Animal cognition: monkey meteorology.
Mangabey monkeys have been shown to rely on memory of recent trends in temperature and solar radiation to decide whether to feed on a particular patch of fruit. These observations reveal a rich mental representation of the physical environment in monkeys and suggest foraging may have been an important selective pressure in primate cognitive evolution.
Platt
Michael
M
Department of Neurobiology, Center for Neuroeconomic Studies, Bryan Research Building, Research Drive, Box 3209, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. platt@neuro.duke.edu
D000818:Animals; D001364:Awareness; D016664:Cercocebus / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D008027:Light; D008685:Meteorological Concepts; D013696:Temperature