-energy protons, and X rays developed endometriosis at a significantly higher rate than control monkeys (chi 2, P less than 0.05). Severity of endometriosis was staged as massive, moderate, andmore » minimal. The incidence of these stages were 65, 16, and 19%, respectively. Observations of clinical disease included weight loss in 43% of the monkeys, anorexia in 35%, space-occupying masses detected by abdominal palpation in 55%, abnormal ovarian/uterine anatomy on rectal examination in 89%, and radiographic evidence of abdominal masses in 38%. Pathological lesions were endometrial cyst formation in 69% of the monkeys, adhesions of the colon in 66%, urinary bladder in 50%, ovaries in 86%, and ureters in 44%, focal nodules of endometrial tissue throughout the omentum in 59%, and metastasis in 9%. Clinical management of endometriosis consisted of debulking surgery and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy combined in some cases with total abdominal hysterectomy. Postoperative survival rates at 1 and 5 years for monkeys recovering from surgery were 48 and 36%, respectively.« less

Effect of rhythmic photostimulation on monkeys with hyperkinesis of post-encephalitic genesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danilov, I. V.; Kudrayatseva, N. N.

1979-01-01

In hyperkinetic monkeys a response opposite to that of healthy monkeys was observed during rhythmic photostimulation (frequency 3, 9, 18, 20, and 25/sec), i.e., the hyperkinesis disappeared. The significance of rhythmic excitatory cycles for interconnections between different brain structures is discussed.

EFFECTS OF PCB (AROCLORR 1254) ON NON-SPECIFIC IMMUNE PARAMETERS IN RHESUS (MACACA MULATA) MONKEYS.

EPA Science Inventory

The effects of low level chronic polychlorinated biphenyl - Aroclor 1254 - (PCB) exposure were investigated on nonspecific immune parameters in female rhesus (Macaca mulatta) monkeys. Five groups of monkeys were orally administered PCB at concentrations of 0, 5, 20, 40, or 80 ug/...

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Physiology and Cognitive Control of Behavior in Stress Inoculated Monkeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Karen J.; Buckmaster, Christine L.; Lindley, Steven E.; Schatzberg, Alan F.; Lyons, David M.

2012-01-01

Monkeys exposed to stress inoculation protocols early in life subsequently exhibit diminished neurobiological responses to moderate psychological stressors and enhanced cognitive control of behavior during juvenile development compared to non-inoculated monkeys. The present experiments extended these findings and revealed that stress inoculated…

Essentialism in the Absence of Language? Evidence from Rhesus Monkeys ("Macaca mulatta")

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Webb; Shankar, Maya; Santos, Laurie R.

2010-01-01

We explored whether rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) share one important feature of human essentialist reasoning: the capacity to track category membership across radical featural transformations. Specifically, we examined whether monkeys--like children (Keil, 1989)--expect a transformed object to have the internal properties of its original…

Perceptual Learning: 12-Month-Olds' Discrimination of Monkey Faces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fair, Joseph; Flom, Ross; Jones, Jacob; Martin, Justin

2012-01-01

Six-month-olds reliably discriminate different monkey and human faces whereas 9-month-olds only discriminate different human faces. It is often falsely assumed that perceptual narrowing reflects a permanent change in perceptual abilities. In 3 experiments, ninety-six 12-month-olds' discrimination of unfamiliar monkey faces was examined. Following…

Effects of aniracetam on delayed matching-to-sample performance of monkeys and pigeons.

PubMed

Pontecorvo, M J; Evans, H L

1985-05-01

A 3-choice, variable-delay, matching-to-sample procedure was used to evaluate drugs in both pigeons and monkeys while tested under nearly-identical conditions. Aniracetam (Roche 13-5057) improved accuracy of matching at all retention intervals following oral administration (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg) to macaque monkeys, with a maximal effect at 25 mg/kg. Aniracetam also antagonized scopolamine-induced impairment of the monkey's performance. Intramuscular administration of these same doses of aniracetam produced a similar, but not significant trend toward improved matching accuracy in pigeons.

Spacelab 4: Primate experiment support hardware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fusco, P. R.; Peyran, R. J.

1984-05-01

A squirrel monkey feeder and automatic urine collection system were designed to fly on the Spacelab 4 Shuttle Mission presently scheduled for January 1986. Prototypes of the feeder and urine collection systems were fabricated and extensively tested on squirrel monkeys at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Ames Research Center (ARC). The feeder design minimizes impact on the monkey's limited space in the cage and features improved reliability and biocompatibility over previous systems. The urine collection system is the first flight qualified, automatic urine collection device for squirrel monkeys. Flight systems are currently being fabricated.

Spacelab 4: Primate experiment support hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fusco, P. R.; Peyran, R. J.

1984-01-01

A squirrel monkey feeder and automatic urine collection system were designed to fly on the Spacelab 4 Shuttle Mission presently scheduled for January 1986. Prototypes of the feeder and urine collection systems were fabricated and extensively tested on squirrel monkeys at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Ames Research Center (ARC). The feeder design minimizes impact on the monkey's limited space in the cage and features improved reliability and biocompatibility over previous systems. The urine collection system is the first flight qualified, automatic urine collection device for squirrel monkeys. Flight systems are currently being fabricated.

PTS performance by flight- and control-group macaques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Washburn, D. A.; Rumbaugh, D. M.; Richardson, W. K.; Gulledge, J. P.; Shlyk, G. G.; Vasilieva, O. N.

2000-01-01

A total of 25 young monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained with the Psychomotor Test System, a package of software tasks and computer hardware developed for spaceflight research with nonhuman primates. Two flight monkeys and two control monkeys were selected from this pool and performed a psychomotor task before and after the Bion 11 flight or a ground-control period. Monkeys from both groups showed significant disruption in performance after the 14-day flight or simulation (plus one anesthetized day of biopsies and other tests), and this disruption appeared to be magnified for the flight animal.

Amygdala lesions in rhesus monkeys fail to disrupt object choices based on internal context

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Sarah E. V.; Charles, David P.; Howland, Emily J.; Murray, Elisabeth A.

2012-01-01

We assessed the involvement of the amygdala in a task in which object choices were guided by internal context. Rhesus monkeys were trained on a biconditional discrimination whereby objects associated with food (but not water) were baited when the monkey was hungry, and objects associated with water (but not food) were baited when the monkey was thirsty. To solve this task monkeys were required to choose objects yielding the reward congruent with their internal motivational state. Lesions of the amygdala did not disrupt learning or performance of this task. We conclude that the involvement of the amygdala in selective-satiation tasks, which depends in part on a change in internal context, is not due to the amygdala playing a general role in representing, or using, internal context. PMID:22352788

A brain MRI atlas of the common squirrel monkey, Saimiri sciureus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yurui; Schilling, Kurt G.; Khare, Shweta P.; Panda, Swetasudha; Choe, Ann S.; Stepniewska, Iwona; Li, Xia; Ding, Zhoahua; Anderson, Adam; Landman, Bennett A.

2014-03-01

The common squirrel monkey, Saimiri sciureus, is a New World monkey with functional and microstructural organization of central nervous system similar to that of humans. It is one of the most commonly used South American primates in biomedical research. Unlike its Old World macaque cousins, no digital atlases have described the organization of the squirrel monkey brain. Here, we present a multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) atlas constructed from the brain of an adult female squirrel monkey. In vivo MRI acquisitions include high resolution T2 structural imaging and low resolution diffusion tensor imaging. Ex vivo MRI acquisitions include high resolution T2 structural imaging and high resolution diffusion tensor imaging. Cortical regions were manually annotated on the co-registered volumes based on published histological sections.

Do Right- and Left-Handed Monkeys Differ on Cognitive Measures?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hopkins, William D.; Washburn, David A.

1994-01-01

Twelve left- and 14 right-handed monkeys were compared on 6 measures of cognitive performance (2 maze-solving tasks, matching-to-sample, delayed matching-to-sample, delayed response using spatial cues, and delayed response using form cues). The dependent variable was trials-to-training criterion for each of the 6 tasks. Significant differences were found between left- and right-handed monkeys on the 2 versions of the delayed response task. Right-handed monkeys reached criterion significantly faster on the form cue version of the task, whereas left-handed monkeys reached criterion significantly faster on delayed response for spatial position (p less than .05). The results suggest that sensitive hand preference measures of laterality can reveal differences in cognitive performance, which in turn may reflect underlying laterality in functional organization of the nervous system.

Atherosclerosis in the Erythrocebus patas, an old world monkey.

PubMed Central

Mahley, R. W.; Johnson, D. K.; Pucak, G. J.; Fry, D. L.

1980-01-01

Fifty monkeys of the species Erythrocebus patas were fed a control monkey chow, a semi-synthetic diet containing 25% lard, or a semisynthetic diet containing 25% lard and 0.5% cholesterol for 2 years. The patas monkeys had naturally occurring atherosclerosis that was greatly accelerated by feeding a diet containing cholesterol. The atherosclerosis involved the aorta, predominantly the abdominal portion, the coronary arteries, and various peripheral vessels. Histologically, the atherosclerosis was characterized by intimal proliferative lesions associated with intra- and extracellular lipid deposition. Complicated lesions that developed after 2 years on the cholesterol-containing diet were associated with lipid crystals, necrosis, mineralization, and encroachment upon the media. Adventitial reactions characterized by increased vascularity and the presence of inflammatory cells were seen. All of these observations have been described as components of the human atherosclerotic disease process. The similarity of the patas monkey atherosclerosis to human atherosclerosis, the relatively large size and easy handling of the animals, and the fact that previous studies have shown the lipoproteins of both control and cholesterol-fed monkeys to resemble human lipoproteins all contribute to making the patas monkey a useful model for the study of experimental atherosclerosis. Images Figure 1-5 Figure 6 Figure 7-10 Figure 11 Figure 12 PMID:6766672

[Comparisons of aggressive behavior for Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana) to tourists from Mt. Huangshan, China].

PubMed

Ji, Huan; Li, Jin-Hua; Sun, Bing-Hua; Zhu, Yong

2010-08-01

To investigate the relationship between monkey-human aggressive behaviors and age/sex classes of monkey (initiator) and human (recipient), by using all-occurrence sampling and continuous recording, we evaluated the monkey-human aggressive behaviors between macaques (Macaca thibetana) and tourists at Mt. Huangshan in two periods (Nov.-Dec.2008 and Apr.-May 2009). After we divide the aggression into three types according to the dangerous level to tourists, some significant patterns were observed.Our observations indicate that Tibetan macaques respond differently to human according to the age/sex classes involved. On one hand, We found that the adult male monkeys tend to be more aggressive than expected (P<0.01), while the adult female monkeys and immature monkeys participated in AGIII behaviors (threat) less than expected (P<0.01); On the other hand, The adult male human received more aggressive behaviors than expected (P<0.01), while the adult female human and child received less aggressive in AGIII behaviors (threat) (P<0.01). Our results provide not only a scientific basis for the management advice that adult male monkeys and adult male human should be given special attention, but also a good management model of Huangshan for other primate tourist exploring places.

A preliminary study on activity budget, daily travel distance and feeding behaviour of long-tailed macaques and spectacled dusky leaf monkey in Bangi campus of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruslin, Farhani; Yaakop, Salmah; Zain, Badrul Munir Md.

2014-09-01

The activity budget, ranging behaviour and feeding behaviour of a multimale-multifemale group of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and a multimale-multifemale group of spectacled dusky leaf monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus) were studied. A total of 145 hours and 143 hours have been spent to observe the group of long-tailed macaque and spectacled dusky leaf monkey that ranged the same habitat adjacent to the campus areas. The researchers examined the activity budgets, daily travel length and feeding activity of both species and distinguished how the sympatric species used the same forested habitat. Preliminary study found that the long-tailed macaques spent longer time feeding, moving than resting and other activities. On the other hand, the dusky leaf monkey spent much time in feeding and resting than moving. The differences of daily pattern between these two groups are significant. Macaques have higher daily mean of path length compared to the dusky leaf monkey and spent much time moving compare to the leaf monkey group. The spectacled dusky leaf monkey group also has fully utilized the forested areas where else the long-tailed macaques adopted foraging to the adjacent residential colleges.

Stock optimizing in choice when a token deposit is the operant.

PubMed

Widholm, J J; Silberberg, A; Hursh, S R; Imam, A A; Warren-Boulton, F R

2001-11-01

Each of 2 monkeys typically earned their daily food ration by depositing tokens in one of two slots. Tokens deposited in one slot dropped into a bin where they were kept (token kept). Deposits to a second slot dropped into a bin where they could be obtained again (token returned). In Experiment 1, a fixed-ratio (FR) 5 schedule that provided two food pellets was associated with each slot. Both monkeys preferred the token-returned slot. In Experiment 2, both subjects chose between unequal FR schedules with the token-returned slot always associated with the leaner schedule. When the FRs were 2 versus 3 and 2 versus 6, preferences were maintained for the token-returned slot; however, when the ratios were 2 versus 12, preference shifted to the token-kept slot. In Experiment 3, both monkeys chose between equal-valued concurrent variable-interval variable-interval schedules. Both monkeys preferred the slot that returned tokens. In Experiment 4, both monkeys chose between FRs that typically differed in size by a factor of 10. Both monkeys preferred the FR schedule that provided more food per trial. These data show that monkeys will choose so as to increase the number of reinforcers earned (stock optimizing) even when this preference reduces the rate of reinforcement (all reinforcers divided by session time).

Evaluation of bendectin embryotoxicity in nonhuman primates: I. Ventricular septal defects in prenatal macaques and baboon.

PubMed

Hendrickx, A G; Cukierski, M; Prahalada, S; Janos, G; Rowland, J

1985-10-01

Cynomolgus monkeys, rhesus monkeys and baboons were administered 10 to 40 times the human dose equivalent of Bendectin throughout the major period of organogenesis (22(+/-3)-50 days of gestation). In animals examined prenatally (100 +/- 2 days gestation) the total incidence of ventricular septal defects (VSD) was 40% in cynomolgus monkeys, 18% in rhesus monkeys, and 23% in baboons. The majority of VSD involved the muscular portion of the septum. No dose response was evident and there were no other cardiac or extracardiac defects found except for one baboon fetus with multiple defects. No defects were observed in cynomolgus monkeys administered Bendectin for 4-day periods between 22 and 41 days of gestation. There was no association of Bendectin treatment with any noncardiac defect. In cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys examined at term there was one mitral valve defect and no incidence of VSD. The increased incidence of VSD observed prenatally in all three species and the absence of defects in macaques at term suggests a delay in closure of the ventricular septum in treated animals. The Bendectin-treated monkey may be a suitable model for the study of the pathogenesis of VSD and the mechanism of spontaneous closure of the defect.

Spatial Attention and Temporal Expectation Under Timed Uncertainty Predictably Modulate Neuronal Responses in Monkey V1

PubMed Central

Sharma, Jitendra; Sugihara, Hiroki; Katz, Yarden; Schummers, James; Tenenbaum, Joshua; Sur, Mriganka

2015-01-01

The brain uses attention and expectation as flexible devices for optimizing behavioral responses associated with expected but unpredictably timed events. The neural bases of attention and expectation are thought to engage higher cognitive loci; however, their influence at the level of primary visual cortex (V1) remains unknown. Here, we asked whether single-neuron responses in monkey V1 were influenced by an attention task of unpredictable duration. Monkeys covertly attended to a spot that remained unchanged for a fixed period and then abruptly disappeared at variable times, prompting a lever release for reward. We show that monkeys responded progressively faster and performed better as the trial duration increased. Neural responses also followed monkey's task engagement—there was an early, but short duration, response facilitation, followed by a late but sustained increase during the time monkeys expected the attention spot to disappear. This late attentional modulation was significantly and negatively correlated with the reaction time and was well explained by a modified hazard function. Such bimodal, time-dependent changes were, however, absent in a task that did not require explicit attentional engagement. Thus, V1 neurons carry reliable signals of attention and temporal expectation that correlate with predictable influences on monkeys' behavioral responses. PMID:24836689

Striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor regulation by stress inoculation in squirrel monkeys.

PubMed

Lee, Alex G; Nechvatal, Jordan M; Shen, Bin; Buckmaster, Christine L; Levy, Michael J; Chin, Frederick T; Schatzberg, Alan F; Lyons, David M

2016-06-01

Intermittent mildly stressful situations provide opportunities to learn, practice, and improve coping in a process called stress inoculation. Stress inoculation also enhances cognitive control and response inhibition of impulsive motivated behavior. Cognitive control and motivation have been linked to striatal dopamine D2 and/or D3 receptors (DRD2/3) in rodents, monkeys, and humans. Here, we study squirrel monkeys randomized early in life to stress inoculation with or without maternal companionship and a no-stress control treatment condition. Striatal DRD2/3 availability in adulthood was measured in vivo by [ 11 C]raclopride binding using positron emission tomography (PET). DRD2/3 availability was greater in caudate and putamen compared to ventral striatum as reported in PET studies of humans and other non-human primates. DRD2/3 availability in ventral striatum was also consistently greater in stress inoculated squirrel monkeys compared to no-stress controls. Squirrel monkeys exposed to stress inoculation in the presence of their mother did not differ from squirrel monkeys exposed to stress inoculation without maternal companionship. Similar effects in different social contexts extend the generality of our findings and together suggest that stress inoculation increases striatal DRD2/3 availability as a correlate of cognitive control in squirrel monkeys.

Diverse cross-reactive potential and Vbeta gene usage of an epitope-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte population in monkeys immunized with diverse human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Env immunogens.

PubMed

Hulot, Sandrine L; Seaman, Michael S; Sen, Pritha; Autissier, Patrick A; Manuel, Edwin R; Letvin, Norman L

2009-10-01

An ideal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine would elicit potent cellular and humoral immune responses that recognize diverse strains of the virus. In the present study, combined methodologies (flow cytometry, Vbeta repertoire analysis, and complementarity-determining region 3 sequencing) were used to determine the clonality of CD8(+) T lymphocytes taking part in the recognition of variant epitope peptides elicited in Mamu-A*01-positive rhesus monkeys immunized with vaccines encoding diverse HIV-1 envelopes (Envs). Monkeys immunized with clade B Envs generated CD8(+) T lymphocytes that cross-recognized both clade B- and clade C-p41A epitope peptides using a large degree of diversity in Vbeta gene usage. However, with two monkeys immunized with clade C Env, one monkey exhibited p41A-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) with the capacity for cross-recognition of variant epitopes, while the other monkey did not. These studies demonstrate that the cross-reactive potential of variant p41A epitope peptide-specific CTL populations can differ between monkeys that share the same restricting major histocompatibility complex class I molecule and receive the same vaccine immunogens.

Effects of heated hydrotherapy on muscle HSP70 and glucose metabolism in old and young vervet monkeys.

PubMed

Kavanagh, Kylie; Davis, Ashely T; Jenkins, Kurt A; Flynn, D Mickey

2016-07-01

Increasing heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in aged and/or insulin-resistant animal models confers benefits to healthspan and lifespan. Heat application to increase core temperature induces HSPs in metabolically important tissues, and preliminary human and animal data suggest that heated hydrotherapy is an effective method to achieve increased HSPs. However, safety concerns exist, particularly in geriatric medicine where organ and cardiovascular disease commonly will preexist. We evaluated young vervet monkeys compared to old, insulin-resistant vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) in their core temperatures, glucose tolerance, muscle HSP70 level, and selected safety biomarkers after 10 sessions of hot water immersions administered twice weekly. Hot water immersion robustly induced the heat shock response in muscles. We observed that heat-treated old and young monkeys have significantly higher muscle HSP70 than control monkeys and treatment was without significant adverse effects on organ or cardiovascular health. Heat therapy improved pancreatic responses to glucose challenge and tended to normalize glucose excursions. A trend for worsened blood pressure and glucose values in the control monkeys and improved values in heat-treated monkeys were seen to support further investigation into the safety and efficacy of this intervention for metabolic syndrome or diabetes in young or old persons unable to exercise.

Validation of an auditory sensory reinforcement paradigm: Campbell's monkeys (Cercopithecus campbelli) do not prefer consonant over dissonant sounds.

PubMed

Koda, Hiroki; Basile, Muriel; Olivier, Marion; Remeuf, Kevin; Nagumo, Sumiharu; Blois-Heulin, Catherine; Lemasson, Alban

2013-08-01

The central position and universality of music in human societies raises the question of its phylogenetic origin. One of the most important properties of music involves harmonic musical intervals, in response to which humans show a spontaneous preference for consonant over dissonant sounds starting from early human infancy. Comparative studies conducted with organisms at different levels of the primate lineage are needed to understand the evolutionary scenario under which this phenomenon emerged. Although previous research found no preference for consonance in a New World monkey species, the question remained opened for Old World monkeys. We used an experimental paradigm based on a sensory reinforcement procedure to test auditory preferences for consonant sounds in Campbell's monkeys (Cercopithecus campbelli campbelli), an Old World monkey species. Although a systematic preference for soft (70 dB) over loud (90 dB) control white noise was found, Campbell's monkeys showed no preference for either consonant or dissonant sounds. The preference for soft white noise validates our noninvasive experimental paradigm, which can be easily reused in any captive facility to test for auditory preferences. This would suggest that human preference for consonant sounds is not systematically shared with New and Old World monkeys. The sensitivity for harmonic musical intervals emerged probably very late in the primate lineage.

Auditory Function in Rhesus Monkeys: Effects of Aging and Caloric Restriction in the Wisconsin Monkeys Five Years Later

PubMed Central

Fowler, Cynthia G.; Chiasson, Kirstin Beach; Leslie, Tami Hanson; Thomas, Denise; Beasley, T. Mark; Kemnitz, Joseph W.; Weindruch, Richard

2010-01-01

Caloric restriction (CR) slows aging in many species and protects some animals from age-related hearing loss (ARHL), but the effect on humans is not yet known. Because rhesus monkeys are long-lived primates that are phylogenically closer to humans than other research animals are, they provide a better model for studying the effects of CR in aging and ARHL. Subjects were from the pool of 55 rhesus monkeys aged 15–28 years who had been in the Wisconsin study on CR and aging for 8–13.5 years. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) with f2 frequencies from 2211–8837 Hz and auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds from clicks and 8, 16, and 32 kHz tone bursts were obtained. DPOAE levels declined linearly at approximately 1 dB/year, but that rate doubled for the highest frequencies in the oldest monkeys. There were no interactions for diet condition or sex. ABR thresholds to clicks and tone bursts showed increases with aging. Borderline significance was shown for diet in the thresholds at 8 kHz stimuli, with monkeys on caloric restriction having lower thresholds. Because the rhesus monkeys have a maximum longevity of 40 years, the full benefits of CR may not yet be realized. PMID:20079820