Biomaterial Database

Direct modulation of activity and body temperature of owl monkeys (Aotus lemurinus griseimembra) by low light intensities. 1986

H G Erkert, and J Gröber

The activity pattern of Aotus lemurinus griseimembra can be predictably altered by varying the illuminance during the dark phase of a 12:12-hour light:dark rhythm. Intensities well below full-moon brightness (0.1-0.5 lx) severely inhibit activity. This modulation is not the result of a light-induced phase shift of the circadian rhythm, but it is primarily caused by masking due to direct effects of light on the motor system. Both proportional and differential effects of light are involved. Miniature transmitters were implanted intraperitoneally in two Aotus females so that the core temperature could be measured in parallel with locomotor activity. The responses to brief reductions of the dark-phase illuminance, from 10(-1) to 10(-3) lx, 10(-5) lx or physiological darkness, indicate that the direct effects of light that modulate the activity of the owl monkeys also affect their temperature time-course. The influence on the temperature rhythm, unlike that on the activity rhythm, varies greatly over the circadian period. The finding that the core temperature does not always change in parallel with locomotor activity and, to some extent, reacts differently to the light:dark alternation indicates that temperature does not simply follow activity passively, but rather is partially subject to a 'direct' masking influence of the light.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008027	Light	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range.	Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D009043	Motor Activity	Body movements of a human or an animal as a behavioral phenomenon.	Activities, Motor,Activity, Motor,Motor Activities
D001831	Body Temperature	The measure of the level of heat of a human or animal.	Organ Temperature,Body Temperatures,Organ Temperatures,Temperature, Body,Temperature, Organ,Temperatures, Body,Temperatures, Organ
D002427	Cebidae	A family of New World monkeys in the infraorder PLATYRRHINI, consisting of nine subfamilies: ALOUATTINAE; AOTINAE; Atelinae; Callicebinae; CALLIMICONINAE; CALLITRICHINAE; CEBINAE; Pithecinae; and SAIMIRINAE. They inhabit the forests of South and Central America, comprising the largest family of South American monkeys.	Platyrrhina,Platyrrhinas
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001029	Aotus trivirgatus	A species in the family AOTIDAE, inhabiting the forested regions of Central and South America (from Panama to the Amazon). Vocalizations occur primarily at night when they are active, thus they are also known as Northern night monkeys.	Humboldt's Night Monkey,Monkey, Northern Night,Night Monkey, Northern,Humboldt Night Monkey,Humboldts Night Monkey,Monkey, Humboldt's Night,Night Monkey, Humboldt's,Northern Night Monkey,Northern Night Monkeys
D013045	Species Specificity	The restriction of a characteristic behavior, anatomical structure or physical system, such as immune response; metabolic response, or gene or gene variant to the members of one species. It refers to that property which differentiates one species from another but it is also used for phylogenetic levels higher or lower than the species.	Species Specificities,Specificities, Species,Specificity, Species
D014644	Genetic Variation	Genotypic differences observed among individuals in a population.	Genetic Diversity,Variation, Genetic,Diversity, Genetic,Diversities, Genetic,Genetic Diversities,Genetic Variations,Variations, Genetic