Erhart Elizabeth M, Overdorff Deborah J
Department of Anthropology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666-4685, USA.
Folia Primatol (Basel). 2008;79(4):185-96. doi: 10.1159/000112911. Epub 2008 Jan 7.
A variety of anthropoids travel efficiently from one food source to another, although there is disagreement over how this is accomplished over large-scale space. Mental maps, for example, require that animals internally represent space, geometrically locate landmarks, use true distance and direction, and generate novel shortcuts to resources. Alternately, topological or route-based maps are based on a network of fixed points, landmarks and routes so that one food patch can be linked with another. In this study we describe travel patterns between food sources for two prosimian species found in southeastern Madagascar, Propithecus edwardsi and Eulemur fulvus rufus. Both species are dependent on fruit and have large home range sizes. By comparing interpatch distances, patch size and turning angles, we found that both species prefer nearest neighbor food patches and P. edwardsi travels in relatively straight lines. The amount of backtracking seen in E. f. rufus may be linked to their large group size and dependence on large-crowned fruit trees. We suggest that the goal-oriented foraging of both prosimian species is dependent on a topological or route-based map. These are rare behavioral data relevant to ecological and social contexts of primate cognitive evolution.
尽管对于在大规模空间中如何实现从一个食物源到另一个食物源的高效移动存在分歧，但各种各样的类人猿都能有效地做到这一点。例如，心理地图要求动物在内部表征空间、在几何上定位地标、使用真实的距离和方向，并生成通往资源的新捷径。另外，拓扑地图或基于路线的地图是基于固定点、地标和路线的网络，这样一个食物斑块就可以与另一个相连。在这项研究中，我们描述了在马达加斯加东南部发现的两种原猴物种——爱德华冕狐猴和红领狐猴——在食物源之间的移动模式。这两个物种都依赖水果，且活动范围很大。通过比较斑块间距离、斑块大小和转弯角度，我们发现这两个物种都更喜欢最近邻食物斑块，并且爱德华冕狐猴以相对直线的方式移动。在红领狐猴中观察到的折返量可能与它们庞大的群体规模以及对大冠果树的依赖有关。我们认为，这两种原猴物种的目标导向觅食依赖于拓扑地图或基于路线的地图。这些是与灵长类认知进化的生态和社会背景相关的罕见行为数据。
