Frank P Cuozzo
Biographic Data
| ID | 3073295 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Frank P Cuozzo |
| GIVEN NAMES | Frank P |
| FAMILY NAME | Cuozzo |
| SIGNATURE | CUOZZO F P |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of North Dakota |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8870-5173 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 35 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 223 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 35 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2001 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 8 |
Seasonal Effects on the Fecal Microbial Composition of Wild Greater Thick-Tailed Galagos (Otolemur crassicaudatus)
Bacterial communities present in the host digestive tract are important for the breakdown and absorption of nutrients required by the host. Changes in diet and the environment are major factors affecting the composition and diversity of the fecal microbiome. In addition to changes in ambient temperature and rainfall, primates living in seasonal temperate environments also need to adapt to seasonal changes in food resource quantity and quality. Ho…
Environmental Effects on Nocturnal Encounters of Two Sympatric Bushbabies, Galago moholi and Otolemur crassicaudatus, in a High-Altitude South African Northern Mistbelt Montane Habitat
Introduction to the Special Issue on What They Do in the Shadows: New Perspectives on Africa’s Nocturnal Bushbabies
Among continental Africa’s endemic primates, the bushbabies or galagos (family Galagidae, or Galonigidae, Groves, 2001) have been described as the most successful radiation of strepsirrhine primates in terms of species diversity and geographic range (Fleagle, 2013; Nekaris & Bearder, 2011). Currently, more than two dozen species have been named across six genera (Penna & Pozzi, 2024). All members of this clade are nocturnal (Bearder, 1999), in co…
Size, Scaling, and Sexual Size Dimorphism in Wild South African Thick-Tailed Greater Galagos (Otolemur crassicaudatus)
Population and genetic structure of a male-dispersing strepsirrhine, Galago moholi (Primates, Galagidae), from northern South Africa, inferred from mitochondrial DNA
The effect of extreme weather events on hair cortisol and body weight in a wild ring‐tailed lemur population ( Lemur catta ) in southwestern Madagascar
Madagascar is known for its hypervariable climate with periodic droughts and cyclones, but little is known of the impact of such events on lemur physiology. We examined the effects of sequential weather periods, drought, normal, cyclone and post-cyclone, on hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) and body weight in wild ring-tailed lemurs, Lemur catta (n = 185), at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve in southwestern Madagascar. Data were modeled and ana…
Paternity in wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ): Implications for male mating strategies
In group-living species with male dominance hierarchies where receptive periods of females do not overlap, high male reproductive skew would be predicted. However, the existence of female multiple mating and alternative male mating strategies can call into question single-male monopolization of paternity in groups. Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) are seasonally breeding primates that live in multi-male, multi-female groups. Although established …
Host age, social group, and habitat type influence the gut microbiota of wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta )
The gut microbiota contributes to host health by maintaining homeostasis, increasing digestive efficiency, and facilitating the development of the immune system. The composition of the gut microbiota can change dramatically within and between individuals of a species as a result of diet, age, or habitat. Therefore, understanding the factors determining gut microbiota diversity and composition can contribute to our knowledge of host ecology as wel…
Mechanical food properties and dental topography differentiate three populations of Lemur catta in southwest Madagascar
Cathemerality in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) in the spiny forest of Tsimanampetsotsa National Park: Camera trap data and preliminary behavioral observations
Sources of tooth wear variation early in life among known‐aged wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), Madagascar display a high frequency of individuals with notable and sometimes extreme tooth wear. Adult lemurs display a range of tooth wear even among individuals of the same age, but we do not know at what age this variation first appears. This study's goal was to determine whether wear variation occurs in younger wild lemurs. Based on the decade-long study of ring-ta…
Biological variation in a large sample of mouse lemurs from Amboasary, Madagascar: Implications for interpreting variation in primate biology and paleobiology
A thorough knowledge of biological variation in extant primates is imperative for interpreting variation, and for delineating species in primate biology and paleobiology. This is especially the case given the recent, rapid taxonomic expansion in many primate groups, notably among small-bodied nocturnal forms. Here we present data on dental, cranial, and pelage variation in a single-locality museum sample of mouse lemurs from Amboasary, Madagascar…
Nanoindentation of lemur enamel: An ecological investigation of mechanical property variations within and between sympatric species
The common morphological metrics of size, shape, and enamel thickness of teeth are believed to reflect the functional requirements of a primate's diet. However, the mechanical and material properties of enamel also contribute to tooth function, yet are rarely studied. Substantial wear and tooth loss previously documented in Lemur catta at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve suggests that their dental morphology, structure, and possibly their enamel…
Primate dental ecology: How teeth respond to the environment
Teeth are central for the study of ecology, as teeth are at the direct interface between an organism and its environment. Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in the use of teeth to understand a broad range of topics in living and fossil primate biology. This in part reflects new techniques for assessing ways in which teeth respond to, and interact with, an organism's environment. Long‐term studies of wild primate populations that integrate…
What is dental ecology
Teeth have long been used as indicators of primate ecology. Early work focused on the links between dental morphology, diet, and behavior, with more recent years emphasizing dental wear, microstructure, development, and biogeochemistry, to understand primate ecology. Our study of Lemur catta at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar, has revealed an unusual pattern of severe tooth wear and frequent tooth loss, primarily the result of consu…
Evaluating ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) from southwestern Madagascar for a genetic population bottleneck
In light of historical and recent anthropogenic influences on Malagasy primate populations, in this study ring‐tailed lemur ( Lemur catta ) samples from two sites in southwestern Madagascar, Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR) and Tsimanampetsotsa National Park (TNP), were evaluated for the genetic signature of a population bottleneck. A total of 45 individuals (20 from BMSR and 25 from TNP) were genotyped at seven microsatellite loci. Three met…
Interpreting food processing through dietary mechanical properties: A Lemur catta case study
Knowledge of dietary mechanical properties can be informative about physical consequences to consumers during ingestion and mastication. In this article, we examine how Tamarindus indica fruits can affect dental morphology in a population of ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at Beza Mahafaly special reserve in southwestern Madagascar. Ring‐tailed lemurs in tamarind dominated gallery forests exhibit extreme wear and tooth loss on their postcanine…
The impact of dental impairment on ring‐tailed lemur food processing performance
During mastication, foods are reduced into particles suitable for swallowing and digestion. Smaller particles possess a greater surface area per unit of volume on which digestive enzymes and bacteria may work than relatively larger particles, and are thus more readily digested. As dental morphology facilitates the breakdown of diets with specific mechanical properties, extensive dental wear and/or tooth loss may impede an individual's ability to …
Variation in dental wear and tooth loss among known‐aged, older ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ): A comparison between wild and captive individuals
Tooth wear is generally an age‐related phenomenon, often assumed to occur at similar rates within populations of primates and other mammals, and has been suggested as a correlate of reduced offspring survival among wild lemurs. Few long‐term wild studies have combined detailed study of primate behavior and ecology with dental analyses. Here, we present data on dental wear and tooth loss in older (>10 years old) wild and captive ring‐tailed lemurs…
Assessment of organochlorine pesticides and metals in ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Like most of Madagascar's endemic primates, ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) face a number of threats to their survival. Although habitat loss is of greatest concern, other anthropogenic factors including environmental contamination may also affect lemur health and survival. In this study, we examined ring‐tailed lemurs from the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), southern Madagascar for exposure to organochlorine (OC) pesticides and metals a…
Behavioral responses to tooth loss in wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Severe dental wear and tooth loss is often assumed to impede the processing, breakdown, and energetic conversion of food items, thereby negatively impacting individual health, reproduction, and survival. Ring‐tailed lemurs at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve demonstrate exceptionally high frequencies of severe dental wear and antemortem tooth loss, yet often survive multiple years with these impairments. To test the hypothesis that these lemurs …
The impact of fallback foods on wild ring‐tailed lemur biology: A comparison of intact and anthropogenically disturbed habitats
Fallback foods are often viewed as central in shaping primate morphology, and influencing adaptive shifts in hominin and other primate evolution. Here we argue that fruit of the tamarind tree ( Tamarindus indica ) qualifies as a fallback food of ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), Madagascar. Contrary to predictions that fallback foods may select for dental and masticatory morphologies adapted to proces…
Using extant patterns of dental variation to identify species in the primate fossil record: A case study of middle Eocene Omomys from the Bridger Basin, southwestern Wyoming
A comparison of salivary pH in sympatric wild lemurs ( Lemur catta and Propithecus verreauxi ) at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Chemical deterioration of teeth is common among modern humans, and has been suggested for some extinct primates. Dental erosion caused by acidic foods may also obscure microwear signals of mechanical food properties. Ring‐tailed lemurs at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), Madagascar, display frequent severe tooth wear and subsequent tooth loss. In contrast, sympatric Verreaux's sifaka display far less tooth wear and infrequent tooth loss,…
Coprophagy by wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) in human‐disturbed locations adjacent to the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Coprophagy occurs in a number of animal species, including nonhuman primates. During the 2003–2004 dry seasons at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar, we observed wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) consuming dried fecal matter from three different species. Ring‐tailed lemurs consumed human feces on 12 occasions, cattle feces twice, and feral dog feces once. Coprophagy in this population may be a behavioral adaptation that provides …
Severe wear and tooth loss in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta): A function of feeding ecology, dental structure, and individual life history
Dental development in Megaladapis edwardsi (Primates, Lemuriformes): Implications for understanding life history variation in subfossil lemurs
Dental and general health in a population of wild ring‐tailed lemurs: A life history approach
Data are presented on dental and general health for seven groups of wild ring‐tailed lemurs, Lemur catta , from the Beza Mahafaly Reserve, in southern Madagascar. As part of a study of population demography, adults were captured, collared, and tagged, and biometric measurements, dental casts, and analyses of dental and general health were made. Results indicate that patterns of dental health vary by individual, age, sex, and habitat. Prime adults…
New Insights into Old Lemurs: The Trophic Adaptations of the Archaeolemuridae
The impact of fallback foods on wild ring‐tailed lemur biology: A comparison of intact and anthropogenically disturbed habitats
Fallback foods are often viewed as central in shaping primate morphology, and influencing adaptive shifts in hominin and other primate evolution. Here we argue that fruit of the tamarind tree ( Tamarindus indica ) qualifies as a fallback food of ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), Madagascar. Contrary to predictions that fallback foods may select for dental and masticatory morphologies adapted to proces…
Tooth loss, survival, and resource use in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta): Implications for Inferring Conspecific Care in Fossil Hominids
Behavioral responses to tooth loss in wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Severe dental wear and tooth loss is often assumed to impede the processing, breakdown, and energetic conversion of food items, thereby negatively impacting individual health, reproduction, and survival. Ring‐tailed lemurs at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve demonstrate exceptionally high frequencies of severe dental wear and antemortem tooth loss, yet often survive multiple years with these impairments. To test the hypothesis that these lemurs …
Intraspecific variation in hair δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) with known individual histories, behavior, and feeding ecology
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions were analyzed from hair samples of 30 sympatric ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) inhabiting the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar. All lemurs were known individuals involved in a longitudinal study, which allowed us to explore the degree to which group membership, sex, health status, and migration influenced their stable isotope compositions. The differences in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values bet…
Mechanical food properties and dental topography differentiate three populations of Lemur catta in southwest Madagascar
What is dental ecology
Teeth have long been used as indicators of primate ecology. Early work focused on the links between dental morphology, diet, and behavior, with more recent years emphasizing dental wear, microstructure, development, and biogeochemistry, to understand primate ecology. Our study of Lemur catta at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar, has revealed an unusual pattern of severe tooth wear and frequent tooth loss, primarily the result of consu…
Interpreting food processing through dietary mechanical properties: A Lemur catta case study
Knowledge of dietary mechanical properties can be informative about physical consequences to consumers during ingestion and mastication. In this article, we examine how Tamarindus indica fruits can affect dental morphology in a population of ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at Beza Mahafaly special reserve in southwestern Madagascar. Ring‐tailed lemurs in tamarind dominated gallery forests exhibit extreme wear and tooth loss on their postcanine…
Biological variation in a large sample of mouse lemurs from Amboasary, Madagascar: Implications for interpreting variation in primate biology and paleobiology
A thorough knowledge of biological variation in extant primates is imperative for interpreting variation, and for delineating species in primate biology and paleobiology. This is especially the case given the recent, rapid taxonomic expansion in many primate groups, notably among small-bodied nocturnal forms. Here we present data on dental, cranial, and pelage variation in a single-locality museum sample of mouse lemurs from Amboasary, Madagascar…
Primate dental ecology: How teeth respond to the environment
Teeth are central for the study of ecology, as teeth are at the direct interface between an organism and its environment. Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in the use of teeth to understand a broad range of topics in living and fossil primate biology. This in part reflects new techniques for assessing ways in which teeth respond to, and interact with, an organism's environment. Long‐term studies of wild primate populations that integrate…
The impact of dental impairment on ring‐tailed lemur food processing performance
During mastication, foods are reduced into particles suitable for swallowing and digestion. Smaller particles possess a greater surface area per unit of volume on which digestive enzymes and bacteria may work than relatively larger particles, and are thus more readily digested. As dental morphology facilitates the breakdown of diets with specific mechanical properties, extensive dental wear and/or tooth loss may impede an individual's ability to …
Nanoindentation of lemur enamel: An ecological investigation of mechanical property variations within and between sympatric species
The common morphological metrics of size, shape, and enamel thickness of teeth are believed to reflect the functional requirements of a primate's diet. However, the mechanical and material properties of enamel also contribute to tooth function, yet are rarely studied. Substantial wear and tooth loss previously documented in Lemur catta at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve suggests that their dental morphology, structure, and possibly their enamel…
Evaluating ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) from southwestern Madagascar for a genetic population bottleneck
In light of historical and recent anthropogenic influences on Malagasy primate populations, in this study ring‐tailed lemur ( Lemur catta ) samples from two sites in southwestern Madagascar, Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR) and Tsimanampetsotsa National Park (TNP), were evaluated for the genetic signature of a population bottleneck. A total of 45 individuals (20 from BMSR and 25 from TNP) were genotyped at seven microsatellite loci. Three met…
Craniodental body mass estimators in the dwarf bushbaby ( Galagoides )
This study reports data on 17 craniodental body mass estimators in a sample (n = 38) of dwarf galagos (Galagoides). Correlation coefficients (r) range from a high of 0.64 for bizygomatic breadth and body mass to a low of 0.10 for M 3 length and body mass. Of the 17 variables studied, 7 exhibit significant ( P
Environmental Effects on Nocturnal Encounters of Two Sympatric Bushbabies, Galago moholi and Otolemur crassicaudatus, in a High-Altitude South African Northern Mistbelt Montane Habitat
Seasonal Effects on the Fecal Microbial Composition of Wild Greater Thick-Tailed Galagos (Otolemur crassicaudatus)
Bacterial communities present in the host digestive tract are important for the breakdown and absorption of nutrients required by the host. Changes in diet and the environment are major factors affecting the composition and diversity of the fecal microbiome. In addition to changes in ambient temperature and rainfall, primates living in seasonal temperate environments also need to adapt to seasonal changes in food resource quantity and quality. Ho…
Size, Scaling, and Sexual Size Dimorphism in Wild South African Thick-Tailed Greater Galagos (Otolemur crassicaudatus)
Analysis of dentition of a living wild population of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) from Beza Mahafaly, Madagascar
Detailed descriptions of the dentition of many strepsirhine primate taxa are rare, despite their importance in understanding primate evolutionary biology. While several researchers have provided detailed morphological descriptions of ring-tailed lemur dentition (e.g., Schwartz and Tattersall [1985] Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. Anthropol. Pap. 60:1-100; Tattersall and Schwartz [1991] Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. Anthropol. Pap. 69:2-18), there are few studies (e.g.…
Craniodental body mass estimators in the dwarf bushbaby ( Galagoides )
This study reports data on 17 craniodental body mass estimators in a sample (n = 38) of dwarf galagos (Galagoides). Correlation coefficients (r) range from a high of 0.64 for bizygomatic breadth and body mass to a low of 0.10 for M 3 length and body mass. Of the 17 variables studied, 7 exhibit significant ( P
Dental and general health in a population of wild ring‐tailed lemurs: A life history approach
Data are presented on dental and general health for seven groups of wild ring‐tailed lemurs, Lemur catta , from the Beza Mahafaly Reserve, in southern Madagascar. As part of a study of population demography, adults were captured, collared, and tagged, and biometric measurements, dental casts, and analyses of dental and general health were made. Results indicate that patterns of dental health vary by individual, age, sex, and habitat. Prime adults…
Dental and general health in a population of wild ring-tailed lemurs: A life history approach
Data are presented on dental and general health for seven groups of wild ring-tailed lemurs, Lemur catta, from the Beza Mahafaly Reserve, in southern Madagascar. As part of a study of population demography, adults were captured, collared, and tagged, and biometric measurements, dental casts, and analyses of dental and general health were made. Results indicate that patterns of dental health vary by individual, age, sex, and habitat. Prime adults …
Tooth loss, survival, and resource use in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta): Implications for Inferring Conspecific Care in Fossil Hominids
New Insights into Old Lemurs: The Trophic Adaptations of the Archaeolemuridae
Darwin's legacy: What evolution means today
Dental development in Megaladapis edwardsi (Primates, Lemuriformes): Implications for understanding life history variation in subfossil lemurs
Severe wear and tooth loss in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta): A function of feeding ecology, dental structure, and individual life history
Coprophagy by wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) in human‐disturbed locations adjacent to the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Coprophagy occurs in a number of animal species, including nonhuman primates. During the 2003–2004 dry seasons at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar, we observed wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) consuming dried fecal matter from three different species. Ring‐tailed lemurs consumed human feces on 12 occasions, cattle feces twice, and feral dog feces once. Coprophagy in this population may be a behavioral adaptation that provides …
Intraspecific variation in hair δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) with known individual histories, behavior, and feeding ecology
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions were analyzed from hair samples of 30 sympatric ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) inhabiting the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar. All lemurs were known individuals involved in a longitudinal study, which allowed us to explore the degree to which group membership, sex, health status, and migration influenced their stable isotope compositions. The differences in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values bet…
Using extant patterns of dental variation to identify species in the primate fossil record: A case study of middle Eocene Omomys from the Bridger Basin, southwestern Wyoming
A comparison of salivary pH in sympatric wild lemurs ( Lemur catta and Propithecus verreauxi ) at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Chemical deterioration of teeth is common among modern humans, and has been suggested for some extinct primates. Dental erosion caused by acidic foods may also obscure microwear signals of mechanical food properties. Ring‐tailed lemurs at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), Madagascar, display frequent severe tooth wear and subsequent tooth loss. In contrast, sympatric Verreaux's sifaka display far less tooth wear and infrequent tooth loss,…
Assessment of organochlorine pesticides and metals in ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Like most of Madagascar's endemic primates, ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) face a number of threats to their survival. Although habitat loss is of greatest concern, other anthropogenic factors including environmental contamination may also affect lemur health and survival. In this study, we examined ring‐tailed lemurs from the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), southern Madagascar for exposure to organochlorine (OC) pesticides and metals a…
Behavioral responses to tooth loss in wild ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar
Severe dental wear and tooth loss is often assumed to impede the processing, breakdown, and energetic conversion of food items, thereby negatively impacting individual health, reproduction, and survival. Ring‐tailed lemurs at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve demonstrate exceptionally high frequencies of severe dental wear and antemortem tooth loss, yet often survive multiple years with these impairments. To test the hypothesis that these lemurs …
The impact of fallback foods on wild ring‐tailed lemur biology: A comparison of intact and anthropogenically disturbed habitats
Fallback foods are often viewed as central in shaping primate morphology, and influencing adaptive shifts in hominin and other primate evolution. Here we argue that fruit of the tamarind tree ( Tamarindus indica ) qualifies as a fallback food of ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), Madagascar. Contrary to predictions that fallback foods may select for dental and masticatory morphologies adapted to proces…
Variation in dental wear and tooth loss among known‐aged, older ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ): A comparison between wild and captive individuals
Tooth wear is generally an age‐related phenomenon, often assumed to occur at similar rates within populations of primates and other mammals, and has been suggested as a correlate of reduced offspring survival among wild lemurs. Few long‐term wild studies have combined detailed study of primate behavior and ecology with dental analyses. Here, we present data on dental wear and tooth loss in older (>10 years old) wild and captive ring‐tailed lemurs…
Nanoindentation of lemur enamel: An ecological investigation of mechanical property variations within and between sympatric species
The common morphological metrics of size, shape, and enamel thickness of teeth are believed to reflect the functional requirements of a primate's diet. However, the mechanical and material properties of enamel also contribute to tooth function, yet are rarely studied. Substantial wear and tooth loss previously documented in Lemur catta at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve suggests that their dental morphology, structure, and possibly their enamel…
Primate dental ecology: How teeth respond to the environment
Teeth are central for the study of ecology, as teeth are at the direct interface between an organism and its environment. Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in the use of teeth to understand a broad range of topics in living and fossil primate biology. This in part reflects new techniques for assessing ways in which teeth respond to, and interact with, an organism's environment. Long‐term studies of wild primate populations that integrate…
What is dental ecology
Teeth have long been used as indicators of primate ecology. Early work focused on the links between dental morphology, diet, and behavior, with more recent years emphasizing dental wear, microstructure, development, and biogeochemistry, to understand primate ecology. Our study of Lemur catta at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar, has revealed an unusual pattern of severe tooth wear and frequent tooth loss, primarily the result of consu…
Evaluating ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) from southwestern Madagascar for a genetic population bottleneck
In light of historical and recent anthropogenic influences on Malagasy primate populations, in this study ring‐tailed lemur ( Lemur catta ) samples from two sites in southwestern Madagascar, Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR) and Tsimanampetsotsa National Park (TNP), were evaluated for the genetic signature of a population bottleneck. A total of 45 individuals (20 from BMSR and 25 from TNP) were genotyped at seven microsatellite loci. Three met…
Interpreting food processing through dietary mechanical properties: A Lemur catta case study
Knowledge of dietary mechanical properties can be informative about physical consequences to consumers during ingestion and mastication. In this article, we examine how Tamarindus indica fruits can affect dental morphology in a population of ring‐tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta ) at Beza Mahafaly special reserve in southwestern Madagascar. Ring‐tailed lemurs in tamarind dominated gallery forests exhibit extreme wear and tooth loss on their postcanine…
The impact of dental impairment on ring‐tailed lemur food processing performance
During mastication, foods are reduced into particles suitable for swallowing and digestion. Smaller particles possess a greater surface area per unit of volume on which digestive enzymes and bacteria may work than relatively larger particles, and are thus more readily digested. As dental morphology facilitates the breakdown of diets with specific mechanical properties, extensive dental wear and/or tooth loss may impede an individual's ability to …
Biological variation in a large sample of mouse lemurs from Amboasary, Madagascar: Implications for interpreting variation in primate biology and paleobiology
A thorough knowledge of biological variation in extant primates is imperative for interpreting variation, and for delineating species in primate biology and paleobiology. This is especially the case given the recent, rapid taxonomic expansion in many primate groups, notably among small-bodied nocturnal forms. Here we present data on dental, cranial, and pelage variation in a single-locality museum sample of mouse lemurs from Amboasary, Madagascar…
Cathemerality in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) in the spiny forest of Tsimanampetsotsa National Park: Camera trap data and preliminary behavioral observations
Biology (33 works) · Primate Behavior and Ecology (32 works) · Ecology (28 works) · Primate (28 works) · Lemur (25 works) · Lemur catta (22 works) · Ecology (20 works) · Zoology (20 works) · Amphibian and Reptile Biology (15 works) · Population (12 works)