Manipulative repertoire of bonobos (Pan paniscus) in spontaneous feeding situation. Issue 7 (13th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gérard, Caroline; Bardo, Ameline; Guéry, Jean P.; Pouydebat, Emmanuelle; Simmen, Bruno; Narat, Victor
• Is Part Of: American journal of primatology. Volume 84:Issue 7(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-04-13
• Subjects: food manipulation -- grasping posture -- Pan paniscus -- tool‐use; Primates -- Periodicals; Primates -- Périodiques; 599.8
• DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23383
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0275-2565

Abstract

Abstract: Comparative behavioral studies of hand use amongst primate species, including humans, have been central in research on evolutionary mechanisms. In particular, the manipulative abilities of our closest relatives, the chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ), have been widely described in various contexts, showing a high level of dexterity both in zoo and in natural conditions. In contrast, the study of bonobos' manipulative abilities has almost exclusively been carried out in experimental contexts related to tool use. The objective of the present study is to describe the richness of the manipulative repertoire of zoo‐housed bonobos, in a spontaneous feeding context including various physical substrates to gain a larger insight into our evolutionary past. Our study describes a great variety of grasping postures and grip associations in bonobos, close to the range of manipulative repertoire in chimpanzees, confirming that the two species are not markedly different in terms of cognitive and morphological constraints associated with food manipulation. We also observed differences in manipulative behaviors between juveniles and adults, indicating a greater diversity in grip associations and grasping postures used in isolation with age, and a sex‐biased use of tools with females using tools more often than males. These results are consistent with the previous results in the Pan genus and reinforce the hypothesis that the evolutionary mechanisms underlying the flexibility of manipulative behaviors are shared by both species and that these ecological strategies would have already evolved in their common ancestor. Research highlights: Our study provides a description of a large manipulative repertoire, from precision to power grips, including 22 grasping postures, while individuals fed on foods of different shapes and sizes and on different substrates. Our results show an enrichment of the manipulative repertoire from juveniles to adult individuals. We described a spontaneous use of tools with a female bias and the use of specific grasping postures for this context.