Aktuelle Forschung an Primaten

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
Mouse lemurs are the smallest primates on earth. They are endemic to Madagascar, where they are increasingly endangered by anthropogenically caused habitat degradation. Mouse lemurs are unique primate models for evolutionary, aging and genomic research. They exhibit extraordinary species diversity with limited vs. broad ranges in the Malagasy tropical forests. They have a long longevity related to body size (up to 15 years in the laboratory, about 9 years in the field) which is, however, much shorter than for common anthropoid primate models. Furthermore, some, but not all, aging individuals develop an AD-like pathology as found in Alzheimer patients or show human-like aging-related diseases such as cancer or ocular pathologies (e.g. cataracts). Likewise mouse lemurs are one of the primate models, for which the full genome is published. In 1985, Elke Zimmermann founded the colony of gray mouse lemurs of the Institute of Zoology (IfZ), by two founder pairs coming from the University of Tübingen (Jörg Ganzhorn). Founder pairs stem from the Rotterdam Zoo and were tracked back to their origin in south-eastern Madagascar (Mandena). To increase the genetic diversity of the colony, the offspring of these founders (originally based at the University of Stuttgart-Hohenheim, moving later on to the University of Constance, the German Primate Centre and finally completely to the Institute of Zoology at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover) were cross-bred with mouse lemurs coming from the Rotterdam Zoo, the Netherlands, in 1993 and the Parc Zoologique de Vincennes, France, in 1996. The colony is a self-sustaining breeding colony for which the life history of each individual mouse lemur is documented from birth to death in a mouse lemur database. Tissues from these individually known mouse lemurs are collected for veterinary purposes, or after the natural death of an animal. This colony of mouse lemurs is registered in the European and International Studbook of the Cheirogaleidae. Animals are used for non-invasive integrative and comparative research in the field of behaviour, physiology, reproduction, sensory biology, communication, cognition, genetics/genomics, aging, conservation biology and veterinary medicine. Furthermore, they are used for comparative research projects that are conducted together with several academic institutions studying the effect of different factors (e.g. general maintenance conditions, different photoperiod regimes, enrichment, group composition, genetic lineages) on the physiology, behaviour, communication, cognition, reproduction, longevity and health status of the colonies.

Resultate:

e.g.

The Tabula Microcebus Consortium*; Ezran, C.; Liu, S.; Chang, S.; Ming, J.; Botvinnik, O.; Penland, L.; Tarashansky, A.; de Morree, A.; Travaglini, K.J.; Zhao, J.; Wang, G.; Hasegawa, K.; Sin, H.; Sit, R.; Okamoto, J.; Sinha, R.; Zhang, Y.; Karanewsky, C.J.; Pendleton, J.L.; Morri, M.; Perret, M.; Aujard, F.; Stryer, L.; Artandi, S.; Fuller, M.; Weissman, I.L.; Rando, T.A.; Ferrell Jr., J.E.; Wang, B.; De Vlaminck, I.; Yang, C.; Casey, K.M.; Albertelli, M.A.; Pisco, A.O.; Karkanias, J.; Neff, N.; Wu, A.R.; Quake, S.R.; Krasnow, M.A. (2025): Tabula Microcebus: A molecular cell atlas of mouse lemur, an emerging model primate. Nature, 644:173-184. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09113-9. (* U.R. member of the Microcebus Consortium)

 

Ezran, C.; Liu, S.; Chang, S.; Ming, J.; Guethlein, L.A.; Wang, M.F.Z.; Dehghannasiri, R.; Olivieri, J.; Frank, H.K.; Tarashansky, A.; Koh, W.; Jing, Q.; Botvinnik, O.; Antony, J.; The Tabula Microcebus Consortium*; Oliveira Pisco, A.; Karkanias, J.; Yang, C.; Ferrell Jr., J.E.; Boyd, S.D.; Parham, P.; Long, J.Z.; Wang, B.; Salzman, J.; De Vlaminck, I.; Wu, A.; Quake, S.R.; Krasnow, M.A. (2025): Mouse lemur cell atlas informs primate genes, physiology, and disease. Mouse lemur cell atlas informs primate genes, physiology and disease. Nature, 644: 185-196. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09114-8. (* U.R. member of the Microcebus Consortium)

 

Wittkowski, J.*; Klein, A.*; Kollikowski, A.*; Scheumann, M.*; Schmidtke, D.*; Zimmermann, E.?*; Radespiel, U.* (2024): The mouse lemurs. In: The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals, 9th Edition. (H. Golledge, C. Richardson, eds.). John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (*: contributed equally to this chapter), pp. 662-682. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119555278.ch36.

 

Bleyer, M.; Radespiel, U.; Klein, A.; Kollikowski, A.; Ströbel, P.; Mätz-Rensing, K.; Gruber-Dujardin, E. (2024): Spontaneous soft tissue tumours in aged mouse lemurs. Journal of Comparative Pathology, 215, 47-54.

 

Fritz, R.; Zimmermann, E.; Meier, M.; Mestre-Francés, N.; Radespiel, U.; Schmidtke, D. (2020): Neurobiological substrates of animal personality and cognition in a nonhuman primate (Microcebus murinus). Brain and Behavior, e01752. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1752.

Kooperationspartner:

Prof. Pees, Klinik für Heimtiere

Zoo Zürich, Schweiz; Zoo Frankfurt, Zoo Landau,

Zoo Vincennes, Frankreich; Zoo Pilsen, CZ

Prof. J.-M. Verdier, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris, Frankreich

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie
Institut für Tierhygiene Tierschutz und Nutztierethologie

Projektdetails:
Mit Sprachassistenten wie Alexa, Siri und Cortana hat die Spracherkennungs- und Steuerungssoftware einen festen Platz in unserem Alltag gefunden. Auch Tierstimmen enthalten eine Fülle an Informationen über das Sendertier, wie beispielsweise Art, Identität, Geschlecht, Alter, Körpergröße, emotionalen Zustand, Krankheiten und Hormonstatus. Die Bioakustik ermöglicht somit die Entwicklung von non-invasiven, zeit- und kosteneffizienten, automatischen bioakustischen Überwachungssystemen von Tieren. Hierfür werden Mikrofone installiert, die die Lautäußerungen der Tiere rund um die Uhr aufzeichnen, ohne sie zu stören oder zu beeinflussen. Die Aufnahmen können mithilfe mathematischer Algorithmen automatisch analysiert werden, um spezifische Informationen zu extrahieren. Darüber hinaus können psychoakustische Werkzeuge eingesetzt werden, um gezielte positive Verhaltensweisen hervorzurufen. Solche bioakustischen Werkzeuge können sowohl zur Klarifizierung taxonomischer Fragen, Überwachung von Wildtieren als auch zur Verbesserung von Tierhaltungen eingesetzt werden und spielen somit zunehmend eine wichtige Rolle im Artenschutz und im Tiermanagement. Das Ziel dieses Projekts ist es, die vielfältigen Anwendungsmöglichkeiten zu erkunden und bioakustische Monitoring Systeme für Artenschutz und Tiermanagement zu entwickeln.

Resultate:

van Elst T, Sgarlata GM, Schüßler D, Tiley GP, Poelstra JW, Scheumann M, Blanco MB, Aleixo-Pais IG, Rina Evasoa M, Ganzhorn JU, Goodman SM, Hasiniaina AF, Hending D, Hohenlohe PA, Ibouroi MT, Iribar A, Jan F, Kappeler PM, Le Pors B, Manzi S, Olivieri G, Rakotonanahary AN, Rakotondranary SJ, Rakotondravony R, Ralison JM, Ranaivoarisoa JF, Randrianambinina B, Rasoloarison RM, Rasoloharijaona S, Rasolondraibe E, Teixeira H, Zaonarivelo JR, Louis EE, Yoder AD, Chikhi L, Radespiel U, Salmona J (2025). Integrative taxonomy clarifies the evolution of a cryptic primate clade. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 9(1), 57-72. DOI:10.1038/s41559-024-02547-w.

 

Heseker P, Bergmann T, Liebolt M-A, Traulsen I, Kemper N, Probst J, Scheumann M (2024a). Exposing tail biters by automatic scream detection. Smart Agricultural Technology, 9. DOI:10.1016/j.atech.2024.100582.

 

Heseker P, Bergmann T, Scheumann M, Traulsen I, Kemper N, Probst J (2024b). Detecting tail biters by monitoring pig screams in weaning pigs. Scientific Report, 14(1), 4523. DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-55336-7.

 

Pfannerstill V, Balkenhol N, Bennitt E, Maboga O, Scheumann M (2023a). Assessing the potential of conspecific playbacks as a post-translocation management tool for white rhinoceros. Conservation Science and Practice, 5(9), e12996. DOI:10.1111/csp2.12996.

 

Hasiniaina AF, Radespiel U, Kessler SE, Evasoa MR, Rasoloharijaona S, Randrianambinina B, Zimmermann E+, Schmidt S, Scheumann M+ (2020). Evolutionary significance of the variation in acoustic communication of a cryptic nocturnal primate radiation (Microcebus spp.). Ecology and Evolution, 10(8), 3784-3797. DOI:10.1002/ece3.6177; + shared senior authorship

Drittmittelprojekt: DFG Zi 345/27-1, 328.407 EUR

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
Ziel des Projekts ist es, erstmals einen Beitrag zur Aufklärung der vokalen Flexibilität eines vokal aktiven und stammesgeschichtlich basalen Primaten während der Entwicklung zu leisten. Unsere bisherigen Forschungsergebnisse an der basalen Primatenart Mausmaki deuten auf eine unerwartet hohe vokale Flexibilität in der frühen Ontogenese, die in der weiteren Entwicklung abnimmt. Zu ihrer Untersuchung schlagen wir drei verschiedene, miteinander verzahnte Arbeitsprogramme vor. Die Präsenz und Rolle von Brabbeln (babbling) und vokalem Austausch (vocal-turn taking) während der Entwicklung sowie potentielle Determinanten, die zu entwicklungsbedingten Veränderungen in der vokalen Struktur führen, wollen wir durch standardisierte bioakustische und videografische verhaltensbiologische Untersuchungen an einem Datensatz von insgesamt 26 Kindern währen der Entwicklung und ihren 13 Müttern erfassen. Über Maschinenlernansätze, die auch selbst-organisierende neurale Netze einschließen, wollen wir die Dynamik der Veränderungen während der Entwicklung automatisiert quantifizieren und mögliche, zu Grunde liegende Regeln ableiten. Über Larnyxexperimente, verbunden mit histologischen und MikroCT-Untersuchungen des Vokaltrakts sowie über Hochgeschwindigkeitsvideoaufnahmen von Mund- und Zungenbewegungen während des Vokalisierens, wollen wir einen ersten Einblick in die Mechanik der Lautproduktion eines basalen Primaten erhalten und mögliche biomechanische Zwänge der vokalen Flexibilität erfassen. Die integrative Bearbeitung der verschiedenen Datensets wird eine Validierung der eingesetzten Methoden erlauben. Das Vorhaben stellt eine wichtige empirische Grundlage für die vergleichende akustische Kommunikationsforschung bei Säugetieren dar und trägt dazu bei, die stammesgeschichtlichen Wurzeln der vokalen Flexibilität in der Primatenkommunikation als wichtigen Baustein für die Evolution von Sprache zu verstehen.

Resultate:

e.g.,

 

Langehennig-Peristenidou A, Scheumann M (2024). Sex differences in the impact of social relationships on individual vocal signatures in grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus). Philosophical Transaction of the Royal Society B, 379, 20230193. DOI:10.1098/rstb.2023.0193.

 

Langehennig-Peristenidou, A.; Romero-Mujalli, D.; Bergmann, T.; Scheumann, M. (2023). Features of animal babbling in the vocal ontogeny of the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). Scientific reports, 13(1), 21384.

 

Romero-Mujalli, D.; Bergmann, T.; Zimmermann, A.; & Scheumann, M. (2021). Utilizing DeepSqueak for automatic detection and classification of mammalian vocalizations: a case study on primate vocalizations. Scientific reports, 11(1), 1-15.

 

Scheumann, M.; Linn, S.; Zimmermann, E. (2017). Vocal greeting during mother-infant reunions in a nocturnal primate, the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). Scientific Reports 7: 10321. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10417-8.

Kooperationspartner:

Prof. Coen Elemans (Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark)

Prof. Tecumseh Fitch and Christian Herbst, PhD (Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria)

Prof. Axel Zimmermann (University of Aalen, Aalen, Germany)

Dr. Roland Frey (Leibniz Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung, Berlin, Germany)

Drittmittelprojekt: DFG (RA 502/20-1 and others), Volkswagen-Stiftung, DAAD (PhD/reinvitation fellowship to BR, SR, RoR, RiR, AH), private donors, Biopat e.V.; Small Rufford Fund

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
A central question in evolutionary and conservation biology is how and to what extent species adapt to habitat fluctuations in their natural environment and to what extent environmental flexibility is linked to distribution and speciation. We address these questions in a longterm research programme by a comparative and integrative approach to nocturnal lemurs, a unique model for basal primates. Lemurs are endemic to Madagascar. Current research revealed a much higher species diversity in nocturnal lemurs than previously assumed. Lemurs underwent a broad-scale adaptive radiation after their initial colonization of Madagascar about 60 Mya. Extant lemurs consist of more than 100 species which inhabit the various forest habitats of the Island. Many species, in particular nocturnal species, have only been described recently, partly by our group. The underlying colonisation history and the factors driving this diversification are so far only poorly known. Here, we aim to understand the factors that promoted this radiation and shaped distribution, adaptation and genetic structures of lemurs. We are also addressing the question of the basis of reproductive isolation of species. These analyses are focused on the genera Microcebus spp., Lepilemur spp. and Avahi ssp. Whereas some species within a taxon show quite limited, others show broad distributions. Nocturnal lemurs belong to the endangered primates due to anthopogenically caused habitat degradation and poaching. We perform field studies, supplemented by experimental studies, particulary in north-western, northern and eastern Madagascar, using comparable methods, to study the ecology, behaviour, communication, parasite infections and the genetics of populations of lemurs of the same taxon showing contrasting distribution and to assess sensory, vocal, ecological and social determinants of species flexibility and its link to genetics. Our current research focus is on mouse lemurs, sportive lemurs and woolly lemurs. Results will deliver important tools to monitor and manage the biodiversity in tropical forests. Furthermore they will be a first step to understand the evolution of the unique species diversity of lemurs in Madagascar and the origin and evolution of our own primate ancestry.

Resultate:

e.g.

Ganzhorn, J.U.; Andriambeloson,J.B.; Atsalis, S.; Behrendt, L.M.; Blanco, M.B.; Bollen, A.; Carrière, S.M.; Chikhi, L.; Dammhahn, M.; Donati, F.; Eppley, T.M.; Ernest, R.; Giertz, P.; Goodman, S.M.; Hending, D.; Holst, F.; Irwin, M.T.; Lahann, P.; Louis Jr., E.E.; Radespiel, U.; Rakotondranary, S.F.; Ramanamanjato, J.-B.; Ramananjato, V.; Randriatafika, F.; Ratovonamana, Y.R.; Razafindratsima, O.; Roberts, S.-H.; Salmona, J.; Schwab, D.; Tsagnangara, C. (2024): Facilitated Forest Restoration by Pioneer Seed Dispersers in Madagascar: the Example of Microcebus spp. Land, 13:1971. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13121971

 

Ganzhorn, J.U.; Ratovonamana, Y.R.; Rother, M.; Giertz, P.; Andrews, C.A.; Baumann, S.; Bohr, Y.E.-M.B.; Kappeler, P.M.; Montero, K.B.; Pommerening-Roeser, A.; Radespiel, U.; Rakotondranary, J.S.; Schülke, O.; Steffens, K.J.E.; Thorén, S.; Timmermann, G.; Tomaschewski, I. (2023): Nutritional and possible pharmaceutical aspects of tree exudates eaten by lemurs of Madagascar?s dry forests. Separations, 10, 575. https:// doi.org/10.3390/separations10110575

 

Schüßler, D.; Blanco, M.B.; Guthrie, N.K.; Sgarlata, G.M.; Dammhahn, M.; Refaly, E.; Rina Evasoa, M.; Hasiniaina, A.; Hending, D.; Jan, F.; le Pors, B.; Miller, A.; Olivieri, G.; Rakotonanahary, A.N.; Rakotondranary, S.J.; Rakotondravony, R.; Ralantoharijaona, T.; Ramananjato, V.; Randrianambinina, B.; Raoelinjanakolona, N.N.; Rasoazanabary, E.; Rasoloarison, R.M.; Rasolofoson, D.W.; Rasoloharijaona, S.; Rasolondraibe, E.; Roberts, S.H.; Teixeira, H.; van Elst, T.; Johnson, S.E.; Ganzhor, J.U.; Chikhi, L.; Kappeler, P.M.; Louis Jr., E.E.; Salmona, J.; Radespiel, U. (2023): Morphological variability or inter-observer bias? A methodological toolkit to improve data quality of multi-researcher datasets for the analysis of morphological variation. Am. J. of Biol. Anthropol., 183, 60-78. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24836

 

Marquès Gomila, C.; Kiene, F.; Klein, A.; Kessler, S.E.; Zohdy, S.; Rakotondravony, R.; Durden, L.A.; Radespiel, U. (2023): Host-related and environmental factors influence long-term ectoparasite infestation dynamics of mouse lemurs in northwestern Madagascar. Am. J. Primatol., 85(6), e23494. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23494

 

Springer, A.; Durden L.A.; Kiene F.; Klein, A.; Rakotondravony, R.; Ehlers, J.; Greiman, S.E.; Blanco, M.B.; Zohdy, S.; Kessler, S.E.; Strube, C.*; Radespiel, U.* (2023): Molecular phylogenetics of the sucking louse genus Lemurpediculus (Insecta: Phthiraptera), ectoparasites of lemurs, with descriptions of three new species. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 20, 138-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.02.002 (*: joint senior authors)

Kooperationspartner:

Prof. Dr. Blanchard Randrianbinina (BR), Université de Mahajanga, Madagascar

Prof. Dr. Solofonirina Rasoloharijaona (SR), Université de Mahajanga, Madagascar

Dr. Romule Rasoloarison (RoR), Université de Mahajanga, Madagascar

Dr. Rindra Ramanankirahina (RiR), Dr. Hanta Razafindraibe, Université de Antananarivo, Madagascar

Alida Hasinianina, PhD, Madagascar

Mamy R. Evasoa, PhD, University of Mahajanga, Madagascar

Dr. L. Chikhi, Toulouse University, France

Prof. B. Crowley, University of Cincinnati, USA

Groupe d'Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar

Prof. J. Ratsimbazafy, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar