Blood Groups of the Dwarf Chimpanzee (Pan paniscus)

Abstract

Results of tests for human-type and simian-type blood groups on three Pan paniscus confirm their status as a separate species. Well-defined differences exist between blood group characteristics of P. paniscus and P. troglodytes. In some aspects serological red cell specificities of P. paniscus are more similar to those of man than are those of any other primate animals.

Blood Groups of Pygmy Chimpanzees (Pan paniscus): Human-Type and Simian-Type

“…Tests for the simian-type blood groups of the chimpanzee V-A-B system (table I) were carried out with reagents anti-Ve, anti-Ac, anti-Bc, anti-Dc, anti-X° and anti-Y° 18]; all nine pygmy chimpanzees proved to be type v.D, thus confirming and extending our previous findings [6], It is noteworthy that unlike P. paniscus, P. troglodytes is highly polymorphic for the V-A-B system and that its v.D frequency is less than 1 %.…”

“…Blood grouping of nine pygmy chimpanzees revealed them to be human-type group Ai, Mj'Tlho, and simian-type v.D, CCef, g, H, I, K, L. Only group N° was poly morphic. Pan paniscus red cells can be easily distinguished from those of Pan troglodytes by the serological characteristics of human-type blood groups A and M. Also, the dis tribution of the simian-type blood group systems V-A-B and C-E-F are strikingly different in the two species.Blood groups of pygmy chimpanzee (Pan paniscus) were first investigated by Schmitt [7] and Schmitt et al [8], Our own, more complete tests were initially carried out on three of these rare animals [6]. Subsequently, we re ported in the 1973 Laboratory Primate Newsletter on a fourth pygmy chim panzee.…”

Family Studies on the Simian-Type Blood Groups of Chimpanzees

“…The anti-Nc serum has so far been prepared in only a single chim panzee (Mandy), and the results in table I support the inheritance of blood factor Nc as a simple mendelian dominant. It is noteworthy that Nc is the only blood factor which exhibited polymorphism in tests on a series of nine pygmy chimpanzees (Pan paniscus) [1].…”

“…The other blood factors tested for in the families were Gc, Hc, Lc and a new factor mentioned in a previous article [1] and now named Nc. The anti-Nc serum has so far been prepared in only a single chim panzee (Mandy), and the results in table I support the inheritance of blood factor Nc as a simple mendelian dominant.…”

Some Aspects of the Proposed Captive Breeding of Dwarf Chimpanzees

“…12, no. 2, April 1973, and [7]), Antwerp [6] .. is easier to maintain and adapts more readily to a human environment'.1 It may be relevant, therefore, to compare the quarantine mortality of the dwarf chimpanzees at Yerkes with that of P. troglodytes elsewhere. Actually, it was such a comparison which caused our concern with the dwarf chimpanzee program at the Yerkes Center and the plans to use its technical resources in establishing a breeding colony in Zaire.…”