Living in the suburbs: Space use by vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) in an eco‐estate, South Africa

Abstract Observations of dead infant carrying have been reported for many primate species, and researchers have proposed several hypotheses to explain this behaviour. However, despite being a relatively well-studied species, reports of dead infant carrying in wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) remain scarce. Here we report 14 observations of dead infant carrying by female vervet monkeys in a population at Mawana Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Most of the females carried the dead infant for a day or less, but one female carried her infant for at least 14 days. In one case the maternal sister of a dead infant carried it after the death of their mother. We also report a case of mother-infant cannibalism: a female consumed part of her deceased infant’s tail. Other post-mortem care-taking behaviours such as grooming, smelling and licking were also recorded. Of 97 recorded infant deaths in this study population since 2010, 14.4% are known to have elicited dead infant carrying, a proportion similar to that reported for other monkey species. We discuss our observations in relation to various hypotheses about this behaviour, including the post-parturition hormones hypothesis, learning to mother hypothesis, and unawareness of death hypothesis.

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Arteriviruses, Pegiviruses, and Lentiviruses Are Common among Wild African Monkeys

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.00573-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 90 (15) ◽

pp. 6724-6737 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Adam L. Bailey ◽

Michael Lauck ◽

Ria R. Ghai ◽

Chase W. Nelson ◽

Katelyn Heimbruch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Primate Species ◽

Laboratory Model ◽

Vervet Monkeys ◽

Human Virus ◽

Content Type ◽

Chlorocebus Pygerythrus ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Green Monkeys

ABSTRACTNonhuman primates (NHPs) are a historically important source of zoonotic viruses and are a gold-standard model for research on many human pathogens. However, with the exception of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) (familyRetroviridae), the blood-borne viruses harbored by these animals in the wild remain incompletely characterized. Here, we report the discovery and characterization of two novel simian pegiviruses (familyFlaviviridae) and two novel simian arteriviruses (familyArteriviridae) in wild African green monkeys from Zambia (malbroucks [Chlorocebus cynosuros]) and South Africa (vervet monkeys [Chlorocebus pygerythrus]). We examine several aspects of infection, including viral load, genetic diversity, evolution, and geographic distribution, as well as host factors such as age, sex, and plasma cytokines. In combination with previous efforts to characterize blood-borne RNA viruses in wild primates across sub-Saharan Africa, these discoveries demonstrate that in addition to SIV, simian pegiviruses and simian arteriviruses are widespread and prevalent among many African cercopithecoid (i.e., Old World) monkeys.IMPORTANCEPrimates are an important source of viruses that infect humans and serve as an important laboratory model of human virus infection. Here, we discover two new viruses in African green monkeys from Zambia and South Africa. In combination with previous virus discovery efforts, this finding suggests that these virus types are widespread among African monkeys. Our analysis suggests that one of these virus types, the simian arteriviruses, may have the potential to jump between different primate species and cause disease. In contrast, the other virus type, the pegiviruses, are thought to reduce the disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in humans. However, we did not observe a similar protective effect in SIV-infected African monkeys coinfected with pegiviruses, possibly because SIV causes little to no disease in these hosts.

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Molecular detection of Yaba monkey tumour virus from a vervet monkey

Journal of the South African Veterinary Association ◽

10.4102/jsava.v84i1.978 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 84 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Helene Brettschneider ◽

Johan H. Voster ◽

Emily P. Lane ◽

Erna Van Wilpe ◽

Peter Biden ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Macaca Mulatta ◽

Rhesus Monkeys ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Vervet Monkey ◽

Vervet Monkeys ◽

Cutaneous Lesions ◽

Chlorocebus Pygerythrus ◽

Molecular Sequencing ◽

Free Ranging

Yaba monkey tumour virus (YMTV) was first diagnosed in a colony of captive rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in Yaba, Nigeria. It has been implicated as the cause of cutaneous nodules in wild baboons (Papio species), rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). This article reports a case of cutaneous pox lesions caused by YMTV in a free-ranging adult female vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) from the Umkomaas coastal area in South Africa. The virus was identified by molecular sequencing from fragments of the insulin metalloprotease-like protein and intracellular mature virion membrane protein as well as the DNA polymerase genes. Phylogenetic analyses of these gene regions revealed a 99% similarity of the sample to YMTV. Although human disease caused by YMTV is normally mild, it is recommended that persons in contact with non-human primates in the area of Umkomaas who develop cutaneous lesions should inform their doctors of the possibility of this infection. The extent and significance of the virus to human and non-human primates in South Africa are not known. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first diagnosis of YMTV in South Africa and in vervet monkeys.

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Gastrointestinal Parasites of Vervet Monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) in a High Latitude, Semi-Arid Region of South Africa

Journal of Parasitology ◽

10.1645/19-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 105 (4) ◽

pp. 630

Author(s):

Rosemary Blersch ◽

Colleen Archer ◽

Essa Suleman ◽

Christopher Young ◽

Duodané Kindler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

High Latitude ◽

Arid Region ◽

Gastrointestinal Parasites ◽

Vervet Monkeys ◽

Chlorocebus Pygerythrus ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

Semi Arid

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Testing for anticipation of partners’ reciprocity and other social parameters: An experimental approach in wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus).

Journal of Comparative Psychology ◽

10.1037/com0000156 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 132 (4) ◽

pp. 464-472 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christèle Borgeaud ◽

Redouan Bshary

Keyword(s):

Experimental Approach ◽

Vervet Monkeys ◽

Chlorocebus Pygerythrus

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Adaptive genetic variation at three loci in South African vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) and the role of selection within Primates

10.7287/peerj.preprints.26577v3 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Willem G Coetzer ◽

Trudy R Turner ◽

Christopher A Schmitt ◽

J Paul Grobler

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

South African ◽

Vervet Monkey ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Primate Species ◽

Annual Rainfall ◽

Future Research ◽

Vervet Monkeys ◽

Adaptive Genetic Variation ◽

Chlorocebus Pygerythrus

Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) are one of the most widely distributed non-human primate species found in South Africa. They occur across all the South African provinces, inhabiting a large variety of habitats. These habitats vary sufficiently that it can be assumed that various factors such as pathogen diversity could influence populations in different ways. In turn, these factors could lead to varied levels of selection at specific fitness linked loci. The Toll-like Receptor (TLR) gene family, which play an integral role in vertebrate innate immunity, is a group of fitness linked loci which has been the focus of much research. In this study, we assessed the level of genetic variation at partial sequences of two TLR loci (TLR4 and 7) and a reproductively linked gene, acrosin (ACR), across the different habitat types within the vervet monkey distribution range. Gene variation and selection estimates were also made among 11 – 21 primate species. Low levels of genetic variation for all three gene regions were observed within vervet monkeys , with only two polymorphic sites identified for TLR4, three sites for TLR7 and one site for ACR . TLR7 variation was positively correlated with high mean annual rainfall, which was linked to increased pathogen abundance. The observed genetic variation at TLR4 might have been influenced by numerous factors including pathogens and climatic conditions. The ACR exonic regions showed no variation in vervet monkeys, which could point to the occurrence of a selective sweep. The TLR4 and TLR7 results for the among primate analyses was mostly in line with previous studies, indicating a higher rate of evolution for TLR4. Within primates, ACR also showed signs of positive selection, which was congruent with previous reports on mammals. Important additional information to the already existing vervet monkey knowledge base was gained from this study, which can guide future research projects on this highly researched taxon as well as help conservation agencies with future management planning involving possible translocations of this species.

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Social contact behaviors are associated with infection status for whipworm (Trichuris sp.) in wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus)

10.1101/2020.10.07.329409 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Brandi Wren ◽

Ian S. Ray ◽

Melissa Remis ◽

Thomas R. Gillespie ◽

Joseph Camp

Keyword(s):

Direct Contact ◽

Sickness Behavior ◽

Gastrointestinal Parasites ◽

Physical Contact ◽

Parasitic Infections ◽

Vervet Monkeys ◽

Infection Status ◽

Social Grooming ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Chlorocebus Pygerythrus

AbstractSocial grooming in the animal kingdom is common and serves several functions, from removing ectoparasites to maintaining social bonds between conspecifics. We examined whether time spent grooming with others in a highly social mammal species was associated with infection status for gastrointestinal parasites. Of six parasites detected, one (Trichuris sp.) was associated with social grooming behaviors, but more specifically with direct physical contact with others. Individuals infected with Trichuris sp. spent significantly less time grooming conspecifics than those not infected, and time in direct contact with others was the major predictor of infection status. One model correctly predicted infection status for Trichuris sp. with a reliability of 95.17% overall when the variables used were time spent in direct contact and time spent grooming others. This decrease in time spent grooming and interacting with others is likely a sickness behavior displayed by individuals with less energy or motivation for non-essential behaviors. This study highlights the need for an understanding of a study population’s parasitic infections when attempting to interpret animal behavior.

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