ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156755

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156756

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156757

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156758

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Subfossils of a giant form of aye-aye are found at scattered sites in the south and southwest of the island of Madagascar, outside the known distribution of the living, or common, aye-aye. The subfossil aye-aye, named Daubentonia robusta, has massive, robust limb bones implying a species with a body weight 2.5-5 times as great as that of the living species. A mystery exists regarding how a species this large with the same specializations of teeth and manus as the living species could have existed in a xeric environment.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156759

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Data are presented from a field study of aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis) in an area of degraded secondary forest in northeast Madagascar. Animals were followed by radiotelemetry for 3 months during the cool dry season, when productivity of the forest is at a minimum. Population density was variable. Male home ranges were larger and overlapped the range of at least 1 female. Male ranges also overlapped, and areas of overlap could be occupied by 2 animals simultaneously. Most of the parties were solitary, but aggregations were observed at feeding sites. All activity was observed during darkness, and aye-ayes were always found to nest singly during the daytime. These patterns conform to those described for other nocturnal solitary prosimians. The aye-ayes showed versatility in their locomotor patterns, enabling them to use all types of supports and forest levels. Dietary diversity was high, although a preference for flower nectar was noted. These results suggest that, despite their anatomical specializations, aye-ayes are able to exploit a wide range of resources within recently degraded forest. This ability seems to allow aye-ayes to remain active throughout the year, unlike certain other nocturnal lemurs which become torpid during the dry season.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156760

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

An ecoethological study was undertaken on the activity rhythms, diet, ranging and social behavior of 3 aye-ayes. Preliminary information on reproduction and mother-infant relations are given. The study included research into the different habitat types in which the aye-aye was found within the Biosphere Reserve at Mananara-Nord. In addition, the impact of habitat degradation on aye-aye ecology was investigated. The aye-ayes spent the majority of time in locomotion; resting accounted for a surprisingly small amount of their activity cycles. Animals spent almost half of their time between 0 and 10 m above ground. Signs of aye-aye activity were never found in highly disturbed areas but were common in plantations, secondary littoral and primary forests.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156761

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The lemurs of Madagascar typically exhibit a strictly seasonal pattern of breeding, with a limited number of successive estrous cycles occurring at a particular time of the year, which varies from species to species. Previous reports indicated that aye-ayes also exhibit such a strictly seasonal polyestrous pattern. Data from the author’s 2-year field study of aye-ayes on the island of Nosy Mangabe, combined with information from recently initiated captive breeding programs, now indicate that this species in fact shows an extended breeding season or even year-round breeding. Actual mating or signs of estrus were observed in the field throughout a 5-month period (October–February). Further, data from captured pregnant females and young offspring indicate that births take place during the period from February to September. Apart from aye-ayes, extended breeding periods have been reported for wild Eulemur coronatus and for captive Eulemur fulvus and Mirza coquereli. Analysis of information on seasonal variation in food availability for aye-ayes and other lemurs provides no clear evidence that the degree of seasonality of breeding is directly dependent on ecological fact

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156762

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The husbandry practices of the 3 institutions currently holding captive aye-ayes outside Madagascar (Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, Duke University Primate Center and Paris Zoo) are reviewed. Information on housing, diet, oestrous cycles and infant rearing is included. Aye-ayes are active, nocturnal animals that are mainly solitary in the wild. They need large cages that are well furnished with arboreal substrates. Captive diet consists of fruit, nuts, insects and a pellet- or cereal-based gruel. Breeding of aye-ayes occurs either within stable pairs of animals or in pairs that are mixed only during the peri-ovulatory period.

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156763

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

This paper deals with the process of mating among captive aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis). Data on sexual behaviour of 3 wild-caught aye-ayes were collected over a period of 3 years (1986-1989). The group of 2 adult females and a young male was housed at the Vincennes Zoo, Paris. The seasonal poly-oestrous sexual cycle was found to be marked by four clear phases of the females’ vulval tumescence and coincided with sexual interest shown by both sexes. The external genitalia of the females are described, as are marking behaviour and sexual behaviour patterns before, during and after copulation. The behaviour and sexual cycles of these 2 females were compared with records from other lemur

ISSN:0015-5713    

DOI:10.1159/000156764

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger