Introductory remarks: Ecological and behavioral correlates of polyspecific primate troops
✍ Scribed by Marilyn A. Norconk
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1990
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 378 KB
- Volume
- 21
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0275-2565
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
The papers in this issue of the American Journal of Primatology grew out of a symposium at the International Primatological Society in Brasilia, Brazil (July 1988), entitled "Ecological and Behavioral Implications of Polyspecific Primate Troops." The purpose of the symposium was to bring together researchers whose current interests were focused on interrelationships among members of mixedspecies troops. In these papers, the terms "mixed-species," "polyspecific," and "heterospecific" are used interchangably to designate nonrandom and often lengthy associations between two or more primate species. Originally, these terms reflected geographic distinction and historical precedence: "polyspecific" or "heterospecific" were commonly used in the early studies of the African Paleotropics [e.g., Gautier & Gautier-Hion, 1969; Gartlan & Struhsaker, 19721, while the term "mixed-species,' was used as studies began accumulating in the Neotropics [e.g., Garber, 1986; Terborgh, 19831. Only a few primate species contribute to the majority of long-term mixedspecies troops. In general, mixed-species troops are found among diurnal, arboreal primates inhabiting tropical forests of Africa and South America. With few exceptions [e.g., Procolobus uerus: Oates & Whitesides, this issue] regular participants in mixed-species troops are small-to medium-sized primates (less than 7 kg body weight) that prefer ripe fruit to unripe fruit and leaves, and derive much of the protein in their diets from insects. Congeneric troops of two Saguinus spp. [e.g.,