Some people watch the competition carefully for the slightest signs of weakness. Lemurs, on the other hand, just give them a sniff.
Some people watch the competition carefully for the slightest signs of weakness. Lemurs, on the other hand, just give them a sniff.
These primates from Madagascar can tell that a fellow lemur is weaker just by the natural scents they leave behind, finds a study on ring-tailed lemurs led by Duke University researchers. Males act more aggressively toward scents that smell “off.”
“Our study shows that physical injury from peers dampens an animal’s scent signature, and in a way that its counterparts can detect,” said Duke professor of evolutionary anthropology Christine Drea.
The findings appeared online June 29 in the journal Scientific Reports.
Body odor is a big deal for ring-tailed lemurs. Males and females have potent scent glands on their genitals that secrete a foul-smelling substance. When they smear these smelly secretions on twigs and branches in their territory, they leave behind a signal made up of 200 to 300 different chemicals that tells other lemurs who was there and whether they are ready to mate.
Read more at Duke University
Image: Ring-tailed lemurs such as these at the Duke Lemur Center can tell that a fellow lemur is weaker just by the natural scents they leave behind, researchers report. Males act more aggressively toward scents that smell 'off.' (Credit: David Haring, Duke Lemur Center)
