Comparative Ecology of Primates in West Africa

本项目的目的是明确非人灵长类在相同和不同环境中的适应情况。灵长类物种和主要研究领域是喀麦隆最北部半干旱地区卡卡马卢伊的Erythrocebus patas和Cercopithecus atheiops，以及几内亚东南部混交林Bossou的Pantrogldytes verus，两种Kala Maloue是共生分布的。帕塔斯有一个雄性(多雌性)群体，在最干燥的地区广泛觅食，与相邻群体的栖息地重叠。另一方面，Aethiopps有多雄(多雌性)群体，生活在河边森林中。帕塔斯的群雄经常被单身汉销售的攻击赶走，尽管埃西奥普斯的停留时间更长。通过比较分析了这两个物种的群体结构、觅食方式和雄性繁殖成功情况。博苏的潘群体具有工具使用行为的特点，特别是用锤子打碎坚果。通过深入观察，分析了链球技术的发展及其个体差异。为了学习熟练的技术，幼儿和青少年必须观察母亲和长辈的技术，尝试处理石头，了解铁锤、待碎坚果和锤子的关系。熟练地使用锤子需要10多年的时间。每个人总是在他/她喜欢的手中使用锤子。这个群体中大约一半的人是右手使用者，其他的人是左手使用者。然而，少数不成熟的人有时会转手使用锤子。手部使用的偏侧性随着锤击技术的发展而发展。偶尔，一位年迈的女性会用另一块放在铁砧下的石头作为有效使用它的“次要工具”。

Purpose of this project is to make clear the adaptation of non-human primates in same and different environments. The primate species and main research field are Erythrocebus patas and Cercopithecus aethiops of Kaka Maloue, semi-arid region in Northern-most Cameroon, and Pan troglodytes verus of Bossou, mixed forest in South-eastern Guinea.Two species of Kala Maloue distribute synpatrically. Patas has the one-male (multi-female) group and forages widely in the most dry area overlapping its home-range with those of adjacent groups. On the other hand aethiops has the multi-male (multi-female) group and stays within the riverine forest. Group males of patas are frequently ousted by the attack of bachelor sales, though thoed of aethiops stay longer. Group structure, foraging pattern and male reproductive success of both species are being analyzed through their comparison.The group of Pan of Bossou is characterized by the tool-using behavior, particularly the hard-nut cracking using hammer. Through its intensive observation development of hammer-using technique and its individual difference were analyzed. For learning skillful technique infants and juveniles must observe mother's and elders' technique, try to manipulate stones, understand the relation among anvil, nut to be cracked and hammer. It takes more than 10 years for using hammer skillfully. Each individual always uses hammer in his/her preffered hand. About half of individuals of the group is the right hand user and others are the left hand users.However, a few immatures sometimes changed their hand for using hammer. Laterality of hand use develops according to development of the hammering technique. Occasionally an old female used another stone putting under the anvil as "a secondary tool" for its effective use.