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First evidence of geophagy by golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana)

ZHAO Dapeng ,Michael A Huffman ,LI Baoguo   

  • Online:2013-02-27 Published:2013-08-20

川金丝猴食土行为的首次报道

赵大鹏,Michael A Huffman,李保国   

  1. 天津师范大学生命科学学院

Abstract: This is the first report of geophagy by golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana)as well as in the genus Rhinopithecus. Three adult females were seen ingesting clay during the long-term monitoring of a R. roxellana group inhabiting the Qinling Mountains of China. On all occasions,the females selected argillaceous rocks under a cliff near the
provisioning area,licking the surface and ingesting attached clay. All events occurred in late autumn. Clay consumption in pregnant R. roxellana may serve a similar function as mineral supplementation. Although only three bouts of geophagy were observed in this study,such descriptive cases are very useful for a better understanding of dietary behavior in golden snubnosed monkeys,as well as for further comparison of geophagy among primate species with different life styles.

Key words: Clay, Geophagy, Mineral supplementation, Rhinopithecus roxellana

摘要: 2001 年10 月至2008 年3 月,我们在对周至国家级自然保护区内秦岭川金丝猴(Rhinopithecus roxellana)的长期观察研究中发现3 例成年雌性舔食泥质岩上粘土的行为。川金丝猴的食土行为均发生在深秋季节,所有食土雌性均处于怀孕期。我们初步推测川金丝猴的食土行为主要是为了补充矿物质。本文首次呈现川金丝猴食土行为的研究证据,对于进一步理解川金丝猴的食性具有一定意义,同时也为不同生活类型灵长类食土行为的比较分析提供支撑信息。

关键词: 粘土, 食土, 矿物质补充, 川金丝猴