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The oral processing behaviors of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) in a captive setting

Geherty, Joseph M
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1563290677201746

Abstract Details

2019, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Anthropology.
Oral processing behaviors are known to co-vary with aspects of feeding ecology, food material properties, and cranio-dental anatomy. Previous field studies on terrestrial mangabeys (Cercocebus) have revealed important age/sex differences in the frequency of incision, isometric biting and chewing frequency related to diet. Here, I provide information on the Cercocebus sister taxon in order to better understand variation within this clade of African papionins. I examined oral processing behavior of captive mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) at the Columbus Zoo and tested the hypothesis that extreme sexual dimorphism in this species would result in significant age and sex differences in food processing behaviors. I used focal animal sampling on an adult male and female, and two sub-adult males to quantify ingestive and oral processing behaviors associated with different foods made available to the monkeys. Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed on a sample of over 1,100 ingestive events across subjects. Significance tests revealed a variety of age/sex differences in rates of incision or mastication when individuals consumed the same food items. There was lack of a uniformity in mandrill oral processing behavior. There were certain foods the adult male used more incision or mastication but other foods in which the other individuals used more oral processing. Mandrill oral processing differs from sooty mangabey oral processing in which adult males had the highest number of incisions and mastications for hard object consumption than adult females or subadults. It is concluded that the extreme degree of sexual dimorphism of mandrills places a biomechanical constraint on oral processing behavior leading to an absence of differences of across ages and sexes. This conclusion needs to be tested further with additional data on free-ranging mandrills.
W. Scott McGraw (Advisor)
Dawn Kitchen (Committee Member)
Jeffrey McKee (Committee Member)
59 p.
Physical Anthropology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Geherty, J. M. (2019). The oral processing behaviors of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) in a captive setting [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1563290677201746

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Geherty, Joseph. The oral processing behaviors of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) in a captive setting. 2019. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1563290677201746.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Geherty, Joseph. "The oral processing behaviors of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) in a captive setting." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1563290677201746

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1563290677201746
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