Matthew B. Scott

Sleeping Tree Selection of Cao Vit Gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) Living in Degraded Karst Forest in Bangliang, Jingxi, China

We studied the sleep‐related behavior of two Cao Vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) groups in Bangliang Nature Reserve in Jingxi County, China between January 2008 and December 2009 to test four hypotheses related to sleeping tree selection (predation avoidance, thermoregulation, food access, and range defense). Gibbons entered sleeping trees 88 ± SD 37 min before sunset before their main potential nocturnal predator become active. They usually moved rapidly and straight to sleeping trees and kept silent once settled. Over the course of the study, gibbon groups used many (87 and 57 per group) sleeping trees and reused them irregularly. They also tended to sleep in relatively tall trees without lianas, choosing small branches close to the treetop. These behaviors would make it difficult for potential terrestrial predators to detect and approach the gibbons. Therefore, these results strongly support the predation avoidance hypothesis. Gibbons tended to sleep closer to ridges than to valley bottoms and they did not sleep at lower elevations in colder months. They thus appeared not to select sleeping trees to minimize thermoregulatory stress. Gibbons very rarely slept in feeding trees, instead generally sleeping more than 100 m away from the last feeding trees of the day or the first feeding tree of the next morning. These patterns led us to reject the food access hypothesis. Lastly, we did not find evidence to support the range defense hypothesis because gibbons did not sleep in overlap areas with neighbors more often than expected based on the proportion of overlap and exclusively used areas. Am. J. Primatol. 74:998‐1005, 2012.

Locomotion behavior of cao vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) living in karst forest in Bangliang Nature Reserve, Guangxi, China

The cao vit gibbon is a critically endangered species. Only approximately 110 individuals remain in degraded karst forest along the China-Vietnam border. Karst forest is unusual gibbon habitat. Currently, the canopy height of cao vit gibbon habitat is approximately 10 m. Research on the locomotor behavior of gibbons living in this particular forest type might provide important insight into locomotor stability and variability of gibbons. We used 5 min scan samples to record the locomotion mode, support use and canopy strata of gibbons in 3 groups for 2096 h between January 2008 and December 2009. Although cao vit gibbon habitat has a lower canopy in comparison to that of other forests inhabited by gibbons, cao vit gibbons displayed a similar overall locomotor pattern to other gibbon species (Symphalangus syndactylus, Hylobates lar and Hylobates agilis) in which brachiation dominate their locomotor behavior. Cao vit gibbons spent most of their time travelling on inclined branches (2-10 cm) in the middle stratum through the forest canopy. Adult females appear to more often employ safer modes of locomotion (bridging more often and brachiation less), while adult males choose riskier modes (leaping more and climbing less). As gibbons increased in body weight, as they grew from infant to adult, they tended to use larger supports. This research documented that locomotor behavior in Hylobatidae is strongly determined by anatomical characters, but cao vit gibbons also show the ability to use various supports, enabling them to survive in karst forest.

Population Differences and Acoustic Stability in Male Songs of Wild Western Black Crested Gibbons (Nomascus concolor) in Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan

Population differences and acoustic stability in male songs of the western black crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor) at Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan, were investigated using data collected over 4 years. Detectable vocal differences were found between the western and eastern populations within Mt. Wuliang. Discriminant functions calculated using the phrases recorded in 2007–2008 correctly classified phrases recorded in 2009, and discriminant functions produced from phrases recorded in 2007–2009 could correctly classify phrases recorded in 2010 for 4 of 5 males. Results showed that the male songs of western black crested gibbons remain relatively stable over years. In light of the acoustic individuality in male songs of this gibbon species, which has recently been proved, and the acoustic stability shown in this research, we suggest that the song of male individuals may be useful in monitoring individuals or family groups of this species.

Distribution and conservation status of Shortridge's capped langurs Trachypithecus shortridgei in China

We conducted community interviews and field surveys to determine the distribution and population of the Endangered Shortridges capped langur Trachypithecus shortridgei, and the threats to the species, in the Dulong and Nu River valleys of north-western Yunnan Province, China. We found that c.  groups of T. shortridgei reside in the Dulong valley, mostly located in the southern portion of the valley. According to interviewand observational records in the Gaoligong Mountains to the west of the Nu River,  individuals and no groups were observed. Family groups consist of one adult male, - adult females and up to five young. We estimate the population of T. shortridgei in China to be c. - individuals. Threats to the species include habitat loss and poaching. We suggest several measures to conserve T. shortridgei, such as a review of the Gaoligong National Nature Reserve management strat- egy, and increasing engagement, education, inclusion of local people in forest management, and the consistency of enforcement.

Foot use and hand preference during feeding in captive black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti).

Postural origin theory predicts that body postures are related to hand preference in nonhuman primates due to hemispheric specialization. Foot preference, especially in manipulating objects, is also a good predictor of hemispheric specialization in humans. We studied limb (hand and foot) preferences in 11 captive adult black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) to see how limb preference is influenced by postures and foot manipulation. Hand preference was significantly different for this group between quadrupedal standing and clinging postures, and sitting and clinging postures, but not between bipedal standing and clinging postures. Individuals were significantly more likely to use the right hand in the clinging posture than in quadrupedal standing or sitting postures. In the sitting posture, individuals maintained their respective hand preference even when the food was on the other side of the body. There was a gender difference in the sitting posture, where females preferred their right hand but males preferred their left. Individuals who did not routinely use their feet to manipulate objects, compared to those who did, shifted to greater right hand use from the clinging posture to the bipedal posture. One male individual and his offspring were more likely to use their feet to manipulate objects than the rest of the monkeys. In the present study, we reveal the first evidence of a postural effect on hand preference in R. bieti as well as a foot preference in this species. Our results mostly agree with the postural origin theory and hemispheric specialization.

Review of the genus Qinshuiacris (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from China with proposal of Caryanda viridis-species group and description of a new species.

Based on an examination of type and additional material, Qinshuiacris viridis Zheng & Mao, 1996 and some allied species in the genus Caryanda are reviewed. Q. viridis Zheng & Mao, 1996 is transferred to Caryanda as a new combination: C. viridis (Zheng & Mao, 1996) comb. nov.. The female of C. viridis is described for the first time and sixty-two topotypes are designated. The genus Qinshuiacris Zheng & Mao, 1996 is synonymized with Caryanda Stål, 1878 because of the transfer of the type species. C. yini Mao & Ren, 2006 is proposed as a new junior synonym of C. dehongensis Mao, Xu & Yang, 2003. A new species, C. eshana Mao sp. nov., is also described and illustrated. Additionally, the conception of the Caryanda viridis-species group is proposed to contain the four allied species with falciform cerci: C. albomaculata Mao, Ren & Ou, 2007, C. dehongensis Mao, Xu & Yang, 2003, C. eshana Mao sp. nov., and C. viridis (Zheng & Mao, 1996) comb. nov.. A key to the species of C. viridis-species group is provided. Type specimens are deposited in the Biological Science Museum, Dali University (BMDU), Yunnan Province, China, in the Institute of Zoology, Shaanxi Normal University (IZSNU), Shaanxi Province, China and in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (IZCAS).