1
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Poirier AC, Melin AD. Smell throughout the life course. Evol Anthropol 2024:e22030. [PMID: 38704704 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The sense of smell is an important mediator of health and sociality at all stages of life, yet it has received limited attention in our lineage. Olfaction starts in utero and participates in the establishment of social bonds in children, and of romantic and sexual relationships after puberty. Smell further plays a key role in food assessment and danger avoidance; in modern societies, it also guides our consumer behavior. Sensory abilities typically decrease with age and can be impacted by diseases, with repercussions on health and well-being. Here, we critically review our current understanding of human olfactory communication to refute outdated notions that our sense of smell is of low importance. We provide a summary of the biology of olfaction, give a prospective overview of the importance of the sense of smell throughout the life course, and conclude with an outline of the limitations and future directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice C Poirier
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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2
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Simon M, Widdig A, Weiß BM. Sniffing behavior of semi free-ranging Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23611. [PMID: 38409866 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Olfaction is one of the evolutionarily oldest senses and plays a fundamental role in foraging and social interactions across mammals. In primates, the role of olfaction is now well recognized, but better investigated in strepsirrhine and platyrrhine primates than in catarrhines. We observed the sniffing behavior of semi-free ranging Barbary macaques, Macaca sylvanus, at Affenberg Salem, Germany, to assess how frequently macaques sniff and in which contexts, and how sniffing is affected by sex and age. Focal observations of 24 males and 24 females aged 1-25 years showed that Barbary macaques sniffed, on average, 5.24 times per hour, with more than 80% of sniffs directed at food. Irrespective of the context, younger individuals sniffed more often than older ones. Females' sniffs were more often directed at food than male sniffs, while males sniffed more often than females in a social context. Sniffs at conspecifics occurred primarily in a sexual context, with 70% of social sniffs directed at female anogenital swellings performed by males. Of the observed 176 anogenital inspections, 51 involved sniffing of the swelling. Olfactory inspections were followed by copulation significantly less often than merely visual inspections, suggesting that anogenital odors may play a role in male mating decisions, but the role of olfaction in sexual interactions warrants further investigations. In sum, results show that Barbary macaques routinely use olfaction during feeding, but also in a socio-sexual context, corroborating the relevance of the olfactory sense in the lives of catarrhine primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Simon
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Division of Anthropology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anja Widdig
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Behavior, Research Group Primate Behavioural Ecology, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Brigitte M Weiß
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Behavior, Research Group Primate Behavioural Ecology, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Petersen RM, Bergey CM, Roos C, Higham JP. Relationship between genome-wide and MHC class I and II genetic diversity and complementarity in a nonhuman primate. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9346. [PMID: 36311412 PMCID: PMC9596323 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Although mate choice is expected to favor partners with advantageous genetic properties, the relative importance of genome‐wide characteristics, such as overall heterozygosity or kinship, versus specific loci, is unknown. To disentangle genome‐wide and locus‐specific targets of mate choice, we must first understand congruence in global and local variation within the same individual. This study compares genetic diversity, both absolute and relative to other individuals (i.e., complementarity), assessed across the genome to that found at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), a hyper‐variable gene family integral to immune system function and implicated in mate choice across species. Using DNA from 22 captive olive baboons (Papio anubis), we conducted double digest restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing to estimate genome‐wide heterozygosity and kinship, and sequenced two class I and two class II MHC loci. We found that genome‐wide diversity was not associated with MHC diversity, and that diversity at class I MHC loci was not correlated with diversity at class II loci. Additionally, kinship was a significant predictor of the number of MHC alleles shared between dyads at class II loci. Our results provide further evidence of the strong selective pressures maintaining genetic diversity at the MHC in comparison to other randomly selected sites throughout the genome. Furthermore, our results indicate that class II MHC disassortative mate choice may mediate inbreeding avoidance in this population. Our study suggests that mate choice favoring genome‐wide genetic diversity is not always synonymous with mate choice favoring MHC diversity, and highlights the importance of controlling for kinship when investigating MHC‐associated mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M. Petersen
- Department of AnthropologyNew York UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA,New York Consortium in Evolutionary PrimatologyNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Christina M. Bergey
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New JerseyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates and Primate Genetics LaboratoryGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
| | - James P. Higham
- Department of AnthropologyNew York UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA,New York Consortium in Evolutionary PrimatologyNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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4
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Jänig S, Kücklich M, Kulik L, Zetzsche M, Weiß BM, Widdig A. Olfactory Inspection of Female Reproductive States in Chimpanzees. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.884661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammalian species, olfactory cues are important for within and between species communication. These cues can be part of multimodal signals indicating, for example, female fertility potentially perceived by male conspecifics. However, a large gap exists in our understanding of multimodal signaling in non-human catarrhines. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) live in fission-fusion societies, mate promiscuously and express high levels of male-male competition. Females show a striking visual signal, an exaggerated sexual swelling, known to be a proxy of ovulation, while the maximum swelling is not matching the exact time of ovulation. The question remains if males use additional olfactory cues when being able to approach females closely. This would allow males to pinpoint the exact timing of ovulation and could be one reason why high-ranking males sire offspring more successfully than other males. Here, we present the first systematic test of such multimodal signaling by investigating male sniffing behavior directed to females in relation to their fertility in a group of 13 captive chimpanzees. Our results show that male sniffing behavior significantly increased with female swelling size, with female age as well as when fewer male competitors were present. Hence, odors might be part of a multimodal fertility cue, supporting the idea that males monitor both visual and olfactory cues to gain comprehensive information on female fertility.
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5
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Kücklich M, Jänig S, Kulik L, Birkemeyer C, Weiß BM, Widdig A. Towards an understanding of multimodal traits of female reproduction in chimpanzees. Primates 2022; 63:365-376. [PMID: 35763106 PMCID: PMC9273533 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-022-00995-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Although primates have long been regarded as microsmatic, recent studies indicate that olfaction is an important sensory mode of primate communication, e.g., in the context of reproduction. However, large gaps remain in our understanding of primate olfactory traits, especially in the great apes. Female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) possess an exaggerated sexual swelling, which is an imprecise signal of fertility that is thought to serve to confuse paternity. However, some high-ranking males that copulate most frequently on the days when females are most fertile seem to have more precise information on the timing of ovulation, which suggests the existence of an olfactory fertility trait. In order to examine, and provide evidence for, fertility-related chemical information in female chimpanzees, we used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze the chemical composition of female body odor collected across the menstrual cycle during various stages of sexual swelling (97 samples of six females). The chemical composition was significantly affected by swelling stage, and eight substances were detected that were strongly related to the latter. The existence of an additional, olfactory, fertility trait may help males to fine-tune their sexual behavior or allow females to strengthen concealment of the exact timing of ovulation, and needs to be further investigated in follow-up studies. The results of our study provide much-needed evidence for the existence of an olfactory cue related to reproduction in chimpanzees, and form a basis for future studies on the interplay between visual and olfactory information on female fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlen Kücklich
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. .,Primate Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Susann Jänig
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Primate Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lars Kulik
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Primate Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Claudia Birkemeyer
- Mass Spectrometry Research Group, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Linnéstraße 3, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Brigitte M Weiß
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Primate Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Widdig
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Primate Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Rigaill L, Vaglio S, Setchell JM, Suda-Hashimoto N, Furuichi T, Garcia C. Chemical cues of identity and reproductive status in Japanese macaques. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23411. [PMID: 35757843 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory communication plays an important role in the regulation of socio-sexual interactions in mammals. There is growing evidence that both human and nonhuman primates rely on odors to inform their mating decisions. Nevertheless, studies of primate chemical ecology remain scarce due to the difficulty of obtaining and analyzing samples. We analyzed 67 urine samples from five captive female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) and 30 vaginal swabs from three of these females using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and examined the relationship between odor (compounds identified, richness, intensity, and diversity) and female identity as well as cycle phase. We found a total of 36 urine compounds of which we identified 31, and 68 vaginal compounds of which we identified 37. Our results suggest that urine and vaginal odor varied more between individuals than within cycle phases. However, we found that within a female cycle, urine samples from similar phases may cluster more than samples from different phases. Our results suggest that female odor may encode information about identity (vaginal and urine odor) and reproductive status (urine odor). The question of how conspecifics use female urine and vaginal odor remains open and could be tested using bioassays. Our results and their interpretation are constrained by our limited sample size and our study design. Nonetheless, our study provides insight into the potential signaling role of female odor in sexual communication in Japanese macaques and contributes to our understanding of how odors may influence mating strategies in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Rigaill
- EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine), CNRS, Université de Rennes 1, Normandie Université, Rennes, France.,Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Stefano Vaglio
- School of Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK
| | - Joanna M Setchell
- Department of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Naoko Suda-Hashimoto
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Furuichi
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Cécile Garcia
- Eco-anthropologie (EA), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
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7
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Schmitt CA, Garrett EC. De-Scent with Modification: More Evidence and Caution Needed to Assess Whether the Loss of a Pheromone Signaling Protein Permitted the Evolution of Same-Sex Sexual Behavior in Primates. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:2301-2307. [PMID: 31741251 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01583-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Schmitt
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, 232 Bay State Road, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Eva C Garrett
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, 232 Bay State Road, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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8
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Abstract
Female primates signal impending ovulation with a suite of sexual signals. Studies of these signals have focussed on visual, and to a lesser extent, acoustic signals, neglecting olfactory signals. We aimed to investigate the information content of female olfactory signals in captive olive baboons (Papio anubis) and relate these to the female fertile period. We studied eight adult females living in four groups at the CNRS Station de Primatologie, Rousset-sur-Arc, France. We used vaginal cytology to detect ovulation. We investigated the volatile component of odour signals using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We found a total of 74 volatile compounds, of which we tentatively identified 25, including several ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, volatile fatty acids and hydrocarbons that have been identified in odour profiles of other primates. Our results show that vaginal odour intensity differs with sexual cycle stage suggesting that odour might play a role in signalling female baboon fertility. We found differences in vaginal odour between females living in all-female and in mixed sex groups but we could not distinguish the effects of group composition, female age and identity. This study of olfactory signalling improves our understanding of how female primates advertise their sexual receptivity.
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9
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Multiple signals predict male mating success in the lek-mating lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02920-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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10
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Vaglio S, Ducroix L, Rodriguez Villanueva M, Consiglio R, Kim AJ, Neilands P, Stucky K, Lameira AR. Female copulation calls vary with male ejaculation in captive olive baboons. BEHAVIOUR 2020. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Copulation calls are mating-associated vocalizations that are common in primates, with females vocalizing after copulation in several Old World monkeys and apes. Baboon females typically produce copulation calls that correlate with fertile phase. Calls are, thus, regarded as an upshot of cycle physiology and sexually selected calls. Here, we describe three captive troops of olive baboons wherein, against expectation, females suppressed vocalizing during copulations. Vaginal cytology, together with sexual swelling observations, confirmed that females experienced full receptive cycles. Ovulation did not affect vocal probability during sex, while copulation calls were predicted by male ejaculation just as in other Old World primate species. Results cast doubt on the existence of physiological triggers for baboon copulation calls. Social factors may instead play a larger role. Alterations in social structure (as typically observed in the wild) may be implemented strategically as captive enrichment in order to reveal how females in highly social primates change sexual strategies and, therefore, the use of their copulation calls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Vaglio
- aDepartment of Biology, Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK
- bDepartment of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Louise Ducroix
- bDepartment of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Maria Rodriguez Villanueva
- bDepartment of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Rosanna Consiglio
- bDepartment of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Ayong Julia Kim
- bDepartment of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Patrick Neilands
- bDepartment of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Kerstin Stucky
- bDepartment of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
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11
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Macuch Silva V, Holler J, Ozyurek A, Roberts SG. Multimodality and the origin of a novel communication system in face-to-face interaction. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:182056. [PMID: 32218922 PMCID: PMC7029942 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.182056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Face-to-face communication is multimodal at its core: it consists of a combination of vocal and visual signalling. However, current evidence suggests that, in the absence of an established communication system, visual signalling, especially in the form of visible gesture, is a more powerful form of communication than vocalization and therefore likely to have played a primary role in the emergence of human language. This argument is based on experimental evidence of how vocal and visual modalities (i.e. gesture) are employed to communicate about familiar concepts when participants cannot use their existing languages. To investigate this further, we introduce an experiment where pairs of participants performed a referential communication task in which they described unfamiliar stimuli in order to reduce reliance on conventional signals. Visual and auditory stimuli were described in three conditions: using visible gestures only, using non-linguistic vocalizations only and given the option to use both (multimodal communication). The results suggest that even in the absence of conventional signals, gesture is a more powerful mode of communication compared with vocalization, but that there are also advantages to multimodality compared to using gesture alone. Participants with an option to produce multimodal signals had comparable accuracy to those using only gesture, but gained an efficiency advantage. The analysis of the interactions between participants showed that interactants developed novel communication systems for unfamiliar stimuli by deploying different modalities flexibly to suit their needs and by taking advantage of multimodality when required.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Judith Holler
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Asli Ozyurek
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Center for Language Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Seán G. Roberts
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology (excd.lab), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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12
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Paciência FMD, Rushmore J, Chuma IS, Lipende IF, Caillaud D, Knauf S, Zinner D. Mating avoidance in female olive baboons ( Papio anubis) infected by Treponema pallidum. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaaw9724. [PMID: 31840059 PMCID: PMC6892622 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw9724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are ubiquitous within wild animal populations, yet it remains largely unknown whether animals evolved behavioral avoidance mechanisms in response to STI acquisition. We investigated the mating behavior of a wild population of olive baboons (Papio anubis) infected by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. This pathogen causes highly conspicuous genital ulcerations in males and females, which signal infectious individuals. We analyzed data on 876 mating attempts and associated acceptance or rejection responses in a group of about 170 baboons. Our findings indicate that females are more likely to avoid copulation if either the mating partner or females themselves have ulcerated genitals. We suggest that this outcome is linked to the overall higher choosiness and infection-risk susceptibility typically exhibited by females. Our results show that selection pressures imposed by pathogens induce individual behavioral modifications, leading to altered mate choice and could reduce promiscuity in a wild nonhuman primate population.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. M. D. Paciência
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infection Biology Unit, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - J. Rushmore
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - I. S. Chuma
- Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3000, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - I. F. Lipende
- Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3000, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - D. Caillaud
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - S. Knauf
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infection Biology Unit, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Division of Microbiology and Animal Hygiene, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - D. Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
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13
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Moreira LAA, Duytschaever G, Higham JP, Melin AD. Platyrrhine color signals: New horizons to pursue. Evol Anthropol 2019; 28:236-248. [PMID: 31609040 PMCID: PMC6865018 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Like catarrhines, some platyrrhines show exposed and reddish skin, raising the possibility that reddish signals have evolved convergently. This variation in skin exposure and color combined with sex-linked polymorphic color vision in platyrrhines presents a unique, and yet underexplored, opportunity to investigate the relative importance of chromatic versus achromatic signals, the influence of color perception on signal evolution, and to understand primate communication broadly. By coding the facial skin exposure and color of 96 platyrrhines, 28 catarrhines, 7 strepsirrhines, 1 tarsiiform, and 13 nonprimates, and by simulating the ancestral character states for these traits, we provide the first analysis of the distribution and evolution of facial skin exposure and color in platyrrhini. We highlight ways in which studying the presence and use of color signals by platyrrhines and other primates will enhance our understanding of the evolution of color signals, and the forces shaping color vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laís A. A. Moreira
- Department of Anthropology & ArchaeologyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Gwen Duytschaever
- Department of Anthropology & ArchaeologyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | | | - Amanda D. Melin
- Department of Anthropology & ArchaeologyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of Medical GeneticsUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research InstituteCalgaryAlbertaCanada
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14
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Petersdorf M, Weyher AH, Kamilar JM, Dubuc C, Higham JP. Sexual selection in the Kinda baboon. J Hum Evol 2019; 135:102635. [PMID: 31421317 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Due to wide variation in the presence and degree of expression of a diverse suite of sexually-selected traits, the tribe Papionini represents an outstanding model for understanding how variation in sexual selection pressures and mechanisms leads to trait evolution. Here, we discuss the particular value of Papio as a model genus for studies of sexual selection, emphasizing the presence of multiple mating systems, and differences in the expression of sexually-selected traits among closely-related species. We draw particular attention to the Kinda baboon (Papio kindae), a comparatively less-studied baboon species, by providing a primer to Kinda baboon morphology, genetics, physiology, and behavior. Based on observations of large group sizes, combined with low degrees of sexual dimorphism and large relative testis size relative to other baboon species, we test the hypothesis that Kinda baboons have evolved under reduced direct, and increased indirect, male-male competition. We present the first long-term data on wild Kinda baboons in Zambia. Kinda baboon females show seasonal peaks in births and reproductive receptivity, and males exhibit a queing-rather than contest-based dominance acquisition with long alpha-male tenure lengths. We finish by making a number of explicit testable predictions about Kinda baboon sexual signals and behaviors, and suggest that Kinda baboons have potential to offer new insights into the selective environments that may have been experienced during homininization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Petersdorf
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Anna H Weyher
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01002, USA
| | - Jason M Kamilar
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01002, USA
| | - Constance Dubuc
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
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15
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The redder the better? Information content of red skin coloration in female Japanese macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2712-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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16
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Fearey J, Elwen SH, James BS, Gridley T. Identification of potential signature whistles from free-ranging common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in South Africa. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:777-789. [PMID: 31177344 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01274-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Conveying identity is important for social animals to maintain individually based relationships. Communication of identity information relies on both signal encoding and perception. Several delphinid species use individually distinctive signature whistles to transmit identity information, best described for the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). In this study, we investigate signature whistle use in wild common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Acoustic recordings were analysed from 11 encounters from three locations in South Africa (Hout Bay, False Bay, and Plettenberg Bay) during 2009, 2016 and 2017. The frequency contours of whistles were visually categorised, with 29 signature whistle types (SWTs) identified through contour categorisation and a bout analysis approach developed specifically to identify signature whistles in bottlenose dolphins (SIGID). Categorisation verification was conducted using an unsupervised neural network (ARTwarp) at both a 91% and 96% vigilance parameter. For this, individual SWTs were analysed type by type and then in a 'global' analysis whereby all 497 whistle contours were categorised simultaneously. Overall the analysis demonstrated high stereotypy in the structure and temporal production of whistles, consistent with signature whistle use. We suggest that individual identity information may be encoded in these whistle contours. However, the large group sizes and high degree of vocal activity characteristic of this dolphin species generate a cluttered acoustic environment with high potential for masking from conspecific vocalisations. Therefore, further investigation into the mechanisms of identity perception in such acoustically cluttered environments is required to demonstrate the function of these stereotyped whistle types in common dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Fearey
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, 4 Bath Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - S H Elwen
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, 4 Bath Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria , 0002, South Africa
| | - B S James
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, 4 Bath Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa
| | - T Gridley
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, 4 Bath Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa.
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa.
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17
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Genty E. Vocal–gestural combinations in infant bonobos: new insights into signal functional specificity. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:505-518. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01267-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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18
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Henkel S, Setchell JM. Group and kin recognition via olfactory cues in chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes). Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1527. [PMID: 30355708 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Primates were traditionally thought to have a reduced sense of smell. Although there is now evidence that olfaction plays a greater role in primate social life than previously assumed, research on the sense of smell in non-human apes is scarce. Chimpanzees sniff the ground and vegetation on boundary patrols, but the function of this behaviour is unclear. Since chimpanzees are highly territorial and can kill individuals that do not belong to their own community, sniffing might function to gather information about conspecifics, particularly concerning group membership and kinship. To investigate whether chimpanzees recognize group members and kin via olfactory cues, we conducted behavioural bioassays on two groups of chimpanzees at Leipzig Zoo. In a pilot study, we found that chimpanzees responded more strongly to urine than to faeces or body odour. We then presented urine from group members, outgroup individuals and an unscented control in aerated boxes using a simultaneous discrimination task. The first behaviour after a chimpanzee first approached a box was related to olfaction (sniffing, nose within 20 cm, licking) in 83% of cases, highlighting the importance of olfaction as a general investigation mechanism in this species. Chimpanzees sniffed significantly longer at urine stimuli than the control and significantly longer at odours from outgroup individuals than those from group members. Furthermore, the duration of sniffing was positively correlated with relatedness. Our results suggest that chimpanzees use olfactory cues to obtain information about social relationships and fill a gap in our understanding of primate chemical communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Henkel
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany .,Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Joanna M Setchell
- Department of Anthropology and Behaviour Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
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19
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Bernaldo de Quirós E, Wheeler BC, Hammerschmidt K, Heistermann M, Tiddi B. Do sexual calls in female black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) vary with fertility? An acoustic analysis. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22920. [PMID: 30296346 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Females across a range of animal taxa produce vocalizations and signals uniquely associated with periods of mating. While such signals may ultimately function to increase female attractivity to males, conflicting findings challenge the extent to which these signals co-vary in accordance with the probability of conception. Female black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) display an elaborate repertoire of both vocal and visual components as part of their socio-sexual behavior, and previous analyses have shown that the rates of production of visual, but not vocal, components provide graded information on female ovulation. It remains possible, however, that the acoustic parameters of these sexual calls, rather than their rate of productions, co-vary with female fertility. To test this, we analyzed structural and temporal call parameters from estrous calls and post-copulatory calls recorded over five consecutive mating seasons in 12 sexually mature females at Iguazú National Park, Argentina. Calls given during the fertile phase of the female ovarian cycle were compared with those given during the non-fertile phase, as determined by profiles of female reproductive hormones. Similarly, within the fertile phase, we tested whether temporal or spectral acoustic parameters of calls gradually change with the approach of ovulation. We did not find any significant relationship between call parameters and the two measures of female fertility in either female estrous calls or post-copulatory calls. However, some differences between pre- and post-copulatory calls were apparent. Overall, our results indicate that sexual calls in black capuchin females do not provide precise information about the timing of ovulation, but may allow listeners to make probabilistic inferences about whether copulations have taken place. This, combined with previous findings, suggests that females in our study may use signals in different modalities to convey information about their fertility and sexual behavior with varying degrees of precision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Bernaldo de Quirós
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Brandon C Wheeler
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Barbara Tiddi
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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20
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Testing for Links Between Female Urine Odor and Male Sexual Behaviors in Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata). INT J PRIMATOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-017-9980-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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21
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Hobaiter C, Byrne RW, Zuberbühler K. Wild chimpanzees' use of single and combined vocal and gestural signals. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017; 71:96. [PMID: 28596637 PMCID: PMC5446553 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2325-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT We describe the individual and combined use of vocalizations and gestures in wild chimpanzees. The rate of gesturing peaked in infancy and, with the exception of the alpha male, decreased again in older age groups, while vocal signals showed the opposite pattern. Although gesture-vocal combinations were relatively rare, they were consistently found in all age groups, especially during affiliative and agonistic interactions. Within behavioural contexts rank (excluding alpha-rank) had no effect on the rate of male chimpanzees' use of vocal or gestural signals and only a small effect on their use of combination signals. The alpha male was an outlier, however, both as a prolific user of gestures and recipient of high levels of vocal and gesture-vocal signals. Persistence in signal use varied with signal type: chimpanzees persisted in use of gestures and gesture-vocal combinations after failure, but where their vocal signals failed they tended to add gestural signals to produce gesture-vocal combinations. Overall, chimpanzees employed signals with a sensitivity to the public/private nature of information, by adjusting their use of signal types according to social context and by taking into account potential out-of-sight audiences. We discuss these findings in relation to the various socio-ecological challenges that chimpanzees are exposed to in their natural forest habitats and the current discussion of multimodal communication in great apes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT All animal communication combines different types of signals, including vocalizations, facial expressions, and gestures. However, the study of primate communication has typically focused on the use of signal types in isolation. As a result, we know little on how primates use the full repertoire of signals available to them. Here we present a systematic study on the individual and combined use of gestures and vocalizations in wild chimpanzees. We find that gesturing peaks in infancy and decreases in older age, while vocal signals show the opposite distribution, and patterns of persistence after failure suggest that gestural and vocal signals may encode different types of information. Overall, chimpanzees employed signals with a sensitivity to the public/private nature of information, by adjusting their use of signal types according to social context and by taking into account potential out-of-sight audiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Hobaiter
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Marys College, South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JP Scotland
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
| | - R W Byrne
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Marys College, South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JP Scotland
| | - K Zuberbühler
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Marys College, South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JP Scotland
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
- Department of Comparative Cognition, University of Neuchatel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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22
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Garcia C, Bercovitch F, Furuichi T, Huffman M, MacInstosh A, Rigaill L, Takeshita R, Shimizu K. Ten years of collaboration between France and Japan - Studies on reproduction in Japanese macaques. REVUE DE PRIMATOLOGIE 2016. [DOI: 10.4000/primatologie.2666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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23
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Street SE, Cross CP, Brown GR. Exaggerated sexual swellings in female nonhuman primates are reliable signals of female fertility and body condition. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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24
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Rigaill L, MacIntosh AJJ, Higham JP, Winters S, Shimizu K, Mouri K, Furuichi T, Garcia C. Multimodal Advertisement of Pregnancy in Free-Ranging Female Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135127. [PMID: 26308441 PMCID: PMC4550261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of multiple sexual signals in indicating the timing of female ovulation, and discrimination of this timing by males, has been particularly well studied among primates. However the exhibition of pregnancy signals, and how such signals might modulate male post-conception mating decisions, is still poorly understood. Here we aimed to determine if Japanese macaque males use changes in female sexual signals (behavioral, visual and auditory) to discriminate pregnancy and adjust their socio-sexual behaviors. We combined behavioral observations, digital photography and endocrinological (progestogen and estrogen) data, collected systematically during three one-month periods: the pre-conceptive period, the 1st month of pregnancy and the 2nd month of pregnancy. We analyzed variation in the probability of detecting male and female socio-sexual behaviors and estrus calls, as well as changes in female face color parameters, in relation to female reproductive state. Based on our focal observations, we found that males did not copulate during the pregnancy period, and that female socio-sexual behaviors generally decreased from the pre-conceptive to post-conceptive periods. Female face luminance decreased from the pre-conceptive month to the pregnancy period whereas face color only varied between the 1st and 2nd month of gestation. Our results suggest that Japanese macaque females display sexual cues of pregnancy that males might use to reduce energy wasted on non-reproductive copulations with pregnant females. We hypothesize that females advertize their pregnancy through changes in behavioral, visual and potential auditory signals that males can use to adjust their mating behaviors. We finish by discussing implications for male and female post-conception strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Rigaill
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Andrew J. J. MacIntosh
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - James P. Higham
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University, New York, United States of America
| | - Sandra Winters
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University, New York, United States of America
| | - Keiko Shimizu
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University of Science, Okayama city, Okayama, Japan
| | - Keiko Mouri
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Furuichi
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Cécile Garcia
- Laboratoire de Dynamique de l’Evolution Humaine, UPR 2147, CNRS, Paris, France
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25
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Fitzpatrick CL, Altmann J, Alberts SC. Exaggerated sexual swellings and male mate choice in primates: testing the reliable indicator hypothesis in the Amboseli baboons. Anim Behav 2015; 104:175-185. [PMID: 26752790 PMCID: PMC4704114 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The paradigm of competitive males vying to influence female mate choice has been repeatedly upheld, but, increasingly, studies also report competitive females and choosy males. One female trait that is commonly proposed to influence male mate choice is the exaggerated sexual swelling displayed by females of many Old World primate species. The reliable indicator hypothesis posits that females use the exaggerated swellings to compete for access to mates, and that the swellings advertise variation in female fitness. We tested the two main predictions of this hypothesis in a wild population of baboons (Papio cynocephalus). First, we examined the effect of swelling size on the probability of mate-guarding ('consortship') by the highest-ranking male and the behavior of those males that trailed consorshipts ('follower males'). Second, we asked whether a female's swelling size predicted several fitness measures. We found that high-ranking males do not prefer females with larger swellings (when controlling for cycle number and conception) and that females with larger swellings did not have higher reproductive success. Our study-the only complete test of the reliable indicator hypothesis in a primate population-rejects the idea that female baboons compete for mates by advertising heritable fitness differences. Furthermore, we found unambiguous evidence that males biased their mating decisions in favor of females who had experienced more sexual cycles since their most recent pregnancy. Thus, rather than tracking the potential differences in fitness between females, male baboons appear to track and target the potential for a given reproductive opportunity to result in fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeanne Altmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; National Museums of Kenya, Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; National Museums of Kenya, Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
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26
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Drea CM. D'scent of man: a comparative survey of primate chemosignaling in relation to sex. Horm Behav 2015; 68:117-33. [PMID: 25118943 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Revised: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue (Chemosignals and Reproduction). As highly visual animals, primates, in general, and Old World species (including humans), in particular, are not immediately recognized for reliance in their daily interactions on olfactory communication. Nevertheless, views on primate olfactory acuity and the pervasiveness of their scent signaling are changing, with increased appreciation for the important role of body odors in primate social and sexual behavior. All major taxonomic groups, from lemurs to humans, are endowed with scent-producing organs, and either deposit or exude a wealth of volatile compounds, many of which are known semiochemicals. This review takes a comparative perspective to illustrate the reproductive context of primate signaling, the relevant information content of their signals, the sexually differentiated investigative responses generated, and the behavioral or physiological consequences of message transmission to both signaler and receiver. Throughout, humans are placed alongside their relatives to illustrate the evolutionary continuum in the sexual selection of primate chemosignals. This ever-growing body of evidence points to a critical role of scent in guiding the social behavior and reproductive function throughout the primate order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Drea
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA.
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Grenèche J. La primatologie actuelle et future, perspectives pluridisciplinaires1. REVUE DE PRIMATOLOGIE 2015. [DOI: 10.4000/primatologie.2301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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28
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Roberts SJ, Nikitopoulos E, Cords M. Factors affecting low resident male siring success in one-male groups of blue monkeys. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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29
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SEMPLE STUART, HIGHAM JAMESP. Primate Signals: Current Issues and Perspectives. Am J Primatol 2013; 75:613-20. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- STUART SEMPLE
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary and Environmental Anthropology; University of Roehampton; Holybourne Avenue, London; United Kingdom
| | - JAMES P. HIGHAM
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology; New York University; New York, New York
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