Seed Dispersal by South Africa's Only Forest-Dwelling Guenon, the Samango Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis)

Linden, Birthe; Linden, Jabu D.; Fischer, Frauke; Linsenmair, K. Eduard

doi:10.3957/056.045.0110

Cited by 17 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…It is unlikely that samango monkeys act as seed predators (Norconk, Grafton & Conklin‐Brittain, ) as very immature fruit (prior to the stage when seeds can germinate) are not taken, and our observations of seed discarding are consistent with C. miniata seeds being toxic (Nelson et al., ; Viladomat et al., ; van Wyk et al., ). Previous studies have found that appreciable proportions of fruits consumed by C. mitis were unripe (Lawes, ; Linden et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Our results suggest that samango monkeys are the primary disperser of C. miniata seeds. Cercopithecus monkeys are significant seed dispersers in the Afrotropics (Garber & Lambert, ; Lambert, ; Lambert & Garber, ; Lawes, Henzi & Perrin, ; Linden, Linden, Fischer & Linsenmair, ; Seufert et al., ). Vervet monkeys ( Chlorocebus pygerythrus ) were not recorded in this study and tend to occupy more open habitats, but we cannot exclude the possibility that they also play a role in dispersal of Clivia fruits.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cercopithecines generally spit hard seeds > 4 mm in diameter (Corlett & Lucas, ; Kaplin & Moermond, ; Lambert, ). In South Africa, C. mitis swallows hard seeds up to 6 mm in diameter without destroying them (Linden et al., ). As the soft seeds of C. miniata are c. 13 mm in diameter, we infer that monkeys would chew them in order to swallow them if they were palatable.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We did observe cases where monkeys placed a fruit or several fruits in their cheek pouches (Video S1) prior to moving off or ascending into the trees. This is a common behavior in monkeys and in one study in Afromontane forest in South Africa as many as nine of 25 species’ fruits consumed by C. mitis erythrarchus were cheek pouched prior to processing (Linden et al., ). However, there is a possibility that cheek‐pouching behavior is increased in the presence of human observers or predators.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spit it out: Monkeys disperse the unorthodox and toxic seeds of Clivia miniata (Amaryllidaceae)

Kiepiel

Johnson

2019

Biotropica

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Seeds of many Amaryllidaceae are unorthodox (recalcitrant) and toxic, and cannot survive ingestion, yet are packaged in brightly colored fruits suggestive of zoochory. Seed dispersal and germination of the understory amaryllid, Clivia miniata, were investigated in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa. Motion‐activated cameras revealed that samango monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis labiatus) are the primary disperser of C. miniata seeds. They eat the mesocarp and, to a lesser extent, the exocarp, and spit the large (13 mm diameter) seeds whole and cleaned onto the forest floor. Most seeds were dispersed farther than 1 m from the parent. Experimental removal of the fruit pulp had a small positive effect on the rate of seed germination, but did not affect subsequent seedling growth rates. The main advantages of monkey dispersal of Clivia seeds appear to be short‐distance dispersal away from the dense foliage of clumped parent plants and occasional long‐distance dispersal through cheek‐pouching behavior.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Spit it out: Monkeys disperse the unorthodox and toxic seeds of Clivia miniata (Amaryllidaceae)

Kiepiel

Johnson

2019

Biotropica

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“…), oak (e.g. Quercus robur), black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) and bugweed (Solanum mauritanum) (Breytenbach 1988;Lawes et al 1990;Linden et al 2015;McMahon 1977;von dem Bussche and van der Zee 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reliance on Exotic Plants by Two Groups of Threatened Samango Monkeys, Cercopithecus albogularis labiatus, at Their Southern Range Limit

2017

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Understanding how threatened species adapt their behavior to landscapes shaped by humans is increasingly important to ensuring they persist in a changing world. Matrix habitats can be shared spaces where human and non-human primates co-exist. We set out to determine how an endemic, nationally threatened forest specialist, the frugivorous, arboreal samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis labiatus), has responded to a matrix habitat made up of residential gardens and commercial plantations in Eastern Cape province, South Africa. We followed two groups from dawn to dusk for a mean of three days per month for 12 months (1 February 2011 to 31 January 2012) using scan sampling to collect data on their diet, activity and ranging patterns. We used resource abundance transects to describe the groups' home ranges and monitored tree phenology to calculate fruit and seed availability indices. Monkeys from both groups consumed large quantities of exotic plant species, 2 accounting for over 50% of their overall annual diet, with seeds of the invasive black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) the most commonly consumed exotic species followed by acorns of two oak species (Quercus robur and palustris.). However, monkeys responded to the availability of indigenous rather than exotic fruits and seeds and increased their consumption of exotics when indigenous fruits were less available. While monkeys spent less time moving when feeding on exotic species compared to indigenous species, eating exotics did not free up monkeys' time to rest or socialize as additional time was required to process exotic foods. To offset the possible negative consequences of the monkeys' reliance on exotic seeds, including escalating conflict between monkeys and people in gardens, we suggest gradual removal of exotic plant species in the habitat and replacement with indigenous species as one mitigation strategy.

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Habitat selection of an endangered primate, the samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi): Integrating scales to prioritize habitat for wildlife management

Parker

Koyama

Hill

2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Seed Dispersal by South Africa's Only Forest-Dwelling Guenon, the Samango Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis)

Cited by 17 publications

References 46 publications

Spit it out: Monkeys disperse the unorthodox and toxic seeds of Clivia miniata (Amaryllidaceae)

Spit it out: Monkeys disperse the unorthodox and toxic seeds of Clivia miniata (Amaryllidaceae)

Reliance on Exotic Plants by Two Groups of Threatened Samango Monkeys, Cercopithecus albogularis labiatus, at Their Southern Range Limit

Habitat selection of an endangered primate, the samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi): Integrating scales to prioritize habitat for wildlife management

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