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Open research questions in Primate Behavior and Ecology

305 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 1,431 Primate Behavior and Ecology papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • investigating these preferences in non-human species is highly interesting from an evolutionary perspective, - providing potentially important information for the welfare of animals raised in captivity, - examining the preference for natural stimuli in other species

    Preference for Natural Stimuli in Juvenile Guppies · 2026 · DOI

  • The cognitive mechanisms of disgust remain less understood, particularly in nonhuman animals. There is a lack of studies on the effects of disgust and fear on cognitive processes in chimpanzees. The study aims to fill this gap by examining how cues of disease and predation risk influence cognitive processes in captive chimpanzees.

    Dissecting disgust and fear in chimpanzees: From facilitation to disruption of cognitive processes · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the trabecular architecture of the ulna remains understudied in extant primates, particularly regarding whether it reflects habitual joint posture and loading.

    Trabecular structure of the proximal and distal ulna in extant primates · 2026 · DOI

  • Although the social environment impacts learning opportunities, the benefits of role model diversity and tolerance on task learning in tool-using species remain poorly understood.

    Social tolerance and role model diversity increase tool use learning opportunities across chimpanzee ontogeny · 2025 · DOI

  • 6 , 7 , 8 But whether wild chimpanzee drumming shows structural musical features and regional variation in rhythm or in its integration within pant-hoots remains unknown.

    Chimpanzee drumming shows rhythmicity and subspecies variation · 2025 · DOI

  • 8 , 9 However, Virunga gorillas live in an ecological extreme and their behavior may not be representative of all gorillas.

    Gorillas are arboreal apes · 2025 · DOI

  • However, little is known about the inclusion of ethanolic foods in the diet of nonhuman great apes.

    Wild chimpanzees share fermented fruits · 2025 · DOI

  • However, little is known about whether consensus decision-making follows similar processes across different species.

    Compromise or choose: shared movement decisions in wild vulturine guineafowl · 2024 · DOI

  • In both the survey questions and freeform responses, most respondents indicated that their lack of data collection or publication on SSSB was because the behaviours were rare, or because it was not a research priority of their lab.

    Same-sex sexual behaviour among mammals is widely observed, yet seldomly reported: Evidence from an online expert survey · 2024 · DOI

  • Lack of evidence for physiological causes in food-deprivation-induced polydipsia in the gerbil.

    The gerbil: A unique model for research on aging · 1986 · DOI

  • The application of camera traps in other forest strata is underexplored. There is a need for effective monitoring tools for black lion tamarins and sympatric mammals.

    Arboreal Camera Trap-based Insights into the Activity, Resource Use, and Demography of Black Lion Tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) and Sympatric Mammals in Atlantic Forest Fragments · 2026 · DOI

  • Habitat fragmentation and loss pose a critical threat to the Belitung Tarsier. The small population size and limited range of the Belitung Tarsier make it vulnerable to extinction. The lack of genetic information for the Belitung Tarsier hinders conservation efforts.

    Mitochondrial D-Loop Analysis Reveals High Haplotype Diversity in the Belitung Tarsier (Cephalopachus bancanus saltator) · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of genetic information for the Belitung Tarsier represents a significant knowledge gap. Prior work has largely focused on the mitochondrial D-loop region in Tarsius bancanus and T. spectrum.

    Mitochondrial D-Loop Analysis Reveals High Haplotype Diversity in the Belitung Tarsier (Cephalopachus bancanus saltator) · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of investigations of preference for natural stimuli outside humans. The observed preference in humans may not represent an evolutionary adaptation, but rather a cultural by-product of modern living conditions.

    Preference for Natural Stimuli in Juvenile Guppies · 2026 · DOI

  • The anatomical component was based on five adult Papio hamadryas specimens (10 hemifaces), which provides only a limited basis for assessing intraspecific variation.

    Decoding the baboon’s expressive capacity: facial microanatomy and the development of a PapioFACS · 2026 · DOI

  • Comparative data remain limited for many cercopithecines. There is a need for a comprehensive anatomical and behavioral analysis of the facial mask in Papio hamadryas.

    Decoding the baboon’s expressive capacity: facial microanatomy and the development of a PapioFACS · 2026 · DOI

  • Human evolution is often presented through a misleading visual grammar. There is a need for a better conceptual model that keeps two commitments together: shared ancestry and different adaptive demands.

    Phase-Shifted Adaptive Trajectories in Primate Trait Evolution · 2026 · DOI

  • Further study of the relationship between parasite load and display intensity. Investigation of the role of comfort-seeking, parasite management, and deep-time behavioral conservation in animal behavior.

    Behavioral Evolution Hypotheses: From Fins to Feet, From Itch to Ritual · 2026 · DOI

  • Traditional interpretations of animal displays are aggression-centric. There is a need for alternative explanations for elaborate display behaviors in sexual selection.

    Behavioral Evolution Hypotheses: From Fins to Feet, From Itch to Ritual · 2026 · DOI

  • The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small monkey native to Brazil, has been used as a biomedical model in the United States (US) since the 1950s, yet the origins, genomic diversity, and population structure of current colonies remain poorly defined.

    Census and genetic analysis of the United States marmoset population · 2026 · DOI

  • Habitat destruction and biodiversity loss threaten animals' access to medicinal resources. There is a need to develop effective conservation strategies. There is a need to improve veterinary medicine.

    Harnessing Zoo Pharmacognosy For Biopharmaceuticals: Insights Into Animal Self-Medication · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to understand the mechanisms behind self-medication. There is a need to explore the implications of self-medication for bioprospecting and drug discovery.

    Harnessing Zoo Pharmacognosy For Biopharmaceuticals: Insights Into Animal Self-Medication · 2026 · DOI

  • The study had a limited sample size of 45 faecal samples. The study only investigated the prevalence and seasonal variation of whipworm and hookworm infections.

    Dynamics of zoonotic soil-transmitted helminth infections in wild African green monkey ( Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus ) · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of information on the prevalence and seasonal variation of soil-transmitted helminth infections in wild African green monkeys. The study aims to address this gap by investigating the prevalence and seasonal variation of these infections.

    Dynamics of zoonotic soil-transmitted helminth infections in wild African green monkey ( Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus ) · 2026 · DOI

  • Observations were limited to a subset of identified individuals. Systematic demographic monitoring of the population had not been established. The study's preliminary results on sex-bias are limited due to the small sample size of female-associated bouts.

    Stone tool use in a new population of semi-free-ranging robust capuchins (Sapajus spp.) at Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary, South Africa · 2026 · DOI

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305 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 1,431 Primate Behavior and Ecology papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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