Quantitative data on training new world primates to urinate.

This study assessed the effectiveness of operant conditioning in training three species of captive callitrichid primates (Leontopithecus rosalia, Callithrix geoffroyi, and Saguinus imperator) to urinate on demand. There were three goals to the study: 1) to develop a system for quantitatively assessing positive reinforcement training; 2) to ascertain whether or not positive reinforcement techniques can be used to train callitrichid monkeys to urinate on demand, and if so, how many training sessions are required; and 3) to determine the effect on urination behavior of the trainer entering the cage to collect a urine sample. Positive reinforcement with a continuous reinforcement schedule was used to capture a natural behavior: urination. Training sessions (30 min each) were conducted at dawn thrice weekly during five consecutive phases: habituation, control, training (animals were rewarded for urinating), maintenance (animals had reached a defined training criteria and continued to be rewarded for urinating), and collection (animals were rewarded for urinating, and the trainer entered the cage to collect the sample). The numbers of 30-min training sessions required to train the three monkey species (L. rosalia, C. geoffroyi, and S. imperator) were five, six, and eight, respectively. For the three species, the mean number of urinations per animal was significantly greater during the training, maintenance, and collection phases compared to the control phase. However, the three species differed significantly in the manner in which the rates of urination changed across the five phases. A higher proportion of subjects urinated during the training, maintenance, and collection phases compared to the control phase. Latency to first urination varied significantly across the five phases, with significantly reduced latencies to urinate during the training, maintenance, and collection phases compared to the control phase. The entry of the trainer into the cage to collect the urine sample did not appear to alter urination behavior. We demonstrate that operant conditioning techniques, which typically incur minimal cost, time investment, and disturbance, can be used to increase the quantity of urine samples collected for physiological analysis, the proportion of animals that urinate, and the speed of sample collection.

Fecal analysis of ovarian cycles in female black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi).

An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was applied to characterize the reproductive endocrinology of adult female black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Analysis of paired urine and fecal samples, collected from two females housed at San Diego Zoo, confirmed that the EIAs employed provided quantitative measurements of ovarian sex steroid hormones. Fecal metabolite levels were significantly correlated with those in urine, confirming that feces are a valid source of steroid metabolites in this species. The excretion of these metabolites in feces lagged urinary excretion by 1-2 days. The ovarian cycle profiles of the two captive females and five free-ranging females are comparable, with an average length of approximately 20-23 days. Cyclical bleeding, as previously reported, was observed in one of the two captive females. Pregnancy was detected in four free-ranging females, and early fetal loss for one female was indicated by hormonal data.

Urinary excretion of catecholamines in the night monkey (Aotus trivirgatus) (Primates, Cebidae).

A seasonal variation in the urinary catecholamines output has been demonstrated in two simians kept under constant ambient conditions : the nocturnal Aotus and the diurnal Saïmiri sciureus. In Aotus, catecholamines output (NA + A), in spring, is higher than in other Primates including man and even more so in winter. Cold exposure increases the NA + A excretion in Aotus as it does in squirrel monkey and rat but the A output is particularly prominent in Saïmiri. Fasting does not alter significantly the catecholamines excretion. Associated fasting and cold exposure do not modify the adrenosympathetic response observed in Aotus in cold conditions alone, but depresses the sympathetic activity and greatly enhance the adrenomedullary excretion in squirrel monkey, as it is the case in rat. Associated fasting and cold represents a highly stressful situation for squirrel monkey but not for night monkey. Catecholamines metabolites (MN, NMN, DOPAC, HVA, VMA and MHPG) are found in urine of both species, DOPAC and VMA being predominant in Aotus but DOPAC and MHPG in Saïmiri. The proportions of conjugated forms vary according to the metabolite : DOPAC and VMA are mainly under free form but NMN, MN and MHPG are mostly conjugated in both species. The daily output of pooled adrenergic metabolites (expressed as ng/mg creatinine) is higher in Aotus than in Saïmiri and man. Both monkey species display a high adrenosympathetic activity which does not correlate with their resting metabolic rate.

Pregnancy monitoring in diverse primate species by estrogen and bioactive luteinizing hormone determinations in small volumes of urine.

Immunoreactive estrogen and luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin (LH/CG) bioactivity have been measured throughout pregnancy in diverse primate species with a sample methodological approach utilizing small volumes of urine collected randomly. Total immunoreactive estrogen levels and the relative abundance of component estrogens (estrone, estradiol and estriol) at various stages of gestation were compared in the human, orangutan, pygmy chimpanzee, Douc langur and capuchin. Measurement of urinary LH/CG bioactivity enables an earlier detection of pregnancy when compared to the nonhuman primate pregnancy test. The methods described provide a practical and non-stressful way to detect and monitor pregnancy in widely divergent primate species.

Comparison of urinary oestrogen excretion in South American primates.

Changes in the excretion of immunoreactive oestrogens and biologically active LH were assessed from measurements on small samples of urine collected from a capuchin, a tamarin, a spider monkey and a squirrel monkey. The hormone profiles were used to time matings of the capuchin and spider monkey; conception and pregnancy ensued. Detailed analysis of one urine sample from each female by using partition chromatography and reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography showed that oestrone was more abundant than oestradiol-17 beta and oestriol combined, but the relative contribution of individual oestrogens to the total oestrogen complement differed. In the sample from the capuchin, an immunoreactive oestrogen slightly less polar than oestradiol appeared to be the most abundant urinary oestrogen.