Stacey R Tecot

Interests

Research

Cooperative infant care and parent-infant bonding; Biological mechanisms of cooperation and care; Environmental and early life effects on behavior, health, and hormones; Evolutionary biology; Reproduction; Ecology; Conservation; Madagascar; Endocrinology

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Tecot, S. R. (2017). Wright, P. C.. In International Encyclopedia of Primatology(pp 1-1). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. doi:10.1002/9781119179313.wbprim0127
• Tecot, S. R. (2016). Wright, P.C.. In International Encyclopedia of Primatology. Wiley.
• Tecot, S. R., & Overdorff, D. (2016). Red-bellied lemur, Eulemur rubriventer. In All the World's Primates. New York: Pogonias Press.
• Tecot, S. R. (2013). Variable energetic strategies in disturbed and undisturbed rain forest habitats: fecal cortisol levels in southeastern Madagascar. In Leaping Ahead: Advances in Prosimian Biology(pp 185-195). Springer.
  More info

  ;Full Citation: Tecot, S. (2013). Variable energetic strategies in disturbed and undisturbed rain forest habitats: fecal cortisol levels in southeastern Madagascar. In: J. Masters, M. Gamba, F. GĂ©nin, R. Tuttle, eds. Leaping Ahead: Advances in Prosimian Biology. (Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects). New York: Springer. Pp. 185-195.;
• Tecot, S. R., Baden, A., Romine, N., & Kamilar, J. (2013). Reproductive strategies and infant care in Malagasy primates. In Building babies: Primate development in proximate and ultimate perspective(pp 321-359). New York: Springer.
  More info

  ;Your Role: Invited to contribute, conceived of the project, collected data from the published literature, helped write manuscript.;Full Citation: Tecot, S, Baden, A, Romine, N., Kamilar, J. (2013). Reproductive strategies in Malagasy strepsirhines. In: Clancy KBH, Hinde K, Rutherford JN (eds) Building babies: Primate development in proximate and ultimate perspective (Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects). New York: Springer. Pp. 321-359.;Collaborative with undergraduate student: Yes;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: Collaborative with faculty at Midwestern University and Postdoc at Yale University;
• Tecot, S. R. (2012). Variable Energetic Strategies in Disturbed and Undisturbed Rain Forests: Eulemur rubriventer Fecal Cortisol Levels in South-Eastern Madagascar. In Leaping Ahead: Advances in Prosimian Biology. (Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects)(pp 185-195). Springer, New York, NY. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-4511-1_21
  More info

  Habitat disturbance in Madagascar is pervasive. Researchers have assessed anthropogenic impacts on lemurs from alterations in locomotion, behavior, diet, distribution, and density. Such strategies may help lemurs cope with environmental change, but the underlying mechanisms facilitating such flexibility remain poorly understood. To document a physiological response to ecological stress, I investigated stress hormones in wild adult Eulemur rubriventer, the red-bellied lemur, in disturbed and undisturbed rain forests in south-eastern Madagascar over 17 months, from November 2003 to March 2005. My goals were to compile E. rubriventer cortisol excretion profiles, observe E. rubriventer’s response to food fluctuations, and compare these responses among groups in disturbed and undisturbed sites. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels (fGCs) did not differ by sex and were lowest during the prebreeding season when fruit was abundant and highest during parturition and early lactation when fruit was scarce. Though fGC patterns were similar across sites, levels were significantly higher in the undisturbed site, contrary to expectations. fGCs were invariable in the disturbed site, despite lower and less seasonal fruit availability. A severely attenuated response to known ­environmental challenges, coupled with high infant mortality in the disturbed site, indicates that this population may be at risk of decline.
• Tecot, S. R., Erhart, E. M., Wright, P. C., Baden, A. L., Arrigo-Nelson, S., Morelli, T. L., Deppe, A., Ratelolahy, F., Blanco, M., Atsalis, S., Johnson, S. E., Ratolahy, F., Tan, C., & Zohdy, S. (2012). Long-term lemur research at Centre ValBio, Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. In Long-Term Research in Primates(pp 67-100). Dordrecht: Springer.
  More info

  ;Your Role: Contributed results from my research at the site, helped organize the paper, edited the paper, wrote sections of the paper.;Full Citation: Wright PC, Erhart EM, Tecot SR, Baden AL, Arrigo-Nelson S, Morelli TL, Deppe A, Ratelolahy F, Blanco M, Atsalis S, Johnson SE, Ratolahy F, Tan CLM, Zohdy S. (2012). Long-term lemur research at Centre ValBio, Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. In: Kappeler PM, Watts D, editors. Long-Term Research in Primates. Dordrecht: Springer. Pp. 67-100. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-22514-7_4;Collaborative with graduate student: Yes;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: Collaborative with faculty and graduate students from various institutions who have all worked at my field site.;
• Overdorff, D. J., & Tecot, S. R. (2006). Social Pair-Bonding and Resource Defense in Wild Red-Bellied Lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer). In Lemurs: Ecology and Adaptation(pp 235-254). Springer, Boston, MA. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-34586-4_11

Journals/Publications

• Grieneisen, L., Hays, A., Cook, E., Blekhman, R., & Tecot, S. (2025). Temporal patterns of gut microbiota in lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer) living in intact and disturbed habitats in a novel sample type. American journal of primatology, 87(1), e23656.
  More info

  The gut microbiome is a plastic phenotype; gut microbial composition is highly variable across an individual host's lifetime and between host social groups, and this variation has consequences for host health. However, we do not yet fully understand how longitudinal microbial dynamics and their social drivers may be influenced by ecological stressors, such as habitat degradation. Answering these questions is difficult in most wild animal systems, as it requires long-term collections of matched host, microbiome, and environmental trait data. To test if temporal and social influences on microbiome composition differ by the history of human disturbance, we leveraged banked, desiccated fecal samples collected over 5 months in 2004 from two ecologically distinct populations of wild, red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer) that are part of a long-term study system. We found that social group explained more variation in microbiome composition than host population membership did, and that temporal variation in common microbial taxa was similar between populations, despite differences in history of human disturbance. Furthermore, we found that social group membership and collection month were both more important than individual lemur identity. Taken together, our results suggest that synchronized environments use can lead to synchronized microbial dynamics over time, even between habitats of varying quality, and that desiccated samples could become a viable approach for studying primate gut microbiota. Our work opens the door for other projects to utilize historic biological sample data sets to answer novel temporal microbiome questions in an ecological context.
• Axel, A. C., Harshbarger, B. M., Lewis, R. J., & Tecot, S. R. (2024). Consistency in Verreaux's sifaka home range and core area size despite seasonal variation in resource availability as assessed by Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). American journal of primatology, 86(6), e23617.
  More info

  Primates are adept at dealing with fluctuating availability of resources and display a range of responses to minimize the effects of food scarcity. An important component of primate conservation is to understand how primates adapt their foraging and ranging patterns in response to fluctuating food resources. Animals optimize resource acquisition within the home range through the selection of resource-bearing patches and choose between contrasting foraging strategies (resource-maximizing vs. area-minimizing). Our study aimed to characterize the foraging strategy of a folivorous primate, Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi), by evaluating whether group home range size varied between peak and lean leaf seasons within a seasonally dry tropical forest in Madagascar. We hypothesized that Verreaux's sifaka used the resource maximization strategy to select high-value resource patches so that during periods of resource depression, the home range area did not significantly change in size. We characterized resource availability (i.e., primary productivity) by season at Kirindy Mitea National Park using remotely-sensed Enhanced Vegetation Index data. We calculated group home ranges using 10 years of focal animal sampling data collected on eight groups using both 95% and 50% kernel density estimation. We used area accumulation curves to ensure each group had an adequate number of locations to reach seasonal home range asymptotes. Neither 95% home ranges nor 50% core areas differed across peak and lean leaf resource seasons, supporting the hypothesis that Verreaux's sifaka use a resource maximization strategy. With a better understanding of animal space use strategies, managers can model anticipated changes under environmental and/or anthropogenic resource depression scenarios. These findings demonstrate the value of long-term data for characterizing and understanding foraging and ranging patterns. We also illustrate the benefits of using satellite data for characterizing food resources for folivorous primates.
• Gnanadesikan, G. E., Bray, E. E., Cook, E. N., Levy, K. M., Douglas, L. E., Kennedy, B. S., Tecot, S. R., & MacLean, E. L. (2024). Basal plasma oxytocin & fecal cortisol concentrations are highly heritable and associated with individual differences in behavior & cognition in dog puppies. Hormones and behavior, 165, 105612.
  More info

  Oxytocin and cortisol are hormones that can influence cognition and behavior, but the relationships between endogenous concentrations and individual differences in cognitive and behavioral phenotypes remain poorly understood. Across mammals, oxytocin has important roles in diverse social behaviors, and in dogs, it has been implicated in human-oriented behaviors such as social gaze and point-following. Cortisol, an end-product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, is often studied in relation to temperament and emotional reactivity, but it is also known to modulate executive functions. In this study, we measured basal fecal cortisol (n = 247) and plasma oxytocin (n = 249) in dog puppies from a pedigreed population (Canine Companions ®). We collected cognitive and behavioral data from these subjects (n = 247), including measures of human-oriented social cognition, memory, inhibitory control, perceptual discriminations, and temperament. Oxytocin concentrations were estimated to be very highly heritable (h = 0.90-0.99) and cortisol concentrations were estimated to be moderately-highly heritable (h = 0.43-0.47). Bayesian mixed models controlling for relatedness revealed that oxytocin concentrations were positively associated with spatial working memory and displayed a negative quadratic relationship with behavioral laterality, but no credible associations were seen for social measures. Cortisol concentrations exhibited a negative linear relationship with performance on an inhibitory control task and a negative quadratic relationship with bold behavioral reactions to a novel object. Collectively, our results suggest that individual differences in oxytocin and cortisol concentrations are under strong genetic control in dogs and are associated with phenotypic variation in aspects of temperament, behavioral laterality, and executive function.
• Gnanadesikan, G. E., Carranza, E., King, K. M., Flyer, A. C., Ossello, G., Smith, P. G., Steklis, N. G., Steklis, H. D., Connelly, J. J., Barnett, M., Gee, N., Tecot, S., & MacLean, E. L. (2024). Glucocorticoid response to naturalistic interactions between children and dogs. Hormones and behavior, 161, 105523.
  More info

  Although research has shown that pets appear to provide certain types of social support to children, little is known about the physiological bases of these effects, especially in naturalistic contexts. In this study, we investigated the effect of free-form interactions between children (ages 8-10 years) and dogs on salivary cortisol concentrations in both species. We further investigated the role of the child-dog relationship by comparing interactions with the child's pet dog to interactions with an unfamiliar dog or a nonsocial control condition, and modeled associations between survey measures of the human-animal bond and children's physiological responses. In both children and dogs, salivary cortisol decreased from pre- to post-interaction; the effect was strongest for children interacting with an unfamiliar dog (compared to their pet dog) and for the pet dogs (compared to the unfamiliar dog). We found minimal evidence for associations between cortisol output and behaviors coded from video, but children scoring higher on survey measures of the human-animal bond exhibited the greatest reductions in cortisol when interacting with dogs. Self-reported loneliness was not related to cortisol or the human-animal bond, but measures of both loneliness and the human-animal bond were higher among children who participated after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, relative to those who participated before the pandemic. This study builds on previous work that investigated potential stress-buffering effects of human-animal interaction during explicit stressors and demonstrates important physiological correlates of naturalistic interactions between children and dogs, similar to those that occur in daily life.
• Gnanadesikan, G. E., King, K. M., Carranza, E., Flyer, A. C., Ossello, G., Smith, P. G., Steklis, N. G., Steklis, H. D., Carter, C. S., Connelly, J. J., Barnett, M., Gee, N., Tecot, S. R., & MacLean, E. L. (2024). Effects of human-animal interaction on salivary and urinary oxytocin in children and dogs. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 169, 107147.
  More info

  Oxytocin pathways are hypothesized to play important roles in human-animal interactions and may contribute to some benefits of these interspecific social relationships. We explored the effects of naturalistic interactions between children and dogs on oxytocin release in both species, as well as associations between methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm), social behavior, and oxytocin response in this context. Children (N = 55) participated in a within-subjects design involving a) interaction with their pet dog, b) interaction with an unfamiliar dog, and c) a nonsocial control condition (solitary play). We used immunoassays to measure salivary and urinary oxytocin in both the children and dogs, behavioral coding to characterize dog-child interactions, and bisulfite sequencing to quantify methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (N = 32 children). Child salivary oxytocin decreased moderately across time in all conditions, but the extent of this effect varied between conditions, with greater oxytocin output during interactions with dogs than the control condition. In the pet dog condition, children's salivary oxytocin response was positively associated with the duration of visual co-orientation between the child and dog. Child urinary oxytocin did not deviate substantially from baseline in any condition. Children with higher levels of OXTRm had greater oxytocin output during interactions with their pet dogs, but lower oxytocin output in the control condition, and engaged in lower levels of affectionate interaction with dogs across conditions. Children's pet dogs exhibited increases in salivary oxytocin, but we observed the opposite pattern in the unfamiliar dog, who exhibited decreases in both urinary and salivary oxytocin on average. Collectively, our results support the hypothesis that oxytocin pathways may shape and respond to social interactions between children and dogs, highlighting an important role for companion animals in child development.
• MacLean, E. L., Carranza, E., Gnanadesikan, G. E., King, K. M., Allen, A. M., Linde-Krieger, L. B., Feldman, R., White-Traut, R. C., Hammock, E. A., Carter, C. S., Leng, G., Tecot, S. R., & Bell, A. F. (2024). Neurophysin I is an analytically robust surrogate biomarker for oxytocin. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 161, 106951.
  More info

  Oxytocin is a pleiotropic neuropeptide that plays roles in biological processes ranging from birth, lactation, and social bonding to immune function, cardiovascular repair, and regulation of appetite. Although measurements of endogenous oxytocin concentrations have been performed for more than 50 years, the ability to measure oxytocin accurately poses notable challenges. One potential solution for overcoming these challenges involves measurement of oxytocin's carrier molecule - neurophysin I (NP-1) - as a surrogate biomarker. NP-1 is secreted in equimolar concentrations with oxytocin but has a longer half-life, circulates in higher concentrations, and can be measured using a sandwich immunoassay. We report experiments that 1) analytically validate a commercially available NP-1 sandwich immunoassay for use with human plasma and urine samples, 2) confirm the specificity of this assay, based on detection of NP-1 in plasma from wild-type but not oxytocin knockout mice, 3) demonstrate that NP-1 concentrations are markedly elevated in late pregnancy, consistent with studies showing substantial increases in plasma oxytocin throughout gestation, and 4) establish strong correlation between NP-1 and plasma oxytocin concentrations when oxytocin is measured in extracted (but not non-extracted) plasma. The NP-1 assay used in this study has strong analytical properties, does not require time-intensive extraction protocols, and the assay itself can be completed in
• Veilleux, C. C., Tecot, S. R., & Lewis, R. J. (2024). Fat storage and drought tolerance in a seasonally-adapted primate: Implications for models of global climate change. Integrative Conservation, 3(3), 168-182. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/inc3.65
• Whitney, T. L., Mallott, E. K., Diakiw, L. O., Christie, D. M., Ting, N., Amato, K. R., Tecot, S. R., & Baden, A. L. (2024). Ecological and genetic variables co-vary with social group identity to shape the gut microbiome of a pair-living primate. American journal of primatology, 86(9), e23657.
  More info

  Primates exhibit diverse social systems that are intricately linked to their biology, behavior, and evolution, all of which influence the acquisition and maintenance of their gut microbiomes (GMs). However, most studies of wild primate populations focus on taxa with relatively large group sizes, and few consider pair-living species. To address this gap, we investigate how a primate's social system interacts with key environmental, social, and genetic variables to shape the GM in pair-living, red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer). Previous research on this species suggests that social interactions within groups influence interindividual microbiome similarity; however, the impacts of other nonsocial variables and their relative contributions to gut microbial variation remain unclear. We sequenced the 16S ribosomal RNA hypervariable V4-V5 region to characterize the GM from 26 genotyped individuals across 11 social groups residing in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. We estimated the degree to which sex, social group identity, genetic relatedness, dietary diversity, and home range proximity were associated with variation in the gut microbial communities residing in red-bellied lemurs. All variables except sex played a significant role in predicting GM composition. Our model had high levels of variance inflation, inhibiting our ability to determine which variables were most predictive of gut microbial composition. This inflation is likely due to red-bellied lemurs' pair-living, pair-bonded social system that leads to covariation among environmental, social, and genetic variables. Our findings highlight some of the factors that predict GM composition in a tightly bonded, pair-living species and identify variables that require further study. We propose that future primate microbiome studies should simultaneously consider environmental, social, and genetic factors to improve our understanding of the relationships among sociality, the microbiome, and primate ecology and evolution.
• Tecot, S. R., Baden, A. L., Velontsara, J. B., Tombotiana, A. V., Arroyo, A. S., Razanajatovo, S., Razafindraibe, D., Lahitsara, J. P., Dixon, J., & Birr, M. (2023). Functional Relationships between Estradiol and Paternal Care in Male, Red-Bellied Lemurs, Eulemur Rubriventer. Social Science Research Network, 150, 105324. doi:10.2139/ssrn.4239481
• Tecot, S. R., Birr, M., Dixon, J., Lahitsara, J. P., Razafindraibe, D., Razanajatovo, S., Arroyo, A. S., Tombotiana, A. V., Velontsara, J. B., & Baden, A. L. (2023). Functional relationships between estradiol and paternal care in male red-bellied lemurs, Eulemur rubriventer. Hormones and behavior, 150, 105324.
  More info

  Fathers contribute substantially to infant care, yet the mechanisms facilitating paternal bonding and interactions with infants are not as well understood as they are in mothers. Several hormonal changes occur as males transition into parenthood, first in response to a partner's pregnancy, and next in response to interacting with the newborn. These changes may prepare fathers for parenting and help facilitate and maintain paternal care. Experimental studies with monkeys and rodents suggest that paternal care requires elevated estradiol levels, which increase when a male's partner is pregnant and are higher in fathers than non-fathers, but its role in the expression of paternal behaviors throughout infant development is unknown. To assess estradiol's role in paternal care, we analyzed the relationship between paternal estradiol metabolites and 1) offspring age, and 2) paternal care behavior (holding, carrying, huddling, playing, grooming), in wild, red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer). We collected 146 fecal samples and 1597 h of behavioral data on 10 adult males who had newborn infants during the study. Estradiol metabolites increased four-fold in expectant males, and in new fathers they fluctuated and gradually decreased with time. Infant age, not paternal behavior, best predicted hormone levels in new fathers. These results suggest that hormonal changes occur in expectant males with facultative paternal care, but they do not support the hypothesis that estradiol is directly associated with the day-to-day expression of paternal care. Future research should explore estradiol's role in facilitating behaviors, including infant-directed attention and responsiveness, or preparing fathers for infant care generally.
• Tecot, S. R., Ossello, G. M., Smith, P. G., Rakotonirina, L. H., Telo, A., Rasendry N, V., Rakotonirina T, E., & Peñaherrera-Aguirre, M. (2023). Diurnal fecal glucocorticoid metabolite rhythms in a cathemeral primate, the red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer), and across mammalian species. American journal of primatology, 85(8), e23521.
  More info

  Measuring glucocorticoids is one of the most reliable and widely used techniques to monitor stress responses, however invasive techniques to collect plasma samples may not be applicable for wild populations. Monitoring excreted glucocorticoids is an effective noninvasive technique that researchers have used increasingly over the past two decades, and it has allowed the investigation of glucocorticoids in a variety of species with a range of activity patterns. Many species exhibit predictable circadian patterns of glucocorticoid secretion in accordance with their daily activity pattern. There remains a gap in our understanding of how excreted glucocorticoid metabolites vary throughout the day and across species, despite the utility of this information when developing sampling protocols and analyzing data. We investigated circadian patterns of glucocorticoid excretion in a cathemeral primate species, Eulemur rubriventer (red-bellied lemur), in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. We collected fecal samples from 10 individuals throughout the day and analyzed fecal glucocorticoid levels across three time points (Early, Midday, and Late), and again across two time points (Morning and Afternoon). We also investigated whether activity pattern, sex (as a control variable), and other traits associated with gut passage rate (diet, body mass) could help predict the presence and timing of circadian patterns of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites across mammal species. We found that fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in E. rubriventer fluctuate throughout the day, with lowest levels in the morning and peak levels in the afternoon. None of the variables that we tested predicted whether daily fecal glucocorticoid metabolites changed significantly throughout the day, nor when levels were likely to peak, across species. We stress the importance of controlling for sampling time and reporting these results as standard practice in studies of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites.
• West, K., Tecot, S., Walker-Bolton, A. D., Borgerson, C., Wright, P. C., Razafindravony, L., Andriamiadanarivo, A., Andrianoely, D., Celestain, J., Elison, P., Jordan, J., Liu, A., Milliasse, R. F., Rafidimanandray, R., Ranaivoson, T., Randimbiarimanana, C., Razafindrapaoly, B. N., Soule, M., & Aliperti, J. R. (2023). An overdue catalyst: Limitations imposed by COVID-19 improved capacity building in community-led environmental education in Madagascar. American journal of primatology, 85(5), e23497.
  More info

  The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus brought many primatology research programs and conservation efforts to a halt. After Madagascar closed its borders during March 2020, many on-site international project leaders and researchers returned to their home countries when their programs were delayed or canceled. Madagascar remained closed to travelers until November 2021, when it reopened to international flights. The 20-month absence of international researchers allowed many local Malagasy program staff, wildlife professionals, and community leaders to step into new leadership roles and responsibilities. Many programs that already had strong Malagasy leadership and meaningful collaborations with local communities flourished, while others either swiftly strengthened these attributes or faced challenges from pandemic-related travel restrictions. Here, we describe how the coronavirus pandemic events of 2020-2021 initiated long-overdue shifts in outdated models of internationally led primate research and education projects in communities living alongside primates at risk of extinction. We discuss the benefits and challenges of pandemic-induced changes within five primatological outreach projects, as well as how we can use these experiences to improve community-led environmental education and conservation awareness in the future.
• Eppley, T. M., Hoeks, S., Chapman, C. A., Ganzhorn, J. U., Hall, K., Owen, M. A., Adams, D. B., Allgas, N., Amato, K. R., Andriamahaihavana, M., Aristizabal, J. F., Baden, A. L., Balestri, M., Barnett, A. A., Bicca-Marques, J. C., Bowler, M., Boyle, S. A., Brown, M., Caillaud, D., , Calegaro-Marques, C., et al. (2022). Factors influencing terrestriality in primates of the Americas and Madagascar. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119(42), e2121105119.
  More info

  Among mammals, the order Primates is exceptional in having a high taxonomic richness in which the taxa are arboreal, semiterrestrial, or terrestrial. Although habitual terrestriality is pervasive among the apes and African and Asian monkeys (catarrhines), it is largely absent among monkeys of the Americas (platyrrhines), as well as galagos, lemurs, and lorises (strepsirrhines), which are mostly arboreal. Numerous ecological drivers and species-specific factors are suggested to set the conditions for an evolutionary shift from arboreality to terrestriality, and current environmental conditions may provide analogous scenarios to those transitional periods. Therefore, we investigated predominantly arboreal, diurnal primate genera from the Americas and Madagascar that lack fully terrestrial taxa, to determine whether ecological drivers (habitat canopy cover, predation risk, maximum temperature, precipitation, primate species richness, human population density, and distance to roads) or species-specific traits (body mass, group size, and degree of frugivory) associate with increased terrestriality. We collated 150,961 observation hours across 2,227 months from 47 species at 20 sites in Madagascar and 48 sites in the Americas. Multiple factors were associated with ground use in these otherwise arboreal species, including increased temperature, a decrease in canopy cover, a dietary shift away from frugivory, and larger group size. These factors mostly explain intraspecific differences in terrestriality. As humanity modifies habitats and causes climate change, our results suggest that species already inhabiting hot, sparsely canopied sites, and exhibiting more generalized diets, are more likely to shift toward greater ground use.
• Gnanadesikan, G. E., Hammock, E. A., Tecot, S. R., Lewis, R. J., Hart, R., Carter, C. S., & MacLean, E. L. (2022). What are oxytocin assays measuring? Epitope mapping, metabolites, and comparisons of wildtype & knockout mouse urine. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 143, 105827.
  More info

  Oxytocin has become a popular analyte in behavioral endocrinology in recent years, due in part to its roles in social behavior, stress physiology, and cognition. Urine samples have the advantage of being non-invasive and minimally disruptive to collect, allowing for oxytocin measurements even in some wild populations. However, methods for urinary oxytocin immunoassay have not been sufficiently optimized and rigorously assessed for their potential limitations. Using samples from oxytocin knockout (KO) and wildtype (WT) mice, we find evidence of considerable interference in unextracted urine samples, with similar distributions of measured oxytocin in both genotypes. Importantly, although this interference can be reduced by a reversed-phase solid-phase extraction (SPE), this common approach is not sufficient for eliminating false-positive signal on three immunoassay kits. To better understand the source of the observed interference, we conducted epitope mapping of the Arbor Assays antibody and assessed its cross-reactivity with known, biologically active fragments of oxytocin. We found considerable cross-reactivity (0.5-52% by-molarity) for three fragments of oxytocin that share the core epitope, with more cross-reactivity for longer fragments. Given the presence of some cross-reactivity for even the tripeptide MIF-1, it is likely that many small protein metabolites might be sufficiently similar to the epitope that at high concentrations they interfere with immunoassays. We present a new mixed-mode cation-exchange SPE method that minimizes interference-with knockout samples measuring below the assay's limit of detection-while effectively retaining oxytocin from the urine of wildtype mice. This method demonstrates good parallelism and spike recovery across multiple species (mice, dogs, sifakas, humans). Our results suggest that immunoassays of urine samples may be particularly susceptible to interference, even when using common extraction protocols, but that this interference can be successfully managed using a novel mixed-mode cation exchange extraction. These findings imply that previous conclusions based on urinary oxytocin measurements-especially those involving unextracted samples-may need to be reassessed.
• Tecot, S. R., Eppley, T. M., Hoeks, S., Chapman, C. A., Ganzhorn, J. U., Hall, K., Owen, M. A., Adams, D. B., Allgas, N., Amato, K. R., Andriamahaihavana, M., Aristizabal, J. F., Baden, A. L., Balestri, M., Barnett, A. A., Bicca-Marques, J. C., Bowler, M., Boyle, S. A., Brown, M., , Caillaud, D., et al. (2022). Factors influencing terrestriality in primates of the Americas and Madagascar. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(42), e2121105119. doi:10.1073/pnas.2121105119
• Ziegler, T. E., Tecot, S. R., Fernandez-Duque, E., Savage, A., & Snowdon, C. T. (2022). Nonhuman Primate Paternal Care: Species and Individual Differences in Behavior and Mechanisms. Advances in neurobiology, 27, 213-238.
  More info

  Direct care of offspring by the father (sire) is relatively rare in primates. Besides humans, there are a number of species where the male is essential for the survival of offspring: marmosets, tamarins, titis and owl monkeys, some lemurs, and siamangs. All these species show reduced sexual dimorphism, territoriality, and biparental care. However, timing and levels of direct care may vary among these species. Here, relying on both lab and field data, we address the variability found in father's involvement with his infants, the behavioral, neuroendocrine and sensory systems that are a cause and consequence of paternal care, and social bonds between the breeding pair. We integrate studies of laboratory animals (where detailed observations and experimentation are possible) with field studies (which illuminate the ecological and evolutionary functions of paternal care) and discuss the future directions for examining the proximate and ultimate mechanisms of paternal care in nonhuman primates.
• Amato, K. R., Chaves, Ó. M., Mallott, E. K., Eppley, T. M., Abreu, F., Baden, A. L., Barnett, A. A., Bicca-Marques, J. C., Boyle, S. A., Campbell, C. J., Chapman, C. A., De la Fuente, M. F., Fan, P., Fashing, P. J., Felton, A., Fruth, B., Fortes, V. B., Grueter, C. C., Hohmann, G., , Irwin, M., et al. (2021). Fermented food consumption in wild nonhuman primates and its ecological drivers. American journal of physical anthropology, 175(3), 513-530.
  More info

  Although fermented food use is ubiquitous in humans, the ecological and evolutionary factors contributing to its emergence are unclear. Here we investigated the ecological contexts surrounding the consumption of fruits in the late stages of fermentation by wild primates to provide insight into its adaptive function. We hypothesized that climate, socioecological traits, and habitat patch size would influence the occurrence of this behavior due to effects on the environmental prevalence of late-stage fermented foods, the ability of primates to detect them, and potential nutritional benefits.
• Fan, P., Fan, P., Fashing, P. J., Fashing, P. J., Zeng, Y., Zeng, Y., Wich, S. A., Wich, S. A., Vogel, E. R., Vogel, E. R., Valenta, K., Valenta, K., Tecot, S. R., Tecot, S. R., Sun, B., Sun, B., Stone, A. I., Stone, A. I., Stewart, K. M., , Stewart, K. M., et al. (2021). Fermented food consumption in wild nonhuman primates and its ecological drivers.. American journal of physical anthropology, 175(3), 513-530. doi:10.1002/ajpa.24257
  More info

  Although fermented food use is ubiquitous in humans, the ecological and evolutionary factors contributing to its emergence are unclear. Here we investigated the ecological contexts surrounding the consumption of fruits in the late stages of fermentation by wild primates to provide insight into its adaptive function. We hypothesized that climate, socioecological traits, and habitat patch size would influence the occurrence of this behavior due to effects on the environmental prevalence of late-stage fermented foods, the ability of primates to detect them, and potential nutritional benefits..We compiled data from field studies lasting at least 9 months to describe the contexts in which primates were observed consuming fruits in the late stages of fermentation. Using generalized linear mixed-effects models, we assessed the effects of 18 predictor variables on the occurrence of fermented food use in primates..Late-stage fermented foods were consumed by a wide taxonomic breadth of primates. However, they generally made up 0.01%-3% of the annual diet and were limited to a subset of fruit species, many of which are reported to have mechanical and chemical defenses against herbivores when not fermented. Additionally, late-stage fermented food consumption was best predicted by climate and habitat patch size. It was more likely to occur in larger habitat patches with lower annual mean rainfall and higher annual mean maximum temperatures..We posit that primates capitalize on the natural fermentation of some fruits as part of a nutritional strategy to maximize periods of fruit exploitation and/or access a wider range of plant species. We speculate that these factors contributed to the evolutionary emergence of the human propensity for fermented foods.
• Gnanadesikan, G. E., Hammock, E. A., Tecot, S. R., Carter, C. S., & MacLean, E. L. (2021). Specificity of plasma oxytocin immunoassays: A comparison of commercial assays and sample preparation techniques using oxytocin knockout and wildtype mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 132, 105368.
  More info

  Oxytocin has garnered much interest due to its role in affective states, social behaviors, and diverse physiological functions. However, approaches for measuring endogenous oxytocin concentrations have generated considerable controversy and debate. Common procedures for measuring oxytocin often produce uncorrelated results, and the detected concentrations frequently vary across two orders of magnitude. These findings have led some researchers to argue that immunoassays of plasma oxytocin may be unreliable and nonspecific, particularly when samples are not first processed using an extraction procedure. Here, we assess the specificity of oxytocin immunoassays using plasma samples from wildtype (WT) and oxytocin knockout (KO) mice. Plasma samples from both genotypes were measured using immunoassay and were measured with or without a solid-phase extraction. Using a commercially available kit from Arbor Assays, we demonstrate that both techniques generate a clear contrast between genotypes, with wildtype samples containing high concentrations of oxytocin (unextracted mean = 468 pg/ml; extracted mean = 381 pg/ml), while knockout samples measured below the lower limit of detection. Analytical validations demonstrated good parallelism and spike recovery for both methods. Furthermore, the same wildtype samples measured with both procedures were highly correlated (r = 0.95), although unextracted samples measured at significantly higher concentrations (p = 2.0 ×10, Cohen's d = 2.65). To test the generalizability of these results across immunoassay kits, we performed additional assays with kits from Cayman Chemical and Enzo Life Sciences. The Cayman Chemical kit produced results similar to Arbor Assays with a clean signal differentiating WT and KO plasma, both with and without an extraction step. The Enzo kit also differentiated the genotypes, with correlation between extracted and unextracted samples, but was considerably more susceptible to interference without the extraction, as evidenced by false positive signal in KO plasma samples. The extent to which these results generalize to other species remains unknown and challenging to assess.
• Watzek, J., Hauber, M. E., Jack, K. M., Murrell, J. R., Tecot, S. R., & Brosnan, S. F. (2021). Modelling collective decision-making: Insights into collective anti-predator behaviors from an agent-based approach. Behavioural processes, 193, 104530.
  More info

  Collective decision-making is a widespread phenomenon across organisms. Studying how animal societies make group decisions to the mutual benefit of group members, while avoiding exploitation by cheaters, can provide unique insights into the underlying cognitive mechanisms. As a step toward dissecting the proximate mechanisms that underpin collective decision-making across animals, we developed an agent-based model of antipredatory alarm signaling and mobbing during predator-prey encounters. Such collective behaviors occur in response to physical threats in many distantly related species with vastly different cognitive abilities, making it a broadly important model behavior. We systematically assessed under which quantitative contexts potential prey benefit from three basic strategies: predator detection, signaling about the predator (e.g., alarm calling), and retreating from vs. approaching the predator. Collective signaling increased survival rates over individual predator detection in several scenarios. Signaling sometimes led to fewer prey detecting the predator but this effect disappeared when prey animals that had seen the predator both signaled and approached it, as in mobbing. Critically, our results highlight that collective decision-making in response to a threat can emerge from simple rules without needing a central leader or needing to be under conscious control.
• Mann, A. E., Mazel, F., Lemay, M. A., Morien, E., Billy, V., Kowalewski, M., Di Fiore, A., Link, A., Goldberg, T. L., Tecot, S., Baden, A. L., Gomez, A., Sauther, M. L., Cuozzo, F. P., Rice, G. A., Dominy, N. J., Stumpf, R., Lewis, R. J., Swedell, L., , Amato, K., et al. (2020). Biodiversity of protists and nematodes in the wild nonhuman primate gut. The ISME journal, 14(2), 609-622.
  More info

  Documenting the natural diversity of eukaryotic organisms in the nonhuman primate (NHP) gut is important for understanding the evolution of the mammalian gut microbiome, its role in digestion, health and disease, and the consequences of anthropogenic change on primate biology and conservation. Despite the ecological significance of gut-associated eukaryotes, little is known about the factors that influence their assembly and diversity in mammals. In this study, we used an 18S rRNA gene fragment metabarcoding approach to assess the eukaryotic assemblage of 62 individuals representing 16 NHP species. We find that cercopithecoids, and especially the cercopithecines, have substantially higher alpha diversity than other NHP groups. Gut-associated protists and nematodes are widespread among NHPs, consistent with their ancient association with NHP hosts. However, we do not find a consistent signal of phylosymbiosis or host-species specificity. Rather, gut eukaryotes are only weakly structured by primate phylogeny with minimal signal from diet, in contrast to previous reports of NHP gut bacteria. The results of this study indicate that gut-associated eukaryotes offer different information than gut-associated bacteria and add to our understanding of the structure of the gut microbiome.
• Mann, A. E., Mazel, F., Lemay, M. A., Morien, E., Billy, V., Link, A., Goldberg, T. L., Baden, A. L., Gomez, A., Sauther, M. L., Cuozzo, F. P., Rice, G. A., Dominy, N. J., Lewis, R. J., Swedell, L., Tecot, S. R., Stumpf, R. M., Parfrey, L. W., Kowalewski, M. M., , Fiore, A. D., et al. (2020). Biodiversity of protists and nematodes in the wild nonhuman primate gut.. The ISME journal, 14(2), 609-622. doi:10.1038/s41396-019-0551-4
  More info

  Documenting the natural diversity of eukaryotic organisms in the nonhuman primate (NHP) gut is important for understanding the evolution of the mammalian gut microbiome, its role in digestion, health and disease, and the consequences of anthropogenic change on primate biology and conservation. Despite the ecological significance of gut-associated eukaryotes, little is known about the factors that influence their assembly and diversity in mammals. In this study, we used an 18S rRNA gene fragment metabarcoding approach to assess the eukaryotic assemblage of 62 individuals representing 16 NHP species. We find that cercopithecoids, and especially the cercopithecines, have substantially higher alpha diversity than other NHP groups. Gut-associated protists and nematodes are widespread among NHPs, consistent with their ancient association with NHP hosts. However, we do not find a consistent signal of phylosymbiosis or host-species specificity. Rather, gut eukaryotes are only weakly structured by primate phylogeny with minimal signal from diet, in contrast to previous reports of NHP gut bacteria. The results of this study indicate that gut-associated eukaryotes offer different information than gut-associated bacteria and add to our understanding of the structure of the gut microbiome.
• Singletary, B., & Tecot, S. (2020). Multimodal pair-bond maintenance: A review of signaling across modalities in pair-bonded nonhuman primates. American journal of primatology, 82(3), e23105.
  More info

  Only a handful of primate species exhibit the social relationship of pair-bonding. Efficient communication is critical for behavioral coordination within pair-bonds to maintain proximity and respond appropriately to extra-pair individuals, and possibly coordinate infant care. The use of complex signaling across modalities may help individuals improve communicative outcomes. We review many ways that pair-bonded species use signals to communicate and maintain bonds, though little previous research has taken a truly multimodal approach within a single species. We make a call for further investigation into pair-bonded communication using a multimodal approach to better understand how these species use all their senses to build, maintain, and advertise their bonds.
• Singletary, B., & Tecot, S. R. (2020). Multimodal pair-bond maintenance: A review of signaling across modalities in pair-bonded nonhuman primates.. American journal of primatology, 82(3), e23105. doi:10.1002/ajp.23105
  More info

  Only a handful of primate species exhibit the social relationship of pair-bonding. Efficient communication is critical for behavioral coordination within pair-bonds to maintain proximity and respond appropriately to extra-pair individuals, and possibly coordinate infant care. The use of complex signaling across modalities may help individuals improve communicative outcomes. We review many ways that pair-bonded species use signals to communicate and maintain bonds, though little previous research has taken a truly multimodal approach within a single species. We make a call for further investigation into pair-bonded communication using a multimodal approach to better understand how these species use all their senses to build, maintain, and advertise their bonds.
• Amato, K. R., G Sanders, J., Song, S. J., Nute, M., Metcalf, J. L., Thompson, L. R., Morton, J. T., Amir, A., J McKenzie, V., Humphrey, G., Gogul, G., Gaffney, J., L Baden, A., A O Britton, G., P Cuozzo, F., Di Fiore, A., J Dominy, N., L Goldberg, T., Gomez, A., , Kowalewski, M. M., et al. (2019). Evolutionary trends in host physiology outweigh dietary niche in structuring primate gut microbiomes. The ISME journal, 13(3), 576-587.
  More info

  Over the past decade several studies have reported that the gut microbiomes of mammals with similar dietary niches exhibit similar compositional and functional traits. However, these studies rely heavily on samples from captive individuals and often confound host phylogeny, gut morphology, and diet. To more explicitly test the influence of host dietary niche on the mammalian gut microbiome we use 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and shotgun metagenomics to compare the gut microbiota of 18 species of wild non-human primates classified as either folivores or closely related non-folivores, evenly distributed throughout the primate order and representing a range of gut morphological specializations. While folivory results in some convergent microbial traits, collectively we show that the influence of host phylogeny on both gut microbial composition and function is much stronger than that of host dietary niche. This pattern does not result from differences in host geographic location or actual dietary intake at the time of sampling, but instead appears to result from differences in host physiology. These findings indicate that mammalian gut microbiome plasticity in response to dietary shifts over both the lifespan of an individual host and the evolutionary history of a given host species is constrained by host physiological evolution. Therefore, the gut microbiome cannot be considered separately from host physiology when describing host nutritional strategies and the emergence of host dietary niches.
• Nelson, K. E., Tecot, S. R., Knight, R., White, B. A., Thompson, L. R., Stumpf, R. M., Song, S. J., Sauther, M. L., Sanders, J. G., Nute, M., Nelson, K. E., Morton, J. T., Metcalf, J. L., Mckenzie, V. J., Link, A., Lewis, R. J., Leigh, S. R., Kowalewski, M. M., Knight, R., , Humphrey, G., et al. (2019). Evolutionary trends in host physiology outweigh dietary niche in structuring primate gut microbiomes.. The ISME Journal, 13(3), 576-587. doi:10.1038/s41396-018-0175-0
  More info

  Over the past decade several studies have reported that the gut microbiomes of mammals with similar dietary niches exhibit similar compositional and functional traits. However, these studies rely heavily on samples from captive individuals and often confound host phylogeny, gut morphology, and diet. To more explicitly test the influence of host dietary niche on the mammalian gut microbiome we use 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and shotgun metagenomics to compare the gut microbiota of 18 species of wild non-human primates classified as either folivores or closely related non-folivores, evenly distributed throughout the primate order and representing a range of gut morphological specializations. While folivory results in some convergent microbial traits, collectively we show that the influence of host phylogeny on both gut microbial composition and function is much stronger than that of host dietary niche. This pattern does not result from differences in host geographic location or actual dietary intake at the time of sampling, but instead appears to result from differences in host physiology. These findings indicate that mammalian gut microbiome plasticity in response to dietary shifts over both the lifespan of an individual host and the evolutionary history of a given host species is constrained by host physiological evolution. Therefore, the gut microbiome cannot be considered separately from host physiology when describing host nutritional strategies and the emergence of host dietary niches.
• Singletary, B., & Tecot, S. (2019). Signaling across the senses: a captive case study in pair-bonded red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer) at the Duke Lemur Center, NC, USA. Primates; journal of primatology, 60(6), 499-505.
  More info

  We provide a preliminary case study in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer) to illustrate a multimodal approach to understanding communication strategies within a species with obligate pair-bonds. From June to August 2012, we observed and analyzed signaling behaviors across three established red-bellied lemur pairs at Duke Lemur Center (Durham, NC, USA). Our aim was to assess how individuals combine signal modalities to communicate with pair-mates, and to determine whether these strategies vary by time of day, sex, or pair. We analyzed rates of occurrence of touch (allogrooming, mutual grooming, physical contact, and huddling), scent (scent marking and allomarking), and sound (close-distance contact calls) using Wilcoxon rank sum and exact binomial tests. Time of day impacted rates of occurrence across signal modalities, with higher rates of combined signaling within each modality occurring earlier in the day (p 
• Singletary, B., & Tecot, S. R. (2019). Signaling across the senses: a captive case study in pair-bonded red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer) at the Duke Lemur Center, NC, USA.. Primates; journal of primatology, 60(6), 499-505. doi:10.1007/s10329-019-00770-9
  More info

  We provide a preliminary case study in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer) to illustrate a multimodal approach to understanding communication strategies within a species with obligate pair-bonds. From June to August 2012, we observed and analyzed signaling behaviors across three established red-bellied lemur pairs at Duke Lemur Center (Durham, NC, USA). Our aim was to assess how individuals combine signal modalities to communicate with pair-mates, and to determine whether these strategies vary by time of day, sex, or pair. We analyzed rates of occurrence of touch (allogrooming, mutual grooming, physical contact, and huddling), scent (scent marking and allomarking), and sound (close-distance contact calls) using Wilcoxon rank sum and exact binomial tests. Time of day impacted rates of occurrence across signal modalities, with higher rates of combined signaling within each modality occurring earlier in the day (p 
• Tecot, S. R., Irwin, M. T., & Raharison, J. L. (2019). Faecal glucocorticoid metabolite profiles in diademed sifakas increase during seasonal fruit scarcity with interactive effects of age/sex class and habitat degradation. Conservation physiology, 7(1), coz001.
  More info

  Glucocorticoids are metabolic byproducts of animals' physiological responses to ecological or social challenges and are thought to represent an adaptive response allowing beneficial responses to short-term challenges. Glucocorticoid metabolites (GCs) can be assayed non-invasively through faeces and therefore can be a useful tool to gauge the health of populations experiencing natural and/or anthropogenic stressors. However, the response of GCs to anthropogenic stressors varies, with both higher and lower GC levels reported. Here, we describe variation in GC secretion within eight diademed sifaka () groups across 1 year. These groups span a gradient of anthropogenic habitat disturbance, including groups in continuous forest ('CONT') and disturbed fragments ('FRAG'), and indicators of health suggest that FRAG groups are negatively impacted by habitat disturbance. We monitored phenology, used focal animal follows to quantify diet and collected faeces ( = 547) from which we quantified GC content using enzyme immunoassay. All groups showed elevated lean-season GCs, but with a single, brief peak. GCs were inversely correlated with feeding time. No overall effect of habitat (CONT vs. FRAG) was found, but the lean-season peak was significantly higher in CONT groups. There was a significant season*age-sex interaction; adult females had an attenuated lean-season response compared with groupmates. The observed lean-season 'challenge' is consistent with previous lemur studies, as well as mammals in general. Low and largely invariable GC levels in FRAG, within the context of observed health and nutritional declines, suggest that FRAG groups employ a strategy whereby the adrenal response to stressors is downregulated. More research is needed to contextualize our observations of GC variation and health on an individual level, both in terms of corroborating evidence for ecological and social stressors, and longer-term quantification of reproductive success and fitness.
• Tecot, S. R., Irwin, M. T., & Raharison, J. L. (2019). Faecal glucocorticoid metabolite profiles in diademed sifakas increase during seasonal fruit scarcity with interactive effects of age/sex class and habitat degradation.. Conservation physiology, 7(1), coz001. doi:10.1093/conphys/coz001
  More info

  Glucocorticoids are metabolic byproducts of animals' physiological responses to ecological or social challenges and are thought to represent an adaptive response allowing beneficial responses to short-term challenges. Glucocorticoid metabolites (GCs) can be assayed non-invasively through faeces and therefore can be a useful tool to gauge the health of populations experiencing natural and/or anthropogenic stressors. However, the response of GCs to anthropogenic stressors varies, with both higher and lower GC levels reported. Here, we describe variation in GC secretion within eight diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) groups across 1 year. These groups span a gradient of anthropogenic habitat disturbance, including groups in continuous forest ('CONT') and disturbed fragments ('FRAG'), and indicators of health suggest that FRAG groups are negatively impacted by habitat disturbance. We monitored phenology, used focal animal follows to quantify diet and collected faeces (n = 547) from which we quantified GC content using enzyme immunoassay. All groups showed elevated lean-season GCs, but with a single, brief peak. GCs were inversely correlated with feeding time. No overall effect of habitat (CONT vs. FRAG) was found, but the lean-season peak was significantly higher in CONT groups. There was a significant season*age-sex interaction; adult females had an attenuated lean-season response compared with groupmates. The observed lean-season 'challenge' is consistent with previous lemur studies, as well as mammals in general. Low and largely invariable GC levels in FRAG, within the context of observed health and nutritional declines, suggest that FRAG groups employ a strategy whereby the adrenal response to stressors is downregulated. More research is needed to contextualize our observations of GC variation and health on an individual level, both in terms of corroborating evidence for ecological and social stressors, and longer-term quantification of reproductive success and fitness.
• Tecot, S. R., Swedell, L., Stumpf, R. M., Sauther, M. L., Rice, G. A., Parfrey, L. W., Morien, E., Mazel, F., Mann, A. E., Link, A., Lewis, R. J., Lemay, M. A., Kowalewski, M. M., Gomez, A., Goldberg, T. L., Fiore, A. D., Dominy, N. J., Cuozzo, F. P., Billy, V., , Baden, A. L., et al. (2020). Biodiversity of protists and nematodes in the wild nonhuman primate gut. The ISME Journal, 14(2), 609-622. doi:10.1038/s41396-019-0551-4
  More info

  Documenting the natural diversity of eukaryotic organisms in the nonhuman primate (NHP) gut is important for understanding the evolution of the mammalian gut microbiome, its role in digestion, health and disease, and the consequences of anthropogenic change on primate biology and conservation. Despite the ecological significance of gut-associated eukaryotes, little is known about the factors that influence their assembly and diversity in mammals. In this study, we used an 18S rRNA gene fragment metabarcoding approach to assess the eukaryotic assemblage of 62 individuals representing 16 NHP species. We find that cercopithecoids, and especially the cercopithecines, have substantially higher alpha diversity than other NHP groups. Gut-associated protists and nematodes are widespread among NHPs, consistent with their ancient association with NHP hosts. However, we do not find a consistent signal of phylosymbiosis or host-species specificity. Rather, gut eukaryotes are only weakly structured by primate phylogeny with minimal signal from diet, in contrast to previous reports of NHP gut bacteria. The results of this study indicate that gut-associated eukaryotes offer different information than gut-associated bacteria and add to our understanding of the structure of the gut microbiome.
• Amato, K., Sanders, J., Song, S. J., Metcalf, J. L., Thompson, L., Morton, J., Nute, M., Humphrey, G., Gogul, G., Gaffney, J., Baden, A. L., Britton, J., Cuozzo, F., Di Fiore, A., Dominy, N., Goldberg, T., Gomez, A., Kowalewski, M., Lewis, R., , Link, A., et al. (2017). Diet specialization does not lead to strong gut microbiota convergence across Primates. Science.
• Erhart, E. M., Tecot, S. R., & Grassi, C. (2018). Interannual Variation in Diet, Dietary Diversity, and Dietary Overlap in Three Sympatric Strepsirrhine Species in Southeastern Madagascar. International Journal of Primatology, 39(2), 289-311. doi:10.1007/s10764-018-0040-z
  More info

  Dietary data are used to categorize species diets, but these categorizations do not take into account the mutability of food resources in time or space, the level of interspecific competition in various communities as these resources change, nor the dietary flexibility of species. In this study, we assess the diets of three sympatric species, Eulemur rufifrons, Propithecus edwardsi, and Varecia variegata, in the Vatoharanana site in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. We determine dietary diversity, overlap, and interannual variation with data collected from 2001 to 2003. We then compare results on food preference and time feeding with data collected on each species in the late 1980s and early 1990s to determine whether these findings are consistent over the long term. We found little interannual variation in the proportion of time spent eating particular plant parts for each of the lemur species during the three study years (2001–2003), and between the earlier and current study. Food items were not always consumed based solely on availability. Dietary diversity was lower in the two frugivorous species (V. variegata and E. rufifrons) compared with the folivorous species (P. edwardsi), and V. variegata and E. rufifrons were more likely to focus their feeding time on one particular genus and plant part in each year. The study species used different strategies to deal with food, particularly fruit, shortages such as a plastic social structure (V. variegata), habitat shifting (E. rufifrons), and dietary switching (P. edwardsi). Although there was low dietary overlap between the study species, they depended on a small number of shared fruits in each of the study years (Chrysophyllum, Syzygium, Ocotea, Plagioscyphus), which may indicate some potential for interspecific competition. Because these lemur species, like all primates, lead relatively long lives (avg. >30 years) and have slow rates of aging, longitudinal studies are needed to test hypotheses reliant on basic dietary information.
• Eronen, J., Zohdy, S., Evans, A., Tecot, S. R., Wright, P., & Jernvall, J. (2017). The Culm Before the Storm: Global Climate Change Driving the Extinction of the Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus). Nature Climate Change.
• Knight, R., Nelson, K. E., Tecot, S. R., White, B. A., Stumpf, R. M., Ruokolainen, L., Raulo, A., Nelson, K. E., Leigh, S. R., Lane, A., Knight, R., Baden, A. L., & Amato, K. R. (2018). Social behaviour and gut microbiota in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer): In search of the role of immunity in the evolution of sociality.. The Journal of animal ecology, 87(2), 388-399. doi:10.1111/1365-2656.12781
  More info

  Vertebrate gut microbiota form a key component of immunity and a dynamic link between an individual and the ecosystem. Microbiota might play a role in social systems as well, because microbes are transmitted during social contact and can affect host behaviour. Combining methods from behavioural and molecular research, we describe the relationship between social dynamics and gut microbiota of a group-living cooperative species of primate, the red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer). Specifically, we ask whether patterns of social contact (group membership, group size, position in social network, individual sociality) are associated with patterns of gut microbial composition (diversity and similarity) between individuals and across time. Red-bellied lemurs were found to have gut microbiota with slight temporal fluctuations and strong social group-specific composition. Contrary to expectations, individual sociality was negatively associated with gut microbial diversity. However, position within the social network predicted gut microbial composition. These results emphasize the role of the social environment in determining the microbiota of adult animals. Since social transmission of gut microbiota has the potential to enhance immunity, microbiota might have played an escalating role in the evolution of sociality.
• Raulo, A., Ruokolainen, L., Hanski, I., Lane, A., Baden, A., Amato, K., Knight, R., Leigh, S., Stumpf, R., White, B., Neson, K., & Tecot, S. R. (2016). Social behavior and gut microbiota in red-bellied lemurs: In search of the role of immunity in the evolution of sociality. Journal of Animal Ecology.
• Raulo, A., Ruokolainen, L., Lane, A., Amato, K., Knight, R., Leigh, S., Stumpf, R., White, B., Nelson, K. E., Baden, A. L., & Tecot, S. R. (2018). Social behaviour and gut microbiota in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer): In search of the role of immunity in the evolution of sociality. The Journal of animal ecology, 87(2), 388-399.
  More info

  Vertebrate gut microbiota form a key component of immunity and a dynamic link between an individual and the ecosystem. Microbiota might play a role in social systems as well, because microbes are transmitted during social contact and can affect host behaviour. Combining methods from behavioural and molecular research, we describe the relationship between social dynamics and gut microbiota of a group-living cooperative species of primate, the red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer). Specifically, we ask whether patterns of social contact (group membership, group size, position in social network, individual sociality) are associated with patterns of gut microbial composition (diversity and similarity) between individuals and across time. Red-bellied lemurs were found to have gut microbiota with slight temporal fluctuations and strong social group-specific composition. Contrary to expectations, individual sociality was negatively associated with gut microbial diversity. However, position within the social network predicted gut microbial composition. These results emphasize the role of the social environment in determining the microbiota of adult animals. Since social transmission of gut microbiota has the potential to enhance immunity, microbiota might have played an escalating role in the evolution of sociality.
• Tecot, S. R., & Baden, A. L. (2018). Profiling caregivers: Hormonal variation underlying allomaternal care in wild red-bellied lemurs, Eulemur rubriventer. Physiology & behavior, 193(Pt A), 135-148.
  More info

  Neuroendocrine evidence suggests that paternal care is mediated by hormonal mechanisms, where hormonal changes in expectant and new fathers facilitate infant care. In species with obligate and extensive paternal care such as humans, androgen levels decline once males are paired and have offspring, and in direct response to offspring care. Facultative infant care is widespread in the Order Primates, but the underlying hormonal mechanisms are largely unknown. We found that wild, red-bellied lemurs living in family groups (two adults and their presumed offspring) varied in the amount of care they provided infants. The more fathers invested in helping infants (measured as a composite of carrying, holding, huddling, grooming, and playing), and specifically the more they huddled and groomed with infants, the higher their fecal androgen (fA) levels, contrary to expectations. Carrying was negatively related to fA levels. Helping by subadults and juveniles was not related to their own fA levels. Elevated fA levels during infant dependence have been observed in other vertebrate species, and are thought to reflect reinvestment in mating rather than investment in dependent offspring. However, red-bellied lemurs do not mate until after infants are weaned, and they have long-term pair-bonds, suggesting that elevated fA levels play a role in offspring care. These results support a growing body of research suggesting that elevated androgen levels do not inhibit protective infant care.
• Tecot, S. R., & Baden, A. L. (2018). Profiling caregivers: Hormonal variation underlying allomaternal care in wild red-bellied lemurs, Eulemur rubriventer.. Physiology & behavior, 193(Pt A), 135-148. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.12.007
  More info

  Neuroendocrine evidence suggests that paternal care is mediated by hormonal mechanisms, where hormonal changes in expectant and new fathers facilitate infant care. In species with obligate and extensive paternal care such as humans, androgen levels decline once males are paired and have offspring, and in direct response to offspring care. Facultative infant care is widespread in the Order Primates, but the underlying hormonal mechanisms are largely unknown. We found that wild, red-bellied lemurs living in family groups (two adults and their presumed offspring) varied in the amount of care they provided infants. The more fathers invested in helping infants (measured as a composite of carrying, holding, huddling, grooming, and playing), and specifically the more they huddled and groomed with infants, the higher their fecal androgen (fA) levels, contrary to expectations. Carrying was negatively related to fA levels. Helping by subadults and juveniles was not related to their own fA levels. Elevated fA levels during infant dependence have been observed in other vertebrate species, and are thought to reflect reinvestment in mating rather than investment in dependent offspring. However, red-bellied lemurs do not mate until after infants are weaned, and they have long-term pair-bonds, suggesting that elevated fA levels play a role in offspring care. These results support a growing body of research suggesting that elevated androgen levels do not inhibit protective infant care.
• Zohdy, S., Bisanzio, D., Tecot, S. R., Wright, P., & Jernvall, J. (2016). Boldness is linked to heterogeneity in parasitism and parasite dynamics in the brown mouse lemur. Biology Letters.
• Crouse, D., Jacobs, R., Richardson, Z., Klum, S., Jain, A., Baden, A., & Tecot, S. R. (2017). LemurFaceID: A Face Recognition System to Facilitate Lemur Conservation. BMC Zoology, 2, 2-14. doi:10.1186/s40850-016-0011-9
• Eronen, J. T., Zohdy, S., Evans, A. R., Tecot, S. R., Wright, P. C., & Jernvall, J. (2017). Feeding Ecology and Morphology Make a Bamboo Specialist Vulnerable to Climate Change. Current biology : CB, 27(21), 3384-3389.e2.
  More info

  Animals with dietary specializations can be used to link climate to specific ecological drivers of endangerment. Only two mammals, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in Asia and the greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) in Madagascar, consume the nutritionally poor and mechanically challenging culm or trunk of woody bamboos [1-3]. Even though the greater bamboo lemur is critically endangered, paleontological evidence shows that it was once broadly distributed [4, 5]. Here, integrating morphological, paleontological, and ecological evidence, we project the effects of climate change on greater bamboo lemurs. Both the giant panda and the greater bamboo lemur are shown to share diagnostic dental features indicative of a bamboo diet, thereby providing an ecometric indicator [6, 7] of diet preserved in the fossil record. Analyses of bamboo feeding in living populations show that bamboo culm is consumed only during the dry season and that the greater bamboo lemur is currently found in regions with the shortest dry season. In contrast, paleontological localities of the greater bamboo lemurs have the longest dry seasons. Future projections show that many present-day greater bamboo lemur populations will experience prolonged dry seasons similar to those of the localities where only fossils of the greater bamboo lemur are found. Whereas abundant foods such as bamboo allow feeding specialists to thrive, even a moderate change in seasonality may outstrip the capacity of greater bamboo lemurs to persist on their mechanically demanding food source. Coupling known changes in species distribution with high-resolution ecological and historical data helps to identify extinction risks.
• Eronen, J. T., Zohdy, S., Evans, A. R., Tecot, S. R., Wright, P. C., & Jernvall, J. (2017). Feeding Ecology and Morphology Make a Bamboo Specialist Vulnerable to Climate Change.. Current biology, 27(21), 3384-3389. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2017.09.050
  More info

  Animals with dietary specializations can be used to link climate to specific ecological drivers of endangerment. Only two mammals, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in Asia and the greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) in Madagascar, consume the nutritionally poor and mechanically challenging culm or trunk of woody bamboos [1-3]. Even though the greater bamboo lemur is critically endangered, paleontological evidence shows that it was once broadly distributed [4, 5]. Here, integrating morphological, paleontological, and ecological evidence, we project the effects of climate change on greater bamboo lemurs. Both the giant panda and the greater bamboo lemur are shown to share diagnostic dental features indicative of a bamboo diet, thereby providing an ecometric indicator [6, 7] of diet preserved in the fossil record. Analyses of bamboo feeding in living populations show that bamboo culm is consumed only during the dry season and that the greater bamboo lemur is currently found in regions with the shortest dry season. In contrast, paleontological localities of the greater bamboo lemurs have the longest dry seasons. Future projections show that many present-day greater bamboo lemur populations will experience prolonged dry seasons similar to those of the localities where only fossils of the greater bamboo lemur are found. Whereas abundant foods such as bamboo allow feeding specialists to thrive, even a moderate change in seasonality may outstrip the capacity of greater bamboo lemurs to persist on their mechanically demanding food source. Coupling known changes in species distribution with high-resolution ecological and historical data helps to identify extinction risks.
• Zohdy, S., Bisanzio, D., Wright, P. C., Jernvall, J., & Tecot, S. R. (2017). Aggression and hormones are associated with heterogeneity in parasitism and parasite dynamics in the brown mouse lemur. Animal Behaviour, 132, 109-119. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.08.002
  More info

  Animal behaviours, like aggression, can directly affect host health by influencing exposure to parasites. Aggressive individuals may experience an increase in agonistic interactions and contact rates with conspecifics, which might increase their probability of acquiring parasites. However, aggression is not the only factor that shapes parasitism; proximate mechanisms like hormone-modulated immunosuppression can also have broad impacts. Here, we hypothesized that high levels of aggression, cortisol and testosterone would be positively associated with parasitism and that aggressive individuals would play a larger role spreading parasites to conspecifics than would docile individuals. We measured aggression using the level of aggressive response to human handling during capture. Our aim was to examine associations between aggression and hormones (cortisol and testosterone) on variation in endo- and ectoparasitism in a population of wild mouse lemurs ( Microcebus rufus ) over a 3-year period. By tracking the movement of lice (directly transmitted parasites) in the population, we also examined the effect of host aggression on population-wide parasite dynamics. We show that animals with high testosterone and cortisol were more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviours, and cortisol was associated with significantly higher ectoparasite infestations. Aggressive individuals were significantly more infested by lice, and also donated significantly more lice to conspecifics in the population. Taken together, our results offer insight into the individual and population health costs of aggression, and empirical support of a trade-off between aggression and ectoparasitism, which may have driven the evolution of aggression and interactions with conspecifics.
• Kamilar, J. M., & Tecot, S. R. (2016). Anthropogenic and climatic effects on the distribution of Eulemur species: An ecological niche modeling approach. International Journal of Primatology, 1--22.
• Tecot, S. R., Eadie, E. C., Singletary, B. A., Singletary, B. A., Eadie, E. C., & Tecot, S. R. (2016). Why "monogamy" isn't good enough. American Journal of Primatology, 78(3), 340-354. doi:10.1002/ajp.22412
  More info

  Tecot, S, Singletary, B, Eadie, E. (In review). Monogamy: What’s love got to do with it? Lemurs as a model taxon. American Journal of Primatology, Special Issue on Monogamy (Invited)
• Tecot, S. R., Singletary, B., & Eadie, E. (2016). Why "monogamy" isn't good enough.. American journal of primatology, 78(3), 340-54. doi:10.1002/ajp.22412
  More info

  Rare in mammals but more common in primates, there remains a considerable controversy concerning whether primate species traditionally described as monogamous actually express this highly specialized breeding pattern. Unfortunately the definition of "monogamy" varies greatly, inhibiting our understanding of this trait and two related traits with which monogamy is often conflated: pair-living and pair-bonding. Strepsirrhine primates are useful models to study factors that select for pair-living, pair-bonding, and monogamy because this taxon exhibits high incidences of each trait, in addition to species that exhibit behaviors that reflect combinations of these traits. Several hypotheses have been articulated to help explain the evolution of "monogamy," but again, these hypotheses often conflate pair-living, pair-bonding, and/or monogamy. In this review, we (1) propose clear, discrete, and logical definitions for each trait; (2) review variation in strepsirrhines with respect to these three traits; (3) clarify which of these traits can be explained by existing hypotheses; and (4) provide an example of the applicability of the Resource Defense Hypothesis (RDH) to understand two of these traits, pair-living and pair-bonding, in the red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer). Available data support the RDH for pair-living in red-bellied lemurs. They live in stable family groups with one adult pair. Both sexes actively codefend territories that overlap little with other pairs' territories. Agonism is extremely rare within groups and intergroup and interspecific agonism varies with food availability. Available data also support the RDH for pair-bonding. Pair-bonds are cohesive year-round. Pairs coordinate behaviors to defend territories with auditory and olfactory signals. Cohesion increases with food abundance and both sexes reinforce bonds. We indicate where additional data will help to more rigorously test the RDH for each trait and encourage others to test alternative hypotheses.
• Kamilar, J. M., & Tecot, S. R. (2015). Connecting proximate mechanisms and evolutionary patterns: pituitary gland size and mammalian life history. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 28, 1997--2008.
• Tecot, S. R., & Kamilar, J. M. (2015). Connecting proximate mechanisms and evolutionary patterns: pituitary gland size and mammalian life history. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 28(11), 1997-2008. doi:10.1111/jeb.12715
• Tecot, S., & Baden, A. L. (2015). Primate Allomaternal Care. Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Interdisciplinary, Searchable, and Linkable Resource.
• Zohdy, S., Gerber, B., Tecot, S. R., Blanco, M., Winchester, J. M., Wright, P. C., & Jernvall, J. (2014). Teeth, sex, and testosterone: Ageing in the world's smallest primate.. PLOS ONE, 9:e109528.
  More info

  ;Other collaborative: Yes;Please specify if you select "Other collaborative" : Collaborative with faculty from the University of Helsinki and Stony Brook University, a graduate student from Colorado State University, a postdoc at Emory University/CDC and a postdoc at Duke University. All work in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.;Full Citation: Zohdy, S, Gerber B, Blanco MB, Tecot S, Wright PC, Jernvall J. (In review). Teeth, sex, and testosterone: Ageing in the world’s smallest primate. Plos ONE, 9:e109528. DOI: 10.137/journal.pone.0109528.
• Tecot, S. R., Tecot, S. R., Gerber, B., Gerber, B., King, S., King, S., Verdolin, J., Verdolin, J., Wright, P., & Wright, P. (2013). Risky business: Sex ratio, mortality, and group transfer in Propithecus edwardsi in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Behavioral Ecology, 24, 987-996.
  More info

  ;Your Role: Initiated project, brought on collaborators, wrote manuscript.;Full Citation: Tecot, S, Gerber, B, King, S, Verdolin, J, Wright, PC. (2013). Risky business: Sex ratio, mortality, and group transfer in Propithecus edwardsi in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Behavioral Ecology. Available online, advance access: doi:10.1093/beheco/art008;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: Collaborative with faculty from Stony Brook (owner of data), UMass Amherst, NESCent; grad student at Colorado State University;
• King, S., Boyer, D., Tecot, S. R., Strait, S., Zohdy, S., Blanco, M., Wright, P., & Jernvall, J. (2012). Lemur habitat and dental senescence in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 148(2), 228-237.
  More info

  Special Issue on Dental Ecology;Your Role: Collected and provided habitat assessment data, helped with data analysis.;Full Citation: King, SJ, Boyer, DM, Tecot, SR, Strait, SG, Zohdy, S, Blanco, M, Wright, PC, Jernvall, J. (2012). Lemur habitat and dental senescence in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. American Journal of Physical Anthropology Special Issue on Dental Ecology. 148(2):228-237. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.21589;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: Collaborative with faculty from various universities.;
• Tecot, S. R., Baden, A., Romine, N., & Kamilar, J. (2012). Infant parking and nesting, not allomaternal care, influence Malagasy primate life histories. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 66, 1375-1386.
  More info

  ;Your Role: Initiated study, developed questions, worked on data collection from the literature, data analysis, wrote paper with co-authors, brought on co-authors, worked with undergrad on data collation, etc.;Full Citation: Tecot, S, Baden, A, Romine, N, Kamilar, J. (2012). Infant parking and nesting, not allomaternal care, influence Malagasy primate life histories. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 66:1375-1386. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1393-5;Collaborative with undergraduate student: Yes;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: Collaborated with faculty from Midwestern University and a postdoc at Yale University;
• Tecot, S. R., Tecot, S. R., Romine, N., & Romine, N. (2012). Leading ladies: Leadership of group movements in a pair-living, co-dominant, monomorphic primate across reproductive stages and fruit availability seasons. American Journal of Primatology, 74, 591-601.
  More info

  ;Your Role: Collected, analyzed data; wrote paper;Full Citation: Tecot, S and Romine, N. (2012). Leading ladies: Leadership of group movements in a pair-living, co-dominant, monomorphic primate across reproductive stages and fruit availability seasons. American Journal of Primatology. 74:591-601. DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22011;Collaborative with undergraduate student: Yes;
• King, S. J., Morelli, T. L., Ratelolahy, F. J., Godfrey, L. R., Jernvall, J., Wright, P. C., Wyatt, J. D., Tecot, S. R., & Arrigo-nelson, S. J. (2011). Morphometrics and pattern of growth in wild sifakas (Propithecus edwardsi) at Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.. American journal of primatology, 73(2), 155-72. doi:10.1002/ajp.20881
  More info

  We summarize morphometric data collected over a period of 22 years from a natural population of rainforest sifakas (Propithecus edwardsi) at Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, and we use those data to document patterns of growth and development. Individually identified, known-age sifakas were successfully captured, measured, and released. We found that body segment lengths increased faster during growth than did body mass, with individuals attaining adult lengths earlier than adult mass. Females can begin reproducing before they are fully grown, but this may not be common. With the exception of hand length, we found no significant sex difference in any adult metric including body mass, chest, and limb circumferences, body segment lengths, and canine tooth height; however, body masses of individual females fluctuated more, independently of pregnancy, than did those of males. We found considerable interannual fluctuation in body mass with single individuals differing more within the same season in different years than from season to season in the same year. Such body mass fluctuation may be a consequence of eastern Madagascar's variable and unpredictable environment in which rainfall during any selected month varies from year to year.
• Wright, P. C., Tecot, S. R., Erhart, E. M., Baden, A. L., King, S. J., & Grassi, C. (2011). Frugivory in four sympatric lemurs: implications for the future of Madagascar's forests.. American journal of primatology, 73(6), 585-602. doi:10.1002/ajp.20936
  More info

  Although some conservationists accept that not all species can be saved, we illustrate the difficulty in deciding which species are dispensable. In this article, we examine the possibility that the integrity of a forest relies on its entire faunal assemblage. In Madagascar, one faunal group, the lemurs, accounts for the greatest biomass and species richness among frugivores. For example, 7 of the 13 sympatric lemur species in Madagascar's eastern rainforests consume primarily fruit. Because of this, we suggest that some tree species may rely heavily on particular lemur taxa for both seed dispersal and germination. In Ranomafana National Park, the diets for four of the day-active lemur frugivores have been documented during annual cycles over a 5-year period. We predicted that, although the fruit of some plant taxa would be exploited by multiple lemur species, the fruit of others would be eaten by one lemur species alone. Analyses reveal that while lemurs overlap in a number of fruit taxa exploited, 46% (16/35) of families and 56% (29/52) of genera are eaten exclusively by one lemur species. We, therefore, predict local changes in forest composition and structure if certain of these lemur species are eliminated from a forest owing to hunting, disease, or habitat disturbance. We also suggest that this result may be of global significance because carbon sequestration by the tropical forests in Madagascar may be reduced as a result of this predicted change in forest composition.
• Tecot, S. R. (2010). It’s all in the timing: birth seasonality and infant survival in Eulemur rubriventer. International Journal of Primatology, 31(5), 715-735.
• Tecot, S. R., & Wright, P. C. (2010). Primate conservation efforts. Yearbook of Science and Technology, 310-315. doi:10.1036/1097-8542.yb100002
  More info

  In the 1960s, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened a…
• Godfrey, L. R., King, S. J., Arrigo-nealson, S., Tecot, S. R., Jernvall, J., Wright, P. C., & Morelli, T. L. (2009). Morphometric Data and Patterns of Growth in Wild Propithecus Edwardsi at Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 73(2), 155-172.
• King, S. J., Arrigo-nelson, S. J., Tecot, S. R., Godfrey, L. R., Jernvall, J., Wright, P. C., & Morelli, T. L. (2009). Morphometric data and patterns of growth in wild Propithecus edivardsi at Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, S44.
• Tecot, S. R. (2008). In reference to lemurs: a comprehensive field guide and call to action on behalf of the unique primates of Madagascar. American Journal of Primatology, 70(2), 204-206. doi:10.1002/ajp.20472

Proceedings Publications

• Tecot, S. R., & Baden, A. L. (2015, Spring). What facilitates facultative allomaternal care in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer)? A preliminary investigation.. In American Association of Physical Anthropologists.
  More info

  Baden AL, Tecot SR. (2015). What facilitates facultative allomaternal care in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer)? A preliminary investigation. American Association of Physical Anthropologists.
• Tecot, S. R., Silva, M., Jernvall, J., & Wright, P. (2013, April). Habitat disturbance and fecal cortisol metabolites in a folivorous strepsirrhine, Propithecus edwardsi. In American Association of Physical Anthropologists.
  More info

  Tecot, S, Silva, M, Jernvall, J, Wright, PC. (2013). Habitat disturbance and fecal cortisol metabolites in a folivorous strepsirrhine, Propithecus edwardsi. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 150(S56):269-270.Chosen for Plenary Poster Session.
• Tecot, S. R., Singletary, B., & Eadie, E. (2014, April). Pair-living and pair-bonding in the red-bellied lemur, Eulemur rubriventer.. In American Association of Physical Anthropologists, 153, 252.
  More info

  Tecot, S, Singletary, B, Eadie, E. (2014). Pair-living and pair-bonding in the red-bellied lemur, Eulemur rubriventer. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 153(S38):252
• Singletary, B., Cortes, N., & Tecot, S. R. (2013, April). Maintaining pair-bonds in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer): A preliminary captive study at Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC. In American Association of Physical Anthropologists.
  More info

  Singletary, B, Cortes, N, Tecot, S. (2013). Maintaining pair-bonds in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer): A preliminary captive study at Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 150(S56):256
• Tecot, S. R., & Singletary, B. (2013, June). Behavioral and physiological characteristics of monogamous pair-bonds in the red-bellied lemur, Eulemur rubriventer.. In American Society of Primatologists, 75, 30.
  More info

  Tecot, S, Singletary, B. (2013). Behavioral and physiological characteristics of monogamous pair-bonds in the red-bellied lemur, Eulemur rubriventer. Invited symposium participant, Monogamy in Primates: Variability, Trends, and Synthesis. American Journal of Primatology. 75(S1):30
• Tecot, S. R., Silva, M., Jernvall, J., & Wright, P. (2013, June). Fecal cortisol metabolites in Milne-Edwards’ sifaka are higher in an undisturbed site than in a disturbed site in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. In American Society of Primatologists, 75, 83.
  More info

  Tecot, S, Silva, M, Jernvall, J, Wright, PC. (2013). Fecal cortisol metabolites in Milne-Edwards’ sifaka are higher in an undisturbed site than in a disturbed site in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. American Journal of Primatology 75(S1):83
• Tecot, S. R., Silva, M., Jernvall, J., & Wright, P. (2013, april). Habitat disturbance and fecal cortisol metabolites in a folivorous strepsirrhine, Propithecus edwardsi. In American Association of Physical Anthropologists, 150, 269-270.
  More info

  Tecot, S, Silva, M, Jernvall, J, Wright, PC. (2013). Habitat disturbance and fecal cortisol metabolites in a folivorous strepsirrhine, Propithecus edwardsi. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 150(S56):269-270.
• Zohdy, S., Kemp, A., Tecot, S. R., Wright, P., & Jernvall, J. (2013, April). Lousy personalities: Aggression, testosterone, and ectoparasite dynamics in a population of wild brown mouse lemurs. In American Association of Physical Anthropologists, 150, 300-301.
  More info

  Zohdy S, Kemp AD, Tecot S, Wright PC, Jernvall J. (2013). Lousy personalities: Aggression, testosterone, and ectoparasite dynamics in a population of wild brown mouse lemurs. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 150(S56):300-301.

Presentations

• King, K., & Tecot, S. R. (2024, September). Validating new extraction and immunoassay methods to measure urinary oxytocin in Eulemur species. American Society of Primatologists. Riviera Maya, Mexico: American Society of Primatologists.
• Krieger, L. B., Rankin, L., Tecot, S. R., & Allen, A. M. (2024, July). Development of parental reflective functioning in mothers with and without opioid use disorder: Examining trajectories and correlates across the postpartum fourth trimester. International Attachment Conference. Routen, France.
• Lewis, R. J., Abondano, L., vanKujik, S. M., Destain, H., Eppley, T. M., Taboada, M., Bueno, G. L., Rodelas Tokun Hada, D. A., Tecot, S. R., & Di Fiore, A. (2024, March). Patterns of Paternity in Verreaux’s Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) at the Ankoatsifaka Research Station in Kirindy Mitea National Park, Madagascar. Amercian Association of Biological Anthropology. Los Angeles, California: Amercian Association of Biological Anthropologists.
• Tecot, S. R. (2024, July). Investigating reproduction and infant care in wild, threatened lemurs in Madagascar. Arizona Senior Academy lecture series. Arizona Senior Academy, Tucson AZ: Arizona Senior Academy.
• Tecot, S. R. (2024, November). Red-bellied lemur behavior, physiology, and presence in the Ranomafana region. 1er Technique International pour la Conservation due Lemur à Ventre Roux. Antananarivo, Madagascar (hybrid): International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
• White-Traut, R., Bell, A., Feldman, R., Bedrick, E. J., Carter, C. S., MacLean, E., Tecot, S. R., Tecot, S. R., Carter, C. S., MacLean, E., Feldman, R., Bedrick, E. J., White-Traut, R., & Bell, A. (2024, May). An NIH-funded R01 RCT with mother-infant dyads, birth data and repeated perinatal biobehavioral measures. Midwifery Research & Quality Exchange, American College of Nurse-Midwives Division of Research. Virtual: American College of Nurse-Midwives.
• Costanzo, J., Baden, A., & Tecot, S. R. (2016, Spring). The relationship of estradiol to paternal care behavior in wild-living red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer).. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Atlanta, Georgia.
• Rice, K. S., Zohdy, S., Crowley, B., & Tecot, S. R. (2016, August). Healthy forests, healthy lemurs? The effect of habitat disturbance on diet, parasitism, and immunity in brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus). International Primatological Society. Chicago, Illinois: International Primatological Society and American Society of Primatologists.
• Tecot, S. R. (2015, Spring). Primatologists’ engagement with communities in Madagascar.. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. St. Louis, Missouri.
  More info

  Tecot, S. (2015). Primatologists’ engagement with communities in Madagascar. American Association of Physical Anthropologists.
• Tecot, S. R. (2015, Summer). How do Primatologists Engage with Local Human Populations? Community Engagement in Madagascar. American Society of Primatologists. Bend, Oregon.
• Tecot, S. R., & Kamilar, J. (2015, Spring). Does relative pituitary gland size predict mammal life history?. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. St. Louis, Missouri.
  More info

  Kamilar, J, Tecot, S. (2015). Does relative pituitary gland size predict mammal life history? American Association of Physical Anthropologists.
• Tecot, S. R., Costanzo, J., Eadie, E., Hawley, C., Razanajatovo, S., Arroyo, A. S., & Baden, A. L. (2016, Spring). Profiling caregivers: hormonal variation underlying allomaternal care in wild red-bellied lemurs. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Atlanta, Georgia.
  More info

  Invited symposium
• Tecot, S. R., Costanzo, J., Eadie, E., Jacobson, K., Hawley, C., Razanajatovo, S., Arroyo, A., & Baden, A. L. (2016, August). Endocrine mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation in infant care in the red-bellied lemur, Eulemur rubriventer. International Primatological Society. Chicago, Illinois: International Primatological Society and American Society of Primatologists.
• Tecot, S. R., Jacobs, R. L., Jain, A., Klum, S., & Crouse, D. (2014, Fall). Face recognition technology for individual identification of lemurs. Nor’Eastern Primate Ecology, Evolution & Behavior Group. New Jersey: Rutgers University.
  More info

  Jacobs, RL, Tecot, S, Klum, S, Crouse, D, Jain, AK. (2014). Face recognition technology for individual identification of lemurs. Nor’Eastern Primate Ecology, Evolution & Behavior Group
• Tecot, S. R. (2012, 2012-02-01). Balancing Energy in the Forest: The Ecology of Stress. Speech and Language Hearing Sciences Bldg, Room 205.
  More info

  Abstract: The term “stress” has been used in many contexts, most of them negative. Earlyresearch provided support for the idea that physiological adjustments, such as cortisol(stress hormone) secretion, occur in response to stress, inhibiting long-term functionssuch as reproduction and immune function. Thus, the â€;Invited: Yes;Type of Presentation: University;
• Tecot, S. R. (2012, 2012-04-01). Cooperative Care of Primate Infants. Why Cooperate? An Interdisciplinary Conversation. University of Arizona.
  More info

  ;Invited: Yes;Interdisciplinary: Yes;Type of Presentation: Panel Discussant (Reporting Research);
• Tecot, S. R. (2012, 2013-02-01). Profiling caregivers: Allomaternal care in red-bellied lemurs, Eulemur rubriventer. Evo Devo group. University of Arizona.
  More info

  ;Invited: Yes;Type of Presentation: University of Arizona Evo Devo Group;
• Tecot, S. R., Baden, A., Romine, N., & Kamilar, J. (2012, 2012-04-01). The evolution of allomaternal care in lemuriforms. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Portland, Oregon.
  More info

  Investigates the relationship between life history traits and allomaternal care.;Your Role: Conceived of the project, collected data with two co-authors, and wrote the bulk of the manuscript.;Submitted: Yes;Interdisciplinary: Yes;Collaborative with undergraduate student: Yes;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: Collaborators from Midwestern University and Yale University.;Type of Presentation: Academic Conference;
• Tecot, S. R., Singletary, B., & Herrera, J. (2012, 2012-04-01). Is there an environmental effect on acoustic strategies of black and white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata editorum) in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar?. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Portland, Oregon.
  More info

  Data are from Britt Singletary's summer field research before entering the program at UA.These results were also presented at two UA events by Britt (same author order) in 2011: the Graduate and Professional Student Council Student Showcase (poster) and the Institute of the Environment Grad Blitz.;Your Role: Helped in theoretical conception, data analysis, and editing.;Submitted: Yes;Interdisciplinary: Yes;Collaborative with graduate student: Yes;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: Collaborative with a graduate student from Stony Brook University, and my graduate student at UA.;Type of Presentation: Academic Conference;
• Zohdy, S., Tecot, S., Wright, P., & Jernvall, J. (2012, 2012-02-01). Testing the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) in both sexes in wild brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus). American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Portland, Oregon.
  More info

  I will present this paper at the meeting, as the first author will not attend the conference.;Your Role: I conducted hormonal analysis with the first author (while training her in the lab), helped with data interpretation and analysis, and contributed to writing the manuscript.;Submitted: Yes;Interdisciplinary: Yes;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: Collaborators are from the University of Helsinki and Stony Brook University.;Type of Presentation: Academic Conference;

Poster Presentations

• Allen, A. M., Allen, A. M., Tecot, S. R., Tecot, S. R., Linde-Krieger, L. B., Linde-Krieger, L. B., Rankin, L., Rankin, L., Valencia, E., Valencia, E., Gonzolez, A., Gonzolez, A., Mallahan, S., & Mallahan, S. (2024, June). Desires to Breastfeed and Impacts on Duration among Birthing People with and without Opioid Use Disorder.. College on Problems of Drug Dependence 2024 Annual Meeting. Montreal, Canada.
• Chalke, A. M., Krieger, L. B., Tecot, S. R., & Allen, A. M. (2024, November). Association between breastfeeding and maternal sleep quality among mothers with opioid use disorder. Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine 29th Annual Conference. Schaumburg, IL: Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.
• Hanadari-Levy, A., Hays, A. M., Hinz, K., King, K., Liu, A., Wagstaff, P., Grieneisen, L., & Tecot, S. R. (2024, November). Comparison of desiccation and ethanol preservation for gut microbiome analysis. Southwest Association of Biological Anthropologists. Albuquerque, NM.
• King, K., Velontsara, J. B., Lahitsara, J. P., Tombotiana, A. V., Razafindraibe, D., Baden, A. L., & Tecot, S. R. (2024, November). Costs and benefits of shared care: Changes in red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer) parent behavior as a result of offspring birth. Southwest Association of Biological Anthropologists. Albuquerque, NM.
• Mallahan, S., Linde-Krieger, L., Rankin, L., Tecot, S. R., & Allen, A. M. (2024, September). ACEs, stress and bonding outcomes among mothers with and without opioid use disorder. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 40th annual meeting. Boston, Massachusetts: Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
• Parker, S. N., Scarry, C. J., Hays, A. M., & Tecot, S. R. (2024). Variation in corticosterone during dominance instability among tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) in Iguazú National Park, Argentina. American Society of Primatologists. Riviera Maya, Mexico: American Association of Primatologists.
• Tecot, S. R. (2024, February). Male lemurs hormonally respond to their mate’s pregnancy and provide infant care. Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute Showcase. University of Arizona, Tucson AZ: SBSRI.
• Tecot, S. R., Rankin, L., Linde-Krieger, L. B., & Allen, A. M. (2024, March). Postpartum nicotine/tobacco use: What is the association with bonding, connection, and oxytocin? . 2024 Annual Meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. Edinburg, Scotland.
• Tecot, S. R., Rankin, L., Linde-Krieger, L. B., Allen, A. M., Tecot, S. R., Rankin, L., Linde-Krieger, L. B., & Allen, A. M. (2024, March). Postpartum nicotine/tobacco use: What is the association with bonding, connection, and oxytocin?. 2024 Annual Meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. Edinburg, Scotland.
• Wagstaff, P., King, K., Hays, A. M., Allen, A. M., Linde-Krieger, L., Rankin, L., & Tecot, S. R. (2024, November). The relationship between maternal pre- and postpartum oxytocin levels and significant childhood adversity in human mothers. Southwest Association of Biological Anthropologists. Albuquerque, NM.
• Allen, A. M., Tecot, S. R., Rankin, L., Linde-Krieger, L. B., & Mallahan, S. (2023, June). Birth interventions among women with Opioid Use Disorder. . Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research Annual Meeting.

Others

• Tecot, S. R. (2012). Habitat disturbance and fecal cortisol metabolites in a folivorous strepsirrhine, Propithecus edwardsi.
  More info

  Work will be presented at conferences this year and the manuscript is in progress. Submission planned for 2013.;Collaborative with undergraduate student: Yes;Other collaborative: Yes;Please specify if you select "Other collaborative" : Collaborative with faculty from the University of Helsinki and Stony Brook University;Full Citation: Habitat disturbance and fecal cortisol metabolites in a folivorous strepsirrhine, Propithecus edwardsi. Tecot, SR, Silva, M, Jernvall, J, Wright, PC.;