An experimental study of leaf swallowing in captive chimpanzees: insights into the origin of a self-medicative behavior and the role of social learning
An experimental study of leaf swallowing in captive chimpanzees: insights into the origin of a self-medicative behavior and the role of social learning
复制标题
DOI：
10.1007/s10329-003-0065-5
复制
发表时间：
2004-04-01
期刊：
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
Hirata, S
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Huffman, MA;Hirata, S
野生的黑猩猩吞下某些植物的粗糙粗糙的叶子，作为身体驱逐肠道寄生虫的一种手段。一种具有这种叶子纹理的植物在36次试验中被引入到一个由11只健康成年黑猩猩组成的圈养组中，以调查叶子吞咽行为的可能起源和获得。一只雄性（在测试期间与该组分开饲养）和一只雌性，都是圈养出生的，在第一次试验中自发地表现出这种行为，事先没有机会观察这种植物的其他动物。另外六只黑猩猩在第一次试验中对这些叶子表现出恐惧反应，并完全拒绝它们，而另外两只则以正常的方式咀嚼和吞咽叶子。四个人最终表现出的行为，在接近并密切观察了第一个女性的叶子吞咽表现出的行为在组。最初避免叶子的六个人中有四个人从未克服他们对这种植物的恐惧，并且在测试期间没有接近黑猩猩进行叶子吞咽。野生黑猩猩母亲所生的个体并不比圈养的群体伴侣更有可能表现出这种行为。这些结果表明，这种行为的收购部分是基于一种倾向，折叠和吞咽粗糙，糙叶，但收购和传播的叶吞咽在一个组内很可能是社会的影响。这项研究提供了支持的假设，即吞叶起源于野外的机会主义喂养行为，后来通过一个自我治疗的行为传统的形式。
Chimpanzees in the wild swallow the rough hispid leaves of certain plant species as a means of physically expelling intestinal parasites. A plant with such a leaf texture was introduced in 36 trial sessions to a captive group of 11 healthy adult chimpanzees to investigate the possible origin and acquisition of leaf swallowing behavior. One male (housed separately from the group during testing) and one female, both captive born, spontaneously exhibited the behavior on their first trial without prior opportunity to observe others with this plant. Six other chimpanzees on their first trial displayed a phobic response to these leaves and rejected them entirely, while another two chewed and swallowed the leaves in a normal way. Four individuals eventually exhibited the behavior, after having approached and closely observed the leaf swallowing of the first female to exhibit the behavior in the group. Four of the six individuals that initially avoided the leaves never overcame their phobia toward this plant and were not in proximity to a chimpanzee performing leaf swallowing during test sessions. Individuals born to wild chimpanzee mothers were no more likely to perform the behavior than captive-reared group mates. These results suggest that the acquisition of this behavior is based in part on a propensity to fold and swallow rough, hispid leaves, but that the acquisition and spread of leaf swallowing within a group is likely to be socially influenced. This study provides support for the hypothesis that leaf swallowing originated in the wild from opportunistic feeding behavior and was later passed down in the form of a self-medicative behavioral tradition.