"Juggling" Behavior in Wild Hainan Gibbons, a New Finding in Nonhuman Primates.
"Juggling" Behavior in Wild Hainan Gibbons, a New Finding in Nonhuman Primates.
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DOI：
10.1038/srep23566
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发表时间：
2016-03-31
影响因子：
4.6
通讯作者：
Zhou J
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Deng H;Zhou J
许多种类的灵长类动物使用工具和操纵物体。环境物体，如树枝和树枝，用于运动，展示，冲突，筑巢和觅食。本研究观察了濒危雄性海南长臂猿（Nomelihainanus）选择木棍，然后反复投掷和捕捉木棍的行为。海南长臂猿的这种行为被称为“杂耍”行为。这项研究是第一个记录分支使用这种自由生活的长臂猿。虽然不可能在这仅存的海南长臂猿种群上进行实验，但故意获取然后投掷和捕捉棍子引发了关于它们功能的无数问题。研究表明，海南长臂猿在臂化过程中的杂耍行为有助于它们准确判断物体的距离和支撑强度。研究还发现，一个成年人的杂耍行为的熟练程度远远高于一个青年。在所有种类的长颈鹿中，海南长颈鹿的杂耍行为具有高度的行为精细化。长臂猿的前臂比其他灵长类动物都要长，这有助于它们进行这种表演--一种独特的机制，使它们能够进行这种独特的活动，包括杂耍。
Many species of primates use tools and manipulate objects. Environmental objects, such as sticks and branches, are used in locomotion, display, conflict, nesting, and foraging. This study presents observations regarding endangered male Hainan gibbons (Nomascus hainanus) selecting sticks and then throwing and catching them repeatedly. This act of Hainan gibbons was termed as “juggling” behavior. This study is the first record of branch use of this kind in free-living gibbons. While it is impossible to experiment on this only remaining population of Hainan gibbons, the deliberate acquisition and then throwing and catching of a stick raises myriad questions regarding their function. The study determined that the juggling behavior of Hainan gibbons, in the process of their brachiation, helps them accurately judge the distance and support strength of an object. It was also found that an adult individual’s proficiency in juggling behavior was much higher than that of a youth. Of all gibbon species, the juggling behavior of Hainan gibbon has a high degree of behavior refinement. Gibbons have the longest forearm than any other primates, which helps them in such performances—a unique mechanism that allows them to perform such unique activities, including juggling.