Articles tagged with Monkeys
Researchers confirm zoonotic transmission of Plasmodium simium in 28 human cases in the Atlantic Forest region of southern Brazil, where malaria was previously thought to be eliminated. The study highlights the need for further investigation into the natural history and biology of the parasites in their non-human primate hosts.
A UCLA study reveals that older, sociable capuchins invent more new social behaviors, while younger monkeys innovate in different categories. The research found 187 innovations, with most occurring in the investigative category.
Researchers from Chinese Academy of Sciences create SHANK3-deficient non-human primate model, showing significant reduction in postsynaptic proteins and mature neurons. The study highlights the critical role of SHANK3 in early brain development and its potential for advancing autism research.
A study shows that chimpanzees can learn the rock-paper-scissors game, but takes longer to grasp the third pair. The research team also taught the game to preschool children, who learned it quickly and accurately, especially as they aged.
A new study suggests that human settlement of Jamaica may have led to the extinction of the Xenothrix mcgregori monkey species. The research uses radiocarbon dating to estimate that the monkey died between 505 and 573 A.D., overlapping with non-European human arrival on the island.
Research by University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists reveals that Zika virus transmission is unlikely through casual contact like kissing or sharing utensils. The study found that the virus can survive in bodily fluids for extended periods but remains inactive in saliva, which may play a role in preventing infection.
A study found that training enhances attention in the brain, leading to improved performance in tasks like reading x-rays and excelling in sports. However, after extended training, this initial gain in attention disappears, even though behavioral performance remains improved.
Capuchin monkeys adopt most efficient technique for opening fruit quickly through social learning and individual experience. Older monkeys rely on their own experience, while younger ones pay more attention to watching others.
Scientists have discovered a simple code for facial identity in the primate brain, allowing them to reconstruct faces from neural activity. By analyzing electrical signals from specific nerve cells, researchers can create a multidimensional face space and decode additional faces.
A neural explanation for 'monkey see, monkey do' involves a specialized circuit in primates analyzing social interactions like grooming and fighting. The study found that brain networks associated with visual features are highly active when observing these interactions, similar to the human brain's social interaction systems.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a brain network exclusively dedicated to analyzing social interactions in rhesus macaques. This network may represent an evolutionary precursor to the neural circuitry that supports theory of mind in humans, potentially blurring the lines between human and primate cognition.
Scientists have demonstrated the effectiveness of gene editing in rhesus monkey embryos, paving the way for new therapies and treatments. The breakthrough opens up possibilities for human disease research, including neurological and reproductive conditions.
Researchers studied mandrill behavior in Gabon's rainforests, finding they avoid sick individuals through olfactory cues. This 'behavioral immune system' minimizes parasite transmission, influencing social behavior and co-evolution.
Researchers analyzed conflicts within a captive community of macaque monkeys to understand how agitated individuals can trigger large-scale brawls. They found that a small number of agitated monkeys can destabilize the system, but individual differences among group members may allow for more controlled distance from criticality.
A non-pharmaceutical agent called Vasalgel forms a hydrogel barrier to prevent sperm movement, providing long-term and reliable contraception. The study's findings suggest the method is safe and effective, with no conceptions occurring in test monkeys.
A comprehensive report warns of dire prospects for many nonhuman primates due to habitat loss, hunting, and poaching. Conservation efforts are crucial to address local poverty and population growth, as well as humanity's agricultural footprint and mining activities.
A collaboration between two research teams has resolved a scientific controversy on calorie restriction's effects on aging. The study shows that restricting calories improves survival, reduces cancer, cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance in adult and older primates but not in younger animals.
Researchers observed a male Japanese macaque mounting two female Sika deer, with the animals engaging in non-penetrative sexual behavior. The study suggests that hormonal surges during breeding season may trigger such interactions, highlighting an unusual form of interspecies communication.
Researchers have discovered that capuchin monkeys in Brazil produce sharp-edged conchoidal flakes with smooth rounded facets, resembling the shape of scallop shells. These unintentionally produced flakes exhibit identical characteristics and morphology to intentionally produced hominin tools, dating back to 2.6 million years ago.
Research reveals that macaques possess the physical attributes necessary to produce intelligible human speech, yet their brains lack the neural circuitry required for this ability. This finding debunks the idea that vocal anatomy alone limits speech in nonhumans, highlighting the importance of brain evolution in human language.
A computer model revealed monkeys could easily produce many different sounds, implying a basic form of spoken language could have evolved without changes in vocal anatomy. Monkeys' ability to vocalize was found to be unrelated to their speech capabilities.
Researchers observed wild-bearded capuchin monkeys in Brazil creating fractured flakes and cores with characteristics of early Stone Age hominin tools. The monkeys' behavior suggests they may be extracting minerals or lichen from stones, but their actions are unintentional and distinct from human tool-making.
Researchers sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 38 wild snub-nosed monkeys from four endangered species, revealing reduced genetic diversity and a similar number of harmful mutations. The study identified hypoxia-related genes that enable these primates to thrive in high-altitude environments.
A UCI-led study found novel molecular clues behind nocturnal behavior, suggesting the eyes play a more central role in controlling the sleep/awake cycle. The research challenges the long-presumed master role of the suprachiasmatic clock in determining sleep and wakefulness patterns.
A new Concordia study reveals that climate change may be one of the biggest emerging threats to primates, with 419 species expected to experience 10% more warming than the global average. The researchers identified hotspots of primate vulnerability in Central America, the Amazon, and Southeast Asia.
Researchers at Kyoto University observed spontaneous smiles in newborn Japanese macaques, suggesting that this behavior has been present for over 30 million years. These early smiles are believed to be related to the development of cheek muscles, enabling the production of real smiles and laughter.
Transgenic Huntington's disease monkeys exhibit a range of symptoms, including motor problems, neurodegeneration, emotional dysregulation, and immune system changes. The study strengthens the use of HD monkeys as a model for evaluating emerging treatments before human clinical trials.
University of California, Berkeley paleontologists discover inherited dental features in primates that shed light on a mysterious increase in monkey species during climate change 8 million years ago. The traits will help track genes controlling tooth development and aid scientists in regrowing teeth.
Researchers found that Brazilian capuchins used stones as hand-held hammers and anvils to pound open hard foods, creating recognizable cashew processing sites. The tools were made from smooth, hard quartzite stones and dark-colored residues confirmed the use of cashew nuts.
Scientists discover that chewed plants by mountain gorillas can be used to test for viruses, providing a simple way to monitor the health of endangered apes. The new non-invasive method is effective for detecting both RNA and DNA viruses and has implications for conservation management.
Researchers have developed a systematic approach to studying monkey morphology, syntax, and semantics using methods from theoretical titi monkeys linguistics. This allows them to compare one monkey species to another and analyze the meanings of their calls in detail, revealing complex formal properties and syntax.
Researchers found that Zika virus infection can persist for up to 70 days in pregnant monkeys, whereas non-pregnant animals clear the virus within 10 days. The study suggests that immune systems of mothers-to-be may be compromised, allowing the virus to linger.
Fossil analysis reveals that a cooler period after the Eocene-Oligocene transition (EOT) significantly impacted Asian primate evolution, favoring lemur-like strepsirrhine primates. In contrast, Afro-Arabia fossils show anthropoid diversification during this time.
The discovery of the fossil monkey provides evidence for the interchange of mammals between South and North America, challenging long-held views of South America as an island continent. The new genus and species, Panamacebus transitus, suggests that monkeys may have unintentionally rafted across on mats of vegetation.
The discovery of seven fossil teeth in the Las Cascadas Formation reveals a long-lost monkey species on the North American continent before the Isthmus of Panama connected it to South America. The new species, Panamacebus transitus, was named after Panama and its movement across the ancient seaway.
A new study by Drexel University researchers found that gun hunting is driving seven monkey species toward extinction on Bioko Island. Four of the seven species are especially vulnerable and unable to adapt to hunting, with the red colobus being the most at risk due to its specialized niche and larger body size. The researchers suggest...
Female gelada monkeys are more attracted to male vocal sequences containing acoustically elaborate calls, such as moans, wobbles, and yawns. These complex calls lead to females lingering longer and spending more time near the speaker.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine found that marmosets use auditory cues similar to humans to distinguish between low and high notes, shedding light on our evolutionary history.
A team of researchers from the University of Kansas has discovered a previously unknown species of early anthropoid primate, Apidium zuetina, in the Libyan desert. The find provides evidence that climate change and environmental conditions played a significant role in shaping the evolution of these primates.
A new study found that nonhuman primates in Bangladesh and Cambodia harbor diverse astroviruses, including human astroviruses, challenging the paradigm that AstV infection is species-specific. The researchers also detected recombinant viruses that may be more efficiently transmitted.
Rhesus monkeys can distinguish between female group members and those from different social groups using their sense of smell. This ability helps them understand their social environment, with males and older monkeys showing greater interest in distinguishing odors.
A recent discovery of a small-bodied ape in Spain shares features of both catarrhines and great apes, suggesting that the last common ancestor of all apes may have been less great ape-like than previously assumed. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of hominoid evolution.
A study found that male howler monkeys with larger hyoid bones produce deeper calls but have smaller testicles, while those with smaller hyoids have larger testes. This tradeoff is thought to increase mating success by allowing males to either sire more offspring or attract females.
Researchers found that howler monkey species with larger hyoid bones produce sounds with lower frequencies, suggesting a larger body size. This is associated with smaller testes and vice versa, indicating a trade-off between vocal investment and sperm production.
Researchers found that larger vocal organs and deeper roars in male howler monkeys correspond to smaller testes and lower sperm production. This trade-off is related to the mating system, where males with large hyoids and deep roars live in small groups with one dominant male.
Researchers found that spider monkeys can distinguish between ripe and unripe fruit odors with over 70% accuracy, a skill honed through coevolution with tropical trees. The study suggests that a species' sense of smell is not inherently good or bad, but rather adaptive to their ecological niche.
Scientists applied remote sensing and GIS to study bearded capuchin monkey habitats in northeastern Brazil, finding that distance to human influence and elevation are key landscape characteristics. The study's findings inform conservation efforts for this species' unique stone tool use.
Researchers found that monkeys and humans perceive the Delboeuf illusion in a similar way, with both species misjudging dot size depending on outer ring size. This suggests that primates share similarities in their perceptual systems, making them an appropriate model for studying human perception.
A new model proposes that Darwinius, the famous primate fossil, shares more in common with modern lemurs than previously thought. The study re-examined the interpretation of Darwinius based on its dental eruption sequence, finding it had a similar pattern to that of lemurs.
A team of international scientists has dated a species of extinct monkey found in the Dominican Republic to over 1 million years old. The discovery sheds light on primate evolution in the region and provides evidence for the long-term survival of endemic native monkey species.
A 15-million-year-old Old World monkey's tiny but complex brain supports the idea that brain complexity can evolve before brain size. The olfactory bulb was three times larger in Victoriapithecus than in present-day monkeys, suggesting a better sense of smell.
Researchers have visualized the oldest known Old World monkey skull, revealing a tiny but remarkably wrinkled brain. The ancient creature's brain supports the idea that brain complexity can evolve before brain size in primates, contradicting conventional wisdom.
A new method is being used to screen primates in remote locations without invasive sampling techniques. Saliva from discarded ropes is collected and tested for viral diseases, providing valuable information on zoonotic pathogens.
A study found that physical contact during social grooming increases the risk of gastrointestinal parasites in brown spider monkeys. The researchers analyzed data from 12 individual monkeys and found a strong correlation between grooming interactions and parasite infections, particularly with roundworms Strongyloides and Trichostrongylus.
A new transgenic nonhuman primate model of Huntington's disease has been developed, showing similarity to humans in progressive neurodegeneration and motor control decline. The study reveals cognitive and motor impairments emerging at 16 months of age, and dystonia and signs of neurodegeneration on brain imaging at 24 months.
Researchers studied wild bearded capuchin monkeys cracking nuts using stone hammers and found they modulate strikes based on the condition of the nutshell. This sophisticated ability suggests a cognitive accomplishment.
A new study found that 13 of 23 protected areas in Ivory Coast had lost their entire primate populations due to illegal cocoa farming. The researchers also discovered that 20 of the areas had unauthorized villages with nearly 30,000 people, highlighting the scale of deforestation caused by cocoa production.
Researchers discovered two groups of neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex that play key roles in predicting what another individual will do. The findings could lead to targeted treatments for disorders such as autism and antisocial behavior.
A new study reveals that media portrayals of monkeys in human settings increase their desirability as pets and alter public perception. The research, published in PLOS ONE, suggests that such images change the way people perceive these species from wild animals needing conservation help to those suitable as household pets.
Research on endangered monkey species in the Amazon reveals new insights into their diversity and evolutionary history. Genetic analysis shows that some species have distinct groups, while others have smaller habitats threatened by climate change.