An Overview of Literature on Primates in China
中国灵长类文献纵览

This paper deals with an overview of primatological literature in China.The total number of publications was 2 052 from 1870-2001.Two peaks in the number of publications occurred during 1950-1965 and 1978-2001,respectively.In 2 052 publications,most of them were published by the science-research sector,accounting for 54.2% of total publications.The percentage of publications from the science-research sector has been increasing over time,however,the contribution from the foreign sector has produced a contrary trend.Over 9% of total publications were indexed by SCI.The highest percentage of publications indexed by SCI took place during 1966-1977.In all publications indexed by SCI,those from the science-research sector dominated other sectors(59.1% of total publications).However,the foreign sector led with 30.1% of its own publications being in SCI.Studies of primatology were divided into nine areas.The percentage and change in percentage of publications in areas of primatology were counted.During 1978-2001 ecology and behaviour,neurobiology,reproduction and captive feeding were rapidly developing;fossil primates,morphology and anatomy decreasing;and taxonomy and distribution,cellular and molecular evolution became relatively poor.Increasing attention was paid to conservation biology.Prevention and control of diseases was fairly well studied in periods II(1950-1965)and IV(1978-2001).The number of authors was highest during period IV,however,the mean number of publications per author in period IV was not as high as in period I(1870-1949).Generally speaking,Chinese authors dominated the authors included in SCI.However in period I,the sole author indexed by SCI was a foreign scholar,and foreign scholars comprised 60% of indexed authors in period III(1966-1977).