Serum concentrations of 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 in Platyrrhini and Catarrhini: A phylogenetic appraisal

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Abstract
We measured the serum concentration of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 (25‐OH‐D3) and 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25‐[OH]2‐D3) in 23 different Platyrrhines from four different genera and in 21 Catarrhines from six different genera in residence at the Los Angeles Zoo. The mean (±S.E.) serum concentration of 1,25‐(OH)2‐D3 was significantly greater in Platyrrhines (810 ± 119 pg/ml) than in Catarrhines (61 ± 5 pg/ml), suggesting that high circulating concentrations of the active vitamin D hormone were a characteristic of New World primates in both the Cebidae and Callitrichidae family. This increase in the serum concentration of 1,25‐(OH)2‐D3 is probably an adaptational response on the part of Platyrrhini to offset a relative decrease in the concentration of specific receptor for 1,25‐(OH)2‐D3 in target tissues for the hormone.