Insect-Eating by Sympatric Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla-Gorilla- Gorilla) and Chimpanzees (Pan-T-Troglodytes) in the Lope Reserve, Gabon Export

@article{citeulike:29-40, abstract = {Sympatric populations of lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in the Lope Reserve in central Gabon consumed insects at similar average frequencies over a 7-year period (30\% versus 31\% feces contained insect remains). Data came mostly from fecal analysis supplemented by observation and trail evidence. The weaver ant (Oecophylla longinoda) was the species eaten most frequently by both gorillas and chimpanzees. Other species of insects were eaten but there was virtually no overlap: Chimpanzees used tools to eat Apis bees (and their honey) and two large species of ants; gorillas ate three species of small ants. Thus, despite their shared habitat, the resources utilized were not identical as gorillas do not show the tool-use "technology" of chimpanzees. The frequency of insect-eating by both species of ape varied seasonally and between years but in different ways. This variation did not seem to be related to the ratio of fruit to foliage in their diets. Gorillas of all age-classes ate insects at similar rates. Comparisons with insectivory by other populations of gorillas indicate differences exist. Mountain gorillas (Gorilla g. beringei) in the Virunga Volcanoes, Rwanda, consume thousands of invertebrates daily, eating them inadvertently with handfuls of herbaceous foods but they deliberately ingest insect-foods only rarely. Lowland gorillas at Lope habitually ate social insects, and their selective processing of herbaceous foods probably minimizes inadvertent consumption of other invertebrates. Gorillas at Belinga in northeastern Gabon, 250 km from Lope, ate social insects at similar rates but ignored weaver ants in favor of Cubitermes sulcifrons, a small species of termite that occurs at Lope but was not eaten by gorillas. This indicates that local traditions similar to those reported for chimpanzees also exist amongst populations of gorillas.}, author = {Tutin, C. E. G. and Fernandez, M.}, citeulike-article-id = {360116}, journal = {American Journal of Primatology}, keywords = {ants, behaviour, bibtex-import, carnivory, chimpanzees, culture, diet, gabon, gorillas, great\_apes, insectivory, lope, termites, tool\_use}, number = {1}, pages = {29--40}, posted-at = {2005-10-21 13:45:24}, priority = {2}, title = {Insect-Eating by Sympatric Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla-Gorilla- Gorilla) and Chimpanzees (Pan-T-Troglodytes) in the Lope Reserve, Gabon}, volume = {28}, year = {1992} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:29-40 L3 - citeulike-article-id:360116 N2 - Sympatric populations of lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in the Lope Reserve in central Gabon consumed insects at similar average frequencies over a 7-year period (30% versus 31% feces contained insect remains). Data came mostly from fecal analysis supplemented by observation and trail evidence. The weaver ant (Oecophylla longinoda) was the species eaten most frequently by both gorillas and chimpanzees. Other species of insects were eaten but there was virtually no overlap: Chimpanzees used tools to eat Apis bees (and their honey) and two large species of ants; gorillas ate three species of small ants. Thus, despite their shared habitat, the resources utilized were not identical as gorillas do not show the tool-use "technology" of chimpanzees. The frequency of insect-eating by both species of ape varied seasonally and between years but in different ways. This variation did not seem to be related to the ratio of fruit to foliage in their diets. Gorillas of all age-classes ate insects at similar rates. Comparisons with insectivory by other populations of gorillas indicate differences exist. Mountain gorillas (Gorilla g. beringei) in the Virunga Volcanoes, Rwanda, consume thousands of invertebrates daily, eating them inadvertently with handfuls of herbaceous foods but they deliberately ingest insect-foods only rarely. Lowland gorillas at Lope habitually ate social insects, and their selective processing of herbaceous foods probably minimizes inadvertent consumption of other invertebrates. Gorillas at Belinga in northeastern Gabon, 250 km from Lope, ate social insects at similar rates but ignored weaver ants in favor of Cubitermes sulcifrons, a small species of termite that occurs at Lope but was not eaten by gorillas. This indicates that local traditions similar to those reported for chimpanzees also exist amongst populations of gorillas. IS - 1 JF - American Journal of Primatology EP - 40 TI - Insect-Eating by Sympatric Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla-Gorilla- Gorilla) and Chimpanzees (Pan-T-Troglodytes) in the Lope Reserve, Gabon VL - 28 SP - 29 KW - ants KW - behaviour KW - bibtex-import KW - carnivory KW - chimpanzees KW - culture KW - diet KW - gabon KW - gorillas KW - great_apes KW - insectivory KW - lope KW - termites KW - tool_use AU - Tutin, CEG AU - Fernandez, M PY - 1992/// ER -