Ecological Distinctions in Diet, Food Toughness, and Masticatory Anatomy in a Community of Six Neotropical Primates in Guyana, South America
Wright, Barth Wilkinson
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/85265
Description
Title
Ecological Distinctions in Diet, Food Toughness, and Masticatory Anatomy in a Community of Six Neotropical Primates in Guyana, South America
Author(s)
Wright, Barth Wilkinson
Issue Date
2004
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Garber, Paul A.
Department of Study
Anthropology
Discipline
Anthropology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Biology, Zoology
Language
eng
Abstract
I examine the toughness of plant tissues (N = 14) handled and dentally processed by these primates. General dietary categories (e.g. fruits and leaves) provide only limited insights into the dietary patterns of the study species. However, analyses of opened and masticated plant tissues reveals three dietary patterns. These are described as (1) year round scraping of weak tissues with the anterior dentition and chewing weak tissues with the cheek teeth in A. paniscus, (2) seasonally chewing tissues with high average toughness using the molars, and occasionally opening tough tissues with the incisors and canines in A. seniculus, and (3) seasonally opening tough tissues with the anterior dentition to access weak tissues that are subsequently chewed with the cheek teeth in both Cebus species and both pitheciines. The dietary pattern for each Cebus and pitheciine species is described in detail. It is concluded, that the use of average toughness, maximum toughness, feeding frequency, and seasonal use of plant tissues in constructing dietary profiles offers a comprehensive framework for identifying the suite of ecological variables that impact the craniodental morphology of primates.
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