In the animal realm, nasopharyngeal plucking is not considered a disgusting or socially inappropriate behavior.
A new study finds that aye-ayes, a lemur species with long fingers, are frequently observed digging in their nostrils.
It is one of 12 primate species, including chimpanzees, orangutans, and, of course, humans, that exhibit this behavior.
Aye-ayes, or Daubentonia madagascariensis, have very long third and fourth digits to assist them to pluck grubs from trees to eat.
Scientists from the Natural History Museum in the United Kingdom have discovered that these tentacles reach back into their throats.
“It was impossible not to notice this aye-aye picking its nose,” stated lead scientist Dr. Anne-Claire Fabre, who researched Kali at the Duke Lemur Center in North Carolina, United States.
This was not an isolated incident; rather, it was a regular occurrence, with the animal putting its extraordinarily long finger astonishingly deep into its nostril and then licking its finger clean to sample whatever it unearthed!
The aye-aye is the largest nocturnal primate in the world. It is a type of strepsirrhine monkey unique to Madagascar.
The length of their lengthy fingers accounts for over 65% of the length of their hand, while the hand itself accounts for roughly 40% of the total length of their forelimb.
Unfortunately, according to certain traditions, the aye-aye is a portent of death, and if one points its little finger at you, you are destined for this fate.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature classifies them as endangered as a result of the fact that they are frequently slaughtered on sight in certain nations.
In actuality, their third and fourth fingers, sometimes known as the middle and ring fingers, are lengthened and thin to aid in feeding.
In percussive foraging, aye-ayes tap on the wood of trees to generate acoustic reverberations that assist them to detect any grubs inside.
They then chew a hole in the bark before inserting their thin middle finger and extracting the grubs.
Dr. Fabre observed when studying the aye-aye that they utilize the entire length of their lengthy middle finger to pick their nose and then lick the nasal mucus.
She chose to chronicle this behavior in her work, which was published today in the Journal of Zoology, as well as to compile all existing studies on nose-picking, or rhinotillexis, in primates.
In doing so, her team determined that at least 12 primate species have exhibited this behavior.
She stated, “There is virtually little evidence as to why humans and other animals scratch their noses.”
There are a few substantial studies on the subject of psychology, but there are hardly any in the field of biology.
To gain a better understanding of aye-ayes’ behavior, her team scanned the skull and hand of a specimen from the American Museum of Natural History with a CT scanner.
They recreated the position of the middle finger inside the nasal cavity and determined that when a species picks its nose, the finger is likely to fall into its throat.
Previous research on the practice of nose-picking in monkeys has revealed that ingesting nasal mucus may boost the human immune system.
Others argue that it could help prevent bacteria from adhering to tooth surfaces, hence enhancing oral health, as those who consume their snot have fewer dental cavities.
The scientists suggest that the texture, crunchiness, and salty mucus may be the reason primates love consuming it.
The lengthy fingers of aye-ayes could be a good tool for obtaining delectable treats from trees and up their nose.
Roberto Portela Miguez, co-author and senior curator at the Natural History Museum, remarked, “Aye-ayes are critically endangered and require our immediate assistance.”
This paper will hopefully assist bring attention to the species, demonstrate how little we know about them, and encourage more individuals to support their conservation.
