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genomic copy number variation study of nine macaca species provides new insights into their genetic divergence, adaptation and biomedical application.copy number variation (cnv) can promote phenotypic diversification and adaptive evolution. however, the genomic architecture of cnvs among macaca species remains scarcely reported, and the roles of cnvs in adaptation and evolution of macaques have not been well addressed. here, we identified and characterized 1479 genome-wide hetero-specific cnvs across nine macaca species with bioinformatic methods, along with 26 cnv-dense regions and dozens of lineage-specific cnvs. the genes intersecting cnvs ...202032970804
innovation in wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).innovation is the ability to solve novel problems or find novel solutions to familiar problems, and it is known to affect fitness in both human and non-human animals. in primates, innovation has been mostly studied in captivity, although differences in living conditions may affect individuals' ability to innovate. here, we tested innovation in a wild group of barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus). in four different conditions, we presented the group with several identical foraging boxes containing ...202032165675
oxytocin increases after affiliative interactions in male barbary macaques.mammals living in stable social groups often mitigate the costs of group living through the formation of social bonds and cooperative relationships. the neuropeptide hormone oxytocin (ot) is proposed to promote both bonding and cooperation although only a limited number of studies have investigated this under natural conditions. our aim was to assess the role of ot in bonding and cooperation in male barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus). first, we tested for an effect of affiliation - grooming and ...202031883945
adenovirus infections in african humans and wild non-human primates: great diversity and cross-species transmission.non-human primates (nhps) are known hosts for adenoviruses (advs), so there is the possibility of the zoonotic or cross-species transmission of advs. as with humans, adv infections in animals can cause diseases that range from asymptomatic to fatal. the aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and diversity of advs in: (i) fecal samples of apes and monkeys from different african countries (republic of congo, senegal, djibouti and algeria), (ii) stool of humans living near gorillas in ...202032570742
differential ageing trajectories in motivation, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility in barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).across the lifespan, the performance in problem-solving tasks varies strongly, owing to age-related variation in cognitive abilities as well as the motivation to engage in a task. non-human primates provide an evolutionary perspective on human cognitive and motivational ageing, as they lack an insight into their own limited lifetime, and ageing trajectories are not affected by customs and societal norms. to test age-related variation in inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility and persistence, ...202032951548
parasitic infections in african humans and non-human primates.different protozoa and metazoa have been detected in great apes, monkeys and humans with possible interspecies exchanges. some are either nonpathogenic or their detrimental effects on the host are not yet known. others lead to serious diseases that can even be fatal. their survey remains of great importance for public health and animal conservation. fecal samples from gorillas (gorilla gorilla) and humans living in same area in the republic of congo, chimpanzees (pan troglodytes) from senegal an ...202032664573
testosterone and cortisol are negatively associated with ritualized bonding behavior in male macaques.neuroendocrine research on the formation of social bonds has primarily focused on the role of nonapeptides. however, steroid hormones often act simultaneously to either inhibit or facilitate bonding. testosterone is proposed to mediate a trade-off between male mating effort and nurturing behavior; therefore, low levels are predicted during periods of nurturing infant care and social bonding. in species where social bonding and support regulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, we al ...202032574857
the normal hematology of macaca sylvanus. 202015398718
measuring personality in the field: an in situ comparison of personality quantification methods in wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).three popular approaches exist for quantifying personality in animals: behavioral coding in unconstrained and experimental settings and trait assessment. both behavioral coding in an unconstrained setting and trait assessment aim to identify an overview of personality structure by reducing the behavioral repertoire of a species into broad personality dimensions, whereas experimental assays quantify personality as reactive tendencies to particular stimuli. criticisms of these methods include that ...201930589296
complex patterns of grooming and sexual activity in barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).grooming in primates is often considered a "currency" that can be exchanged for other "services" or "commodities" such as reciprocal grooming, coalitionary support, infant handling, tolerance around food sources, active food sharing, or mating opportunities. previous studies on primate grooming-for-sex exchange viewed the males as the demanding class, with the females as suppliers of mating opportunities. in this study, we examine the broader context of grooming-for-mating exchange in barbary ma ...201931429113
serological survey of toxoplasma gondii in captive nonhuman primates in zoos in spain.toxoplasma gondii is a widely distributed zoonotic protozoan parasite, which can affect most warm-blooded species. some species of non-human primates (nhps) are highly susceptible to t. gondii infection. the aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with t. gondii infection in nhps housed in zoos in spain. sera from 189 nhps belonging to 33 species were collected in eight zoos. additionally, 10 of the 189 animals were longitudinally sampled. anti-t. gondii ...201931300126
hear them roar: a comparison of black-capped chickadee (poecile atricapillus) and human (homo sapiens) perception of arousal in vocalizations across all classes of terrestrial vertebrates.recently, evidence for acoustic universals in vocal communication was found by demonstrating that humans can identify levels of arousal in vocalizations produced by species across three biological classes (filippi et al., 2017). here, we extend this work by testing whether two vocal learning species, humans and chickadees, can discriminate vocalizations of high and low arousal using operant discrimination go/no-go tasks. stimuli included vocalizations from nine species: giant panda, american all ...201931259563
differentiation of trichuris species using a morphometric approach.trichuris trichiura is a nematode considered as the whipworm present in humans and primates. the systematics of the genus trichuris is complex. morphological studies of trichuris isolated from primates and humans conclude that the species infecting these hosts is the same. furthermore, numerous molecular studies have been carried out so far to discriminate parasite species from humans and non-human primates using molecular techniques, but these studies were not performed in combination with a pa ...201931194117
measuring urinary cortisol and testosterone levels in male barbary macaques: a comparison of eia and lc-ms.the development of methods to quantify hormones from non-invasively collected samples such as urine or feces has facilitated endocrinology research on wild-living animals. to ensure that hormone measurements are biologically meaningful, method validations are strongly recommended for each new species or sample matrix. our aim was to validate three commonly used enzyme immunoassays (eia), one for analysis of cortisol and two for analysis of testosterone, to assess adrenocortical and gonadal endoc ...201931145893
feasting and mobility in iron age ireland: multi-isotope analysis reveals the vast catchment of navan fort, ulster.navan fort is an iconic prehistoric irish ceremonial centre and the legendary capital of ulster. the fort has produced an exceptional pig-dominated faunal assemblage that also contained a barbary macaque skull. dating from the 4th to 1st century bc, it is likely to be a ceremonial feasting centre that may have drawn people and their animals from across ulster and beyond. this study uses a multi-isotope (87sr/86sr, δ34s, δ13c, δ15n) approach to identify non-local animals and reconstruct site catc ...201931874966
repeatable glucocorticoid expression is associated with behavioural syndromes in males but not females in a wild primate.behavioural syndromes are a well-established phenomenon in human and non-human animal behavioural ecology. however, the mechanisms that lead to correlations among behaviours and individual consistency in their expression at the apparent expense of behavioural plasticity remain unclear. the 'state-dependent' hypothesis posits that inter-individual variation in behaviour arises from inter-individual variation in state and that the relative stability of these states within an individual leads to co ...201931598282
fostering of a wild, injured, juvenile by a neighbouring group: implications for rehabilitation and release of barbary macaques confiscated from illegal trade.illegal live trade is one of the greatest threats to endangered barbary macaques. since trade focuses on young and barbary macaques show extensive alloparental care, rehabilitation and release into wild foster groups is a promising strategy to free space in sanctuaries to allow continued confiscations, improve individual welfare, minimize captive care costs, and reinforce wild populations. however, little documentation exists on barbary macaque releases and the age at which released macaques wou ...201931161434
hair cortisol and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus) from gibraltar.prolonged exposure to the stress hormone cortisol can precipitate a catabolic state in animals resulting in a negative nitrogen balance and increased excreted nitrogen, possibly affecting stable nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios in animal tissues. here we test the hypothesis that stress, as measured by hair cortisol, is a significant contributor to variation in δ15 n and δ13 c values in hair. the results of the present study have important implications for the use of stable carbon and nitrogen ...201930741464
subtypes of aggression and their relation to anxiety in barbary macaques.human aggression can be differentiated into reactive aggression (ra), displayed in face of a real or perceived threat and associated with high levels of anxiety, and proactive aggression (pa), displayed to achieve a certain goal and linked to lower anxiety levels. to study the origins of these aggression subtypes and their relation to anxiety, we tested if both subtypes can be distinguished in a nonhuman primate species, characterized their occurrence within the study group, and examined the lin ...201930318602
interest in non-social novel stimuli as a function of age in rhesus monkeys.human cognitive and affective life changes with healthy ageing; cognitive capacity declines while emotional life becomes more positive and social relationships are prioritized. this may reflect an awareness of limited lifetime unique to humans, leading to a greater interest in maintaining social relationships at the expense of the non-social world in the face of limited cognitive and physical resources. alternately, fundamental biological processes common to other primate species may direct pref ...201931598275
survey for hepatitis e virus infection in non-human primates in zoos in spain.hepatitis e virus (hev) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that has been detected in different animal species. a survey study was carried out to assess hev infection in non-human primates (nhps) housed in zoos in spain. anti-hev antibodies were detected in eight of the 181 nhps tested (4.4%; 95%ci: 1.4-7.4). at least one seropositive animal was detected in five of the 33 species sampled (15.2%). this is the first report of seropositivity in black-and-white ruffed lemurs (varecia variegata), common ...201930959551
molecular cytogenetic analysis of one african and five asian macaque species reveals identical karyotypes as in mandrill.the question how evolution and speciation work is one of the major interests of biology. especially, genetic including karyotypic evolution within primates is of special interest due to the close phylogenetic position of macaca and homo sapiens and the role as in vivo models in medical research, neuroscience, behavior, pharmacology, reproduction and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (aids).201829606908
where's the cookie? the ability of monkeys to track object transpositions.object permanence is the ability to represent mentally an object and follow its position even when it has disappeared from view. according to piaget's 6-stage scale of the sensorimotor period of development, it seems that object permanence appears in stage 4 and fully develops in stage 6. in this study, we investigated the ability of some species of monkeys (i.e. pig-tailed macaque, lion-tailed macaque, celebes crested macaque, barbary macaque, de brazza's monkey, l'hoest's monkey, allen's swamp ...201829858974
on the rocks: using discourse analysis to examine relationships between barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus) and people on gibraltar.primates are difficult to categorise due to some of the human-like characteristics they possess. here, we examine the complexities that exist in a commensal relationship between an introduced population of barbary macaques and local human populations on gibraltar. in western culture, much has been done to recognise primates' human characteristics while simultaneously focusing on keeping them at a metaphorical distance. in the context of gibraltar's barbary macaques, the anomalous status of prima ...201829631260
correction: asymmetries in mother-infant behaviour in barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).[this corrects the article doi: 10.7717/peerj.4736.].201830148000
asymmetries in mother-infant behaviour in barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).asymmetries in the maternal behaviour and anatomy might play an important role in the development of primate manual lateralization. in particular, early life asymmetries in mother's and infant's behaviour have been suggested to be associated with the development of the hand preference of the offspring. the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of behavioural asymmetries in different behavioural categories of mother-infant dyads of zoo-living barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus). the st ...201829761052
social thermoregulation as a potential mechanism linking sociality and fitness: barbary macaques with more social partners form larger huddles.individuals with more or stronger social bonds experience enhanced survival and reproduction in various species, though the mechanisms mediating these effects are unclear. social thermoregulation is a common behaviour across many species which reduces cold stress exposure, body heat loss, and homeostatic energy costs, allowing greater energetic investment in growth, reproduction, and survival, with larger aggregations providing greater benefits. if more social individuals form larger thermoregul ...201829666428
behavioural thermoregulation via microhabitat selection of winter sleeping areas in an endangered primate: implications for habitat conservation.strategic microhabitat selection allows animals in seasonally cold environments to reduce homeostatic energy costs, particularly overnight when thermoregulatory demands are greatest. suitable sleeping areas may therefore represent important resources for winter survival. knowledge of microhabitat use and potential impacts of anthropogenic habitat modification can aid species conservation through development of targeted habitat management plans. wild, endangered barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus) ...201830662730
hand preference on unimanual and bimanual tasks in barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).the presence of group-level handedness in non-human primates remains controversial, as different studies have produced inconsistent results. bimanual coordinated tasks have been found to elicit more pronounced hand preferences than simple unimanual tasks. the aim of this study was to examine manual lateralization in a group of 15 barbary macaques during unimanual and bimanual tasks. in the unimanual task, data on simple food reaching in a foraging context were collected. during the bimanual task ...201829457635
first report of the plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in escherichia coli st405 isolated from wildlife in bejaia, algeria.the aim of the present study was to screen for the presence of mcr-1 gene in enterobacteriaceae isolated from barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus) in algeria.201829227182
observing grooming promotes affiliation in barbary macaques.observing friendly social interactions makes people feel good and, as a result, then act in an affiliative way towards others. positive visual contagion of this kind is common in humans, but whether it occurs in non-human animals is unknown. we explored the impact on female barbary macaques of observing grooming, a behaviour that physiological and behavioural studies indicate has a relaxing effect on the animals involved. we compared females' behaviour between two conditions: after observing con ...201830963904
macaque remains from the early pliocene of the iberian peninsula.macaques dispersed out of africa into eurasia in the framework of a broader intercontinental faunal exchange that coincided in time with the sea level drop associated with the messinian salinity crisis. they are first recorded in europe (italy and spain) by the latest miocene, being subsequently recorded all over europe, albeit sparsely, throughout the pliocene and pleistocene. these fossil european macaques are attributed to several (sub)species of the extant barbary macaque (macaca sylvanus). ...201830139554
understanding human-animal relations in the context of primate conservation: a multispecies ethnographic approach in north morocco.strategies for conserving species threatened with extinction are often driven by ecological data. however, in anthropogenic landscapes, understanding and incorporating local people's perceptions may enhance species conservation. we examine the relationships shepherds, living on the periphery of the mixed oak forest of bouhachem in northern morocco, have with animals in the context of a conservation project for barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus). we analyse ethnographic data to provide insights i ...201829631265
age-dependent change of coalitionary strategy in male barbary macaques.inter- and intra-specific variation in the propensity to form coalitions has been explained by variation in the availability of suitable partners, distribution of fighting ability, coalition profitability, and costs of coordination. male coalition formation can be an alternative reproductive strategy to one-on-one competition to maximize male reproductive success. here we focus on age as a state variable to explain within-group variation in individual propensity to form coalitions against other ...201732110686
social interactions and activity patterns of old barbary macaques: further insights into the foundations of social selectivity.human aging is accompanied by a decrease in social activity and a narrowing in social networks. studies in nonhuman primates may provide valuable comparative insights in which way aging impacts social life, in the absence of cultural conventions and an awareness of a limited lifetime. for female barbary macaques at "la forêt des singes" in rocamadour, france, we previously reported an age-associated decrease in active grooming time and network size. here, we aimed to extend these findings by inv ...201728984992
implications of tourist-macaque interactions for disease transmission.during wildlife tourism, proximity or actual contact between people and animals may lead to a significant risk of anthropozoonotic disease transmission. in this paper, we use social network analysis, disease simulation modelling and data on animal health and behaviour to investigate such risks at a site in morocco, where tourists come to see wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus). measures of individual macaques' network centrality-an index of the strength and distribution of their social relat ...201729150827
tolerant barbary macaques maintain juvenile levels of social attention in old age, but despotic rhesus macaques do not.complex social life is thought to be a major driver of complex cognition in primates, but few studies have directly tested the relationship between a given primate species' social system and their social cognitive skills. we experimentally compared life span patterns of a foundational social cognitive skill (following another's gaze) in tolerant barbary macaques, macaca sylvanus, and despotic rhesus macaques, macaca mulatta. semi-free-ranging monkeys (n = 80 individuals from each species) follow ...201729151603
high rates of ctx-m-15-producing escherichia coli and klebsiella pneumoniae in wild boars and barbary macaques in algeria.the present study aimed to screen for the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (esbl)-producing enterobacteriaceae in wild boars and barbary macaques in béjaïa and jijel, algeria.201727984780
occurrence of carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae isolates in the wildlife: first report of oxa-48 in wild boars in algeria.the aim of the present study was to screen for the presence of carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae (cpe) isolates from wild boars and barbary macaques in algeria. fecal samples were collected from wild boars (n = 168) and barbary macaques (n = 212), in bejaia, algeria, between september 2014 and april 2016. the isolates were identified and antimicrobial susceptibility was determined. carbapenem resistance determinants were studied using pcr and sequencing, while clonal relatedness was per ...201728799835
on the social life and motivational changes of aging monkeys.although nonhuman primates have been used in biomedical research to develop a better understanding of physiological aging processes, their value as models for studying age-related differences in motivation, cognition, and decision-making has only recently been appreciated. this paper reviews the state of the art, with a focus on a recent study on barbary macaques. a number of studies reported that with increasing age, old world monkeys spend more time resting, have fewer social partners, and/or ...201728624821
correlates of androgens in wild male barbary macaques: testing the challenge hypothesis.investigating causes and consequences of variation in hormonal expression is a key focus in behavioral ecology. many studies have explored patterns of secretion of the androgen testosterone in male vertebrates, using the challenge hypothesis (wingfield, hegner, dufty, & ball, 1990; the american naturalist, 136(6), 829-846) as a theoretical framework. rather than the classic association of testosterone with male sexual behavior, this hypothesis predicts that high levels of testosterone are associ ...201728833343
evidence of direct reciprocity, but not of indirect and generalized reciprocity, in the grooming exchanges of wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).reciprocity is one of the mechanisms that have been proposed to explain the exchange of social behaviors, such as grooming, in animals. reciprocity assumes that individuals act as the donor and recipient of grooming and switch roles over time to balance the benefits and costs of this behavior. three main patterns of reciprocity may follow a grooming given: (i) direct reciprocity, where the former recipient returns the grooming to the former donor; (ii) indirect reciprocity, where another individ ...201728598515
experience-based human perception of facial expressions in barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).facial expressions convey key cues of human emotions, and may also be important for interspecies interactions. the universality hypothesis suggests that six basic emotions (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise) should be expressed by similar facial expressions in close phylogenetic species such as humans and nonhuman primates. however, some facial expressions have been shown to differ in meaning between humans and nonhuman primates like macaques. this ambiguity in signalling em ...201728584731
social networks dynamics revealed by temporal analysis: an example in a non-human primate (macaca sylvanus) in "la forêt des singes".this study applied a temporal social network analysis model to describe three affiliative social networks (allogrooming, sleep in contact, and triadic interaction) in a non-human primate species, macaca sylvanus. three main social mechanisms were examined to determine interactional patterns among group members, namely preferential attachment (i.e., highly connected individuals are more likely to form new connections), triadic closure (new connections occur via previous close connections), and ho ...201728464245
age, but not anthelmintic treatment, is associated with urinary neopterin levels in semi-free ranging barbary macaques.studying host parasite interactions and their implications for evolution and ecology recently received increasing attention, particularly with regard to host physiology and immunity. here we assess variation of urinary neopterin (uneo), a marker of cellular immune activation and iummunosenescence, in response to age and anthelmintic treatment in semi-free ranging barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus). urinary neo levels were measured via enzyme-immunoassay from 179 urine samples of 43 individuals b ...201728155915
triadic awareness predicts partner choice in male-infant-male interactions in barbary macaques.social knowledge beyond one's direct relationships is a key in successfully manoeuvring the social world. individuals gather information on the quality of social relationships between their group companions, which has been termed triadic awareness. evidence of the use of triadic awareness in natural contexts is limited mainly to conflict management. here we investigated triadic awareness in wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus) in the context of bridging interactions defined as male-infant-mal ...201727734208
urban primate ranging patterns: gps-collar deployments for macaca fascicularis and m. sylvanus.the global increase in urbanization is leading to heavier interface between humans and wildlife. within these anthropogenic landscapes, little is known about ranging patterns, particularly with regard to urban primates. here we present the results of the first long-term deployment of multiple gps collars on two species of macaques to investigate the impacts of urbanization on urban primate ranging patterns in singapore and gibraltar. collars data acquisition were excellent with respect to the am ...201728419550
primates' behavioural responses to tourists: evidence for a trade-off between potential risks and benefits.the presence of, and interactions with tourists can be both risky and beneficial for wild animals. in wildlife tourism settings, animals often experience elevated rates of aggression from conspecifics, and they may also be threatened or physically aggressed by the tourists themselves. however, tourist provisioning of wild animals provides them with highly desirable foods. in situations of conflicting motivations such as this, animals would be expected to respond using behavioural coping mechanis ...201627628213
behavioral responses to injury and death in wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).the wounding or death of a conspecific has been shown to elicit varied behavioral responses throughout thanatology. recently, a number of reports have presented contentious evidence of epimeletic behavior towards the dying and dead among non-human animals, a behavioral trait previously considered uniquely human. here, we report on the behavioral responses of barbary macaques, a social, non-human primate, to the deaths of four group members (one high-ranking adult female, one high-ranking adult m ...201627194051
motivational shifts in aging monkeys and the origins of social selectivity.as humans age, they become more selective regarding their personal goals [1] and social partners [2]. whereas the selectivity in goals has been attributed to losses in resources (e.g., physical strength) [3], the increasing focus on emotionally meaningful partners is, according to socioemotional selectivity theory, driven by the awareness of one's decreasing future lifetime [2]. similar to humans, aging monkeys show physical losses [4] and reductions in social activity [2, 5-7]. to disentangle a ...201627345168
insights into the genetic foundation of aggression in papio and the evolution of two length-polymorphisms in the promoter regions of serotonin-related genes (5-httlpr and maoalpr) in papionini.aggressive behaviors are an integral part of competitive interactions. there is considerable variation in aggressiveness among individuals both within and among species. aggressiveness is a quantitative trait that is highly heritable. in modern humans and macaques (macaca spp.), variation in aggressiveness among individuals is associated with polymorphisms in the serotonergic (5-ht) neurotransmitter system. to further investigate the genetics underlying interspecific variation in aggressiveness, ...201627287312
assessing the effects of tourist provisioning on the health of wild barbary macaques in morocco.feeding wildlife is a very popular tourist activity, largely because it facilitates the close observation of animals in their natural habitat. such provisioning may benefit animals by improving their survival and reproductive success, especially during periods of natural food shortage. however, provisioning by tourists may also have negative impacts on the health of the animals involved; to date such impacts are poorly understood. here, we investigated the effects of tourist provisioning on the ...201627203861
encephalomyocarditis virus infection in macaca sylvanus and hystrix cristata from an italian rescue centre for wild and exotic animals.the encephalomyocarditis virus (emcv) is a small, non enveloped, positive sense single-stranded rna virus in the genus cardiovirus, family picornaviridae, with two known serotypes. it is spread worldwide and infects a huge range of vertebrate hosts with zoonotic potential for humans. the pig is the mammal most likely to be impacted on with the disease, but emcv occurrence has also been reported in non-human primates and in a variety of domestic, captive and wild animals. until now, human cases h ...201627894321
the influence of gender, age, matriline and hierarchical rank on individual social position, role and interactional patterns in macaca sylvanus at 'la forêt des singes': a multilevel social network approach.a society is a complex system composed of individuals that can be characterized by their own attributes that influence their behaviors. in this study, a specific analytical protocol based on social network analysis was adopted to investigate the influence of four attributes (gender, age, matriline, and hierarchical rank) on affiliative (allogrooming) and agonistic networks in a non-human primate species, macaca sylvanus, at the park la forêt des singes in france. the results show significant dif ...201627148137
metabolic strategies in wild male barbary macaques: evidence from faecal measurement of thyroid hormone.selection is expected to favour the evolution of flexible metabolic strategies, in response to environmental conditions. here, we use a non-invasive index of basal metabolic rate (bmr), faecal thyroid hormone (t3) levels, to explore metabolic flexibility in a wild mammal inhabiting a highly seasonal, challenging environment. t3 levels of adult male barbary macaques in the atlas mountains, morocco, varied markedly over the year; temporal patterns of variation differed between a wild-feeding and a ...201627095269
investigating potential effects of the contraceptive implanon on the behavior of free-ranging adult female barbary macaques.in recent years, the use of hormonal contraception in captive, free-ranging, and wild mammal populations has increased, but the effects on these nonhuman animals' behavior and the associated welfare impacts remain poorly understood. this study of free-ranging adult female barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus) at trentham monkey forest compared females implanted with the progestin-only contraceptive implanon to those not receiving contraception. females with contraceptive implants had higher rates o ...201626466916
cooperation in wild barbary macaques: factors affecting free partner choice.a key aspect of cooperation is partner choice: choosing the best available partner improves the chances of a successful cooperative interaction and decreases the likelihood of being exploited. however, in studies on cooperation subjects are rarely allowed to freely choose their partners. group-living animals live in a complex social environment where they can choose among several social partners differing in, for example, sex, age, temperament, or dominance status. our study investigated whether ...201626350639
the functions of non-reproductive mounts among male barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).same-sex, non-reproductive mounts have been observed in a number of primate species and in various social contexts. however, the function of non-reproductive mounts is still largely unknown. we aimed to test whether non-reproductive mounts function to assert dominance and as appeasement behavior in male barbary macaques. we analyzed post-mount behavior in 54 macaques belonging to two captive groups at trentham monkey forest in staffordshire, using 10 min post-mount/matched-control focal sessions ...201526204882
rank-dependent grooming patterns and cortisol alleviation in barbary macaques.flexibly adapting social behavior to social and environmental challenges helps to alleviate glucocorticoid (gc) levels, which may have positive fitness implications for an individual. for primates, the predominant social behavior is grooming. giving grooming to others is particularly efficient in terms of gc mitigation. however, grooming is confined by certain limitations such as time constraints or restricted access to other group members. for instance, dominance hierarchies may impact grooming ...201525759208
whom to groom and for what? patterns of grooming in female barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).grooming is one of the most conspicuous social interactions among nonhuman primates. the selection of grooming partners can provide important clues about factors relevant for the distribution of grooming within a social group. we analyzed grooming behavior among 17 semi-free ranging female barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus). we tested whether grooming is related to kinship, rank and friendship. furthermore, we tested whether grooming is reciprocated or exchanged for rank related benefits (i.e. l ...201525668722
using individual attributes to predict hierarchical position in a macaca sylvanus group at 'la forêt des singes', rocamadour.the macaca genus is a biological model for animal societies, known for its social structuration by age, sex, and kinship. we managed to establish a mathematical model, through multiple regression tests, that emphasizes the relationship between several individual attributes (sex, age, matrilineal belonging) with hierarchical rank among a barbary macaque (macaca sylvanus) group (n=50) observed during 11 months at 'la forêt des singes' in rocamdour, france. we established two models according to se ...201525562191
maqfacs (macaque facial action coding system) can be used to document facial movements in barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).human and non-human primates exhibit facial movements or displays to communicate with one another. the evolution of form and function of those displays could be better understood through multispecies comparisons. anatomically based coding systems (facial action coding systems: facs) are developed to enable such comparisons because they are standardized and systematic and aid identification of homologous expressions underpinned by similar muscle contractions. to date, facs has been developed for ...201526401458
is diet flexibility an adaptive life trait for relictual and peri-urban populations of the endangered primate macaca sylvanus?habitat loss, fragmentation and urban expansion may drive some species to marginal habitats while others succeed in exploiting urban areas. species that show dietary flexibility are more able to take advantage of human activities to supplement their diet with anthropogenically abundant and accessible resources. the barbary macaque (macaca sylvanus) is an endangered species due to the loss of its habitat, and human pressure. the population of gouraya national park (algeria) lives in a relictual h ...201525714476
detection of cyclospora in captive chimpanzees and macaques by a quantitative pcr-based mutation scanning approach.cyclospora is a protistan parasite that causes enteritis in several species of animals including humans. the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of cyclospora in captive non-human primates.201525972100
effect of habitat quality on diet flexibility in barbary macaques.barbary macaques live in extreme temperate environments characterized by strongly seasonal resource availability. they are mainly terrestrial while foraging, harvesting food from the herbaceous layer. these monkeys are threatened mainly because of anthropogenic habitat degradation. we studied the adaptive capacities of wild groups of barbary macaques that lived in different cedar forests undergoing varying extents of grazing pressure from domestic livestock. in all three sites, diet varied seaso ...201424573596
responses to social and environmental stress are attenuated by strong male bonds in wild macaques.in humans and obligatory social animals, individuals with weak social ties experience negative health and fitness consequences. the social buffering hypothesis conceptualizes one possible mediating mechanism: during stressful situations the presence of close social partners buffers against the adverse effects of increased physiological stress levels. we tested this hypothesis using data on social (rate of aggression received) and environmental (low temperatures) stressors in wild male barbary ma ...201425489097
structural architecture of the social network of a non-human primate (macaca sylvanus): a study of its topology in la forêt des singes, rocamadour.for a decade, technological or natural networks have appeared to have a common mathematical architecture. this type of architecture has a node connectivity which follows a power law distribution. this architecture confers to these networks a resistance property to the loss of nodes. such properties are advantageous for evolutional networks through time. thus, this architecture can be expected in animal social networks. another characteristic commonly met concerns the structuration of the network ...201424902777
dental shape variability in cercopithecoid primates: a model for the taxonomic attribution of macaques from roman archaeological contexts.morphometric variation of biological structures has been widely used to determine taxonomic affinities among taxa, and teeth are especially informative for both deep phylogenetic relationships and specific ecological signals. we report 2-dimensional geometric morphometrics (gm) analyses of occlusal crown surfaces of lower molars (m1, n = 141; m2, n = 158) of cercopithecoid primate species. a 12-landmark configuration, including cusp tips and 8 points of the molar crown contour, were used to eval ...201425720443
seeing two faces together: preference formation in humans and rhesus macaques.humans, great apes and old world monkeys show selective attention to faces depending on conspecificity, familiarity, and social status supporting the view that primates share similar face processing mechanisms. although many studies have been done on face scanning strategy in monkeys and humans, the mechanisms influencing viewing preference have received little attention. to determine how face categories influence viewing preference in humans and rhesus macaques (macaca mulatta), we performed tw ...201424638876
concealing of facial expressions by a wild barbary macaque (macaca sylvanus).behavioural research on non-vocal communication among non-human primates and its possible links to the origin of human language is a long-standing research topic. because human language is under voluntary control, it is of interest whether this is also true for any communicative signals of other species. it has been argued that the behaviour of hiding a facial expression with one's hand supports the idea that gestures might be under more voluntary control than facial expressions among non-human ...201424770588
preference for human eyes in human infants.despite evidence supporting an early attraction to human faces, the nature of the face representation in neonates and its development during the first year after birth remain poorly understood. one suggestion is that an early preference for human faces reflects an attraction toward human eyes because human eyes are distinctive compared with other animals. in accord with this proposal, prior empirical studies have demonstrated the importance of the eye region in face processing in adults and infa ...201424581972
intra- and interspecific variation in macaque molar enamel thickness.enamel thickness has played an important role in studies of primate taxonomy, phylogeny, and functional morphology, although its variation among hominins is poorly understood. macaques parallel hominins in their widespread geographic distribution, relative range of body sizes, and radiation during the last five million years. to explore enamel thickness variation, we quantified average and relative enamel thickness (aet and ret) in macaca arctoides, macaca fascicularis, macaca fuscata, macaca mu ...201425146639
discovery of naturally occurring transmissible chronic hepatitis b virus infection among macaca fascicularis from mauritius island.despite a high prevalence of hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection in endangered apes, no hbv infection has been reported in small, old-world monkeys. in search for a small, nonhuman primate model, we investigated the prevalence of hbv infection in 260 macaque (cercopithecidae) sera of various geographical origins (i.e., morocco, mauritius island, and asia). hbv-positive markers were detected in cynomolgus macaques (macaca fascicularis) from mauritius island only, and, remarkably, hbv dna was positi ...201323536484
social interactions through the eyes of macaques and humans.group-living primates frequently interact with each other to maintain social bonds as well as to compete for valuable resources. observing such social interactions between group members provides individuals with essential information (e.g. on the fighting ability or altruistic attitude of group companions) to guide their social tactics and choice of social partners. this process requires individuals to selectively attend to the most informative content within a social scene. it is unclear how no ...201323457569
a new method for the analysis of soft tissues with data acquired under field conditions.analyzing soft-tissue structures is particularly challenging due to the lack of homologous landmarks that can be reliably identified across time and specimens. this is particularly true when data are to be collected under field conditions. here, we present a method that combines photogrammetric techniques and geometric morphometrics methods (gmm) to quantify soft tissues for their subsequent volumetric analysis. we combine previously developed methods for landmark data acquisition and processing ...201323826315
the organization of collective group movements in wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus): social structure drives processes of group coordination in macaques.social animals have to coordinate activities and collective movements to benefit from the advantages of group living. animals in large groups maintain cohesion by self-organization processes whereas in smaller groups consensus decisions can be reached. where consensus decisions are relevant leadership may emerge. variation in the organization of collective movements has been linked to variation in female social tolerance among macaque species ranging from despotic to egalitarian. here we investi ...201323805305
coping with the cold: predictors of survival in wild barbary macaques, macaca sylvanus.we report the death of 30 wild barbary macaques, living in two groups, during an exceptionally cold and snowy winter in the middle atlas mountains, morocco. we examined whether an individual's time spent feeding, the quality and number of its social relationships, sex and rank predicted whether it survived the winter or not. the time an individual spent feeding and the number of social relationships that an individual had in the group were positive and significant predictors of survival. this is ...201323804292
effect of habitat quality on the ecological behaviour of a temperate-living primate: time-budget adjustments.barbary macaques, like other non-human primates living in highly seasonal temperate environments, display high monthly variations in their diet. in addition, their diet changes according to the habitat type they colonize and to the degree of habitat degradation due to resource exploitation by local people, in particular through pastoralism. we studied the time-budget adjustments of wild barbary macaques in three cedar-oak forests impacted by different intensities of grazing pressure from goats a ...201323504042
associations between social behaviour and adrenal activity in female barbary macaques: consequences of study design.faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fgcm) concentrations have been used to evaluate adrenal activity in a variety of species; including as an indicator of the physiological response to social stress. however, across studies, the relationships between dominance rank, social behaviours and adrenal responses can be inconsistent. differences in the relationship between rank and glucocorticoids may be due to the relative costs of social status, and the relative frequencies of social stressors and poten ...201323474330
male mating behaviour in relation to female sexual swellings, socio-sexual behaviour and hormonal changes in wild barbary macaques.in many cercopithecine primates females display probabilistic cues of fertility to indicate the periovulatory period to males. these cues may include female behaviour, acoustic signals, and morphological signs such as the anogenital swelling. however, the extent to which males can utilise this information varies between species. we describe male sexual behaviour in relation to changes in anogenital swelling size, timing of ovulation and female socio-sexual behaviour in wild barbary macaques (mac ...201323146839
influence of perineal swellings on behavior and stress reaction in levonorgestrel implanted macaca sylvanus females.contraceptives are common tools in controlling the reproductive physiology in primates. levonorgestrel, a synthetic gestagen, can usually enable contraception and does not suppress the extension of perineal swellings.201316648796
an experimental study of behavioural coping strategies in free-ranging female barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).a fundamental goal of stress research is to understand how individuals cope with challenges. studies on a range of vertebrate species suggest that three groups of behaviour--affiliative, aggressive and self-directed behaviours--serve as coping strategies. to date, experimental studies of coping behaviour have tended to be conducted in captive conditions; the limited number of studies in free-ranging or wild settings have been observational in nature. we investigated coping behaviours in free-ran ...201222356252
differences in activity budgets and diet between semiprovisioned and wild-feeding groups of the endangered barbary macaque (macaca sylvanus) in the central high atlas mountains, morocco.the barbary macaque, macaca sylvanus is a very adaptable primate species occupying a wide range of habitats in morocco and algeria. several groups of this endangered macaque can be found in tourist sites, where they are affected by the presence of visitors providing food to them. we compare the activity budgets and the diet of semiprovisioned and wild-feeding groups of barbary macaques in the central high atlas mountains of morocco from february to august 2008. we used instantaneous scan samplin ...201224006539
the evolutionary history and palaeo-ecology of primate predation: macaca sylvanus from plio-pleistocene europe as a case study.in this article we briefly review primate interactions with predators throughout their evolutionary history. like today, predators of past primates were taxonomically diverse, including crocodilians, aquatic mammals, hyaenids, raptors and other primates. there is strong evidence for felid predation of extinct primates, with most work undertaken on the african plio-pleistocene fossil record. felid predation of plio-pleistocene primates from other areas, including europe, is much less well underst ...201223363585
dietary adaptations of temperate primates: comparisons of japanese and barbary macaques.habitat, diet and leaf chemistry are compared between japanese and barbary macaques to reveal the similarities and differences in dietary adaptations of temperate primates living at the eastern and western extremes of the genus macaca. tree species diversity and proportion of fleshy-fruited species are much higher in japan than in north africa. both species spend considerable annual feeding time on leaves. japanese macaques prefer fruits and seeds over leaves, and barbary macaques prefer seeds. ...201121340696
mating skew in barbary macaque males: the role of female mating synchrony, female behavior, and male-male coalitions.a fundamental question of sexual selection theory concerns the causes and consequences of reproductive skew among males. the priority of access (poa) model (altmann, ann ny acad sci 102:338-435, 1962) has been the most influential framework in primates living in permanent, mixed-sex groups, but to date it has only been tested with the appropriate data on female synchrony in a handful of species. in this paper, we used mating data from one large semi-free ranging group of barbary macaques: (1) to ...201122448085
adult but not juvenile barbary macaques spontaneously recognize group members from pictures.for group-living animals, it is crucial to distinguish one's own group members from those of other groups. studies applying operant conditioning revealed that monkeys living in relatively small groups are able to recognize their own group members when tested with photographs of group members and other conspecifics. employing a simple looking time paradigm, we here show that barbary macaques living in two social groups comprising 46 and 57 individuals, respectively, at the enclosure 'la forêt des ...201121318387
first evidence of macaca sylvanus (primates, cercopithecidae) from the late pleistocene of lezetxiki ii cave (basque country, spain). 201121481922
reciprocation and interchange of grooming, agonistic support, feeding tolerance, and aggression in semi-free-ranging barbary macaques.evidence from a range of primate species indicates that grooming can be exchanged either for itself or for other rank-related "commodities," such as agonistic support, feeding tolerance, or reduced aggression. patterns of exchange behavior have been found to vary considerably between species, and understanding the causes of this variation is central to the study of the evolution of primate social systems. it is, therefore, essential that exchange behavior is examined in a wide range of species a ...201121769908
temporal resolution of dynamic angiography using flat panel volume ct: in vivo evaluation of time-dependent vascular pathologies.background and purpose: recently introduced fpvct scanners can capture volumetric (4d) time-varying projections enabling whole-organ dynamic cta imaging. the main objective of this study was to assess the temporal resolution of dynamic cta in discriminating various phases of rapid and slow time-dependent neurovascular pathologies in animal models. materials and methods: animal models were created to assess phasic blood flow, subclavian steal phenomena, saccular aneurysms, and neuroperfusion unde ...201121835945
fossil remains of macaca sylvanus florentina (cocchi, 1872) (primates, cercopithecidae) from the early pleistocene of quibas (murcia, spain).the macaque material from the early pleistocene site of quibas (albanilla, murcia, spain), including dentognathic remains, isolated teeth and some postcranial bone fragments, is described. both metrically and morphologically, this sample must be attributed to macaca sylvanus (the barbary macaque). this species is currently distributed through north africa and gibraltar, but was much more widely distributed during the plio-pleistocene, being represented by several european fossil subspecies. metr ...201122014683
grooming coercion and the post-conflict trading of social services in wild barbary macaques.in animal and human societies, social services such as protection from predators are often exchanged between group members. the tactics that individuals display to obtain a service depend on its value and on differences between individuals in their capacity to aggressively obtain it. here we analysed the exchange of valuable social services (i.e. grooming and relationship repair) in the aftermath of a conflict, in wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus). the relationship repair function of post- ...201122046398
Intergroup variation in stable isotope ratios reflects anthropogenic impact on the Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) of Gibraltar.Interactions with humans impact many aspects of behavior and ecology in nonhuman primates. Because of the complexities of the human-nonhuman primate interface, methods are needed to quantify the effects of anthropogenic interactions, including their intensity and differential impacts between nonhuman primate groups. Stable isotopes can be used to quickly and economically assess intergroup dietary variation, and provide a framework for the development of specific hypotheses about anthropogenic im ...201121881959
exploring the components, asymmetry and distribution of relationship quality in wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).social relationships between group members are a key feature of many animal societies. the quality of social relationships has been described by three main components: value, compatibility and security, based on the benefits, tenure and stability of social exchanges. we aimed to analyse whether this three component structure could be used to describe the quality of social relationships in wild barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus). moreover, we examined whether relationship quality was affected by ...201122194923
estrogen and progestogen correlates of the structure of female copulation calls in semi-free-ranging barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).females of many old world primates produce conspicuous vocalizations in combination with copulations. indirect evidence exists that in barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus), the structure of these copulation calls is related to changes in reproductive hormone levels. however, the structure of these calls does not vary significantly around the timing of ovulation when estrogen and progestogen levels show marked changes. we here aimed to clarify this paradox by investigating how the steroid hormones ...201121892238
seroprevalence of tick-borne encephalitis (tbe) in naturally exposed monkeys (macaca sylvanus) and sheep and prevalence of tbe virus in ticks in a tbe endemic area in germany.in a recently published study, a clinical case of severe tick-borne encephalitis (tbe) in a monkey (macaca sylvanus) was described after natural exposure (tick bite) in a tbe endemic area in germany, and from the tissue of this monkey the strain 'salem', closely related to the strain 'neudoerfl', was isolated and characterized. in this study, it was our aim to test all the available data for characterizing a tbe endemic area like tbe cases in humans and animals, tbe virus (tbev) in ticks, and tb ...201021771521
facial expressions modulate the ontogenetic trajectory of gaze-following among monkeys.gaze-following, the tendency to direct one's attention to locations looked at by others, is a crucial aspect of social cognition in human and nonhuman primates. whereas the development of gaze-following has been intensely studied in human infants, its early ontogeny in nonhuman primates has received little attention. combining longitudinal and cross-sectional observational data from barbary macaques at 'la forêt des singes', we show here that gaze-following among conspecifics develops within the ...201020977562
brief communication: self-suckling in barbary macaque (macaca sylvanus) mothers before and after the death of their infant.we report here self-suckling in four wild female barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus), living in two troops (i.e. "flat face" and "large" troop) in the middle-atlas mountains, morocco. the four females lost their infants due to predation or for unknown causes. self-suckling was observed before and after the infants died in the four females living in the "flat face" troop. when the infants were still alive, self-suckling was of short duration and it was probably a method to improve milk flow when t ...200919591209
fallback foods of temperate-living primates: a case study on snub-nosed monkeys.only a few primate species thrive in temperate regions characterized by relatively low temperature, low rainfall, low species diversity, high elevation, and especially an extended season of food scarcity during which they suffer from dietary stress. we present data of a case study of dietary strategies and fallback foods in snub-nosed monkeys (rhinopithecus bieti) in the samage forest, northwest yunnan, prc. the snub-nosed monkeys adjusted intake of plant food items corresponding with changes in ...200919890849
an experimental investigation of referential looking in free-ranging barbary macaques (macaca sylvanus).the authors examined looking behavior between 15 barbary macaque (macaca sylvanus) infants and their mothers in the presence of a rubber snake (experimental period) and in the absence of the snake (control period). two of the 15 infants looked referentially at their mother in the experimental period. including both referential and nonreferential looks, the six older infants (aged 5 to 12 months) displayed a higher frequency of looks to mother than nine younger infants (aged 3 to 4.5 months) in t ...200818298286
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