Skip to main content

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
Cancel
×
×
Home
  • Home
Chapter
  • Print publication year: 2016
  • Online publication date: March 2016

9 - The effects of the lunar cycle, temperature, and rainfall on the trapping success of wild brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus) in Ranomafana National Park, southeastern Madagascar

from Part II - Methods for studying captive and wild cheirogaleids
Export citation
Summary

Introduction

Micromammals are notoriously difficult to observe because of their small size, and their cryptic, and often nocturnal lifestyle (Halle and Stenseth, 2001). Therefore, live trapping methods are commonly employed to determine distribution, estimate population densities, and infer animal activity (Gentry et al., 1965; Vickery and Rivest, 1991; Atsalis, 2000; Caro et al., 2001; Radespiel et al., 2001; Schwab and Ganzhorn, 2004; Halle 2006; Prugh and Brashares, 2010). Because trapping is an indirect method of studying animal behavior, results should be interpreted cautiously (Prugh and Brashares, 2010), and should take into account a number of biotic and abiotic factors (Prugh and Golden, 2014). Factors that can affect activity and therefore capture rates of small mammals include predator behavior (Hilton et al., 1999; Michalski and Norris, 2011; Cozzi et al., 2012; Falcy and Danielson, 2013), and the temporal and spatial availability of food and shelter (Kotler et al., 1993; Caro et al., 2001; Davidson and Morris, 2001; Kelt et al., 2004). In addition, possible affects of season, temperature, rainfall, and the lunar cycle must be considered (Kotler et al., 1991; Daly et al., 1992; Sutherland and Predavec, 1999; Stokes et al., 2001; Michalski and Norris, 2011; Maestro and Marinho,2014; Prugh and Golden, 2014).

Small mammals may reduce activity during extreme temperatures (either hot or cold) due to thermoregulatory demands (Gentry and Odum, 1957; Vickery and Bider, 1981; Falcy and Danielson, 2013). Cold is especially dangerous to small mammals because of their susceptibility to hypothermia. This might explain why old-field mice (Peromyscus polionotus) were less frequently captured during cold than warm nights (Gentry and Odum, 1957), and why common voles (Microtus arvalis) reduced activity with decreasing temperature (Lehman and Sommersberg, 1980). Some small mammals (Lyman, 1983), including small primates such as mouse lemurs (Microcebus) and dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus), may become completely inactive for periods of time, undergoing hibernation (dwarf lemurs) or periods of torpor (Genin et al., 2005; Blanco and Godfrey, 2014). Mouse lemurs may be in an inactive, torpid state for days, weeks, or even months during the austral winter (Ortmann et al., 1997; Schmid, 2000).

Recommend this book

Email your librarian or administrator to recommend adding this book to your organisation's collection.

The Dwarf and Mouse Lemurs of Madagascar
  • Online ISBN: 9781139871822
  • Book DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139871822
Please enter your name
Please enter a valid email address
Who would you like to send this to *

CAPTCHA *

Skip to the audio challenge
×
Atsalis, S. 1999a. Seasonal fluctuations in body fat and activity levels in a rain-forest species of mouse lemur, Microcebus rufus. International Journal of Primatology 20:883–910.
Atsalis, S. 1999b. Diet of the brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus) in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. International Journal of Primatology 20:193–229.
Atsalis, S. 2000. Spatial distribution and population composition of the brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus) in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, and its implications for social organization. American Journal of Primatology 51:61–78.
Bearder, S, Nekaris, KA, Buzell, A. 2002. Dangers in the night: are some nocturnal primates afraid of the dark? In Miller, LE (ed.), Eat or Be Eaten: Predator Sensitive Foraging Among Primates (pp. 21–43). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Bearder, S, Nekaris, KA, Curtis, DJ. 2006. A re-evaluation of the role of vision in the activity and communication of nocturnal primates. Folia Primatologica 77:50–71.
Blanco, MB. 2008. Reproductive schedules of female Microcebus rufus at Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. International Journal of Primatology 29:323–338.
Blanco, MB, Godfrey, LR. 2014. Hibernation patterns of dwarf lemurs in the high altitude forest of eastern Madagascar. Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects pp. 23–42.
Blanco, MB, Meyer, JS. 2009. Assessing reproductive profiles in female brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus) from Ranomafana National Park, southeast Madagascar, using fecal hormone analysis. American Journal of Primatology 71:439–446.
Blumstein, DT, Daniel, JC, Griffin, AS, Evans, CS. 2000. Insular tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) respond to visual but not acoustic cues from predators. Behavioral Ecology 11:528–535.
Bouliska, A. 1995. Interactions between predation risk and competition: a field study of kangaroo rats and snakes. Ecology 76:165–178.
Bowers, MA, Jefferson, JL, Kuebler, MG. 1993. Variation in giving-up densities of foraging chipmunks (Tamias striatus) and squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis). Oikos 66:229–236.
Cadle, JE. 2003. Colubridae, snakes. In Goodman, SM, Benstead, JP (eds.), The Natural History of Madagascar (pp. 997–1004). University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Caro, TM, Brock, R, Kelly, M. 2001. Diversity of mammals in the Bladen Nature Reserve, Belize, and factors affecting their trapping success. Mammalian Biology 66:90–101.
Charles-Dominique, P. 1977. Ecology and Behaviour of Nocturnal Primates. Columbia University Press, New York.
Clarke, JA. 1983. Moonlight's influence on predator/prey interactions between short-eared owls (Asio flammeus) and deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 13:205–209.
Cozzi, G, Broekhuis, F, McNutt, JW, Turnbull, LA, MacDonald, DW, Schmid, B. 2012. Fear of the dark or dinner by moonlight? Reduced temporal partitioning among Africa's large carnivores. Ecology 93:2590–2599.
Cresswell, WJ, Harris, S. 1988. The effects of weather conditions on the movement and activity of badgers (Meles meles) in a suburban environment. Journal of Zoology, London 216:187–194.
Daly, M, Behrends, PR, Wilson, MI, Jacobs, LF. 1992. Behavioural modulation of predation risk: moonlight, avoidance and crepuscular compensation in a nocturnal rodent, Dipodomys merriami. Animal Behaviour 44:1–9.
Davidson, DL, Morris, DW. 2001. Density-dependent foraging effort of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Functional Ecology 15:575–583.
Deppe, AM. 2005. Visual predator recognition and response in wild brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus) in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. American Journal of Primatology 66(Suppl 1):97–98.
Deppe, AM. 2006. Visual snake recognition in wild brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus). American Journal of Primatology 68(Suppl 1):34.
Deppe, AM, Wright, PC. 2007. Owl recognition via visual, olfactory, and auditory sensory cues in a small nocturnal primate, Microcebus rufus, in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Prosimian Congress, Ithala, p. 43.
Deppe, AM, Randriamiarisoa, M, Kasprak, AH, Wright, PC. 2008. Predation on the brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus) by a diurnal carnvivore, the ring-tailed mongoose (Galidia elegans). Lemur News 13:17–18.
Dice, LR. 1945. Minimum intensities of illumination under which owls can find dead prey by sight. The American Naturalist 784:385–415.
Dollar, L, Ganzhorn, J, Goodman, SM. 2007. Primates and other prey in the seasonally variable diet of Cryptoprocta ferox in the dry deciduous forest on western Madagascar. In Gursky, A, Nekaris, KAI (eds.), Primate Anti-predator Strategies (pp. 63–76). Springer, New York.
Donati, G, Lunardini, A, Keppeler, PM, Tarli, SM Borgognini. 2001. Nocturnal activity in the cathemeral red-fronted lemur (Eulemur fulvus rufus), with observations during a lunar eclipse. American Journal of Primatology 53:69–78.
Doucet, CJ, Bider, JR. 1974. The effects of weather on the activity of the masked shrew. Journal of Mammalogy 55:348–363.
Emmons, LH, Sherman, P, Bolster, D, et al. 1989. Ocelot behaviour in moonlight. In Redford, KH, Eisenberg, JF (eds.), Advances in Neotropical Mammalogy (pp.233–242). Sandhill Crane Press, Gainesville.
Eppely, TM, Ganzhorn, JU, Donati, G. 2015. Cathemerality in a small, folivorous primate: proximate control of diel activity in Hapalemur meridionalis.Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology April: DOI 10.1007/s00265-015-1911-3.
Erkert, HG. 1974. Der Einfluss des Mondlichtes auf die Aktivitätsperiodik nachtaktiver Säugetiere. Oecologia 14:269–287.
Erkert, HG. 1989. Lighting requirements of nocturnal primates in captivity: a chronological approach. Zoo Biology 8:179–191.
Erkert, HG, Gröber, J. 1986. Direct modulation of activity and body temperature of owl monkeys (Aotus lemurinus griseimembra) by low light intensities. Folia Primatologica 47:171–188.
Falcy, MR, Danielson, B. 2013. A complex relationship between moonlight and temperature on the foraging behavior of the Alabama beach mouse. Ecology 94:2632–2637.
Fenton, MB, Boyle, NG, Harrison, TM, Oxley, D J. 1977. Activity patterns, habitat use, and prey selection by some African insectivorous bats. Biotropica 9:73–85.
Fernandez-Duque, E, Erkert, HG. 2006. Cathemerality and lunar periodicity of activity rhythms in owl monkeys of the Argentinian Chaco. Folia Primatologica 77:123–138.
Genin, F, Schilling, A, Perret, M. 2005. Social inhibition of seasonal fattening in wild and captive gray mouse lemurs. Physiology & Behavior 86:185–194.
Gentry, JB, Odum, EP. 1957. The effect of weather on the winter activity of old-field rodents. Journal of Mammalogy 38:72–78.
Gentry, JB, Golley, FB, McGinnis, JT. 1965. Effect of weather on captures of small mammals. The American Midland Naturalist 75:526–530.
Goodman, SM. 2003a. Predation on lemurs. In Goodman, SM, Benstead, JP (eds.), The Natural History of Madagascar (pp. 1221–1228). University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Goodman, SM. 2003b. Carnivora: Galidia elegans, ring-tailed mongoose, Vontsira mena. In Goodman, SM, Benstead, JP (eds.), The Natural History of Madagascar (pp.1351–1354). University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Goodman, SM. 2003c. Galidictis, broad striped mongoose, Vontsira fotsy. In Goodman, SM, Benstead, JP (eds.), The Natural History of Madagascar (pp. 1355–1357). University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Goodman, SM, O'Connor, S, Langrand, O. 1993. A review of predation on lemurs: implications for the evolution of social behavior in small, nocturnal primates. In Kappeler, PM, Ganzhorn, JU (eds.), Lemur Social Systems and their Ecological Basis (pp. 51–66). Plenum Press, New York.
Görlitz, H, Siemers, BM. 2007. Sensory ecology of prey rustling sounds: acoustical features and their classification by wild grey mouse lemurs. Functional Ecology 21:143–153.
Gursky, S. 2003. Lunar philia in a nocturnal primate. International Journal of Primatology 24:351–367.
Halle, S. 2006. Polyphasic activity patterns in small mammals. Folia Primatologica 77:15–26.
Halle, S, Stenseth, NC. 2001. Activity Patterns in Small Mammals: An Ecological Approach. Springer, New York.
Harcourt, C. 1987. Brief trap/retrap study of the brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus). Folia Primatologica 49:209–211.
Harmsen, B, Foster, R, Siver, SC, Ostro, LET, Doncaster, CP. 2011. Jaguar and puma activity patterns in relation to their main prey. Mammalian Biology 76:320–324.
Hawkins, CE. 2003. Cryptoprocta ferox, fossa, Fosa. In Goodman, SM, Benstead, JP (eds.), The Natural History of Madagascar (pp. 1360–1363). University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Hawkins, CE, Goodman, SM. 2003. Introduction to the birds. In Goodman, SM, Benstead, JP (eds.), The Natural History of Madagascar (pp. 1019–1044). University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Hilton, GM, Ruxton, GD, Cresswell, W. 1999. Choice of foraging area with respect to predation risk in redshanks: the effects of weather and predator activity. Oikos 87:295–302.
Hughes, JJ, Ward, D, Perrin, MR. 1994. Predation risk and competition affect habitat selection and activity of Namib desert gerbils. Ecology 75:1397–1405.
Jahoda, JC. 1970. The effects of rainfall on the activity of Onychomys leucogaster breviauritus. American Zoologist 10:326.
Jahoda, JC. 1973. The effect of the lunar cycle on the activity pattern of Onchomys leucogaster breviauritus. Journal of Mammalogy 54:544–549.
Kappeler, PM, Rasoloarison, RM. 2003. Microcebus, mouse lemurs. In Goodman, SM, Benstead, JP (eds.), The Natural History of Madagascar (pp. 1310–1315). University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Karpanty, S. 2006. Direct and indirect impacts of raptor predation on lemurs in southeastern Madagascar. International Journal of Primatology 27:239–261.
Karpanty, S, Wright, PC. 2007. Predation on lemurs in the rainforest of Madagascar by multiple predator species: observations and experiments. In Gursky, A, Nekaris, KAI (eds.), Primate Anti-predator Strategies (pp. 77–99). Springer, New York.
Kelt, DA, Meserve, PL, Nabors, LK, Forister, ML, Gutierrez, JR. 2004. Foraging ecology of small mammals in semiarid Chile: the interplay of biotic and abiotic factors. Ecology 85:383–397.
Kerridge, FJ, Ralisoamalala, RC, Goodman, SM, Pasnick, SD. 2003. In Goodman, SM, Benstead, JP (eds.), The Natural History of Madagascar (pp. 1363–1365). University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Kirk, EC, Kay, RF. 2004. The evolution of high visual acuity in the anthropoidea. In Ross, CF, Kay, RF (eds.), Anthropoid Origins: New Visions (pp. 539–602). Kluwer, New York.
Konishi, M. 1973. Locatable and nonlocatable acoustic signals from barn owls. The American Naturalist 107:775–785.
Kotler, BP. 1984. Risk of predation and the structure of desert rodent communities. Ecology 65:689–701.
Kotler, BP, Brown, JS, Hasson, O. 1991. Factors affecting gerbil foraging behavior and rates of owl predation. Ecology 7:22249–22260.
Kotler, BP, Brown, JS, Mitchell, WA. 1993. Environmental factors affecting patch use in two species of gerbilline rodents. Journal of Mammalogy 54:256–260.
Lang, AB, Kalko, EKV, Roemer, H, Bockholdt, C, Dechmann, DKN. 2006. Activity levels of bats and katydids in relation to the lunar cycle. Behavioral Ecology 146:659–666.
Lehmann, U, Sommersberg, CW. 1980. Activity patterns of the common vole, Microtus arvalis–automatic recording of behaviour in an enclosure. Oecologia 47:61–75.
Lillywhite, HB, Brischoux, F. 2012. Is it better in the moonlight? Nocturnal activity of insular cottonmouth snakes increases with lunar light levels. Journal of Zoology 286:194–199.
Lockard, RB, Owings, DH. 1974. Seasonal variation in moonlight avoidance by bannertail kangaroo rats. Journal of Mammalogy 55:189–193.
Lyman, C. 1983. Hiberation and Torpor in Mammals and Birds. Academic Press, London.
Maestri, R, Marinho, JR. 2014. Singing in the rain. Rainfall and moonlight affect daily activity patterns of rodents in a Neotropical forest. Acta Theriologica 59:427–433.
Michalski, F, Norris, D. 2011. Activity pattern of Cuniculus paca (Rodentia: Cuniculidae) in relation to lunar illumination and other abiotic variables in the southern Brazilian Amazon.Zoologia 28:701–708.
Morrison, DW. 1978. Lunar phobia in a neotropical fruit bat, Artibeus jamaicensis (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). Animal Behaviour 26:852–855.
Nash, LT. 1986. Influence of moonlight level on traveling and calling patterns in two sympatric species of Galago in Kenya. In Taub, D, King, F (eds.), Current Perspectives in Primate Social Dynamics (pp. 357–367). Van Norstrand, New York.
Nash, LT. 2007. Moonlight and behavior in nocturnal and cathemeral primates, especially Lepilemur leucopus: illuminating possible anti-predator efforts. In Gursky, S, Nekaris, KAI (eds.), Primate Anti-predator Strategies (pp. 173–205). Springer, New York.
Ortmann, S, Heldmaier, G, Schmid, J, Ganzhorn, JU. 1997. Spontaneous daily torpor in Malagasy mouse lemurs. Naturwissenschaften 84:28–34.
Payne, RS. 1971. Acoustic location of prey by barn owls (Tyto alba). Journal of Experimental Biology 54:535–573.
Plesner, Jensen S, Honess, P. 1995. The influence of moonlight on vegetation height preference and trappability of small mammals. Mammalia 59:35–42.
Price, MV, Waser, NM, Bass, TA. 1984. Effects of moonlight on microhabitat use by desert rodents. Journal of Mammalogy 65:353–356.
Prugh, LR, Brashares, J. 2010. Basking in the moonlight? Effect of illumination on capture success of the endangered giant kangaroo rat. Journal of Mammalogy 91:1205–1212.
Prugh, LR, Golden, CD. 2014. Does moonlight increase predation risk? Meta-analysis reveals divergent responses of nocturnal mammals to lunar cycles. Journal of Animal Ecology 83:504–514.
Radespiel, U, Sarikaya, Z, Zimmermann, E. 2001. Sociogenetic structure in a free-living nocturnal primate population: sex-specific differences in the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 50:493–502.
Raxworthy, C. 2003. Boidae, boas. In Goodman, SM, Benstead, JP (eds.), The Natural History of Madagascar (pp. 993–997). University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Rode-Margano, EJ, Nekaris, KAI. 2014. Impact of climate and moonlight on a venomous mammal, the Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus Geoffroy, 1812). Contributions to Zoology 83:217–225.
Schmid, J. 2000. Daily torpor in the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus) in Madagascar. Oecologia 123:175–183.
Schmid, J. 2001. Daily torpor in free-ranging gray mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) in Madagascar. Folia Primatologica 22:1021–1031.
Schwab, D, Ganzhorn, JU. 2004. Distribution, population structure and habitat use of Microcebus berthae compared to those of other sympatric cheirogaleids. Folia Primatologica 25: 307–330.
Starr, C, Mekaris, KAI, Leung, L. 2012. Hiding from the moonlight: luminosity and temperature affect activity of Asian nocturnal primates in a highly seasonal forest. PloS ONE 7:e36396.
Stokes, MK, Slade, NA, Blair, SM. 2001. Influences of weather and moonlight on activity patterns of small mammals: a biogeographical perspective. Canadian Journal of Zoology 79:966–972.
Sutherland, DR, Predavec, M. 1999. The effects of moonlight on microhabitat use by Antechinus agilis (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Australian Journal of Zoology 47:1–17.
Tetreault, N, Hakeem, A, Allman, JM. 2004. The distribution and size of ganglion cells in Cheirogaleus medius and Tarsius syrichta: implications for the evolution of sensory systems in primates. In Ross, CF, Kay, RF (eds.), Anthropoid Origins: New Visions (pp. 463–475). Kluwer, New York.
Upham, NS, Hafner, JC. 2013. Do nocturnal rodents in the Great Basin Desert avoid moonlight?Journal of Mammalogy 94:59–72.
Vermeij, JG. 1982. Unsuccessful predation and evolution. The American Naturalist 120:701–720.
Vickery, WL, Bider, JR. 1981. The influence of weather on rodent activity. Journal of Mammalogy 62:140–145.
Vickery, WL, Rivest, D. 1991. The influence of weather on habitat use by small mammals. Ecography 15:205–211.
Wright, PC. 1989. The nocturnal primate niche in the New World. Journal of Human Evolution 18:635–658.
Wright, PC. 1992. Primate ecology, rainforest conservation, and economic development: building a national park in Madagascar. Evolutionary Anthropology 1:25–33.
Wright, PC, Andriamihaja, B. 2002. Making a rain forest park work in Madagascar: Ranomafana National Park and its long-term research commitment. In Terborgh, J, VanSchaik, C, Davenport, L, Rao, M (eds.), Making Parks Work: Strategies for Preserving Tropical Nature (pp. 112–136). Island Press, Washington, DC.
Cancel
Confirm
×