Arboricol
In the zoo, substitute solutions for tree-dwelling species often have to be offered, here for the Siamang , a typical arboricular monkey
As arboricol or arborikol ( lat. Arbor "tree", colere "inhabit") one describes a way of life of animals that live mainly in tree tops and have adapted to this habitat. Especially in larger animal species, this way of life is associated with a number of special properties and anatomical features, including the formation of a prehensile tail or other ways of holding onto branches. There are also special adaptations to tree life in behavior, for example when moving.
Typical arboricole creatures can be found with monkeys and squirrels as well as sloths , koalas and flying foxes among the mammals, but also many birds, reptiles (including snakes ), amphibians and insects live on trees.
literature
- Keyword “arboricol” in: Herder-Lexikon der Biologie . Spektrum Akademischer Verlag GmbH, Heidelberg 2003, ISBN 3-8274-0354-5
