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- Title
Consumption of Cyanogenic Bamboo by a Newly Discovered Species of Bamboo Lemur.
- Authors
Glander, Kenneth E.; Wright, Patricia C.; Seigler, David S.; Randrianasolo, Voara; Randrianasolo, Bodovololona
- Abstract
Three species of bamboo-eating lemurs were found to be sympatric in the southeastern rain forests of Madagascar. Sympatric species generally differ in habitat utilization or diet, but these three closely related bamboo lemurs lived in the same habitat and all ate bamboo. Behavioral observation revealed that they did select different parts of the bamboo, and chemical analyses confirmed that there was a difference in the secondary compound content present in those selections. The growing tips of Cephalostachym ef viguieri selected by the golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus) contained 15 mg of cyanide per 100 g fresh weight bamboo while the leaves of C. perrieri selected by the gentle bamboo lemur (H. griseus) and the mature culms of C. ef viguieri selected by the greater bamboo lemur (H. simus) did not contain cyanide. Since each individual golden bamboo lemur ate about 500 g of bamboo per day, they daily ingested about 12 times the lethal dose of cyanide. The mechanism by which this small primate avoids the acute and chronic symptoms of cyanide poisoning is unknown.
- Subjects
MADAGASCAR; LEMUR (Genus); ANIMAL feeding behavior; BAMBOO; ANIMAL behavior; ANIMAL psychology
- Publication
American Journal of Primatology, 1989, Vol 19, Issue 2, p119
- ISSN
0275-2565
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ajp.1350190205