摘要:

An adult wild-caught female aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascaríensis) and her captive-bred offspring were studied for 2 weeks pre partum and 52 weeks post partum. Data on activity, substrate use, approach-leave interactions and social interactions were recorded in 30-min samples. Observations on the mother were started 10 days pre partum, and 2 h of data were collected on each of 9 days up to birth. Observations in each week were split evenly over 5 days and between two 4-hour blocks of time during the aye-ayes’ active (dark) period. Ten h of data were collected in weeks 1-24, 5 h in weeks 25-40 and 2.5 h in weeks 40-52. Infant development and patterns of interaction with the mother, in terms of responsibility for proximity, grooming, play and food-sharing behaviour are described. Comparison with other prosimians indicates that aye-aye infants develop relatively slowly. The infant aye-aye first emerged from the nestbox in week 8, tried solid food in week 14, but did not feed herself regularly until week 20, and was still food begging and attempting to suckle at a year of age. This long period of dependence is inferred to be related to the aye-aye’s unique percussive and extractive foraging techniques, which require fine motor coordination and skill, and which take time and practice to develop profici

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156765

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

This paper provides descriptive and quantitative information on the development of a young aye-aye in captivity during its first 10 months of life. The mother’s behaviour was observed to provide an adult standard against which to evaluate the young male’s development. Early development of the young aye-aye (including early vocalizations, locomotion and manipulation, acquisition of independence from the mother, threat/ defence and alarm) is described in qualitative terms. Quantitative data on a number of other behaviours were collected using focal-animal sampling. Overall, this study indicated that the young aye-aye is relatively poorly developed during the 2-month nest phase but shows rapid development in comparison to other primates once it has left the n

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156766

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156767

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Data are presented on dietary and nutrient intake in a wild population of aye-ayes. Study animals ate 4 main food types: seeds, nectar, fungus and insect larvae. Calculated calorie intake was slighty lower during the cold season than during the hot, wet and the hot, dry seasons. Total intakes almost doubled to compensate for the lower energy content of the diet during the cold season. Comparison of natural and captive diets suggests that maintenance and even growth requirements of aye-ayes can be met by relatively low-fat, low-protein diets. Daily energy requirements were estimated to average about 280 kcal metabolizable energy/day. Animals in the wild were estimated to eat between 260 and 342 kcal, while captive animals consumed 260 kcal/day.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156768

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The trees on which aye-ayes forage contain complex communities of organisms. Aye-ayes appear to use tap-scanning behaviour, in combination with complex perceptual and inferential capabilities, to exploit these communities as a source of food. In doing so, they alter them, perhaps to their own advantage.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156769

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Aye-ayes possess highly adapted hands, using their specialized third digits to investigate potential food sources by tapping and the third or fourth digits to transfer food to the mouth. Observations were conducted on 11 captive aye-ayes (10 wild-caught; 1 captive-bred) following presentation of food or novel objects, and hand use for holding, tapping and digit-feeding was scored. Eight of the individuals showed significant hand preferences for one or more of the 3 measures, although there was no consistent pattern. These preliminary results are compared to those from other lemur species.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156770

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

During the course of a 2-year field study on aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis), data were collected on dietary composition, food acquisition and structural properties of food resources. Aye-ayes in this study sampled remarkably few species from a variety of food types. A majority of these resources were heavily structurally defended and therefore difficult of access for other mammals. Aye-ayes used their modified finger and anterior teeth to harvest most of these resources.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156771

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The aye-aye shows numerous special features in its postcranial skeleton, partly in association with its unusual feeding habits and partly in association with locomotor specialisation connected with the possession of claws. This study examined the positional behaviour of 3 captive adult aye-ayes in order to throw light on these morphological specialisations. Locomotion was dominated by quadrupedal walking and climbing. Given the relatively large body size of aye-ayes, an unexpectedly high frequency of head-first descent was observed. This may provide an explanation for two characteristics of aye-ayes: robusticity of the shoulder girdle and high compressive and bending strengths of the humerus. Agile leaping was also observed, contrasting with previous reports that this species is characterised by slow, cautious movement. Specific morphological features that are shared with slow-moving lorisids may be attributable to a combination of frequent headfirst descent and postural suspension.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156772

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156773

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The ability of 6 captive aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis) to discriminate scents from conspecifics of different age-sex classes was tested. The animals were presented with either unscented logs or logs that had been placed in: (1) their own cage, (2) the cages of adult males or (3) the cages of adult females with female offspring. Responses to the logs, measured by approaching, proximity, tapping, gnawing, sniffing, scent marking and vocalizations, were recorded for 30 min following presentation. Logs from females with offspring provoked the highest responses, and immature aye-ayes investigated logs more than adults of either sex. These results suggest that, as in many other prosimians, olfaction plays an important role in the communication systems of aye-ayes.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156774

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger