Leaf-based Diet Research Articles

Anti-diabetic effect of <i>Eucalyptus camaldulensis</i> (Red gum) leaf-supplemented diet in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Purpose: To investigate the potential anti-diabetic effect of supplementing a diet with Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaves in streptozotocin (STZ) induced Wistar rats. 
 Methods: Methanolic extract of E. camaldulensis was screened using gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis. After that, eighteen animals were separated into three groups: Group A served as control group. Group B, the diabetic control group, was induced with STZ, and Group C was induced with STZ and fed a 10 % E. camaldulensis leaf-supplemented diet for 14 days. Thereafter, rats were sacrificed, and fasting blood was collected for serum glucose, enzyme and protein activity tests. Organs were excised for biochemical and histological analysis. 
 Results: The GC-MS fingerprint identified 17 constituents, with 2-hydroxy carbazole being the most abundant. Rats on the E. camaldulensis leaf-based diet for 14 days exhibited a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in serum glucose, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), amylase, albumin, total bilirubin, urea, and creatinine concentrations compared to diabetic controls. Insulin levels significantly increased (p < 0.05). Additionally, the E. camaldulensis diet led to a significant decrease in serum lipid profile levels but increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities increased significantly, while malondialdehyde levels decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Histopathology revealed positive effects on hepatocytes, acini, pancreatic duodenal lymphoid activation, islets of Langerhans resurgence, and normal kidneys. 
 Conclusion: Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf-supplemented diet demonstrates anti-diabetic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant enzyme activities. Carbazole identified by GC-MS may be the potential anti-diabetic and hypolipidemic agent in E. camaldulensis leaf-based diet.

Toxicological Evaluation of Cod Liver Oil-Enriched Vernonia amygdalina Leaf-Based Diet in Wistar Rats

Cod Liver Oil-Enriched V.amygdalina Leaf-Based Diet in our previous study elicited wound-healing effect in Type 2 diabetic rats. As part of the safety evaluation of this nutraceutical formulation, it is important to evaluate it toxicity profile. Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine the toxicological effect of cod liver oil-enriched V. amygdalina leaf-based diet (CLVA) in Wistar rats. Acute oral toxicity (limit test) and sub-acute toxicity (repeated dose 28-days oral toxicity) tests were carried out using Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines. For acute toxicity experiment, 2000 mg/kg body weight (b.wt.) single dose administration was given to 5 overnight-fasted female rats. This was done sequentially in an interval of 48 hr. While for the sub-acute study, 30 male and 30 female rats were assigned randomly to 6 groups constituting 4 main and 2 reversal groups, each containing 10 rats (5 male and 5 females). CLVA at the following doses; 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg b.wt. were administered daily to Wistar rats for 28 days. Rats in the Main groups (G1, G2, G3 & G4) were sacrificed at day 29 while the reversal groups (G1R & G4R) were monitored for another 14 days without CLVA administration. Data were analysed using the 20th version of Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results showed that the lethal dose of CLVA in Wistar rat was above 2000 mg/ kg b.wt. Water, feed intake, liver function indices (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, total protein and total bilirubin), kidney function indices (alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, urea, and electrolytes), lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides), glucose concentration and haematological parameters were not altered significantly (p > 0.05) in CLVA-fed groups. Histopathological examination of kidneys and livers did not show any treatment-related changes as well. In conclusion, administration of CLVA at the studied doses is safe for consumption and can therefore be recommended for use by patients suffering from diabetes with delayed wound healing.

Consumption of Cod Liver Oil-enriched Vernonia amygdalina Leaf-based Diet Promoted Wound Healing in Wound-inflicted Type 2 Diabetic Wistar Rats

Consumption of Cod Liver Oil-enriched Vernonia amygdalina Leaf-based Diet Promoted Wound Healing in Wound-inflicted Type 2 Diabetic Wistar Rats

Consumption of Cod Liver Oil-enriched Vernonia amygdalina Leaf-based Diet Promoted Wound Healing in Wound-inflicted Type 2 Diabetic Wistar Rats

Consumption of Cod Liver Oil-enriched Vernonia amygdalina Leaf-based Diet Promoted Wound Healing in Wound-inflicted Type 2 Diabetic Wistar Rats

Evolutionary and phylogenetic insights from a nuclear genome sequence of the extinct, giant, “subfossil” koala lemur Megaladapis edwardsi

No endemic Madagascar animal with body mass >10 kg survived a relatively recent wave of extinction on the island. From morphological and isotopic analyses of skeletal "subfossil" remains we can reconstruct some of the biology and behavioral ecology of giant lemurs (primates; up to ∼160 kg) and other extraordinary Malagasy megafauna that survived into the past millennium. Yet, much about the evolutionary biology of these now-extinct species remains unknown, along with persistent phylogenetic uncertainty in some cases. Thankfully, despite the challenges of DNA preservation in tropical and subtropical environments, technical advances have enabled the recovery of ancient DNA from some Malagasy subfossil specimens. Here, we present a nuclear genome sequence (∼2× coverage) for one of the largest extinct lemurs, the koala lemur Megaladapis edwardsi (∼85 kg). To support the testing of key phylogenetic and evolutionary hypotheses, we also generated high-coverage nuclear genomes for two extant lemurs, Eulemur rufifrons and Lepilemur mustelinus, and we aligned these sequences with previously published genomes for three other extant lemurs and 47 nonlemur vertebrates. Our phylogenetic results confirm that Megaladapis is most closely related to the extant Lemuridae (typified in our analysis by E. rufifrons) to the exclusion of L. mustelinus, which contradicts morphology-based phylogenies. Our evolutionary analyses identified significant convergent evolution between M. edwardsi and an extant folivore (a colobine monkey) and an herbivore (horse) in genes encoding proteins that function in plant toxin biodegradation and nutrient absorption. These results suggest that koala lemurs were highly adapted to a leaf-based diet, which may also explain their convergent craniodental morphology with the small-bodied folivore Lepilemur.

Seasonal variation in the gut microbiota of rhesus macaques inhabiting limestone forests of southwest Guangxi, China.

Data on the gut microbiota of animals can provide new insights into dietary ecology of hosts, consequently assisting in understanding their adaptation strategy and evolutionary potential. We studied the gut microbiota composition and function of the wild rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) using 16S rRNA sequencing method. Our results revealed that the gut microbiota of the wild rhesus macaques was dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes. Diversity and richness of gut microbiota were higher during the dry season than the rainy season. Specifically, higher proportions of Firmicutes, Tenericutes, Cyanobacteria, and unclassified bacteria at the phylum level and more Coprococcus at the genus level were detected in the dry season. Predictive functional analysis showed that pathways associated with carbohydrate metabolism and drug resistance (antimicrobial and antineoplastic) were richer in the dry season. These seasonal differences in microbiota could be due to their heavier dependence on leaf-based diet in the dry season. Additionally, macaques in limestone forests had a higher percentage of Spirochaetes, probably suggesting that the proportion of fruits in dietary composition also play an important role in the gut microbiota. We concluded that diet was strongly linked to the diversity, composition, and function of the gut microbiota in the wild groups of rhesus macaques living in the limestone forest, highlighting the importance of diet in the gut microbiota of macaques and the need to conduct further study on the adaptation strategy in response of environmental changes in the ground of gut microbiota.

Decreasing dietary diversity following habitat loss: the case of the thin-spined porcupine in the Atlantic forest

The thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus Olfers, 1818) is an endemic and threatened rodent from the Atlantic Forest biological hotspot. Previous studies have demonstrated it follows a strictly leaf-based diet, limited to a few tree species, although such information is derived from few individuals (n = 7) resident in small forest fragments. We aimed to evaluate whether such dietary specialization persists when animals inhabit larger forest fragments. For this, we assessed the diet composition of 19 radiotracked individuals inhabiting small ( 500 ha; n = 9) forest fragments in southern Bahia state. We compared the composition and diversity of the diet in terms of tree parts and species consumed in these contrasting fragment size environments. Secondly, we aimed to evaluate the influence of leaf chemical composition on the consumption of plant species. Our findings show that the thin-spined porcupine is a strict folivore, with individuals responding to the reduction in forest size by reducing the diversity of plant species consumed, but not by feeding on new plant parts. Although the diet was richer in larger forest fragments, certain tree species were the most consumed in both fragment-size categories and the unique item consumed were leaves. Fiber influenced positively the leaf consumption of the plant species, while there was no effect of other chemical characteristics. The influence of the habitat size reduction on food diversity may be a risk factor for the species.

Seasonal Variation in Activity Budget of Assamese Macaques in Limestone Forest of Southwest Guangxi, China

The activity budget is important for understanding behavioural variability and adaptation in primates. Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis) found in the limestone forest of Guangxi Nonggang National Nature Reserve, Southwest China, primarily feed on young leaves of Bonia saxatilis (a shrubby, karst-endemic bamboo). To understand how a specific bamboo leaf-based diet and ecological factors affect activity budget, one group of Assamese macaques was studied using instantaneous scan sampling for 1 year. The macaques spent most of their time feeding (32.7 ± 5.4%), followed by resting (28.6 ± 6.3%), moving (28.6 ± 5.3%), grooming (8.0 ± 3.0%), playing (1.7 ± 1.6%) and other activities (0.4 ± 0.2%). Their activity budget was similar to that of typical frugivorous primates and bamboo-dominated primates, which spent more time on active behaviours (feeding and moving, 61.3 ± 6.0%) than on inactive behaviours (resting and grooming, 36.6 ± 6.4%). The macaques spent significantly more time resting during the fruit-lean season and more time moving during the fruit-rich season. Their activity budget was significantly affected by diet. Resting time increased with decreased fruit consumption, whereas moving time decreased with the increasing mature leaf consumption. Playing time decreased when the macaques consumed more young bamboo leaves. The activity budget was also influenced by food availability and climatic factors. Resting time increased with decreasing temperature, whereas moving time increased with increasing day length and young leaf availability. Grooming time increased with decreasing day length and increasing temperature, and playing time increased with increasing day length. Our findings provide evidence of the importance of diet, food availability, temperature and day length in coping with seasonal variation in ecological factors, highlighting the need to increase knowledge of the behavioural ecology of the Assamese macaques living in the unique limestone forest and to understand the influence of a bamboo-dominated diet and ecological factors on their survival.

Functional Characteristics of the Flying Squirrel's Cecal Microbiota under a Leaf-Based Diet, Based on Multiple Meta-Omic Profiling.

Mammalian herbivores rely on microbial activities in an expanded gut chamber to convert plant biomass into absorbable nutrients. Distinct from ruminants, small herbivores typically have a simple stomach but an enlarged cecum to harbor symbiotic microbes; however, knowledge of this specialized gut structure and characteristics of its microbial contents is limited. Here, we used leaf-eating flying squirrels as a model to explore functional characteristics of the cecal microbiota adapted to a high-fiber, toxin-rich diet. Specifically, environmental conditions across gut regions were evaluated by measuring mass, pH, feed particle size, and metabolomes. Then, parallel metagenomes and metatranscriptomes were used to detect microbial functions corresponding to the cecal environment. Based on metabolomic profiles, >600 phytochemical compounds were detected, although many were present only in the foregut and probably degraded or transformed by gut microbes in the hindgut. Based on metagenomic (DNA) and metatranscriptomic (RNA) profiles, taxonomic compositions of the cecal microbiota were dominated by bacteria of the Firmicutes taxa; they contained major gene functions related to degradation and fermentation of leaf-derived compounds. Based on functional compositions, genes related to multidrug exporters were rich in microbial genomes, whereas genes involved in nutrient importers were rich in microbial transcriptomes. In addition, genes encoding chemotaxis-associated components and glycoside hydrolases specific for plant beta-glycosidic linkages were abundant in both DNA and RNA. This exploratory study provides findings which may help to form molecular-based hypotheses regarding functional contributions of symbiotic gut microbiota in small herbivores with folivorous dietary habits.

Eats leaves and grooms

Microbiota![Figure][1] Social interaction among Verreaux's sifaka is responsible for transmission of gut microbes that are essential for digestion of their leaf-based diet. PHOTO: HAJAKELY/[SHUTTERSTOCK.COM][2] The gut microbiota influences many aspects of mammalian development and

The effects on in vitro digestibility from different developmental stages of silkworm larvae, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) and position of mulberry leaves, Morus alba (Rosales: Moraceae)

Mulberry leaves (Morus alba var. Buriram 60) at the positions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were harvested from 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th–6th and 7th–8th below the primordia, respectively; to evaluate on in vitro digestibility of carbohydrate (IVCD) and protein (IVPD) by using the crude enzyme extract from whole body of 3rd to 5th instar larva of mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori). The crude enzymes were extracted from the whole body of larva against the reviewed data of gut extract from the previous studies. The optimal temperature and pH was similar between whole body and gut extracts, indicating the possible use of whole body for in vitro digestibility study. There was no statistical interaction between leaf position and developmental stage of larva. In all stages of larva, the leaf positions 2 and 3 were higher in IVCD than in the other positions (p<0.05), whereas the lowest IVPD was found in position 1 (p<0.05). The IVCD was highest in 3rd instar larva (p<0.001) while the decrease trend of IVPD was observed in 4th, 3rd and 5th stages (p<0.001), respectively. Based on the digestibility values, the preferred leaf positions for the mulberry silkworm instar larvae (3rd–5th) were leaf positions 2 and 3. This in vitro screening of the leaf supports the development of an artificial mulberry leaf-based diet for B. mori used in sericulture.

Protective role of Moringa oleifera leaf-based diet on protein- energy malnutrition induced skeletal muscle degeneration

&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background:&lt;/strong&gt; Sequel to the diverse diseases resulting in muscle mass degeneration and its key role in the prognosis of the diseases. For instance, currently, only resistance exercise can be used to promote recovery of mass/strength following disuse atrophy. But in contrast, many patients are unable or unwilling to exercise at a sufficient intensity to promote muscle growth. It would therefore be of great advantage to develop natural compounds that counteract the negative effects of skeletal muscle degenerative diseases especially in the form of therapeutic feed). The present study was aimed at elucidating the mechanism by which &lt;em&gt;M. oleifera&lt;/em&gt; ameliorates skeletal muscle degeneration caused by malnutrition.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods:&lt;/strong&gt; The experimental animals were malnourished with low protein iso-caloric diets for four weeks after which they were treated with 25% &lt;em&gt;M. oleifera&lt;/em&gt; leaf – based diet, vitamin E supplemented feed and soy bean based- diet for another four weeks&lt;span lang="EN-IN"&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-IN"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; There was a significant reduction in the activity of calcium ATPase in the skeletal muscle of animals induced with skeletal muscle degeneration. However, this activity was significantly increased following treatments with the most significant increase observed in the skeletal muscle of animals treated with &lt;em&gt;M. Oleifera&lt;/em&gt; leaf based diet followed by those fed with vitamin E supplemented diet.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/strong&gt; In summary, the study revealed that the mechanism by which &lt;em&gt;M. oleifera&lt;/em&gt; leaf corrects muscle degeneration caused by PEM might be by increasing calcium ATPase activity and/ or its synthesis and by preventing oxidative stress due to its antioxidant properties&lt;span lang="EN-IN"&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Contrasting time-based and weight-based estimates of protein and energy intake of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra).

Two methods are commonly used to describe the feeding behavior of wild primates, one based on the proportion of time animals spent feeding on specific plant parts ("time-based" estimates) and one based on estimates of the actual amounts of different plant materials ingested ('"weight-based" estimates). However, studies based on feeding time may not be accurate for making quantitative assessments of animals' nutrient and energy intake. We analyzed the diet of two groups of Alouatta pigra living in forest fragments using two different methods (time- and dry weight-based estimates), to explore how these alternative approaches impact estimates of (a) the contribution of each food type to the diet and (b) the macronutrient composition of the diet, including available protein (AP), non-protein energy (NPE), and total energy (TE) intake. We conducted behavioral observations (N = 658 hr and N = 46 full day focal follows), from August 2012 to March 2013. For each feeding bout, we estimated both time spent feeding and actual fresh- and dry-weight consumption by counting the number of food items ingested during the bout. Using time-based estimates, A. pigra showed a predominantly leaf-based diet. In contrast, weight-based estimates described combined a fruit and leaf-based diet. There were no differences between methods when estimating AP intake; however, we found significant differences while estimating NPE and TE intake. Time-based estimates provide us with important information such as the foraging effort spent on food items, trees, or patches, while weight-based estimates may provide more accurate information concerning nutrient and energy intake. We suggest that quantitative estimates of nutrient intake in a primate's diet be based on observations of wet and/or dry weight actually ingested rather than extrapolated from time spent feeding.

Nutritional consequences of folivory in a small-bodied lemur (Lepilemur leucopus): Effects of season and reproduction on nutrient balancing.

Small-bodied folivores are rare because processing leaves often requires extensive gut adaptations and lengthy retention times for fiber fermentation. However, the <1 kg nocturnal white-footed sportive lemurs (Lepilemur leucopus) persist on a leaf-based diet. We investigated how extrinsic (i.e., seasonality in temperature and food availability) and intrinsic factors (i.e., reproductive state) influence nutrient intake and explored how nutrient and energy needs are met in this species. We conducted full night focal follows across all seasons and analyzed nutrients in all items eaten by adults of both sexes to investigate nutrient intake and nutritional priorities in L. leucopus. We estimated digestible protein content, as this is a biologically more meaningful measure than crude protein. Protein intake was constant across seasons, while non-protein energy and dry matter intake increased from the hot wet to the cold dry season. Males and females did not differ in their nutrient or apparent energy intake irrespective of female reproductive state. We conclude that these animals prioritize protein over non-protein energy intake as dietary protein is in limited supply, and that thermoregulation poses higher energetic costs than reproduction in this species. While protein intake did not differ across female reproductive states, the relative protein content of the diet was highest during the lactation period, indicating that the balance of non-protein to protein intake may be more important than absolute intake. Dry matter intake was high compared to other folivorous primates, indicating that L. leucopus follows an intake rather than an efficiency strategy to meet its energy requirements. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:197-207, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effects of plant nutritional chemistry on food selection of Mexican black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra): The role of lipids.

Understanding the nutritional basis of food selection is fundamental to evaluate dietary patterns and foraging strategies in primates. This research describes the phytochemical composition of the foods consumed by two groups of Mexican black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) during a 15-month field study, and examines how plant nutritional chemistry affected food choice. Based on indices of selectivity that reflected seasonal changes in the amount of different phenophases of the most consumed plant species and their availability in the environment, we found that, in general, howlers did not preferentially select food items based on their concentrations of protein, sugar, energy, or their protein-to-fiber ratio. During only one season of the year, the nortes (October-January), there was evidence for selectivity. During this period, selectivity indices correlated positively with the lipid content of foods ingested. However, a strategy of selecting fruits high in lipids (21-41% dry matter) coincided with the consumption of a leaf-based diet (based on estimates of the dry weight of food ingested), suggesting that during this season howlers interchanged lipids with sugars to obtain energy and possibly to balance the higher protein intake obtained by the increased leaf consumption. Overall, these data did not support the prediction that food choice in this howler population was strongly correlated with particular nutrients, and suggest that balancing a suite of nutrients by consuming plants that vary widely in their composition may be an important strategy for howler monkeys. Am. J. Primatol. 79:e22524, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stability of the gorilla microbiome despite simian immunodeficiency virus infection.

Simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) have been discovered in over 45 primate species; however, the pathogenic potential of most SIV strains remains unknown due to difficulties inherent in observing wild populations. Because those SIV infections that are pathogenic have been shown to induce changes in the host's gut microbiome, monitoring the microbiota present in faecal samples can provide a noninvasive means for studying the effects of SIV infection on the health of wild-living primates. Here, we examine the effects of SIVgor, a close relative of SIVcpz of chimpanzees and HIV-1 of humans, on the gut bacterial communities residing within wild gorillas, revealing that gorilla gut microbiomes are exceptionally robust to SIV infection. In contrast to the microbiomes of HIV-1-infected humans and SIVcpz-infected chimpanzees, SIVgor-infected gorilla microbiomes exhibit neither rises in the frequencies of opportunistic pathogens nor elevated rates of microbial turnover within individual hosts. Regardless of SIV infection status, gorilla microbiomes assort into enterotypes, one of which is compositionally analogous to those identified in humans and chimpanzees. The other gorilla enterotype appears specialized for a leaf-based diet and is enriched in environmentally derived bacterial genera. We hypothesize that the acquisition of this gorilla-specific enterotype was enabled by lowered immune system control over the composition of the microbiome. Our results indicate differences between the pathology of SIVgor and SIVcpz/HIV-1 infections, demonstrating the utility of investigating host microbial ecology as a means for studying disease in wild primates of high conservation priority.

Pawpaw leaves supplemented with three calcium sources and their effects on the african giant land snail in humid Nigeria

The response of one hundred and thirty-two (132) grower African giant land snail (Archachatina marginata) with a weight range of 231.33-234.00 g and fed fresh pawpaw (Carica papaya) leaf-based diet supplemented with three mineral calcium sources was investigated in a humid tropical environment of Nigeria. The grower snails received either pawpaw leaves alone (T1: control), pawpaw leaf + egg shell (T2), pawpaw leaf + oyster shell (T3) or pawpaw leaf + periwinkle shell (T4). Each treatment groups was replicated 3 times in a Completely Randomized Design. The results showed that pawpaw leaf and calcium intakes differed (p < 0.05) ranging from the lowest for T1 to the highest for T3. Weight gain varied (p < 0.05) between 261.34 g for the T1 to 385.33 g for T2 while, feed conversion ratio ranged from 0.58 for T2 to 0.77 for T1. While shell length and width increments were not significantly different (p > 0.05), shell thickness was significantly different (p < 0.05) varying between 0.15 cm for T1 to 0.27 cm for T3. The study suggests that dietary calcium supplementation in the diets of the African giant land snail will improve the intake of a pawpaw leaf basal diet and mineral calcium, weight gain and feed conversion ratio with the oyster supplemented group performing better.

Sperm production and related phenomena in rats fed diets containing pawpaw peels, seeds and leaves

This study was undertaken to see the effects of dietary inclusion of pawpaw peels, seeds and leaves on sperm production and related phenomena in rats using four diets as follows: In diet 1 and 2 50% of rat pellets were replaced by pawpaw leaves and seeds respectively, while in diet 3 40% of rat pellets was replaced by unripe pawpaw peels and dies 4 was 100% rat pellet and served as control. The control and pawpaw seed-based diets supported a continuous positive growth unlike the other two diets. Also organ weights, sperm reserves of the control rats were generally superior to those of rats on the other diets except the seed-based diets. However, sperm move faster through the epididymis of rats fed the leaf-based diet while the movement of sperm through the epididymis of rats on pawpaw peel- and seed-based diets was delayed compared to the sperm transit in the control group. The results have shown that dietary inclusion of pawpaw leaves, seeds and peels has some adverse effects on sperm production and storage potentials and epididymal transit in the rat. Key words: Pawpaw peels, seeds and leaves; sperm production; rats

Feeding Patterns in a Small-Bodied Nocturnal Folivore (Avahi laniger) and the Influence of Leaf Chemistry: A Preliminary Study

We present data on feeding patterns in Avahi laniger and compare these data to temporal variations in leaf chemistry. Because A. laniger is one of the smallest folivorous primates and has a monogastric stomach, we hypothesized that this lemur would display behavioural adaptations to a leaf-based diet by scheduling feeding times when leaves were of highest quality. Data were collected from May to August 2004 at the Vatoharanana site in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. A. laniger fed during different time periods despite leaf carbohydrate and protein concentrations exhibiting little variation throughout the night. Although tannin concentrations exhibited temporal fluctuations, they did not covary with A. laniger feeding times. We suggest that A. laniger feeding times cannot be explained entirely by variations in leaf chemistry.

A new specimen and dental microwear in Oreopithecus bambolii

The authors describe a new specimen of Oreopithecus bambolii, a catarrhine primate from late Miocene sites of Tuscany and Sardinia (Italy). Microwears of 4 specimens of Oreopithecus bambolii have been analysed on standard surfaces of facet 9 to determine the diet. The microwear pattern confirms the hypothesis already put forward on the basis of its dental morphology that Oreopithecus bambolii had a leaf-based diet.