Energy balance but not competitive environment corresponds with allostatic load during development in an Old World monkey.

Primates develop slowly relative to their body size, a pattern posited to result from ecological risk aversion. Little is known, however, about how energy balance contributes to allostatic load in juveniles. Using data collected over 8 consecutive months, we examined variation in energy balance (as measured by urinary C-peptide) and how energy balance, life history status, and social competition related to allostatic load (as measured by deviation from baseline fecal glucocorticoid metabolites, dfGCs) in 41 wild juvenile blue monkeys from 3 social groups. Juvenile energy balance was higher among females, older juveniles, when ripe fruit was more available, and when rainfall was lower. Energy balance, but not life history or competitive environments, predicted dfGC concentrations, such that juveniles generally had lower mean dfGCs when they had higher energy balance. An additional exploratory analysis of how dfGCs relate to social strategies revealed that subjects had lower dfGCs when they groomed less, and played more. Time spent grooming interacted with energy balance in predicting dfGC concentrations, so that individuals that groomed more actually had higher dfGCs when they had higher energy balance. Together these results reveal that energetic deficiencies are a true ecological risk factor in blue monkeys, and suggest that navigating the social environment via overt affiliative behavior is potentially both a stress-relieving and stress-inducing endeavor during development.

[Growth curves of body weight and their relationship to sexual maturity in laboratory-bred male African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops)].

Nonlinear growth models having a three- or four-parameter family were applied to individual body weight data of 5 male African green monkeys for estimating their growth patterns. Body weight was measured from birth to six years of age and 58 to 114 data items per monkey were collected. The average body weight at birth was 360g with the standard deviation of +/- 25g, 4.54 +/- 0.29 kg at five years of age, and 4.50 +/- 0.12 kg at six years of age at which point body weight was judged to have reached a plateau. Five growth models (Gompertz, Logistic, Richards, Bertalanffy and Brody) were applied to the growth data in this study. As a result, two (Gompertz and Logistic) of the five models were found applicable to all data from the five monkeys. However, the coefficient of determination (R2) obtained by application of the two models were not so large (0.919 +/- 0.05 in Gompertz, 0.889 +/- 0.01 in Logistic). Therefore the data were divided into two groups according to monkey age: the first group being from monkeys between birth and 2 years 10 months of age and the second group was from monkeys older than 2 years 10 months of age. The Gompertz model fitted best the data of the first group in four of the five animals (R2 = 0.982 +/- 0.011). The age at the inflexion point in the Gompertz model nearly corresponded to the age of weaning. The Logistic model was most suitable for the date of the second group in all five animals (R2 = 0.955 +/- 0.038).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Spheno-occipital synchondrosis--a fluorescence and polarization microscopy study in Cercopithecus aethiops monkeys]. / Die Synchondrosis sphenooccipitalis--eine fluoreszenz- und polarisationsmikroskopische Untersuchung am Cercopithecus-aethiops-Affen.

On 17 Cercopithecus aethiops monkeys we investigated with the method of the polychromic sequential dye marking system the histomorphology as well as the dynamics of growth and calcification of the spheno-occipital synchondrosis. The age of the animals ranged from change to teeth to late adolescence. The animals had been divided into four different groups: I: late change of teeth; II: young adult; III: fully grown; IV: late adolescence. In the first group the spheno-occipital synchondrosis showed no ossification in the gap which is filled with cartilage. It showed the characteristic structure with a central zone of equally distributed chondrocytes. Adjacent to this we found a zone of proliferation cell hypotrophy and cell degeneration. With increasing age there is decrease of the density of cells (groups II to IV) and after change to teeth the synchondrosis starts to ossify (group II). Due to the ossification the synchondrosis subdivides into different cartilage regions. We found that the closing of the synchondrosis started in the cranial region and progressed toward the caudal region. During this procedure the synchondrosis never ossified completely. Several cartilage regions persisted uncalcified until late adolescence. Interstitial growth of the synchondrosis was found until the end of the change of the teeth (group I). This growth which was always found in a sagittal direction ceased after bony connections had been formed between both poles of the synchondrosis. The sphenoidal and occipital pole of the synchondrosis showed equal growth potential.

[Growth curves of body weight changes in laboratory-bred female African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops)].

Nonlinear growth models having three or four parameter family were applied to individual weight data of female African green monkeys for estimating their growth pattern. The body weight was measured continuously from birth to six years of age with five female laboratory-bred monkeys. A total of 95 weight data were collected from each monkey. The average body weight was 330 g with the standard deviation of +/- 15 g at birth, and 2.71 +/- 0.33 kg at four years of age. The body weight of female African green monkeys was judged to reach a plateau after about four years of age. Five growth models (Gompertz, Logistic, Richards, Bertalanffy, Brody) were applied to these weight to age data. The most suitable coefficient of determination between growth data and growth model was obtained by the application of Gompertz equation. Three parameters of Gompertz equation, mature size (A), rate of maturing (K) and inflexion point (e-1 A) were analyzed in relation to age of menarche. Strong correlations between age of menarche and maturing rate, as well as between age of menarche and inflexion point were observed.

Sequence of eruption of permanent teeth and epiphyseal union in three species of African monkeys.

Sequences of eruption of teeth and union of epiphyses determined for three species of African Cercopithecinae. These sequences are highly scalable and are highly comparable between among the species. Some sex differences in sequence were found within each species. The sequences of epiphyseal union in these species of Old World monkeys are very similar to published sequences in New World monkeys and other groups of higher primates. It appears that there is a single pattern common to the Anthropoidea as a whole.

[Growth, sexual maturity, social maturity and reproduction in African Forest Cercopithecines (author's transl)]. / Croissance, maturité sexuelle et sociale, reproduction chez les cercopithécinés forestiers africains

The onset of puberty in males is indicated by a strong increase of weight, appearance of specific displays and changes in the vocal repertoire. Male social maturity follows sexual maturity, but does not depend only on age; it results also from behavioural interactions with the male leader within the one-male group.