期刊
BEHAVIOUR
卷 154, 期 13-15, 页码 1239-1258出版社
BRILL
DOI: 10.1163/1568539X-00003466
关键词
parasite; infectious disease; water; lemur; avoidance; behavioural defence
资金
- Duke Lemur Center Director's Fund
- Duke University Trinity Research Enhancement Grant
- Duke University Undergraduate Research Society Grant
Many parasites and pathogens arc transmitted via water, including through faecal contamination of water sources. Yet water is essential for survival, and some species gain nutritional and other benefits from coprophagy. We investigated how primates balance the risks of faecal pathogen transmission with potential benefits of faeces ingestion in their selection of water sources by conducting behavioural experiments with five species of lemurs (Family Lemuridae) in captivity. Subjects were given a choice between clean water and water 'contaminated' with disinfected faecal material, which contained cues associated with faecally transmitted parasites. but minimal risk. We found that lemurs exhibited strong preferences for the clean water. This pattern was supported even at low levels of faecal contamination and in species adapted to water-limited habitats, for which choosiness about water quality could present a dehydration risk. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that avoiding faecal contamination is important in water selection.
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