Deblauwe Isra, Janssens Geert P J
Center for Research and Conservation (CRC), Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA), 2018 Antwerp, Belgium.
Am J Phys Anthropol. 2008 Jan;135(1):42-55. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20703.
The insect diet of chimpanzees and gorillas living at the northern periphery of the Dja Biosphere Reserve in southeast Cameroon and its nutritional contribution is described. We analyzed fecal samples and recorded additional evidence of insectivory. A detailed prey species list is presented for both apes. We carried out nutritional analyses (macronutrients, macro- and micro-minerals) on 11 important and eight nonimportant, but accessible, ant and termite prey species, and estimated the average nutrient intake/day through insects. Although gorillas ate insects more frequently, the average prey biomass intake/day by chimpanzees was twice that by gorillas. The lack of tool-use by gorillas cannot be the main reason for the small overlap of important prey species. Both apes did not seem to consume ant prey for one or more specific nutrients. Also other factors, such as medicinal use, should be considered. Termites, on the other hand, seemed to be selected for particular nutrients. Gorilla intake of the important termite prey, Cubitermes and Thoracotermes, met with estimated iron requirements. Their potential role as antidiarrheal treatment is as yet unclear. Chimpanzee intake of the important termite prey, Macrotermes spp., met with estimated manganese requirements and the protein intake/day (mean: 2 g/d) reached significant values (>20 g/d). To fully understand the importance of nutritional contributions of insects to ape diets in Cameroon, the chemical composition and nutrient intake of fruit and foliage in their diets should be investigated.
描述了生活在喀麦隆东南部贾生物圈保护区北部边缘的黑猩猩和大猩猩的昆虫饮食及其营养贡献。我们分析了粪便样本，并记录了食虫行为的其他证据。给出了两种猿类详细的猎物种类清单。我们对11种重要的和8种虽不重要但容易获取的蚂蚁和白蚁猎物种类进行了营养分析（常量营养素、常量和微量矿物质），并估计了通过昆虫摄入的平均每日营养量。尽管大猩猩更频繁地食用昆虫，但黑猩猩平均每日摄入的猎物生物量是大猩猩的两倍。大猩猩不使用工具并非重要猎物种类重叠少的主要原因。两种猿类似乎都不是为了一种或多种特定营养素而食用蚂蚁猎物。其他因素，如药用，也应予以考虑。另一方面，白蚁似乎是因其特定营养素而被选择。大猩猩摄入重要的白蚁猎物，如立方白蚁属和胸白蚁属，满足了估计的铁需求。它们作为止泻治疗的潜在作用尚不清楚。黑猩猩摄入重要的白蚁猎物，如大白蚁属，满足了估计的锰需求，且每日蛋白质摄入量（平均：2克/天）达到显著水平（>20克/天）。为了充分理解昆虫对喀麦隆猿类饮食营养贡献的重要性，应研究它们饮食中水果和树叶的化学成分及营养摄入情况。
