title: Chemical recognition of fruit ripeness in spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi).
abstract: Primates are now known to possess well-developed olfactory sensitivity and discrimination capacities that can play a substantial role in many aspects of their interaction with conspecifics and the environment. Several studies have demonstrated that olfactory cues may be useful in fruit selection. Here, using a conditioning paradigm, we show that captive spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) display high olfactory discrimination performance between synthetic odor mixtures mimicking ripe and unripe fruits of two wild, primate-consumed, Neotropical plant species. Further, we show that spider monkeys are able to discriminate the odor of ripe fruits from odors that simulate unripe fruits that become increasingly similar to that of ripe ones. These results suggest that the ability of spider monkeys to identify ripe fruits may not depend on the presence of any individual compound that mark fruit ripeness. Further, the results demonstrate that spider monkeys are able to identify ripe fruits even when the odor signal is accompanied by a substantial degree of noise.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Ecology &Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.|Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.|Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Helmhotztr. 10-1, Containerdorf, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nevo
authors.affiliation: IFM Biology, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orts Garri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroethology, University of Veracruzana, Calle y No. Dr. Luis Castelazo s/n, Col. Industrial Animas, C.P. 91190, Ciudad, Xalapa, Ver., México.
authors.forename: Laura Teresa
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Hernandez Salazar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technical University of Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Ecology &Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Eckhard W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Heymann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Helmhotztr. 10-1, Containerdorf, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayasse
authors.affiliation: IFM Biology, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053819:Atelinae / Q000502:physiology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical