Protozoan parasites in group‐living primates: testing the biological island hypothesis

摘要: A series of articles by W.J. Freeland published in the 1970s proposed that social organization and behavioral processes were heavily influenced parasitic infections, which led to a number intriguing hypotheses concerning how natural selection might act on factors because benefits avoiding parasite infections. For example, [1979] showed all individuals within given group harbored identical gastrointestinal protozoan faunas, him postulate groups akin “biological islands” suggest this isolation could select specific types ranging dispersal patterns. Here, we reexamine biological island hypothesis quantifying faunas same primate species examined location; our results do not support hypothesis. In contrast, quantified two general changes community primates study area Kibale National Park, Uganda, over nearly 35 years between sample collections: (1) colobines found free parasites early are now infected with numerous intestinal (2) no longer islands terms their parasites. Whatever ultimate explanation for these changes, findings have implications studies proposing selective forces shaping behavior organization. Am. J. Primatol. 74:510–517, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.