Cathemerality in the context of "Diurnality"

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⭐ Core Definition: Cathemerality

Cathemerality, sometimes called metaturnality, is an organismal activity pattern of irregular intervals during the day or night in which food is acquired, socializing with other organisms occurs, and any other activities necessary for livelihood are undertaken. This activity differs from the generally monophasic pattern (sleeping once per day) of nocturnal and diurnal species as it is polyphasic (sleeping 4-6 times per day) and is approximately evenly distributed throughout the 24-hour cycle.

Many animals do not fit the traditional definitions of being strictly nocturnal, diurnal, or crepuscular, often driven by factors that include the availability of food, predation pressure, and variable ambient temperature. Although cathemerality is not as widely observed in individual species as diurnality or nocturnality, this activity pattern is seen across the mammal taxa, such as in lions, coyotes, and lemurs.

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👉 Cathemerality in the context of Diurnality

Diurnality is a form of plant and animal behavior characterized by activity during daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The common adjective used for daytime activity is "diurnal". The timing of activity by an animal depends on a variety of environmental factors such as the temperature, the ability to gather food by sight, the risk of predation, and the time of year. Diurnality is a cycle of activity within a 24-hour period; cyclic activities called circadian rhythms are endogenous cycles not dependent on external cues or environmental factors except for a zeitgeber. Animals active during twilight are crepuscular, those active during the night are nocturnal and animals active at sporadic times during both night and day are cathemeral.

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Cathemerality in the context of Night monkey

Night monkeys, also known as owl monkeys or douroucoulis (/duːruːˈkuːliz/), are nocturnal New World monkeys of the genus Aotus, the only living member of the family Aotidae (/eɪˈɒtɪdiː/). The genus comprises eleven species which are found across Panama and much of South America in primary and secondary forests, tropical rainforests and cloud forests up to 2,400 metres (7,900 ft). Night monkeys have large eyes which improve their vision at night, while their ears are mostly hidden, giving them their name Aotus, meaning "earless".

Night monkeys are the only truly nocturnal monkeys, although some cathemeral populations of Azara's night monkey have irregular bursts of activity during day and night. They have a varied repertoire of vocalisations and live in small family groups of a mated pair and their immature offspring. Night monkeys have monochromatic vision which improves their ability to detect visual cues at night.

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Diurnality ← Night monkey ← Diurnal animal
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Felidae → Monophasic sleep → Nocturnality → Diurnality → Polyphasic sleep → Nocturnal animal → Diurnal animal → Crepuscular → Mammal → Lion → Coyote → Lemur →