Thesis (Ph.D.)--Kent State University, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 21, 2009). Advisor: Marilyn A. Norconk. Keywords: theoretical evolutionary ecology, optimal foraging theory, diet, nutrition, ranging, cognition, colobine monkeys, Semnopithecus entellus. Includes bibliographical references (p. 166-193).

Thesis (M. S.)--Madras, 1942. / Includes index. Bibliography: p. [170]-176.

<p>Delacour's langurs (<italic>Trachypithecus delacouri</italic>), one of the six limestone langur taxa of Southeast Asia, inhabit isolated, rugged limestone karst mountains in Northern Vietnam, although the reason for their current restriction to this habitat is unclear. The occupation of karst habitats by limestone langurs has been attributed to the refuge these rocky outcrops provide in a dramatically anthropogenically-altered landscape. Conversely, several ecological explanations have been proposed to account for their distribution, though the ecology of wild Delacour's langurs had yet to be studied. In this dissertation, I quantified the foraging ecology of Delacour's langurs living on Dong Quyen Mountain in Van Long Nature Reserve, Vietnam to address if these langurs show special adaptations to limestone karst or if they are exploiting a refuge habitat into which they have been pushed. I quantified their foraging ecology by systematically investigating their diet and feeding ecology, the chemisty of their eaten leaves, and the locomotions and substrates they utilized. </p> <p>From August 2007 through July 2008, I used instantaneous focal-animal sampling during all-day follows of Delacour's langurs on Dong Quyen Mountain. I collected data on activity budget, diet, and positional behavior. I also collected samples of soils and eaten and uneaten leaves which were tested for phytochemical content. </p> <p>With nearly 79% leaves in the diet, 60% of which were young leaves, Delacour's langurs are among the most folivorous of studied colobines, and- along with the closely related <italic>T. leucocephalus</italic> of southern China- the most folivorous of the Asian langurs. None of the plants that were important in the Delacour's langur diet were endemic limestone plants, and therefore feeding dependence alone cannot explain the current distribution of limestone langurs on karst habitat. Langurs ate leaves with high protein:fiber ratios, and despite a high percentage of carbon in the soil, young leaves were available throughout the year and plant defenses did not seem to have a large impact on eaten leaves. Delacour's langurs spent nearly 80% of their time on rocks. Quadrupedalism was their dominant locomotor style, more than double that of climbing. Terrestrialism, however, does not adequately describe the dangerous locomotion of these langurs; they are cliff-climbers. Delacour's langurs leapt only 6% of the time, much less than other African and Asian colobines, but their morphology (intermembral index) does not suggest terrestrialism or an evolutionary adaptation for limestone karst. Delacour's langurs appear to be a flexible taxon occupying a refuge habitat into which they have pushed. However, this restricted limestone habitat does not appear limiting in resources. The population at Van Long Nature Reserve is increasing which means that- if protected- this local population can rebound. Persistent hunting for traditional medicine and the more recent emergence of quarrying limestone for cement, however, threatens their survival.</p> / Dissertation

Hanuman langurs were studied for two years between 1980 and 1983 in Kanha Tiger Reserve, Mandla District, a 1945 sq.km tract of hilly, monsoonal, moist deciduous (sal) and dry deciduous forest, interspersed with anthropogenic meadows. Langur population density was 46.15/sq.km., 93% of troops were unimale, 69.6% of males were extra-troop (in bands), troop adult sex ratio was 1:7.9. Both gradual and rapid replacement of troop adult males occured. An all-male band attacked the study troop, killing three of six infants and, following a phase of consorting, a band male replaced the troop resident male. The observation of infanticide in a low density, undisturbed habitat supports the 'sexual selection' hypothesis and not the 'social pathology' hypothesis. Analysis of intraspecific variation suggests that troop structure and not density is associated with infant killing. The timing of takeovers with respect to the birth season agrees with that predicted if the sexual selection hypothesis is applicable. Activity, feeding and ranging budgets were estimated using scan sampling of the study troop over twelve months. Langurs selected against the use of meadow but for a clump of mixed forest at the centre of their 74.5 ha annual range. Evidence was obtained of territorial site-dependent defence. A dichotomy between troop-troop and troop-band spatial relationships is interpreted in terms of differences in male reproductive strategies and the costs and benefits of conflict. The diet was diverse, including gum and insects, but was dominated by mature leaf and fruit. Trees were not utilized in proportion to their abundance. Range patterns were related to the spatial distribution of highly selected trees and the seasonal consumption of ephemeral food items was related to their availability.

付記する学位プログラム名: 霊長類学・ワイルドライフサイエンス・リーディング大学院 / 京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第22300号 / 理博第4614号 / 新制||理||1662(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科生物科学専攻 / (主査)教授 平田 聡, 教授 幸島 司郎, 教授 伊谷 原一 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

付記する学位プログラム名: 霊長類学・ワイルドライフサイエンス・リーディング大学院 / 京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第22722号 / 理博第4631号 / 新制||理||1665(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科生物科学専攻 / (主査)准教授 Michael Alan Huffman, 准教授 足立 幾磨, 教授 高田 昌彦 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

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