Large-Culmed Bamboos in Madagascar: Distribution and Field Identification of the Primary Food Sources of the Critically Endangered Greater Bamboo Lemur<i>Prolemur simus</i>

King, Tony; Randrianarimanana, H. L. Lucien; Rakotonirina, Laingoniaina Herifito Fidèle; Mihaminekena, T. Hasimija; Andrianandrasana, Z. Anselmo; Ratolojanahary, Maherisoa; Randriahaingo, Hery N. T.; Ratolojanahary, Tianasoa; Rafalimandimby, Jean; Bonaventure, Anjara; Rajaonson, Andry; Ravaloharimanitra, Maholy; Rasolofoharivelo, M. Tovonanahary; Dolch, Rainer; Ratsimbazafy, Jonah

doi:10.1896/052.027.0105

Cited by 11 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…It is likely that the change in climate affected the distribution of the bamboo species consumed by the greater bamboo lemur and thus led to the extirpation from vast portions of the island. Bamboo surveys found the genus Valiha at one subfossil site suggesting it may have been the food source at these locations [ 16 ]. Valiha diffusa is the dominate food source for the P. simus in Kianjavato [ 14 ], however at higher elevations Cathariostachys madagascariensis is recorded as the most common food item [ 15 ], possibly because Valiha is not distributed at higher elevations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prolemur simus is much larger (average weight 2.6 kg for females and 2.75 kg for males; [ 14 ]), has prominent white ear tufts, and a broad short muzzle. Like all bamboo lemurs, the greater bamboo lemur has a specialized bamboo diet, primarily consuming giant or woody bamboo ( Cathariostachys madagascariensis or Valiha diffusa ), which has been known to account for 72–95% of its diet [ 15 , 16 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, this bamboo species is not found at all sites where P. simus is distributed implying flexibility in the species of bamboo consumed (with Cephalostachyum cf. perrieri and Valiha diffusa as other known food sources; [ 16 ]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genome sequence and population declines in the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) and implications for conservation

Hawkins

Culligan²,

Frasier³

et al. 2018

BMC Genomics

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BackgroundThe greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) is a member of the Family Lemuridae that is unique in their dependency on bamboo as a primary food source. This Critically Endangered species lives in small forest patches in eastern Madagascar, occupying a fraction of its historical range. Here we sequence the genome of the greater bamboo lemur for the first time, and provide genome resources for future studies of this species that can be applied across its distribution.ResultsFollowing whole genome sequencing of five individuals we identified over 152,000 polymorphic single nucleotide variants (SNVs), and evaluated geographic structuring across nearly 19 k SNVs. We characterized a stronger signal associated with a north-south divide than across elevations for our limited samples. We also evaluated the demographic history of this species, and infer a dramatic population crash. This species had the largest effective population size (estimated between ~ 900,000 to one million individuals) between approximately 60,000–90,000 years before present (ybp), during a time in which global climate change affected terrestrial mammals worldwide. We also note the single sample from the northern portion of the extant range had the largest effective population size around 35,000 ybp.ConclusionsFrom our whole genome sequencing we recovered an average genomic heterozygosity of 0.0037%, comparable to other lemurs. Our demographic history reconstructions recovered a probable climate-related decline (60–90,000 ybp), followed by a second population decrease following human colonization, which has reduced the species to a census size of approximately 1000 individuals. The historical distribution was likely a vast portion of Madagascar, minimally estimated at 44,259 km2, while the contemporary distribution is only ~ 1700 km2. The decline in effective population size of 89–99.9% corresponded to a vast range retraction. Conservation management of this species is crucial to retain genetic diversity across the remaining isolated populations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4841-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genome sequence and population declines in the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) and implications for conservation

Hawkins

Culligan²,

Frasier³

et al. 2018

BMC Genomics

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“…In Kianjavato, Valiha diffusa is the dominant woody bamboo and the staple food of P. simus at Sangasanga (Tan 2007). This species grows in low elevation areas, frequently in highly disturbed habitats (Dransfield 1998;King et al 2013).…”

Section: Conception and Birthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Expanding Knowledge on Life History Traits and Infant Development in the Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus): Contributions from Kianjavato, Madagascar

Frasier¹,

Rakotonirina

Razanajatovo

et al. 2015

Primate Conservation

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“…Bamboo lemurs (Prolemur and Hapalemur) are endemic to Madagascar and are unusual among primates because they fill an ecological niche similar to giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) in primarily feeding on bamboo or other grassy plants. Furthermore, bamboo lemurs may share morphological and gut microbial adaptations with giant and red pandas as well [11][12][13][14][15]. Three sympatric species of bamboo lemurs (Prolemur simus, Hapalemur aureus and H. griseus) feed on a variety of bamboo species, some of which contain cyanogenic compounds in the form of β-glucosides [14,16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lowered sensitivity of bitter taste receptors to β-glucosides in bamboo lemurs: an instance of parallel and adaptive functional decline in TAS2R16?

et al. 2021

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Bitter taste facilitates the detection of potentially harmful substances and is perceived via bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) expressed on the tongue and oral cavity in vertebrates. In primates, TAS2R16 specifically recognizes β-glucosides, which are important in cyanogenic plants' use of cyanide as a feeding deterrent. In this study, we performed cell-based functional assays for investigating the sensitivity of TAS2R16 to β-glucosides in three species of bamboo lemurs ( Prolemur simus, Hapalemur aureus and H. griseus ), which primarily consume high-cyanide bamboo. TAS2R16 receptors from bamboo lemurs had lower sensitivity to β-glucosides, including cyanogenic glucosides, than that of the closely related ring-tailed lemur ( Lemur catta ). Ancestral reconstructions of TAS2R16 for the bamboo-lemur last common ancestor (LCA) and that of the Hapalemur LCA showed an intermediate sensitivity to β-glucosides between that of the ring-tailed lemurs and bamboo lemurs. Mutagenetic analyses revealed that P. simus and H. griseus had separate species - specific substitutions that led to reduced sensitivity. These results indicate that low sensitivity to β-glucosides at the cellular level—a potentially adaptive trait for feeding on cyanogenic bamboo—evolved independently after the Prolemur – Hapalemur split in each species.

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Large-Culmed Bamboos in Madagascar: Distribution and Field Identification of the Primary Food Sources of the Critically Endangered Greater Bamboo LemurProlemur simus

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 11 publications

References 25 publications

Genome sequence and population declines in the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) and implications for conservation

Genome sequence and population declines in the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) and implications for conservation

Expanding Knowledge on Life History Traits and Infant Development in the Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus): Contributions from Kianjavato, Madagascar

Lowered sensitivity of bitter taste receptors to β-glucosides in bamboo lemurs: an instance of parallel and adaptive functional decline in TAS2R16?

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