Composition of the diet of lowland gorillas at Lopé in Gabon

Williamson, Elizabeth A.; Tutin, Caroline E. G.; Rogers, Michael E.; Fernandez, Michel

doi:10.1002/ajp.1350210403

Cited by 180 publications

(107 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…It has been suggested that primary lowland forests, because they largely lack terrestrial herbaceous vegetation (THV) are poor gorilla habitat resulting in low gorilla population densities in these forests [Schaller, 1963;Groves, 19711. More recent studies have shown that in the west African lowland forests gorillas attain high densities [Tutin & Fernandez, 1985;Carroll, 1988;Fay, 1989;Fay et al, 19901 and that THV is often abundant in primary forest [Rogers and Williamson, 1987;Rogers et al, 1990;Fay et al, 19901 [Fay, unpublished data]. This study supports the notion that gorilla densities are geographically correlated with the abundance of THV.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

“…While the western lowland gorilla (G. g. gorilla) is more frugivorous than other subspecies of gorilla, the majority of its diet is derived from the stems and leaves of a limited number of species of monocotyledonous herbs [Sabater Pi, 1977;Tutin & Fernandez, 1985;Calvert, 1985;Rogers & Williamson, 1987;Rogers et al, 1988Rogers et al, , 1990Carroll, 1988;Fay, 1989;Fay et al, 1990;Williamson et al, 19901. It has been suggested that primary lowland forests, because they largely lack terrestrial herbaceous vegetation (THV) are poor gorilla habitat resulting in low gorilla population densities in these forests [Schaller, 1963;Groves, 19711.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While several studies have addressed various aspects of the ecology, habitat preference and density of the western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) [Tu- tin and & Fernandez, 1984;Calvert, 1985;Carroll, 1988;Rogers et al, 1988;Williamson et al, 1988Williamson et al, , 1990Fay, 1989;Fay et al, 1990;Rogers et al, 19901, our knowledge of the present range and densities of this subspecies remains inadequate. One potential reservoir of gorillas that has received little attention is the Republic of Congo (Congo).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Census of gorillas in northern Republic of Congo

Fay

Agnagna

1992

American J Primatol

101

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We censused gorilla populations in northern Congo from February to April 1989 and June 1990. The objective was to provide the first quantitative data from a variety of sites on gorilla populations from a country that had unknown but potentially high populations. The method used was a census of nests along strip transects. A total of 401.0 km of transects was sampled in four different study areas. The overall density calculated for all transects was 0.4 nesting gorillas/km2. The highest density, 1.2 nesting gorillas/km2, was found in the vast Likouala swamp area of north central Congo. The two northern sites showed low densities of 0.1 and 0.2 nesting gorillas/km2, respectively. The northwestern site showed an intermediate density of 0.6 nesting gorillas/km2. The vegetation type with the highest density was swamp forest with 2.4 nesting gorillas/km2. The limited sample presented shows that gorillas are widespread and common in northern Congo, even in the swamp forests previously considered unsuitable as gorilla habitat. It is probable that Congo holds the largest population of gorillas in Africa after Gabon. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Census of gorillas in northern Republic of Congo

Fay

Agnagna

1992

American J Primatol

101

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“…Mixed folivory/frugivory Williamson et al, 1990;Tutin and Fernandez, 1993;Nishihara, 1995;Remis, 1997 …”

Section: Gorilla Gorilla Gorillamentioning

confidence: 99%

Incisor Crown Bending Strength Correlates With Diet and Incisor Curvature in Anthropoid Primates

Deane

2014

The Anatomical Record

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Anthropoid incisors are large relative to the postcanine dentition and function in the preprocessing of food items. Previous analyses of anthropoid incisor allometry and shape demonstrate that incisor morphology is correlated with preferred foods and that more frugivorous anthropoids have larger and more curved incisors. Although the relationship between incisal crown curvature and preferred foods has been well documented in extant and fossil anthropoids, the functional significance of curvature variation has yet to be conclusively established. Given that an increase in crown curvature will increase maximum linear crown dimensions, and bending resistance is a function of linear crown dimensions, it is hypothesized that incisor crown curvature functons to increase incisor crown resistance to bending forces. This study uses beam theory to calculate the mesiodistal and labiolingual bending strengths of the maxillary and mandibular incisors of hominoid and platyrrhine taxa with differing diets and variable degrees of incisal curvature. Results indicate that bending strength correlates with incisal curvature and that frugivores have elevated incisor bending resistance relative to folivores. Maxillary central incisor bending strengths further discriminate platyrrhine and hominoid hardand soft-object frugivores suggesting this crown is subjected to elevated occlusal loading relative to other incisors. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that incisor crown curvature functions to increase incisor crown resistance to bending forces but does not preclude the possibility that incisor bending strength is a composite function of multiple dentognathic variables including, but not limited to, incisor crown curvature.

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“…W estern lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla Savage et Wyman, 1847) occur in the tropical rain forest of west central Africa and Gabon shelters a significant population (Tutin & Fernandez, 1984 bach, 1779) began in the Lopé Reserve, in central Gabon, in 1983 and is on-going (e. g. Tutin et al, 1991;Williamson et al, 1990). The study area of 50 km 2 is isolated and researchers are the only humans present.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Filariae from a wild gorilla in Gabon with description of a new species ofMansonella

Bain¹,

Moisson

Huerre

et al. 1995

Parasite

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A search for filariae was performed on a wild male Gorilla g. gorilla from the Lope Reserve in Gabon, which had died as a result of injuries inflicted by another male gorilla. A female worm of Loa loa and female worms of two species of Mansonella were recovered from the deep tissues of a Histological sections of organs of this gorilla also showed a microfilaria of M. (E) leopoldi in the blood vessels of the liver, and a male of Mansonella sp., interestingly situated in an afferent lymphatic vessel of an axillary lymph node. The diversity of the Mansonella (Esslingeria) species in Africa, compared to the small number of hosts, may have resulted from successive speciations in the hosts, or might be a survival of a parasite fauna diversified at the time of the radiation of the African apes (first half of Miocene).

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Composition of the diet of lowland gorillas at Lopé in Gabon

Cited by 180 publications

References 32 publications

Census of gorillas in northern Republic of Congo

Census of gorillas in northern Republic of Congo

Incisor Crown Bending Strength Correlates With Diet and Incisor Curvature in Anthropoid Primates

Filariae from a wild gorilla in Gabon with description of a new species ofMansonella

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