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Ranging patterns and parasitism in primates.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Nunn, CL; Dokey, AT-W
Published in: Biology letters
September 2006

Competing hypotheses exist concerning the influence of ranging patterns on parasitism. More intensive use of a home range could result in greater exposure to infectious agents that accumulate in the soil. Alternatively, when more intensive ranging is associated with territorial defence, this could decrease home range overlap and produce lower levels of parasitism. We tested these hypotheses using phylogenetic comparative methods and parasite richness data for 119 primate species. Helminth richness increased with the defensibility index, a quantitative measure of home range use that correlates with the degree of territoriality in primates. This association was independent of other host traits that influence parasite richness in primates. Results involving non-vector transmitted helminths produced the most significant results, suggesting that the relationship between territorial behaviour and parasitism is driven by accumulation of parasites in defended home ranges. In addition, costs associated with greater ranging could increase susceptibility to infectious agents.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Biology letters

DOI

EISSN

1744-957X

ISSN

1744-9561

Publication Date

September 2006

Volume

2

Issue

3

Start / End Page

351 / 354

Related Subject Headings

  • Species Specificity
  • Primates
  • Population Dynamics
  • Phylogeny
  • Parasites
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Helminths
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Environment
  • Body Constitution
 

Citation

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Nunn, C. L., & Dokey, A.-W. (2006). Ranging patterns and parasitism in primates. Biology Letters, 2(3), 351–354. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2006.0485
Nunn, Charles L., and Adrian Tae-Won Dokey. “Ranging patterns and parasitism in primates.Biology Letters 2, no. 3 (September 2006): 351–54. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2006.0485.
Nunn CL, Dokey AT-W. Ranging patterns and parasitism in primates. Biology letters. 2006 Sep;2(3):351–4.
Nunn, Charles L., and Adrian Tae-Won Dokey. “Ranging patterns and parasitism in primates.Biology Letters, vol. 2, no. 3, Sept. 2006, pp. 351–54. Epmc, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0485.
Nunn CL, Dokey AT-W. Ranging patterns and parasitism in primates. Biology letters. 2006 Sep;2(3):351–354.
Journal cover image

Published In

Biology letters

DOI

EISSN

1744-957X

ISSN

1744-9561

Publication Date

September 2006

Volume

2

Issue

3

Start / End Page

351 / 354

Related Subject Headings

  • Species Specificity
  • Primates
  • Population Dynamics
  • Phylogeny
  • Parasites
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Helminths
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Environment
  • Body Constitution