Circadian Rhythms of Locomotor Activity in the Squirrel Monkey, Saimiri sciureus, under Conditions of Self-Controlled Light-Dark Cycles

Abstract

Locomotor activity was recorded from three squirrel monkeys, Saimiri sciureus, housed singly in cages inside a sound-proof chamber. Each animal was exposed twice to each of three conditions: continuous dim illumination (dim LL), continuous bright illumination (bright LL), and conditions in which the animal could turn on bright light by itself (self-controlled light-dark cycle: LDS). The mean circadian period, τ, the activity time, α, and the amount of activity, A, were computed for each single condition. It was found that, in LL, τ, α and A were positively correlated with the intensity of illumination. In LDS, τ was longer and A larger than in either dim or bright LL. The lengthening of τ in squirrel monkeys by a self-controlled light-dark cycle is compared with similar findings in birds and man, and is discussed in view of the observation that the τ-characteristics of diurnal mammals deviate from those known from other diurnal species of vertebrates. © 1979, PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN. All rights reserved.