ScienceDaily: Ape and Chimp News

Monkey teeth help reveal Neanderthal weaning

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:48:48 EDT

Most modern human mothers wean their babies much earlier than our closest primate relatives. But what about our extinct relatives, the Neanderthals? A team of U.S. and Australian researchers reports that they can now use fossil teeth to calculate when a Neanderthal baby was weaned. The new technique is based in part on knowledge gained from studies of teeth from human infants and from monkeys.

Oldest evidence of split between Old World monkeys and apes: Primate fossils are 25 million years old

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:15:15 EDT

Two fossil discoveries from the East African Rift reveal new information about the evolution of primates, according to a new study.

Monkey math: Baboons show brain's ability to understand numbers

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:27:27 EDT

Opposing thumbs, expressive faces, complex social systems: it's hard to miss the similarities between apes and humans. Now a new study with a troop of zoo baboons and lots of peanuts shows that a less obvious trait -- the ability to understand numbers -- also is shared by humans and their primate cousins.

Malaria: A vector infecting both apes and humans

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:47:47 EDT

In 2010, a study revealed that the main agent of malaria in humans, called Plasmodium falciparum, arose from the gorilla. Today, the vector which transmitted the parasite from apes to humans has just been identified. Scientists have determined which species of anopheles mosquitoes transfer the disease to apes. Among them is Anopheles moucheti, known for biting humans. Therefore, it appears to be the species which originally infected us through our 'cousins'. And it could do it again today.

Fossil of great ape sheds light on evolution

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:21:21 EDT

An integrative anatomy expert says the shape of an 11.8-million-year-old specimen's pelvis indicates that it lived near the beginning of the great ape evolution, after the lesser apes had started to develop separately but before the great ape species began to diversify.

How 2-million-year-old ancestor moved: Sediba's ribcage and feet were not suitable for running

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:29:29 EDT

Researchers have described the anatomy of a single early hominin in six new studies. Australopithecus sediba was discovered near Johannesburg in 2008. The studies demonstrate how our 2-million-year-old ancestor walked, chewed and moved.

Chimpanzees use botanical skills to discover fruit

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:41:41 EDT

Fruit-eating animals are known to use their spatial memory to relocate fruit, yet, it is unclear how they manage to find fruit in the first place. Researchers have now investigated which strategies chimpanzees in the Taï National Park in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa, use in order to find fruit in the rain forest. The result: Chimpanzees know that trees of certain species produce fruit simultaneously and use this botanical knowledge during their daily search for fruit.

Rare primate's vocal lip-smacks share features of human speech

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:31:31 EDT

The vocal lip-smacks that geladas use in friendly encounters have surprising similarities to human speech, according to a new study. The geladas, which live only in the mountains of Ethiopia, are the only nonhuman primate known to communicate with such a speech-like, undulating rhythm. Calls of other monkeys and apes are typically one or two syllables and lack those rapid fluctuations in pitch and volume.

Chimps: Ability to 'think about thinking' not limited to humans

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:14:14 EDT

Humans' closest animal relatives, chimpanzees, have the ability to "think about thinking" -- what is called "metacognition," according to new research.

Tarsiers' bulging eyes shed light on evolution of human vision

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:25:25 EDT

After eons of wandering in the dark, primates developed highly acute, three-color vision that permitted them to shift to daytime living, a new study suggests. The findings challenge the prevailing view that trichromatic color vision, a hallmark of primate evolution, evolved only after they started getting up with the sun, a shift that gave rise to anthropoid (higher) primates, which, in turn, gave rise to the human lineage.

Hunting for meat impacts on rainforest, fruit tree seed dispersal

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:48:48 EDT

Hunting for meat in the African rainforests has halved the number of primates. However, the hunting also has other negative consequences. The decline in the number of primates causes a reduction in the dispersal of seed by the primates, and this leads to a reduction in the numbers of important fruit trees and changes to the rainforest.

Chimps and teamwork: Scientists find origins of teamwork in our nearest relative, the chimpanzee

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:33:33 EDT

Teamwork has been fundamental in humanity's greatest achievements but scientists have found that working together has its evolutionary roots in our nearest primate relatives -- chimpanzees.

Gorillas caught in the crossfire in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:19:19 EDT

The world’s leading conservation organizations have joined together to fight for the survival of the Endangered Grauer’s or eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri).

Monopoly of the male orangutan: Comparative field observations on Sumatra and Borneo

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:06:06 EST

The sexual development, mating habits and social hierarchy of the orangutans are more heavily dependent on their environment than had previously been assumed: where the rain forest supplies more food, the influence of the dominant male increases. In order to escape his attention, many other males remain "small."

Where the wild things go … when there's nowhere else

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:57:57 EST

The presence of endangered cats and primates in swamp forests might be seriously overlooked. Recent research concludes that swamp forests beg further exploration as places where endangered species have preserved their numbers -- and where humans could potentially preserve them into the future.

Giant cockroach genus Pseudophoraspis expands to the north with 3 new species

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:34:34 EST

Three new species of the giant cockroach genus Pseudophoraspis have been discovered in the Hainan, Yunnan and Guangxi provinces of China. The three newly described cockroaches, together with another three already known species, mark the first record north of Vietnam, which was previously considered the northern boundary of the genus.

Two new species of mushroom found in the Iberian Peninsula, Spain

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:10:10 EST

Biologists have documented two new species of Hydnum, commonly known as ox tongue mushrooms, as part of a new study. The two mushroom species belong to the Hydnum genus, a type of fungus commonly used in cooking.

Taking the gamble out of DNA sequencing: How much can be learned in a large-scale experiment

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:28:28 EST

Scientists have developed an algorithm to predict how much can be learned in a large-scale DNA sequencing experiment -- with potential applications in every field of science.

The ultimate chimp challenge: Chimps do challenging puzzles for the fun of it

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 12:46:46 EST

Scientists are putting their bananas away, because chimpanzees don't need any persuading when it comes to getting stuck into brain games.

New genus of crustacean and five new species

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:36:36 EST

On recent expeditions to Madagascar and the French Polynesia, two researchers have discovered five new species of crustacean and a new genus named Triodonthea. Using morphological and molecular data they have discovered five new species of crustaceans in the waters of these regions. They are genetically different but morphologically very similar and they also found a new genus, named Triodonthea.

Humans and chimps share genetic strategy in battle against pathogens

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:16:16 EST

A search for long-lived balancing selection has found at least six regions of the genome where humans and chimpanzees share a combination of genetic variants. These human genetic variation dates back to a common ancestor with chimpanzees millions of years ago, before the species split.

New park protects 15,000 gorillas

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:06:06 EST

The Republic of Congo has declared a new national park that protects a core population of the 125,000 western lowland gorillas discovered by WCS in 2008.

Chimpanzees learn a more efficient tool technique by watching others

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:44:44 EST

Chimpanzees are likely to use a more efficient tool technique after observing others who are employing a better approach, according to new research conducted by Kyoto University, Japan and the University of Kent, UK.

Bonobos predisposed to show sensitivity to others

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:43:43 EST

Comforting a friend or relative in distress may be a more hard-wired behavior than previously thought, according to a new study of bonobos, which are great apes known for their empathy and close relation to humans and chimpanzees. The findings provide evolutionary insights into how critical social skills may develop in human children.

Chimp see, chimp learn: First evidence for chimps improving tool use techniques by watching others

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:41:41 EST

Chimps can learn more efficient ways to use a tool by watching what others do, according to new research. Their study presents the first experimental evidence that chimps, like humans, can watch and learn a group member's invention of a better technique.

Tooth development and weaning in chimpanzees not as closely related as once thought

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:19:19 EST

Using a first-of-its-kind method, scientists have used digital photographs to show that, after the eruption of their first molar tooth, many juvenile chimps continue to nurse as much, if not more, than they had in the past. The research challenges earlier studies that linked juvenile chimps' tooth development with their weaning as a rough proxy for understanding similar developmental landmarks in the evolution of early humans.

HIV-like viruses in non-human primates have existed much longer than previously thought

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:36:36 EST

Viruses similar to those that cause AIDS in humans were present in non-human primates in Africa at least five million years ago and perhaps up to 12 million years ago, according to new study. Until now, researchers have hypothesized that such viruses originated much more recently.

Benefits of social grooming in wild chimpanzees: Hormone oxytocin facilitates cooperation

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 09:42:42 EST

Animals which maintain cooperative relationships show gains in longevity and offspring survival. However, little is known about the cognitive or hormonal mechanisms involved in cooperation. Researchers studying wild chimpanzees have now found that cooperative relationships are facilitated by an endocrinological mechanism involving the hormone oxytocin, even when these are between non-kin.

Bats are reservoir for Ebola virus in Bangladesh

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:38:38 EST

Ebola virus antibodies were circulating in ~4% of the 276 bats scientists screened in Bangladesh.

Chimpanzees successfully play the Ultimatum Game: Apes' sense of fairness confirmed

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:34:34 EST

Researchers have shown that chimpanzees possess a sense of fairness that has previously been attributed as uniquely human. Biologists played the Ultimatum Game with the chimpanzees to determine how sensitive the animals are to the reward distribution between two individuals if both need to agree on the outcome.

Bonobos will share with strangers before acquaintances

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:33:33 EST

Bonobos, those notoriously frisky, ardently social great apes of the Congo, value social networking so much, they share food with a stranger before an acquaintance.

Fine hands, fists of fury: Our hands evolved for punching, not just dexterity

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:31:31 EST

Men whacked punching bags for a new study that suggests human hands evolved not only for the manual dexterity needed to use tools, play a violin or paint a work of art, but so men could make fists and fight.

Tracking the origins of HIV

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:30:30 EST

Human immunodeficiency virus may have affected humans for much longer than is currently believed. Researchers now think that the genomes of an isolated West African human population provide important clues about how the disease has evolved.

Illegal hunting in the Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania: Social and molecular genetic methods of combating crimes against fauna

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:11:11 EST

Tanzania has many different and diverse wildlife populations spread across a network of protected areas extending over the whole country. These wildlife populations are under threat from illegal hunting and large herbivores are particularly sought-after game. In the future, however, genetic markers can be used to identify meat from game in order to combat crimes against animals.

New species of Borneo's enigmatic primate discovered: Kayan loris has a toxic bite

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:52:52 EST

Scientists studying the elusive nocturnal primate the slow loris in the jungles of Borneo have discovered an entirely new species -- the Kayan loris. The team's analysis of the primate's distinctive facial fur markings reveals the existence of one entirely new species, while two of species, previously considered as possible sub-species, are being officially recognized as unique.

Extraverted gorillas enjoy longer lives, research suggests

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:24:24 EST

Gorillas with an extravert personality live longer than their more introverted peers, a study suggests. Researchers looked at the role of personality by studying 298 gorillas in North American zoos and sanctuaries for over 18 years.

Male chimpanzees choose their allies carefully

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:28:28 EST

The ability of male chimpanzees to form coalitions with one another in order to direct aggression at other male chimpanzees has certain benefits. A new study has further revealed that it may not just be the coalition that is important, but who the coalition is with that determines future success.

An ocean away: Two new encrusting anemones found in unexpected locations

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:35:35 EST

A group of marine biologists from Japan has discovered two new species of encrusting anemone, thousands of kilometers away from the single other known species of the group. The first species from Madagascar was found in 1972 and never reported again, while the new species are from the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and southern Japan.

Seeing the world through the eyes of an orangutan

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:01:01 EST

A captive bred Sumatran orangutan and a neuroscientist in Malaysia are hoping to explain some of the mysteries of the visual brain and improve the lives of captive bred animals.

Short DNA strands in genome may be key to understanding human cognition and diseases

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:06:06 EST

Previously discarded, human-specific “junk” DNA represents untapped resource in the study of diseases like Alzheimer’s and autism.

Evolution of human intellect: Human-specific regulation of neuronal genes

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:49:49 EST

A new study has identified hundreds of small regions of the genome that appear to be uniquely regulated in human neurons. These regulatory differences distinguish us from other primates, including monkeys and apes, and as neurons are at the core of our unique cognitive abilities, these features may ultimately hold the key to our intellectual prowess (and also to our potential vulnerability to a wide range of 'human-specific' diseases from autism to Alzheimer's).

Chimpanzees and bonobos may reveal clues to evolution of favor exchange in humans

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 13:29:29 EST

When your neighbor asks to borrow a cup of sugar and you readily comply, is your positive response a function of the give and take that characterize your longstanding relationship? Or does it represent payment -- or prepayment -- for the cup of sugar you borrowed last week, or may need to borrow a month from now?

Estrogenic plants linked to altered hormones, possible behavior changes in monkeys

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 17:14:14 EST

Male red colobus monkeys that ate more of an estrogen-containing plant not only had higher levels of the hormones estradiol and cortisol in their systems, they were more aggressive, had more sex and groomed less. The finding that the consumption of plant-based hormones may have affected primate behavior suggests that it could have played an important role in primate evolution.

Evidence of a 'mid-life crisis' in great apes

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:13:13 EST

Chimpanzees and orangutans can experience a mid-life crisis just like humans, a study suggests.

Why yawning is contagious in bonobos: As with humans, yawning Is more contagious when individuals are closely related

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 17:28:28 EST

Being socially close to another bonobo is more likely to make bonobo apes yawn in response to the other's yawns, according to new research. The researchers found that yawning in bonobos is more contagious when individuals are strongly bonded to one another as kin or close friends.

New brain gene gives us edge over apes, study suggests

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:34:34 EST

Scientists have taken a step forward in helping to solve one of life's greatest mysteries -- what makes us human?

Humans, chimpanzees and monkeys share DNA but not gene regulatory mechanisms

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:11:11 EST

Up to 40 percent of the differences in the expression or activity patterns of genes between humans, chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys can be explained by regulatory mechanisms that determine whether and how a gene's recipe for a protein is transcribed to the RNA molecule that carries the recipe instructions to the sites in cells where proteins are manufactured.

New study shows effects of prehistoric nocturnal life on mammalian vision

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:10:10 EDT

Since the age of dinosaurs, most species of day-active mammals have retained the imprint of nocturnal life in their eye structures. Humans and other anthropoid primates, such as monkeys and apes, are the only groups that deviate from this pattern, according to a new study. The findings are the first to provide a large-scale body of evidence for the "nocturnal bottleneck theory," which suggests that mammalian sensory traits have been profoundly influenced by an extended period of adaptation to nocturnality during the Mesozoic Era.

Grandmas made humans live longer: Chimp lifespan evolves into human longevity, computer simulation shows

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:41:41 EDT

Computer simulations provide new mathematical support for the "grandmother hypothesis" -- a famous theory that humans evolved longer adult lifespans than apes because grandmothers helped feed their grandchildren.

Local wildlife is important in human diets in central Africa, experts say

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:12:12 EDT

Animals like antelope, frogs and rodents may be tricky to catch, but they provide protein in places where traditional livestock are scarce. According to the authors of a new paper, meat from wild animals is increasingly important in central Africa.

Great apes, small numbers: Genetic study reveals recent decline in endangered orangutan population, but offers hope for the future

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 08:51:51 EDT

Sumatran orangutans have undergone a substantial recent population decline, according to a new genetic study, but the same research revealed the existence of critical corridors for dispersal migrations that, if protected, can help maintain genetic diversity and aid in the species' conservation.

Destruction of the rainforest is not the only problem: A change of strategy is needed to save the Sumatran orangutans

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 08:50:50 EDT

The orangutans in Sumatra are in danger of becoming extinct. Anthropologists now prove that only recently this ape species saw a drastic decrease in population. For the first time, they studied the genetic make-up and migratory behavior of these animals. Their discoveries: The population is divided into several sub-populations which do not stem from the destruction of the rainforest, but are of a geographic origin. While this population structure does not help preserve the species, there is some good news: Young male orangutans overcome their disadvantages with lengthy journeys. This finding leads to the discovery of a strategy that could save these critically endangered apes.

Primates in peril: Conservationists reveal the world's 25 most endangered primates

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 11:08:08 EDT

Humankind's closest living relatives -- the world's apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates -- are on the brink of extinction and in need of urgent conservation measures, according to a report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The report, announced by some of the world's leading primate experts every two years, reveals those species most in danger of becoming extinct from destruction of tropical forests, illegal wildlife trade and commercial bush meat hunting.

Singing mice show signs of learning

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:21:21 EDT

Guys who imitate Luciano Pavarotti or Justin Bieber to get the girls aren't alone. Male mice may do a similar trick, matching the pitch of other males' ultrasonic serenades. The mice also have certain brain features, somewhat similar to humans and song-learning birds, which they may use to change their sounds, according to a new study.

Human brains develop wiring slowly, differing from chimpanzees

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:26:26 EDT

Research comparing brain development in humans and our closest nonhuman primate relatives, chimpanzees, reveals how quickly myelin in the cerebral cortex grows, shedding light on the evolution of human cognitive development and the vulnerability of humans to psychiatric disorders. Myelin is the fatty insulation surrounding axon connections of the brain.

Human brains outpace chimp brains in womb

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:29:29 EDT

Humans' superior brain size in comparison to their chimpanzee cousins traces all the way back to the womb. That's according to a study that is the first to track and compare brain growth in chimpanzee and human fetuses.

Adolescent male chimps in large community strive to be alphas

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:53:53 EDT

An anthropologist reports the first observation of dominance relationships among adolescent male chimpanzees, which he attributes to the composition of their community.

Antibody prevents hepatitis C infection in animal model

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 17:31:31 EDT

A monoclonal antibody tested in an animal model prevents infection by the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Chimpanzees create 'social traditions': Unique handclasp grooming behavior reveals local difference

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 19:08:08 EDT

Researchers have revealed that chimpanzees are not only capable of learning from one another, but also use this social information to form and maintain local traditions. A recent study shows that the way in which chimpanzees groom each other depends on the community to which they belong. Specifically, it is the unique handclasp grooming behaviour that reveals this local difference.

Studying how diseases spread in primates may help predict what diseases will emerge in humans

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 12:23:23 EDT

A new study has investigated how diseases are shared among species of primates with a view to predicting what diseases may emerge in humans in the future. The findings aim to help in the fight against these diseases by enabling scientists to develop treatments before outbreaks occur.