HAND PREFERENCE IN THE SIFAKA (PROPITHECUS-VERREAUXI-COQUERELI) DURING FEEDING IN CAPTIVITY

The Coquerel's sifakas were chosen for this study on hand preference b ecause little is known about handedness in Indriidae. Fifteen Coquerel 's sifakas were observed at the Duke University Primate Center as they fed on chopped fruit, vegetables, and primate chow. Analysis of age, sex, and hand preference indicated that the adult males both individua lly and as a group tended toward left-handedness. Adult females as a g roup did not show a trend in the direction of handedness. However, ind ividual adult females showed consistent right- or left-hand preference . Younger sifakas tended toward ambipreference, suggesting that latera lization of hand preference is gradual, becoming more stable in adulth ood. These findings suggest that sex and age may be strong indicators for lateralization of hand preference in Coquerel's sifakas.