Patrick Maloney
Brandy DeRudder
Laura Klaver

Click for a Transcript (pdf) of the video podcast.

• Dudley, R. (2000). Evolutionary origins of human alcoholism in primate frugivory. The Quarterly Review of Biology, 75, 3-15.
• Dudley, R. (2004). Ethanol, fruit ripening, and the historical origins of human alcoholism in primate frugivory. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 44, 315-323.

More to Explore

• Dominy, N. J. (2004). Fruits, fingers, and fermentation: The sensory cues available to foraging primates. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 44, 295-303.
  • An analysis of fruit indicates that levels of ethanol were present in all developmental stages, suggesting that ethanol could be a valuable foraging cue, and could play a significant role in regulating primate foraging behavior.
• Sanchez, F., Korine, C., Pinshow, B. & Dudley, R. (2004). The possible roles of ethanol in the relationship between plants and frugivores: First experiments with Egyptian fruit bats. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 44, 290-294.
  • Ethanol vapors from fruit have been shown to act as odor cues to guide bats and other frugivores to high quality ripe fruit. Ethanol may also act as an appetitive stimulant and source of energy when ingested.
• Milton, K. (2004). Ferment in the family tree: Does a frugivorous dietary heritage influence contemporary patterns of human ethanol use? Integrative and Comparative Biology, 44, 304-314.
  • Monkeys have been shown to avoid consumption of over-ripe fruits, which contain high ethanol concentrations. Therefore high ethanol concentrations may act as deterrents rather than attractants.
• Levey, D. J. (2004). The evolutionary ecology of ethanol production and alcoholism? Integrative and Comparative Biology, 44, 284-289.
  • If an ethanol plume is used to locate fruit, then fruits with higher ethanol content should be preferred, however this is not the case. Humans may have discovered ethanol while using fermentation as a food preservation technique.