This is one of the main conclusions of a study carried out in Mexico by a team of researchers from different institutions in this country, Germany and Sweden. Among other things, they have shown that some species of spider monkeys are capable of discerning even the degree of ripeness of a fruit in this way.
To determine this, the scientists prepared different combinations of ten substances that simulated the smell of two types of tropical fruits. As indicated in an essay published in the journal Scientific Reports , the monkeys selected the aroma that corresponded to the most suitable piece , that is, at the optimal moment to be consumed, more than 70% of the time.
“During the experiments we observed that in a single day they learned to distinguish between the smell of ripe fruit and that of one that had not yet done so. What's more, they were able to quickly settle between them even if the aroma of both was very similar, ”says Matthias Laska, professor of zoology at Linköping University in Sweden, who has participated in the research.
Zoologists point out that the relationship between these primates and tropical fruit-producing plant species is an example of coevolution, in which the needs of the former have been adapting to those of the latter over millions of years. That is, the monkeys prefer the pieces that contain more sugar and nutrients ; and when they feed on them, they help disperse the seeds.
