Olfactory demarcation of territorial but not home range boundaries by Lemur catta.
Over 350 h of observations were collected using focal animal sampling of scent-marking behavior by 2 troops of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) in the field in Madagascar. Although they did not mark any branch species preferentially, they did have preferred marking sites. Significantly more scent marks were deposited in the area of home range overlap between troops than in the area of exclusive use. However, few marks were deposited at the periphery of the area of overlap. Instead, the majority of the marks were in a narrow band within the area of overlap that coincided with the positions of intertroop confrontations. Female genital marks and male arm marks, as well as the accompanying male shoulder rubs thus appear to demarcate territorial borders.
Mertl-Millhollen
A S
AS
Department of Zoology, Duke University, Durham, N.C.
D000818:Animals; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007900:Lemur / Q000502:physiology*; D007901:Lemuridae / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012543:Scent Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D013731:Territoriality