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new evidence for diet and niche partitioning in rudapithecus and anapithecus from rudabánya, hungary.rudabánya is rare among eurasian miocene fossil primate localities in preserving both a hominid and pliopithecoid, and as such provides the unique opportunity to reconstruct the nature of sympatry and niche partitioning in these taxa. rudapithecus and anapithecus have similar locomotor and positional behavior and overlapping body mass ranges. while prior analyses of molar occlusal anatomy and microwear identify rudapithecus as a soft-object frugivore, reconstructing the dietary behavior of anapi ...201324034983
bilateral asymmetry of humeral torsion and length in african apes and humans.few studies have directly compared human and african ape upper limb skeletal asymmetries despite the potential such comparisons have for understanding the origins of functional lateralization in humans and non-human primates. here, we report the magnitude and direction of asymmetries in humeral torsion and humeral length in paired humeri of 40 gorilla gorilla, 40 pan troglodytes and 40 homo sapiens. we test whether absolute and directional asymmetries differ between measurements, species and sex ...201323942111
assessment of landscape-scale distribution of sympatric great apes in african rainforests: concurrent use of nest and camera-trap surveys.information on the distribution and abundance of sympatric great apes (pan troglodytes troglodytes and gorilla gorilla gorilla) are important for effective conservation and management. although much research has been done to improve the precision of nest-surveys, trade-offs between data-reliability and research-efficiency have not been solved. in this study, we used different approaches to assess the landscape-scale distribution patterns of great apes. we conducted a conventional nest survey and ...201323907925
manual pressure distribution patterns of knuckle-walking apes.differences in how the hands of gorillas and chimpanzees contact the ground while knuckle walking have been noted but generally not quantified. it is widely believed that gorillas maintain a pronated arm and contact the ground with digits 2-5 consistently, while chimpanzees have variable arm position and digit contact. to further test these generalizations, distribution of pressure across the manus, peak digital pressures, and hand position were quantified using a pressure mat in eight captive c ...201323907752
alzheimer's disease pathology in the neocortex and hippocampus of the western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla).the two major histopathologic hallmarks of alzheimer's disease (ad) are amyloid beta protein (aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (nft). aβ pathology is a common feature in the aged nonhuman primate brain, whereas nft are found almost exclusively in humans. few studies have examined ad-related pathology in great apes, which are the closest phylogenetic relatives of humans. in the present study, we examined aβ and tau-like lesions in the neocortex and hippocampus of aged male and female weste ...201323881733
postnatal temporal bone ontogeny in pan, gorilla, and homo, and the implications for temporal bone ontogeny in australopithecus afarensis.assessments of temporal bone morphology have played an important role in taxonomic and phylogenetic evaluations of fossil taxa, and recent three-dimensional analyses of this region have supported the utility of the temporal bone for testing taxonomic and phylogenetic hypotheses. but while clinical analyses have examined aspects of temporal bone ontogeny in humans, the ontogeny of the temporal bone in non-human taxa is less well documented. this study examines ontogenetic allometry of the tempora ...201323868175
male genetic structure and paternity in western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla).the male dispersal patterns of western lowland gorillas (wlgs, gorilla gorilla gorilla) are not well understood. to determine whether most silverbacks stay close to their relatives, we analyzed autosomal and y-chromosomal microsatellites (strs) in wild wlgs at moukalaba, gabon. we obtained str genotypes for 38 individuals, including eight silverbacks and 12 adult females in an approximately 40 km(2) area. among them, 20 individuals were members of one identified group (group gentil; gg), includi ...201323868171
observational monitoring of clinical signs during the last stage of habituation in a wild western gorilla group at bai hokou, central african republic.anthropozoonotic disease transmission to great apes is a critical conservation concern, and has raised ethical doubts regarding ape habituation. we monitored over a 3-year period clinical signs within a group of wild western gorillas (g. gorilla) undergoing habituation at bai hokou, central african republic. the majority of observations consisted of singular coughs and sneezes among the gorillas. these were the only clinical signs that significantly and positively increased over the years. no ch ...201323736676
the effect of body orientation on judgments of human visual attention in western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla).the ability to appreciate the attentional states of others is an important element used in discerning the presence of theory of mind in an individual. whether primates are able to recognize attention, and further, use such information to predict behavior, remains contentious. in this study, six western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) were tested under different conditions that aimed to investigate not only their understanding of what a human experimenter sees, but also what informatio ...201322390623
direct and indirect reputation formation in nonhuman great apes (pan paniscus, pan troglodytes, gorilla gorilla, pongo pygmaeus) and human children (homo sapiens).humans make decisions about when and with whom to cooperate based on their reputations. people either learn about others by direct interaction or by observing third-party interactions or gossip. an important question is whether other animal species, especially our closest living relatives, the nonhuman great apes, also form reputations of others. in study 1, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and 2.5-year-old human children experienced a nice experimenter who tried to give food/toys to the subjec ...201322746158
gorilla mothers also matter! new insights on social transmission in gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) in captivity.the present paper describes two distinct behaviors relating to food processing and communication that were observed in a community of five separately housed groups of lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) in captivity during two study periods one decade apart: (1) a food processing technique to separate wheat from chaff, the so-called puff-blowing technique; and (2) a male display used to attract the attention of visitors, the so-called throw-kiss-display. we investigated (a) whether the be ...201324312184
food washing and placer mining in captive great apes.sweet potato washing and wheat placer mining in japanese macaques (macaca fuscata) are among the most well known examples of local traditions in non-human animals. the functions of these behaviors and the mechanisms of acquisition and spread of these behaviors have been debated frequently. prompted by animal caretaker reports that great apes [chimpanzees (pan troglodytes), bonobos (pan paniscus), gorillas (gorilla gorilla), and orangutans (pongo abelii)] at leipzig zoo occasionally wash their fo ...201323665925
bushmeat hunting changes regeneration of african rainforests.to assess ecological consequences of bushmeat hunting in african lowland rainforests, we compared paired sites, with high and low hunting pressure, in three areas of southeastern nigeria. in hunted sites, populations of important seed dispersers-both small and large primates (including the cross river gorilla, gorilla gorilla diehli)-were drastically reduced. large rodents were more abundant in hunted sites, even though they are hunted. hunted and protected sites had similar mature tree communit ...201323516245
the cross river gorillas (gorilla gorilla diehli) at mawambi hills, south-west cameroon: habitat suitability and vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbance.only about 300 individuals of the cross river gorilla (crg; gorilla gorilla diehli) survive today. the subspecies is endemic to approximately 12-14 sites at the cameroon-nigeria border, and is critically endangered. to understand survival prospects of the crg at mawambi hills, cameroon, a maximum entropy (maxent) distribution model was used to predict the distribution of gorillas. overall, 24% of the study area was predicted to be suitable for gorillas. the most important predictors of gorilla d ...201323307035
extraversion predicts longer survival in gorillas: an 18-year longitudinal study.personality plays an important role in determining human health and risk of earlier death. however, the mechanisms underlying those associations remain unknown. we moved away from testing hypotheses rooted in the activities of modern humans, by testing whether these associations are ancestral and one side of a trade-off between fitness costs and benefits. we examined personality predictors of survival in 283 captive western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) followed for 18 years. we fou ...201323222443
the interpretive power of infraorbital foramen area in making dietary inferences in extant apes.the infraorbital foramen (iof) is located below the orbit and transmits the sensory infraorbital nerve (ion) to mechanoreceptors located throughout the maxillary region. the size of the iof correlates with the size of the ion; thus, the iof appears to indicate relative touch sensitivity of maxillary region. in primates, iof size correlates well with diet. frugivores have relatively larger iofs than folivores or insectivores because fruit handling/processing requires increased touch sensitivity. ...201424898102
variance in the reproductive success of dominant male mountain gorillas.using 30 years of demographic data from 15 groups, this study estimates how harem size, female fertility, and offspring survival may contribute to variance in the siring rates of dominant male mountain gorillas throughout the virunga volcano region. as predicted for polygynous species, differences in harem size were the greatest source of variance in the siring rate, whereas differences in female fertility and offspring survival were relatively minor. harem size was positively correlated with of ...201424818867
ecological divergence and talar morphology in gorillas.gorillas occupy a variety of habitats from the west coast to eastern central africa. these habitats differ considerably in altitude, which has a pronounced effect on forest ecology. although all gorillas are obligate terrestrial knuckle-walking quadrupeds, those that live in lowland habitats eat fruits and climb more often than do those living in highland habitats. here we test the hypothesis that gorilla talus morphology falls along a morphocline that tracks locomotor function related to a more ...201424374860
quantity estimation and comparison in western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla).we investigated the quantity judgment abilities of two adult male western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) by presenting discrimination tasks on a touch-screen computer. both gorillas chose the larger quantity of two arrays of dot stimuli. on some trials, the relative number of dots was congruent with the relative total area of the two arrays. on other trials, number of dots was incongruent with area. the gorillas were first tested with static dots, then with dots that moved within the ...201424271957
plant selection for nest building by western lowland gorillas in cameroon.we examined 834 nests built by western lowland gorillas in cameroon between july 2008 and july 2011 to identify the plant species used in their construction. preference for each plant species for nesting was assessed using a 'preference index' calculated by combining information on the occurrence of each species in the forest and in the nests. forty-six plant species representing about 15 % of the total number of species in the forest and 26 % of species used for nest building were frequently us ...201423732768
the influence of body posture on the kinematics of prehension in humans and gorillas (gorilla gorilla).much of our current understanding of human prehension in a comparative context is based on macaque models in a sitting, constrained body posture. in a previous study, we clearly showed differences in the amplitude of the forelimb joints between five primate species (lemur, capuchin, chimpanzee, gorilla and human) during unconstrained grasping where the animals were free to choose their body posture. one of our interrogations was to know if these differences could be due to the body posture. to a ...201424430026
does sympathy motivate prosocial behaviour in great apes?prosocial behaviours such as helping, comforting, or sharing are central to human social life. because they emerge early in ontogeny, it has been proposed that humans are prosocial by nature and that from early on empathy and sympathy motivate such behaviours. the emerging question is whether humans share these abilities to feel with and for someone with our closest relatives, the great apes. although several studies demonstrated that great apes help others, little is known about their underlyin ...201424416212
niche differentiation and dietary seasonality among sympatric gorillas and chimpanzees in loango national park (gabon) revealed by stable isotope analysis.the feeding ecology of sympatric great ape species yields valuable information for palaeodietary reconstructions in sympatric early hominin species. however, no isotopic references on sympatrically living apes and their feeding ecology are currently available. here we present the first isotopic study on sympatric great apes, namely western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) and central chimpanzees (pan troglodytes troglodytes) from loango national park, gabon. we successfully analyzed th ...201424373257
analysis of the forearm rotational efficiency in extant hominoids: new insights into the functional implications of upper limb skeletal structure.the greatly diversified locomotor behaviors in the hominoidea impose different mechanical requirements in the upper limb of each species. as forearm rotation has a major role in locomotion, the skeletal structures involved in this movement may display differences among taxa that reflect functional adaptations. to test this, we use a biomechanical model that quantifies the rotatory capacity of pronator teres (rotational efficiency) from skeletal measurements. using a large sample of hominoids, we ...201425277440
all great ape species (gorilla gorilla, pan paniscus, pan troglodytes, pongo abelii) and two-and-a-half-year-old children (homo sapiens) discriminate appearance from reality.nonhuman great apes and human children were tested for an understanding that appearance does not always correspond to reality. subjects were 29 great apes (bonobos [pan paniscus], chimpanzees [pan troglodytes], gorillas [gorilla gorilla], and orangutans [pongo abelii]) and 24 2½-year-old children. in our task, we occluded portions of 1 large and 1 small food stick such that the size relations seemed reversed. subjects could then choose which one they wanted. there was 1 control condition and 2 e ...201425150962
nutrition of the captive western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla): a dietary survey.the successful management of captive animals requires attention to multiple interconnected factors. one critical aspect of the daily life of a captive animal is the recommended and/or provisioned diet. this study focuses on the diets of zoo-housed gorillas. a national survey of diets among zoo-housed gorillas was conducted to examine diets being offered to captive gorillas in the united states and canada. this survey serves as a follow-up to a 1995 dietary survey of zoo-housed gorillas and goes ...201425130685
the birth of an infant decreases group spacing in a zoo-housed lowland gorilla group (gorilla gorilla gorilla).changes in group composition can alter the behavior of social animals such as gorillas. although gorilla births are presumed to affect group spacing patterns, there is relatively little data about how these events affect gorilla group cohesion. we investigated how members of a western lowland gorilla group (n = 6) at lincoln park zoo (chicago, il, usa) spaced themselves prior to and after the birth of an infant, to investigate changes in group cohesion. gorillas were housed in an indoor-outdoor ...201425130595
high diversity of mic genes in non-human primates.the human mhc class i (mhc-i) chain-related genes a and b (mica and micb) encode stress-induced glycoproteins, ligands for the activating receptor nkg2d. they display an unusually high degree of polymorphism, next only to that of classical mhc-i. the functional relevance and selective pressure behind this peculiar polymorphism, which is quite distinct from that of classical mhc-i, remain largely unknown. this study increases the repertoire of allelic sequences determined for the mic genes of non ...201425073428
the function of loud calls (hoot series) in wild western gorillas (gorilla gorilla).the use of loud vocal signals to reduce distance among separated social partners is well documented in many species; however, the underlying mechanisms by which the reduction of spacing occurs and how they differ across species remain unclear. western gorillas (gorilla gorilla) offer an opportunity to investigate these issues because their vocal repertoire includes a loud, long-distance call (i.e., hoot series) that is potentially used in within-group communication, whereas mountain gorillas use ...201425059429
niche partitioning in sympatric gorilla and pan from cameroon: implications for life history strategies and for reconstructing the evolution of hominin life history.factors influencing the hominoid life histories are poorly understood, and little is known about how ecological conditions modulate the pace of their development. yet our limited understanding of these interactions underpins life history interpretations in extinct hominins. here we determined the synchronisation of dental mineralization/eruption with brain size in a 20th century museum collection of sympatric gorilla gorilla and pan troglodytes from central cameroon. using δ13c and δ15n of indiv ...201425054380
evaluating the physiological and behavioral response of a male and female gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) during an introduction.prolonged stress responses can lead to infertility and death; therefore monitoring respective indicators like stress-related hormones and behaviors is an important tool in ensuring the health and well-being among zoo-housed animal populations. changes in social structure, such as the introduction of a new conspecific, can be a source of stress. in april 2010, a sexually mature female western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) was brought to lincoln park zoo (lpz; chicago, il) from the chi ...201425042832
individual distinctiveness in call types of wild western female gorillas.individually distinct vocalizations play an important role in animal communication, allowing call recipients to respond differentially based on caller identity. however, which of the many calls in a species' repertoire should have more acoustic variability and be more recognizable is less apparent. one proposed hypothesis is that calls used over long distances should be more distinct because visual cues are not available to identify the caller. an alternative hypothesis proposes that close calls ...201425029238
wild western lowland gorillas signal selectively using odor.mammals communicate socially through visual, auditory and chemical signals. the chemical sense is the oldest sense and is shared by all organisms including bacteria. despite mounting evidence for social chemo-signaling in humans, the extent to which it modulates behavior is debated and can benefit from comparative models of closely related hominoids. the use of odor cues in wild ape social communication has been only rarely explored. apart from one study on wild chimpanzee sniffing, our understa ...201425006973
great apes (pan paniscus, pan troglodytes, gorilla gorilla, pongo abelii) follow visual trails to locate hidden food.whether nonhuman primates understand causal relations beyond mere associations is still a matter of debate. we presented all four species of nonhuman great apes (n = 36) with a choice between 2 opaque, upside down cups after displacing them out of sight from their starting positions. crucially, 1 of them had left a yogurt trail behind it. great apes spontaneously used the trail to select the yogurt baited cup. follow-up experiments demonstrated that chimpanzees distinguished trails based on the ...201424866009
twelve-year proximity relationships in a captive group of western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) at the san diego wild animal park, california, usa.proximity data were collected in a captive breeding group of gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) at the san diego wild animal park (currently called the san diego zoo safari park) twice a year (spring and fall periods) for over 12 years, by using a convenient method in which individuals less than 5 m from each animal in the group were recorded by scan sampling, approximately once per hour. immature females from infancy to young adulthood maintained relatively frequent proximity to both their moth ...201424838632
social environment elicits lateralized behaviors in gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) and chimpanzees (pan troglodytes).the influence of the social environment on lateralized behaviors has now been investigated across a wide variety of animal species. new evidence suggests that the social environment can modulate behavior. currently, there is a paucity of data relating to how primates navigate their environmental space, and investigations that consider the naturalistic context of the individual are few and fragmented. moreover, there are competing theories about whether only the right or rather both cerebral hemi ...201424749503
informing conservation management about structural versus functional connectivity: a case-study of cross river gorillas.connectivity among subpopulations is vital for the persistence of small and fragmented populations. for management interventions to be effective conservation planners have to make the critical distinction between structural connectivity (based on landscape structure) and functional connectivity (which considers both landscape structure and organism-specific behavioral attributes) which can differ considerably within a given context. we assessed spatial and temporal changes in structural and func ...201424737604
the effects of auditory enrichment on gorillas.several studies have demonstrated that auditory enrichment can reduce stereotypic behaviors in captive animals. the purpose of this study was to determine the relative effectiveness of three different types of auditory enrichment-naturalistic sounds, classical music, and rock music-in reducing stereotypic behavior displayed by western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla). three gorillas (one adult male, two adult females) were observed at the buffalo zoo for a total of 24 hr per music tria ...201424715297
retroperitoneal abscesses in two western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla).this report describes two cases of retroperitoneal abscesses in female western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla). clinical symptoms included perivulvar discharge, lameness, hindlimb paresis, and general malaise. retroperitoneal abscesses should be considered as part of a complete differential list in female gorillas with similar clinical signs.201424712182
the genetic population structure of wild western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) living in continuous rain forest.to understand the evolutionary histories and conservation potential of wild animal species it is useful to assess whether taxa are genetically structured into different populations and identify the underlying factors responsible for any clustering. landscape features such as rivers may influence genetic population structure, and analysis of structure by sex can further reveal effects of sex-specific dispersal. using microsatellite genotypes obtained from noninvasively collected fecal samples we ...201424700547
human-animal relationships in zoo-housed orangutans (p. abelii) and gorillas (g. g. gorilla): the effects of familiarity.i examined human-animal relationships (hars) in zoo-housed orangutans (pongo abelii) and gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) to see if they followed patterns similar to conspecific relationships in great apes and humans. familiarity and social relationships guide humans' and great apes' behaviors with conspecifics. inter-individual relationships, based on shared social history, and "generalized" relationships, based on a history of interactions with relevant classes of individuals, guide behavior ...201424687450
detection of termites and other insects consumed by african great apes using molecular fecal analysis.the consumption of insects by apes has previously been reported based on direct observations and/or trail signs in feces. however, dna-based diet analyses may have the potential to reveal trophic links for these wild species. herein, we analyzed the insect-diet diversity of 9 feces obtained from three species of african great apes, gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla), chimpanzee (pan troglodytes) and bonobo (pan paniscus), using two mitochondrial amplifications for arthropods. a total of 1056 clon ...201424675424
malignant hypertension and retinopathy in a western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla).a 34-year-old western lowland gorilla presented with peracute blindness.201424646309
orangutans (pongo abelii) and a gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) match features in familiar and unfamiliar individuals.great apes can perceive images as representative of corresponding real-life objects. coupled with the potential advantages of identifying specific members of one's species and mounting evidence for individual recognition in other non-humans, it seems likely that great apes would have the ability to identify conspecifics in photographs. the ability of four orangutans and a gorilla to match images of individuals of their own and a closely related but unfamiliar species was examined here for the fi ...201424623526
ischiopagus tripus conjoined twins in a western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla).conjoined twinning is rare in man and non-human primates. the current report describes a case of ischiopagus tripus conjoined western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla) twins. the female twins were joined at the umbilical and pelvic region, involving the liver, xiphoid, umbilicus, body wall and skin. computed tomography revealed two complete spines. the combined pelvic space was formed by two sacra, each connected with two iliac bones. the twins were only conjoined by a common pubis. cause of dea ...201424529511
monitoring ovarian cycle activity via progestagens in urine and feces of female mountain gorillas: a comparison of eia and lc-ms measurements.understanding the reproductive biology of endangered mountain gorillas (gorilla beringei beringei) is essential for optimizing conservation strategies, determining any demographic impact of socioecological changes, and providing information for comparative studies of primates. non-invasive techniques have been used to assess the reproductive function of many primates and the importance of validating the measurements of hormones metabolites is widely recognized because they may vary even within c ...201424123105
variable temporoinsular cortex neuroanatomy in primates suggests a bottleneck effect in eastern gorillas.we describe an atypical neuroanatomical feature present in several primate species that involves a fusion between the temporal lobe (often including heschl's gyrus in great apes) and the posterior dorsal insula, such that a portion of insular cortex forms an isolated pocket medial to the sylvian fissure. we assessed the frequency of this fusion in 56 primate species (including apes, old world monkeys, new world monkeys, and strepsirrhines) by using either magnetic resonance images or histologica ...201423939630
lactobacillus gorillae sp. nov., isolated from the faeces of captive and wild western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla).four strains of gram-staining-positive, anaerobic rods were isolated from the faeces of western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla). three strains, kz01(t), kz02 and kz03, were isolated at the kyoto city zoo, japan, and one strain, gg02, was isolated in the moukalaba-doudou national park, gabon. these strains were investigated taxonomically. these strains belonged to the lactobacillus reuteri phylogenetic group according to phylogenetic analysis based on 16s rrna gene sequences and specif ...201425240022
hemorrhagic colitis associated with salmonella enterica serotype infantis infection in a captive western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) in brazil.enteric diseases are among the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in gorillas, and it is often caused by bacteria.201424359673
molecular characterization, tissue expression profile and snp analysis of the porcine nr1h4 gene.nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group h, member 4 (nr1h4) is a receptor for bile acids and has an important role in regulating energy metabolism in liver, muscle and adipose tissues in humans and animals. in this study, we cloned the full coding region of nr1h4 gene from porcine longissimus dorsi by rapid amplification of cdna end (race). results indicated that the open reading frame of nr1h4 covered 1461 bp encoding 486 amino acid residues and the deduced amino acid sequence was 91-94 % identical ...201425034892
fecal microbial diversity and putative function in captive western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla), common chimpanzees (pan troglodytes), hamadryas baboons (papio hamadryas) and binturongs (arctictis binturong).microbial populations in the gastrointestinal tract contribute to host health and nutrition. although gut microbial ecology is well studied in livestock and domestic animals, little is known of the endogenous populations inhabiting primates or carnivora. we characterized microbial populations in fecal cultures from gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla), common chimpanzees (pan troglodytes), hamadryas baboons (papio hamadryas) and binturongs (arctictis binturong) to compare the microbiomes associate ...201425236539
human herpes simplex virus type 1 in confiscated gorilla.in 2007, we detected human herpes simplex virus type 1, which caused stomatitis, in a juvenile confiscated eastern lowland gorilla (gorilla beringei graueri) that had a high degree of direct contact with human caretakers. our findings confirm that pathogens can transfer between nonhuman primate hosts and humans.201425341185
african great apes are naturally infected with roseoloviruses closely related to human herpesvirus 7.primates are naturally infected with herpesviruses. during the last 15 years, the search for homologues of human herpesviruses in nonhuman primates allowed the identification of numerous viruses belonging to the different herpesvirus subfamilies and genera. no simian homologue of human herpesvirus 7 (hhv7) has been reported to date. to investigate the putative existence of hhv7-like viruses in african great apes, we applied the consensus-degenerate hybrid oligonucleotide primers (codehop) progra ...201425187544
in vivo cellular tropism of gorilla simian foamy virus in blood of infected humans.simian foamy viruses (sfv) are retroviruses that are widespread among nonhuman primates. sfv can be transmitted to humans, giving rise to a persistent infection. only a few data are available concerning the distribution of sfv in human blood cells. here we purified blood mononuclear cell subsets from 11 individuals infected with a gorilla gorilla sfv strain and quantified sfv dna levels by quantitative pcr. sfv dna was detected in the majority of the cd8(+), cd4(+), and cd19(+) lymphocyte sample ...201425210185
bifidobacterium moukalabense sp. nov., isolated from the faeces of wild west lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla).gram-staining-positive anaerobic rods were isolated from the faeces of a wild lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) in moukalaba-doudou national park, gabon, and strain gg01(t) was taxonomically investigated. based on phylogenetic analyses and specific phenotypic characteristics, the strain belonged to the genus bifidobacterium. phylogenetic analysis of its 16s rrna gene sequence revealed that strain gg01(t) formed a single monophyletic cluster and had a distinct line of descent. based on 16 ...201424158945
pathogenic eukaryotes in gut microbiota of western lowland gorillas as revealed by molecular survey.although gorillas regarded as the largest extant species of primates and have a close phylogenetic relationship with humans, eukaryotic communities have not been previously studied in these populations. herein, 35 eukaryotic primer sets targeting the 18s rrna gene, internal transcribed spacer gene and other specific genes were used firstly to explore the eukaryotes in a fecal sample from a wild western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla). then specific real-time pcrs were achieved in addit ...201425231746
characterization of enteroviruses from non-human primates in cameroon revealed virus types widespread in humans along with candidate new types and species.enteroviruses (evs) infecting african non-human primates (nhp) are still poorly documented. this study was designed to characterize the genetic diversity of evs among captive and wild nhp in cameroon and to compare this diversity with that found in humans. stool specimens were collected in april 2008 in nhp housed in sanctuaries in yaounde and neighborhoods. moreover, stool specimens collected from wild nhp from june 2006 to october 2008 in the southern rain forest of cameroon were considered. r ...201425079078
first case of disseminated cryptococcosis in a gorilla gorilla.in humans, cryptococcus mainly infects individuals with hiv infection or other types of immunosuppression. here, we report the first case of disseminated cryptococcosis in a simian immunodeficiency virus-negative 27-year-old female gorilla gorilla presenting with lethargy, progressive weight loss and productive cough. the diagnosis was confirmed by positive lung biopsy culture, serum cryptococcal antigen, and cerebral histopathology demonstrating encapsulated yeasts. molecular characterisation o ...201424963815
non-contiguous finished genome sequence and description of gorillibacterium massiliense gen. nov, sp. nov., a new member of the family paenibacillaceae.strain g5(t) gen. nov., sp. nov. is the type strain of gorillibacterium massiliense, a newly proposed genus within the family paenibacillaceae. this strain, whose genome is described here, was isolated in france from a stool sample of a wild gorilla gorilla subsp. gorilla from cameroon. g. massiliense is a facultatively anaerobic, gram negative rod. here we describe the features of this bacterium, together with the complete genome sequence and annotation. the 5,546,433 bp long genome (1 chromoso ...201425197465
fatty acids in mountain gorilla diets: implications for primate nutrition and health.little is known about the fatty acid composition of foods eaten by wild primates. a total of 18 staple foods that comprise 97% of the annual dietary intake of the mountain gorilla (gorilla beringei) were analyzed for fatty acid concentrations. fruits and herbaceous leaves comprise the majority of the diet, with fruits generally having a higher mean percentage of fat (of dry matter; dm), as measured by ether extract (ee), than herbaceous leaves (13.0% ± sd 13.0% vs. 2.3 ± sd 0.8%). the mean daily ...201424243235
tooth cusp sharpness as a dietary correlate in great apes.mammalian molars have undergone heavy scrutiny to determine correlates between morphology and diet. here, the relationship between one aspect of occlusal morphology, tooth cusp radius of curvature (roc), and two broad dietary categories, folivory and frugivory, is analyzed in apes. the author hypothesizes that there is a relationship between tooth cusp roc and diet, and that folivores have sharper teeth than frugivores, and further test the correlation between tooth cusp roc and tooth cusp size. ...201424227163
looking in apes as a source of human pathogens.because of the close genetic relatedness between apes and humans, apes are susceptible to many human infectious agents and can serve as carriers of these pathogens. consequently, they present a serious health hazard to humans. moreover, many emerging infectious diseases originate in wildlife and continue to threaten human populations, especially vector-borne diseases described in great apes, such as malaria and rickettsiosis. these wild primates may be permanent reservoirs and important sources ...201425220240
gorilla gorilla gorilla gut: a potential reservoir of pathogenic bacteria as revealed using culturomics and molecular tools.wild apes are considered to be the most serious reservoir and source of zoonoses. however, little data are available about the gut microbiota and pathogenic bacteria in gorillas. for this propose, a total of 48 fecal samples obtained from 21 gorilla gorilla gorilla individuals (as revealed via microsatellite analysis) were screened for human bacterial pathogens using culturomics and molecular techniques. by applying culturomics to one index gorilla and using specific media supplemented by plants ...201425417711
wild gorillas as a potential reservoir of leishmania major.vector-borne parasites of the genus leishmania are responsible for severe human diseases. cutaneous leishmaniasis, a common form of the disease, is most often caused by the transmission of leishmania major to humans by female phlebotomine sand flies. apes are increasingly being seen as a source of zoonotic diseases, including malaria and rickettsiosis. to examine whether gorillas harbor leishmania species, we screened fecal samples from wild western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) in c ...201425001460
audience effects, but not environmental influences, explain variation in gorilla close distance vocalizations-a test of the acoustic adaptation hypothesis.close distance vocalizations are an integral part of primate vocal communication. they exhibit large acoustic variation which has been suggested to constitute flexible responses to the highly variable social setting of group living animals. however, a recent study suggested that acoustic variation in close distance calls of baboons may also arise from acoustic adaptations to environmental factors in order to counteract sound degradation. we tested whether the variation in calling rate and acoust ...201526352614
intestinal flora modification of arthritis pattern in spondyloarthropathy.the reactive form of spondyloarthropathy appears inducible by exposure to agents of infectious diarrhea, but do those organisms represent the tip of the iceberg, as indicated by renewed interest in gastrointestinal flora? prevalence of spondyloarthropathy (20% of chimpanzees [pan] and 28% of gorillas) is independent of subspecies and species, respectively. however, there are major differences in arthritis patterns, a characteristic shared with humans.201526267718
new insights into the evolution of the human diet from faecal biomarker analysis in wild chimpanzee and gorilla faeces.our understanding of early human diets is based on reconstructed biomechanics of hominin jaws, bone and teeth isotopic data, tooth wear patterns, lithic, taphonomic and zooarchaeological data, which do not provide information about the relative amounts of different types of foods that contributed most to early human diets. faecal biomarkers are proving to be a valuable tool in identifying relative proportions of plant and animal tissues in palaeolithic diets. a limiting factor in the application ...201526061730
molecular phylogeny of anoplocephalid tapeworms (cestoda: anoplocephalidae) infecting humans and non-human primates.anoplocephalid tapeworms of the genus bertiella stiles and hassall, 1902 and anoplocephala blanchard, 1848, found in the asian, african and american non-human primates are presumed to sporadic ape-to-man transmissions. variable nuclear (5.8s-its2; 28s rrna) and mitochondrial genes (cox1; nad1) of isolates of anoplocephalids originating from different primates (callicebus oenanthe, gorilla beringei, gorilla gorilla, pan troglodytes and pongo abelii) and humans from various regions (south america, ...201526046952
the geographic distribution of genetic diversity within gorillas.gorillas, like all non-human great apes, are endangered. understanding the distribution of genetic diversity across their range is important because low diversity may arise in small populations through increased inbreeding, and, by reducing reproductive fitness, may lead to decreased chances of persistence of a given population. previous studies found higher genetic diversity in the western (gorilla gorilla) than in the eastern gorillas (gorilla beringei), but rarely employed individuals of know ...201525975353
tool use for food acquisition in a wild mountain gorilla (gorilla beringei beringei).on may 14, 2013, a wild, human-habituated, juvenile female mountain gorilla (gorilla beringei beringei) in volcanoes national park, rwanda was observed utilizing a tool to acquire food. the young gorilla watched an adult male use his hand to collect ants from a hole in the ground, and then quickly withdrew his hand and move away from the hole, shaking his arm to presumably remove biting ants. the juvenile female engaged in similar behavior, withdrawing her hand covered in ants, and shaking her a ...201525452208
brain organization of gorillas reflects species differences in ecology.gorillas include separate eastern (gorilla beringei) and western (gorilla gorilla) african species that diverged from each other approximately 2 million years ago. although anatomical, genetic, behavioral, and socioecological differences have been noted among gorilla populations, little is known about variation in their brain structure. this study examines neuroanatomical variation between gorilla species using structural neuroimaging. postmortem magnetic resonance images were obtained of brains ...201525360547
three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of talar morphology in extant gorilla taxa from highland and lowland habitats.western gorillas (gorilla gorilla) are known to climb significantly more often than eastern gorillas (gorilla beringei), a behavioral distinction attributable to major differences in their respective habitats (i.e., highland vs. lowland). genetic evidence suggests that the lineages leading to these taxa began diverging from one another between approximately 1 and 3 million years ago. thus, gorillas offer a special opportunity to examine the degree to which morphology of recently diverged taxa ma ...201525338937
forearm articular proportions and the antebrachial index in homo sapiens, australopithecus afarensis and the great apes.when hominin bipedality evolved, the forearms were free to adopt nonlocomotor tasks which may have resulted in changes to the articular surfaces of the ulna and the relative lengths of the forearm bones. similarly, sex differences in forearm proportions may be more likely to emerge in bipeds than in the great apes given the locomotor constraints in gorilla, pan and pongo. to test these assumptions, ulnar articular proportions and the antebrachial index (radius length/ulna length) in homo sapiens ...201526256651
neutralization properties of simian immunodeficiency viruses infecting chimpanzees and gorillas.broadly cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies (bnabs) represent powerful tools to combat human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (hiv-1) infection. here, we examined whether hiv-1-specific bnabs are capable of cross-neutralizing distantly related simian immunodeficiency viruses (sivs) infecting central (pan troglodytes troglodytes) (sivcpzptt) and eastern (pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) (sivcpzpts) chimpanzees (n = 11) as well as western gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) (sivgor) (n = 1). we foun ...201525900654
hiv-1 group o origin, evolution, pathogenesis, and treatment: unraveling the complexity of an outlier 25 years later.twenty-five years ago, an aberrant hiv-1 (now classified as hiv-1 group o) was described from a cameroonian hiv patient living in belgium. the epicenter of group o was later found to be in central africa, overlapping with the geographical location of the central chimpanzees (pan troglodytes troglodytes) and western gorillas (gorilla gorilla), the likely original hosts of group o. although the prevalence of group o has remained low at 1-2% in cameroon, some european countries (france, spain, belg ...201526450803
isolation of multiple drug-resistant enteric bacteria from feces of wild western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) in gabon.prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria in wildlife can reveal the actual level of anthropological burden on the wildlife. in this study, we isolated two multiple drug-resistant strains, gg6-2 and gg6-1-1, from 27 fresh feces of wild western lowland gorillas in moukalaba-doudou national park, gabon. isolates were identified as achromobacter xylosoxidans and providencia sp., respectively. minimum inhibitory concentrations of the following 12 drugs-ampicillin (abpc), cefazolin (cez), cefotaxime (ctx ...201525649412
diversity of malaria parasites in great apes in gabon.until 2009, the laverania subgenus counted only two representatives: plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium reichenowi. the recent development of non-invasive methods allowed re-exploration of plasmodial diversity in african apes. although a large number of great ape populations have now been studied regarding plasmodium infections in africa, there are still vast areas of their distribution that remained unexplored. gabon constitutes an important part of the range of western central african great ...201525889049
validation of two independent photogrammetric techniques for determining body measurements of gorillas.the ability to accurately measure morphological characteristics of wild primates in the field is challenging, yet critical for understanding fundamental aspects of their biology and behavior. recent studies have shown that digital photogrammetry can be used to non-invasively measure morphological traits of wild primates, as it allows for the determination of geometric properties of objects remotely from photographic images. we report here on a rare opportunity to test this methodology by compari ...201526667787
handedness for unimanual grasping in 564 great apes: the effect on grip morphology and a comparison with hand use for a bimanual coordinated task.a number of factors have been proposed to influence within and between species variation in handedness in non-human primates. in the initial study, we assessed the influence of grip morphology on hand use for simple reaching in a sample of 564 great apes including 49 orangutans pongo pygmaeus, 66 gorillas gorilla gorilla, 354 chimpanzees pan troglodytes and 95 bonobos pan paniscus. overall, we found a significant right hand bias for reaching. we also found a significant effect of the grip morpho ...201526635693
draft genome sequence of lactobacillus gorillae strain kz01t, isolated from a western lowland gorilla.here, we report the draft genome sequence of lactobacillus gorillae strain kz01(t) isolated from a western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla). this genome sequence will be helpful for the comparative genomics between human and nonhuman primate-associated lactobacillus.201526472838
age-related motor dysfunction: manual slowing in gorilla gorilla gorilla.aging in humans and rhesus monkeys is commonly associated with motor function decrements including dexterity, speed, and strength. despite their longevity and phylogenetic relatedness to humans, the effects of aging on motor function in non-human apes have been minimally studied. we conducted two experiments with western lowland gorillas (11-54 years of age) to determine whether aged gorillas exhibit motor deficits similar to those seen in other species. in experiment one, gorillas extracted up ...201526436765
western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) birth patterns and human presence in zoological settings.there is some evidence to suggest that zoo visitors may have a disruptive impact on zoo-housed animals, especially primates. while some consider western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) to be particularly reactive to large crowds, the evidence of these effects is mixed, and is likely highly influenced by exhibit design, and group composition. while the majority of studies have focused on behavioral responses to human presence, there is the potential for physiological effects as well, i ...201526301718
the influence of seasonal frugivory on nutrient and energy intake in wild western gorillas.the daily energy requirements of animals are determined by a combination of physical and physiological factors, but food availability may challenge the capacity to meet nutritional needs. western gorillas (gorilla gorilla) are an interesting model for investigating this topic because they are folivore-frugivores that adjust their diet and activities to seasonal variation in fruit availability. observations of one habituated group of western gorillas in bai-hokou, central african republic (decemb ...201526154509
the effects of group type and young silverbacks on wounding rates in western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) groups in north american zoos.in north american zoos, male gorillas are often housed in all-male (bachelor) groups to provide socialization for males not managed in breeding groups. these groups exhibit long-term cohesion and stability and males in bachelor groups are no more aggressive than males in mixed-sex groups. previous studies have shown that aggression in male gorillas is more directly related to age rather than group type, with young silverbacks (ysb; males 14-20 years of age) having higher rates of aggressive beha ...201526094937
detection dog efficacy for collecting faecal samples from the critically endangered cross river gorilla (gorilla gorilla diehli) for genetic censusing.population estimates using genetic capture-recapture methods from non-invasively collected wildlife samples are more accurate and precise than those obtained from traditional methods when detection and resampling rates are high. recently, detection dogs have been increasingly used to find elusive species and their by-products. here we compared the effectiveness of dog- and human-directed searches for cross river gorilla (gorilla gorilla diehli) faeces at two sites. the critically endangered cros ...201526064602
gut microbiome composition and metabolomic profiles of wild western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) reflect host ecology.the metabolic activities of gut microbes significantly influence host physiology; thus, characterizing the forces that modulate this micro-ecosystem is key to understanding mammalian biology and fitness. to investigate the gut microbiome of wild primates and determine how these microbial communities respond to the host's external environment, we characterized faecal bacterial communities and, for the first time, gut metabolomes of four wild lowland gorilla groups in the dzanga-sangha protected a ...201525846719
inference of gorilla demographic and selective history from whole-genome sequence data.although population-level genomic sequence data have been gathered extensively for humans, similar data from our closest living relatives are just beginning to emerge. examination of genomic variation within great apes offers many opportunities to increase our understanding of the forces that have differentially shaped the evolutionary history of hominid taxa. here, we expand upon the work of the great ape genome project by analyzing medium to high coverage whole-genome sequences from 14 western ...201525534031
how much more would knm-wt 15000 have grown?because of its completeness, the juvenile homo ergaster/erectus knm-wt 15000 has played an important role in studies of the evolution of body form in homo. early attempts to estimate his adult body size used modern human growth models. however, more recent evidence, particularly from the dentition, suggests that he may have had a more chimpanzee-like growth trajectory. here we re-estimate his adult stature and body mass using ontogenetic data derived from four african ape taxa: pan troglodytes t ...201525449954
analysis of the ahr gene proximal promoter ggggc-repeat polymorphism in lung, breast, and colon cancer.the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (ahr) regulates expression of numerous genes, including those of the cyp1 gene family. with the goal of determining factors that control ahr gene expression, our studies are focused on the role of the short tandem repeat polymorphism, (ggggc)n, located in the proximal promoter of the human ahr gene. when luciferase constructs containing varying ggggc repeats were transfected into cancer cell lines derived from the lung, colon, and breast, the number of ggggc repeats ...201525447411
contextual correlates of syntactic variation in mountain and western gorilla close-distance vocalizations: indications for lexical or phonological syntax?the core of the generative power of human languages lies in our ability to combine acoustic units under specific rules into structurally complex and semantically rich utterances. while various animal species concatenate acoustic units into structurally elaborate vocal sequences, such compound calls do not appear to be compositional as their information content cannot be derived from the information content of each of its components. as such, animal compound calls are said to constitute a form of ...201525311802
the timing of spheno-occipital fusion in hominoids.the degree of spheno-occipital fusion has been used to assign a relative age to dentally mature hominoid cranial specimens. however, a recent study of captive individuals (poe: am j phys anthropol 144 (2011) 162–165) concluded that fusion of the spheno-occipital suture in great ape taxa is of little utility for aging dentally mature individuals. in this contribution, i use dentally mature samples of extant hominoid taxa (homo sapiens, pan troglodytes schweinfurthii, gorilla gorilla gorilla, pong ...201525293964
how ebola impacts social dynamics in gorillas: a multistate modelling approach.emerging infectious diseases can induce rapid changes in population dynamics and threaten population persistence. in socially structured populations, the transfers of individuals between social units, for example, from breeding groups to non-breeding groups, shape population dynamics. we suggest that diseases may affect these crucial transfers. we aimed to determine how disturbance by an emerging disease affects demographic rates of gorillas, especially transfer rates within populations and immi ...201524995485
sharing fruit of treculia africana among western gorillas in the moukalaba-doudou national park, gabon: preliminary report.we report the first 18 observed cases of fruit (treculia africana) transfer among western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) in moukalaba-doudou national park, gabon. the fruit transfer occurred during our observations of a habituated group of gorillas in 2010 and 2013. pieces of the fruits were transferred among adults and immatures, and three cases involved a silverback male. once an individual picked up a fallen fruit of treculia africana, other members of the group approached the pos ...201524962665
core promoter short tandem repeats as evolutionary switch codes for primate speciation.alteration in gene expression levels underlies many of the phenotypic differences across species. because of their highly mutable nature, proximity to the +1 transcription start site (tss), and the emerging evidence of functional impact on gene expression, core promoter short tandem repeats (strs) may be considered an ideal source of variation across species. in a genome-scale analysis of the entire homo sapiens protein-coding genes, we have previously identified core promoters with at least one ...201525099915
odor signals in wild western lowland gorillas: an involuntary and extra-group communication hypothesis.odors constitute one of the most ancient ways of communication among animals. whereas the key role of olfactory communication is well established in insects or rodents, its contribution to primate behavior remains very speculative. in a recent report, klailova and lee [1] studied the variations of intensity of the typical steroid musk odor produced by wild adult male gorilla silverbacks during encounters with opponents from other social units (lone males or other groups). the odor intensity incr ...201525797709
healed mid-shaft fracture of an early roman bovine femur.we evaluated a healed fracture that was observed in the shaft of a bovine femur from an early roman settlement context at the site of wange, belgium. using external observation and x-ray images, the specimen is described, paying particular attention to displacement of the bone ends, shortening of the bone, and callus formation. similar fractures seen in femora of a modern derby's antelope (taurotragus derbianus) and of a modern eastern lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla graueri) are described, and ...201529539477
the time scale of recombination rate evolution in great apes.we present three linkage-disequilibrium (ld)-based recombination maps generated using whole-genome sequence data from 10 nigerian chimpanzees, 13 bonobos, and 15 western gorillas, collected as part of the great ape genome project (prado-martinez j, et al. 2013. great ape genetic diversity and population history. nature 499:471-475). we also identified species-specific recombination hotspots in each group using a modified ldhot framework, which greatly improves statistical power to detect hotspot ...201626671457
sexual coercion and courtship by male western gorillas.sexual coercion and courtship are possible explanations for why male primates may direct agonistic behavior towards females. if so, then in species where females exhibit mate choice by transferring between males: (a) females who are not lactating (potential migrants) should receive more agonistic behavior than other females, (b) males should exhibit more agonistic behavior towards females during intergroup encounters than when no rival males are nearby, and (c) males should show more herding beh ...201626483073
mothers may shape the variations in social organization among gorillas.when mothers continue to support their offspring beyond infancy, they can influence the fitness of those offspring, the strength of social relationships within their groups, and the life-history traits of their species. using up to 30 years of demographic data from 58 groups of gorillas in two study sites, this study extends such findings by showing that mothers may also contribute to differences in social organization between closely related species. female mountain gorillas remained with their ...201627853570
high-throughput rna sequencing reveals structural differences of orthologous brain-expressed genes between western lowland gorillas and humans.the human brain and human cognitive abilities are strikingly different from those of other great apes despite relatively modest genome sequence divergence. however, little is presently known about the interspecies divergence in gene structure and transcription that might contribute to these phenotypic differences. to date, most comparative studies of gene structure in the brain have examined humans, chimpanzees, and macaque monkeys. to add to this body of knowledge, we analyze here the brain tra ...201626132897
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