Metagenomic analyses reveal previously unrecognized variation in the diets of sympatric Old World monkey species

PLoS One. 2019 Jun 26;14(6):e0218245. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218245. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Insectivory, or the consumption of insects and other arthropods, is a significant yet cryptic component of omnivorous primate diets. Here, we used high-throughput DNA sequencing to identify arthropods from fecal DNA and assess variation in insectivory by closely-related sympatric primates. We identified arthropod prey taxa and tested the hypothesis that variation in insectivory facilitates niche differentiation and coexistence among closely-related species with high dietary overlap. We collected 233 fecal samples from redtail (Cercopithecus ascanius; n = 118) and blue monkeys (C. mitis; n = 115) and used a CO1 metabarcoding approach to identify arthropod DNA in each fecal sample. Arthropod DNA was detected in 99% of samples (N = 223 samples), and a total of 68 families (15 orders) were identified. Redtails consumed arthropods from 54 families, of which 12 (21.8%) were absent from blue monkey samples. Blue monkeys consumed arthropods from 56 families, of which 14 (24.6%) were absent from redtail samples. For both species, >97% of taxa present belonged to four orders (Araneae, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera). Redtail samples contained more Lepidoptera taxa (p<0.05), while blue monkey samples contained more Araneae (p<0.05). Blue monkeys consumed a greater diversity of arthropod taxa than redtail monkeys (p<0.05); however, the average number of arthropod families present per fecal sample was greater in the redtail monkey samples (p<0.05). These results indicate that while overlap exists in the arthropod portion of their diets, 20-25% of taxa consumed are unique to each group. Our findings suggest that variation in arthropod intake may help decrease dietary niche overlap and hence facilitate coexistence of closely-related primate species.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Animals
  • Arthropods / genetics
  • Cercopithecidae / classification
  • Cercopithecidae / physiology*
  • DNA / analysis
  • Diet*
  • Feces
  • Metagenomics*
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • DNA

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.5872650

Grants and funding

Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation, Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (1540337) to MML, Sigma Xi, Grants-in-Aid of Research (G201503151206894) to MML, and the UTSA Department of Anthropology. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.