Proboscis Monkey and Aquatic Ape.
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THE SARAWAK MUSEUM JOURNAL |
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Title :
Proboscis Monkey and Aquatic Ape. |
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Author :
Derek Ellis |
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Abstract:
The proboscis monkey, Nasalis larvatus, of Borneo is a species of primate which has specifically adapted to live in coastal wetlands. It feeds mainly on young leaves and shoots of mangrove and pedada trees, and is willing to swim when travelling or escaping from predators (Kavanagh, 1983; Napier and Napier, 1985; Medway, 1970). Its habitat and habits make the species interesting to students of human evolution, since there is a persistant although not widely accepted theory that we evolved through an “Aquatic Ape” stage (Hardy, 1960; Morgan, 1972 and 1982). The theory has been considered intermittently by anthropologists, anatomists, physiolegists, geographers and science writers over the years, and participation has now come full circle with a recent call for information from marine biologists (Verhaegen, 1985), as was the original proponent. Sir Alistair Hardy. As a biologist with an interest in animal behaviour and marine ecology (Ellis, 1985), I managed to spend the period April 19- May 11, 1985, in Sarawak, making observations on the behaviour and ecology of proboscis monkeys, and documenting features of their skins and skulls. I was particularly interested in whether the species actively ranged over the several different habitats encompassed under the term coastal wetlands, e.g. mangrove and riverine forest, mud flats and sandy beaches. The hypothetical aquatic ape has not been considered as a ranging species, but since many if not most primates have this behaviour, it becomes important to show whether coastal home-ranging by a pre-human ancestor could have been a significant part of its adaptiveness.
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| DOI: XXXX |
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How to cite:
Ellis, D. (1986). Proboscis Monkey and Aquatic Ape. The Sarawak Museum Journal, XXXVI (57): 251-262 |
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References
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