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Blanco MB, Bernstein R, Durlacher LM, Hathaway L, Matson M, Sigafoos J, Wells L, Greene LK. Paternal behavior in captive fat-tailed dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus medius) is preserved under socially relevant conditions. Primates 2024; 65:391-396. [PMID: 39126444 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-024-01150-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Fat-tailed dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus medius), primates endemic to Madagascar, are obligate hibernators that form stable, lifelong pairs in the wild. Given the temporal constraints imposed by seasonal hibernation, infant dwarf lemurs must grow, develop, and wean within the first two months of life. Maternal as well as paternal infant care, observed in the wild, has been deemed critical for infant survival. Given the importance of fathers' involvement in early infant care, we expect this behavior to persist even under captive conditions. At the Duke Lemur Center, in Durham NC, we observed two families of fat-tailed dwarf lemurs and focused on the behavior of adult males within the first two months of the infants' lives. We report evidence of paternal involvement, including babysitting, co-feeding, grooming, accompanying, and leading infants, consistent with observations from the wild. As expected, paternal babysitting decreased as infants gained independence, while co-feeding increased. Supplemental anecdotes, video recorded by observers, also highlight clear cases of involvement by both parents, and even older siblings, in safeguarding and socializing new infants. We argue that maintaining captive fat-tailed dwarf lemur populations under socially and ecologically relevant conditions facilitates the full expression of physiological and behavioral repertoires. Most importantly, it also allows dwarf lemurs to realize their species' potential and become robust proxies of their wild kin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina B Blanco
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Duke Lemur Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.
| | | | | | - Lisa Hathaway
- Duke Lemur Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - Mandy Matson
- Duke Lemur Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - James Sigafoos
- Duke Lemur Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - Lynn Wells
- Duke Lemur Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - Lydia K Greene
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Duke Lemur Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
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2
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Garcia de la Chica A, Corley M, Spence-Aizenberg A, Fernandez-Duque E. The social and defensive function of olfactory behaviors in a pair-living sexually monogamous primate. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23669. [PMID: 39051726 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23669] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Olfactory behaviors serve a wide variety of social functions in mammals. Odor may signal information about attributes of individuals important for mating and reproduction. Olfactory behaviors, such as scent-marking, may also function as part of home range or resource defense strategies. We assessed the potential social and home range defense functions of olfactory behavior in a pair-living and sexually monogamous primate, Azara's owl monkey (Aotus azarae), in the Argentinian Chaco. This is the most extensive investigation of owl monkey olfactory behaviors in the wild. Individuals regularly performed olfactory behaviors (group mean + SD = 1.3 + 0.5 per hour). The patterns were generally comparable to those observed in studies of captive owl monkeys, except that urine washing was the most common behavior in the wild, as opposed to scent-marking and genital inspections. Most olfactory behaviors were performed by adults, and there were striking sex differences in genital inspections: almost all consisted of an adult male inspecting the paired adult female. These findings suggest that olfactory behaviors play an important role in signaling and coordinating reproduction among owl monkeys, particularly during periods of female conception and pregnancy. Additionally, our research indicates that these behaviors may also serve as a defense strategy for maintaining the core area of their home ranges. This study offers the first assessment of the role of olfactory behaviors in reproductive contexts and home range defense in pair-living, monogamous platyrrhine primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Garcia de la Chica
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Laboratorio de Ecología y Comportamiento Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- The Owl Monkey Project, Fundación ECO, Formosa, Argentina
| | - Margaret Corley
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- The Owl Monkey Project, Fundación ECO, Formosa, Argentina
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Formosa, Formosa, Argentina
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3
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Fagan BT, Constable GWA, Law R. Maternal transmission as a microbial symbiont sieve, and the absence of lactation in male mammals. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5341. [PMID: 38937464 PMCID: PMC11211401 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49559-5] [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: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiomes of mammals carry a complex symbiotic assemblage of microorganisms. Feeding newborn infants milk from the mammary gland allows vertical transmission of the parental milk microbiome to the offspring's gut microbiome. This has benefits, but also has hazards for the host population. Using mathematical models, we demonstrate that biparental vertical transmission enables deleterious microbial elements to invade host populations. In contrast, uniparental vertical transmission acts as a sieve, preventing these invasions. Moreover, we show that deleterious symbionts generate selection on host modifier genes that keep uniparental transmission in place. Since microbial transmission occurs during birth in placental mammals, subsequent transmission of the milk microbiome needs to be maternal to avoid the spread of deleterious elements. This paper therefore argues that viviparity and the hazards from biparental transmission of the milk microbiome, together generate selection against male lactation in placental mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brennen T Fagan
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, University of York, York, UK.
- Department of Mathematics, University of York, York, UK.
| | | | - Richard Law
- Department of Mathematics, University of York, York, UK
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4
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De Gregorio C, Valente D, Ferrario V, Carugati F, Cristiano W, Raimondi T, Torti V, Giacoma C, Gamba M. Who you live with and what you duet for: a review of the function of primate duets in relation to their social organization. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:281-294. [PMID: 38285176 PMCID: PMC10995044 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01689-9] [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: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Duets are one of the most fascinating displays in animal vocal communication, where two animals fine-tune the timing of their emissions to create a coordinated signal. Duetting behavior is widespread in the animal kingdom and is present in insects, birds, and mammals. Duets are essential to regulate activities within and between social units. Few studies assessed the functions of these vocal emissions experimentally, and for many species, there is still no consensus on what duets are used for. Here, we reviewed the literature on the function of duets in non-human primates, investigating a possible link between the social organization of the species and the function of its duetting behavior. In primates and birds, social conditions characterized by higher promiscuity might relate to the emergence of duetting behavior. We considered both quantitative and qualitative studies, which led us to hypothesize that the shift in the social organization from pair living to a mixed social organization might have led to the emergence of mate defense and mate guarding as critical functions of duetting behavior. Territory/resource ownership and defense functions are more critical in obligate pair-living species. Finally, we encourage future experimental research on this topic to allow the formulation of empirically testable predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara De Gregorio
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
| | - Daria Valente
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Valeria Ferrario
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Filippo Carugati
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Walter Cristiano
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
- Environment and Health Department, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Teresa Raimondi
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Valeria Torti
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Giacoma
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
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5
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Yano-Nashimoto S, Truzzi A, Shinozuka K, Murayama AY, Kurachi T, Moriya-Ito K, Tokuno H, Miyazawa E, Esposito G, Okano H, Nakamura K, Saito A, Kuroda KO. Anxious about rejection, avoidant of neglect: Infant marmosets tune their attachment based on individual caregiver's parenting style. Commun Biol 2024; 7:212. [PMID: 38378797 PMCID: PMC10879543 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05875-6] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Children's secure attachment with their primary caregivers is crucial for physical, cognitive, and emotional maturation. Yet, the causal links between specific parenting behaviors and infant attachment patterns are not fully understood. Here we report infant attachment in New World monkeys common marmosets, characterized by shared infant care among parents and older siblings and complex vocal communications. By integrating natural variations in parenting styles and subsecond-scale microanalyses of dyadic vocal and physical interactions, we demonstrate that marmoset infants signal their needs through context-dependent call use and selective approaches toward familiar caregivers. The infant attachment behaviors are tuned to each caregiver's parenting style; infants use negative calls when carried by rejecting caregivers and selectively avoid neglectful and rejecting caregivers. Family-deprived infants fail to develop such adaptive uses of attachment behaviors. With these similarities with humans, marmosets offer a promising model for investigating the biological mechanisms of attachment security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saori Yano-Nashimoto
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Anna Truzzi
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Kazutaka Shinozuka
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Planning, Review and Research Institute for Social insurance and Medical program, Chiyoda-ku, Japan
| | - Ayako Y Murayama
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Japan
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Neural Circuit Unit, Okinawa Institute Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Japan
| | - Takuma Kurachi
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Department of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Japan
| | - Keiko Moriya-Ito
- Department of Brain & Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Japan
| | - Hironobu Tokuno
- Department of Brain & Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Japan
| | - Eri Miyazawa
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Japan
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
| | - Katsuki Nakamura
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Atsuko Saito
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan.
- Department of Psychology, Sophia University, Chiyoda-ku, Japan.
| | - Kumi O Kuroda
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan.
- Kuroda Laboratory, School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan.
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan.
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6
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Olivier CA, Martin JS, Pilisi C, Agnani P, Kauffmann C, Hayes L, Jaeggi AV, Schradin C. Primate social organization evolved from a flexible pair-living ancestor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2215401120. [PMID: 38154063 PMCID: PMC10769843 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2215401120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Explaining the evolution of primate social organization has been fundamental to understand human sociality and social evolution more broadly. It has often been suggested that the ancestor of all primates was solitary and that other forms of social organization evolved later, with transitions being driven by various life history traits and ecological factors. However, recent research showed that many understudied primate species previously assumed to be solitary actually live in pairs, and intraspecific variation in social organization is common. We built a detailed database from primary field studies quantifying the number of social units expressing different social organizations in each population. We used Bayesian phylogenetic models to infer the probability of each social organization, conditional on several socioecological and life history predictors. Here, we show that when intraspecific variation is accounted for, the ancestral social organization of primates was inferred to be variable, with the most common social organization being pair-living but with approximately 10 to 20% of social units of the ancestral population deviating from this pattern by being solitary living. Body size and activity patterns had large effects on transitions between types of social organizations. As in other mammalian clades, pair-living is closely linked to small body size and likely more common in ancestral species. Our results challenge the assumption that ancestral primates were solitary and that pair-living evolved afterward emphasizing the importance of focusing on field data and accounting for intraspecific variation, providing a flexible statistical framework for doing so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte-Anaïs Olivier
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg2050, South Africa
| | - Jordan S. Martin
- Human Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, ZurichCH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Camille Pilisi
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
| | - Paul Agnani
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
| | - Cécile Kauffmann
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
| | - Loren Hayes
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga37403, TN
| | - Adrian V. Jaeggi
- Human Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, ZurichCH-8057, Switzerland
| | - C. Schradin
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg2050, South Africa
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7
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Gussone L, García de la Chica A, Fernandez-Duque E. Intergroup encounters in pair-living primates: Comparative analysis and a case study of pair-living and monogamous owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) of Argentina. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23572. [PMID: 37919869 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23572] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
The function of intergroup encounters (IGEs) may differ substantially among species of different group sizes and social organizations. Research in group-living primates has shown that the behavioral responses during IGEs can vary widely from affiliative to neutral or aggressive interactions; still, little is known about IGEs in pair-living taxa. We conducted a systematic literature review to find relevant studies on the functions of IGEs in pair-living nonhuman primates that could inform analyses of IGE data (n = 242 IGEs, 21 groups and 10 solitary individuals, 1997-2020) from wild owl monkeys, a pair-living, monogamous primate with extensive biparental care. We identified 1315 studies published between 1965 and 2021; only 13 of them (n = 10 species) contained raw data on the number of IGEs. Our review of those studies showed that IGEs are common, but highly variable in their nature and characteristics in pair-living primates. To examine the non-mutually exclusive hypotheses of resource-, and mate defense, and infanticide avoidance we analyzed data from the Owl Monkey Project 27-year long database to build first an a priori model set. To incorporate prior knowledge from the literature review, we conducted our analyses as a consecutive series of binomial logistic regressions. All IGEs including all biologically relevant parameters (N = 156) were codified into three different behavioral categories (Reaction, Agonism, and Physical Aggression). The analysis showed that owl monkeys regularly engaged in IGEs, most of which were agonistic. They showed more reaction when infants were present, but reactions were less physically aggressive when infants and pregnant females were involved. Overall, our results lend more support for the infant and mate defense hypotheses than they do for the resource defense one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Gussone
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Bonn University, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alba García de la Chica
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Owl Monkey Project-Fundación ECO, Formosa, Argentina
| | - Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- Owl Monkey Project-Fundación ECO, Formosa, Argentina
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Formosa, Formosa, Argentina
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8
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Sandel AA. Male-male relationships in chimpanzees and the evolution of human pair bonds. Evol Anthropol 2023; 32:185-194. [PMID: 37269494 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of monogamy has been a central question in biological anthropology. An important avenue of research has been comparisons across "socially monogamous" mammals, but such comparisons are inappropriate for understanding human behavior because humans are not "pair living" and are only sometimes "monogamous." It is the "pair bond" between reproductive partners that is characteristic of humans and has been considered unique to our lineage. I argue that pair bonds have been overlooked in one of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees. These pair bonds are not between mates but between male "friends" who exhibit enduring and emotional social bonds. The presence of such bonds in male-male chimpanzees raises the possibility that pair bonds emerged earlier in our evolutionary history. I suggest pair bonds first arose as "friendships" and only later, in the human lineage, were present between mates. The mechanisms for these bonds were co-opted for male-female bonds in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron A Sandel
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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9
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Baxter A, Lau AR, Savidge LE, Bales KL. Initial compatibility during a "Speed-Dating" test predicts postpairing affiliation in titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus). Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23496. [PMID: 37101314 PMCID: PMC10560403 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23496] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral compatibility plays a critical role in shaping how potential mates interact with and evaluate each other and whether they choose to pursue a relationship. Compatibility is especially important for mate choice and relationship quality in pair-bonding species that form long-term attachments between mates. Although this process has been studied in humans and birds, relatively few studies have investigated it in non-human primates. In this study, we investigated whether pairing titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus) based on initial compatibility increased postpairing affiliation between mates. Subjects were 12 unpaired adult titi monkeys (two cohorts of three males and three females). We determined each subject's initial interest in each opposite-sex potential mate in their cohort across a series of six 30-min interaction periods (i.e., "speed-dates"). To determine initial compatibility, we used the Social Relations Model to calculate relationship effects in initial interest (how much each subject uniquely preferred each potential mate beyond their own affiliative disposition and their partner's popularity). We then paired monkeys in a way that maximized net relationship effects between pairs, and measured longitudinal pair affiliation (Proximity, Contact, Tail Twining, and Combined Affiliation) for 6 months postpairing using daily scan-sample observations and monthly home-cage video recordings. Multilevel models showed that, on average, the six speed-dating pairs exhibited higher levels of Tail Twining (determined from scan-sample observations; β = 0.31) compared to a group of 13 age-matched colony pairs that were determined quasi-randomly without quantifying compatibility. The degree of initial compatibility within speed-dating pairs also predicted higher levels of Combined Affiliation (determined from video recordings) at earlier post-pairing time points, with the association peaking at 2 months postpairing (β = 0.57). These findings suggest that initial compatibility facilitates pair bonding in titi monkeys. We conclude by discussing how the speed-dating design can be used for colony management to inform pair-housing decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Baxter
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
- California National Primate Research Center
| | - Allison R. Lau
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
- California National Primate Research Center
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis
| | - Logan E. Savidge
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
- California National Primate Research Center
| | - Karen L. Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
- California National Primate Research Center
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis
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10
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Pereira AS, De Moor D, Casanova C, Brent LJN. Kinship composition in mammals. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230486. [PMID: 37476521 PMCID: PMC10354477 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the evolution of group-living and cooperation requires information on who animals live and cooperate with. Animals can live with kin, non-kin or both, and kinship structure can influence the benefits and costs of group-living and the evolution of within-group cooperation. One aspect of kinship structure is kinship composition, i.e. a group-level attribute of the presence of kin and/or non-kin dyads in groups. Despite its putative importance, the kinship composition of mammalian groups has yet to be characterized. Here, we use the published literature to build an initial kinship composition dataset in mammals, laying the groundwork for future work in the field. In roughly half of the 18 species in our sample, individuals lived solely with same-sex kin, and, in the other half, individuals lived with related and unrelated individuals of the same sex. These initial results suggest that it is not rare for social mammals to live with unrelated individuals of the same sex, highlighting the importance of considering indirect and direct fitness benefits as co-drivers of the evolution of sociality. We hope that our initial dataset and insights will spur the study of kinship structure and sociality towards new exciting avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- André S. Pereira
- Centre for Research in Animal Behavior, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Delphine De Moor
- Centre for Research in Animal Behavior, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Catarina Casanova
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
- CAPP, ISCSP, University of Lisbon, 1300-663 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lauren J. N. Brent
- Centre for Research in Animal Behavior, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
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11
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Yi Y, Mardiastuti A, Choe JC. How to be a good partner and father? The role of adult males in pair bond maintenance and parental care in Javan gibbons. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230950. [PMID: 37369349 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In pair-living species, female and male pairs may maintain stable social bonds by adjusting spatial and social associations. Nevertheless, each sex invests differently to maintain the pair bond, and the investment can depend on the presence of paternal care or 'male services.' While most species live in pairs, the sex responsible for pair bond maintenance in gibbons is still controversial. We investigated pair bond maintenance and parental care in three pairs of wild Javan gibbons in Gunung Halimun-Salak National Park, Indonesia, for over 21 months. We found that Javan gibbon fathers groomed their offspring more than adult females, especially as offspring got older. While both parents increased playing time with offspring when offspring became older and more independent, fathers played with offspring 20 times more than mothers on average. Grooming within Javan gibbon pairs was male-biased, suggesting that pair bond maintenance was heavily the job of males. However, offspring age as a proxy for paternal care did not affect the pair bond maintenance. Our study highlights that adult male Javan gibbons may have an important role in pair bond maintenance and the care of juveniles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonjung Yi
- Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China
| | - Ani Mardiastuti
- Department of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecotourism, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Jae C Choe
- Laboratory of Behavioral Ecology, Division of EcoScience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea
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12
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Social consequences of rapid environmental change. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:337-345. [PMID: 36473809 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
While direct influences of the environment on population growth and resilience are well studied, indirect routes linking environmental changes to population consequences are less explored. We suggest that social behavior is key for understanding how anthropogenic environmental changes affect the resilience of animal populations. Social structures of animal groups are evolved and emergent phenotypes that often have demographic consequences for group members. Importantly, environmental drivers may directly influence the consequences of social structure or indirectly influence them through modifications to social interactions, group composition, or group size. We have developed a framework to study these demographic consequences. Estimating the strength of direct and indirect pathways will give us tools to understand, and potentially manage, the effect of human-induced rapid environmental changes.
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Grebe NM, Sheikh A, Ohannessian L, Drea CM. Effects of oxytocin receptor blockade on dyadic social behavior in monogamous and non-monogamous Eulemur. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 150:106044. [PMID: 36753883 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
A prominent body of research spanning disciplines has been focused on the potential underlying role for oxytocin in the social signatures of monogamous mating bonds. Behavioral differences between monogamous and non-monogamous vole species, putatively mediated by oxytocinergic function, constitute a key source of support for this mechanism, but it is unclear to what extent this hormone-behavior linkage extends to the primate order. In a preregistered experiment, we test if oxytocin receptor blockade affects affiliative behavior in mixed-sex pairs of Eulemur, a genus of strepsirrhine primate containing both monogamous and non-monogamous species. Inconsistent with past studies in monogamous voles or monkeys, we do not find confirmatory evidence in Eulemur that monogamous pairs affiliate more than non-monogamous pairs, nor that oxytocin receptor blockade of one pair member selectively corresponds to reduced affiliative or scent-marking behavior in monogamous species. We do, however, find exploratory evidence of a pattern not previously investigated: simultaneously blocking oxytocin receptors in both members of a monogamous pair predicts lower rates of affiliative behavior relative to controls. Our study demonstrates the value of non-traditional animal models in challenging generalizations based on model organisms, and of methodological reform in providing a potential path forward for behavioral oxytocin research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Grebe
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Alizeh Sheikh
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Christine M Drea
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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14
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Prioritizing Areas for Primate Conservation in Argentina. DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14110982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Argentina lies within the southernmost distributional range of five neotropical primates, the brown howler monkey Alouatta guariba, the black-and-gold howler monkey Alouatta caraya, the black-horned capuchin Sapajus nigritus, the Azara’s capuchin Sapajus cay, and the Azara’s owl monkey Aotus azarae; the first three of which are globally threatened. These species occupy different ecoregions: the Alto Paraná Atlantic forest, the Araucaria moist forest, the humid Chaco, the Southern Cone Mesopotamian savanna, the Paraná Ffooded savanna, and the Southern Andean Yungas. The recently approved National Primate Conservation Plan of Argentina calls for identifying priority areas to focus conservation actions for these species. We used species distribution models to estimate species ranges and then used the Zonation software to perform a spatial conservation prioritization analysis based on primate habitat quality and connectivity to identify potential areas of importance at national and ecoregional levels. Only 7.2% (19,500 km2) of the area inhabited by primates in Argentina is under protection. Outside the current protected areas, the top-ranked 1% and 5% priority areas identified in our analysis covered 1894 and 7574 km2, respectively. The top 1% areas were in the Atlantic forest of Misiones province, where S. nigritus, A. guariba, and A. caraya are distributed, and in the humid portion of eastern Chaco and Formosa provinces, where A. azarae and A. caraya are present. The top 5% areas included portions of the Yungas, where S. cay is the only primate present. Priority areas in Chaco and Formosa provinces are particularly relevant because of the paucity of protected areas and the high deforestation rate. The endangered A. guariba population will benefit from the better protection of the priority areas of Misiones. The potential priority areas proposed herein, considered within a context of a broad participatory process involving relevant stakeholders and local people, will help guide new and innovative conservation policies and practices while supporting management objectives.
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Ziegler TE, Tecot SR, Fernandez-Duque E, Savage A, Snowdon CT. Nonhuman Primate Paternal Care: Species and Individual Differences in Behavior and Mechanisms. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 27:213-238. [PMID: 36169817 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-97762-7_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Direct care of offspring by the father (sire) is relatively rare in primates. Besides humans, there are a number of species where the male is essential for the survival of offspring: marmosets, tamarins, titis and owl monkeys, some lemurs, and siamangs. All these species show reduced sexual dimorphism, territoriality, and biparental care. However, timing and levels of direct care may vary among these species. Here, relying on both lab and field data, we address the variability found in father's involvement with his infants, the behavioral, neuroendocrine and sensory systems that are a cause and consequence of paternal care, and social bonds between the breeding pair. We integrate studies of laboratory animals (where detailed observations and experimentation are possible) with field studies (which illuminate the ecological and evolutionary functions of paternal care) and discuss the future directions for examining the proximate and ultimate mechanisms of paternal care in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni E Ziegler
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Stacey R Tecot
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Charles T Snowdon
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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16
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Rosenbaum S, Silk JB. Pathways to paternal care in primates. Evol Anthropol 2022; 31:245-262. [PMID: 35289027 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21942] [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: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Natural selection will favor male care when males have limited alternative mating opportunities, can invest in their own offspring, and when care enhances males' fitness. These conditions are easiest to fulfill in pair-bonded species, but neither male care nor stable "breeding bonds" that facilitate it are limited to pair-bonded species. We review evidence of paternal care and extended breeding bonds in owl monkeys, baboons, Assamese macaques, mountain gorillas, and chimpanzees. The data, which span social/mating systems and ecologies, suggest that there are multiple pathways by which conditions conducive to male care can arise. This diversity highlights the difficulty of making inferences about the emergence of male care in early hominins based on single traits visible in the fossil record. We discuss what types of data are most needed and the questions yet to be answered about the evolution of male care and extended breeding bonds in the primate order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Rosenbaum
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Joan B Silk
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.,Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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17
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Olivier C, Jaeggi AV, Hayes LD, Schradin C. Revisiting the components of Macroscelidea social systems: Evidence for variable social organization, including pair‐living, but not for a monogamous mating system. Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte‐Anaïs Olivier
- IPHC UNISTRA CNRS Strasbourg France
- School of Animal, Plant & Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Adrian V. Jaeggi
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Loren D. Hayes
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Tennessee USA
| | - Carsten Schradin
- IPHC UNISTRA CNRS Strasbourg France
- School of Animal, Plant & Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
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18
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Perea-Rodríguez JP, Corley MK, de la Iglesia H, Fernandez-Duque E. Thermoenergetic challenges and daytime behavioural patterns of a wild cathemeral mammal. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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19
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De Gregorio C, Carugati F, Valente D, Raimondi T, Torti V, Miaretsoa L, Gamba M, Giacoma C. Notes on a tree: reframing the relevance of primate choruses, duets, and solo songs. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.2015451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara De Gregorio
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italia
| | - Filippo Carugati
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italia
| | - Daria Valente
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italia
- Équipe de Neuro-Éthologie Sensorielle (ENES), Centre de Recherche En Neurosciences de Lyon 8 (CRNL), CNRL, INSERM, University of Lyon/Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne, France
| | - Teresa Raimondi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italia
| | - Valeria Torti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italia
| | - Longondraza Miaretsoa
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italia
| | - Marco Gamba
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italia
| | - Cristina Giacoma
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italia
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20
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Garcia de la Chica A, Wood DB, Rotundo M, Fernandez‐Duque E. Responses of a pair‐living, sexually monogamous primate to the simulated presence of solitary individuals: A field playback experiment. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - David Bechtel Wood
- Owl Monkey Project‐ Fundación ECO Formosa Argentina
- Yale University New Haven Connecticut USA
| | | | - Eduardo Fernandez‐Duque
- Owl Monkey Project‐ Fundación ECO Formosa Argentina
- Yale University New Haven Connecticut USA
- Universidad de Formosa Formosa Argentina
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21
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Bales KL, Ardekani CS, Baxter A, Karaskiewicz CL, Kuske JX, Lau AR, Savidge LE, Sayler KR, Witczak LR. What is a pair bond? Horm Behav 2021; 136:105062. [PMID: 34601430 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Pair bonding is a psychological construct that we attempt to operationalize via behavioral and physiological measurements. Yet, pair bonding has been both defined differently in various taxonomic groups as well as used loosely to describe not just a psychological and affective phenomenon, but also a social structure or mating system (either social monogamy or just pair living). In this review, we ask the questions: What has been the historical definition of a pair bond? Has this definition differed across taxonomic groups? What behavioral evidence do we see of pair bonding in these groups? Does this observed evidence alter the definition of pair bonding? Does the observed neurobiology underlying these behaviors affect this definition as well? And finally, what are the upcoming directions in which the study of pair bonding needs to head?
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America.
| | - Cory S Ardekani
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America
| | - Alexander Baxter
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
| | - Chloe L Karaskiewicz
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
| | - Jace X Kuske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America
| | - Allison R Lau
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
| | - Logan E Savidge
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
| | - Kristina R Sayler
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, United States of America
| | - Lynea R Witczak
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
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22
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Corley M, Perea-Rodriguez JP, Valeggia C, Fernandez-Duque E. Associations between fecal cortisol and biparental care in a pair-living primate. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 176:295-307. [PMID: 34272723 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We quantified variation in fecal cortisol across reproductive periods in Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) to examine physiological mechanisms that may facilitate biparental care. Specifically, we evaluated evidence for the explanation that owl monkeys have hormonal mechanisms to mobilize energy during periods when each sex is investing heavily in reproduction, that is, the gestation period for females and the infant care period for males. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 2011 and 2015, we monitored 10 groups of Azara's owl monkeys from a wild population in Formosa, Argentina and collected fecal samples from 26 adults (13 males, 13 females). Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, we quantified fecal cortisol as a proxy for evaluating stress responses, including energetic demands, on both sexes during periods of reproduction and parental care. RESULTS Male cortisol was lowest during periods when they were caring for young infants (<3 months) compared with periods with older infants or no infant. Female cortisol was elevated during gestation compared with other periods. Mean fecal cortisol in both males and females was lower when an infant was present compared with when females were gestating. DISCUSSION Our results do not support the hypothesis that owl monkey males have elevated fecal cortisol during periods when they need to mobilize energy to provide intensive infant care. Our findings are also inconsistent with the Maternal Relief hypothesis. However, results from studies measuring fecal cortisol must be interpreted with care and alternative explanations, such as seasonal fluctuations in diet and thermoenergic demands, should be considered when drawing conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Corley
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Juan Pablo Perea-Rodriguez
- Project Conservémonos, Limon, Costa Rica.,WELL-PRIM Project, Eco-Anthropologie Lab (UMR 7602), Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Claudia Valeggia
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Formosa, Formosa, Argentina
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23
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Van Belle S, Porter AM, Fernandez-Duque E, Di Fiore A. Ranging behavior and the potential for territoriality in pair-living titi monkeys (Plecturocebus discolor). Am J Primatol 2020; 83:e23225. [PMID: 33368565 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Patterns of ranging behavior and space use are key for evaluating current ideas about the evolution and maintenance of pair-living and sexual monogamy as they provide insights into the dispersion of females, the potential for territoriality, and whether males are limited to defending an area that can support only one female and her offspring. We examined ranging behavior and space use to evaluate the potential for territoriality in five groups of red titi monkeys (Plecturocebus discolor) during a 10-year study in Ecuadorian Amazonia. Mean home range size, calculated using a time-sensitive local convex hull estimation procedure, was 4.0 ± 1.4 ha. Annual home ranges of neighboring groups overlapped, on average, 0%-7%. Mean daily path length was 670 ± 194 m, resulting in defendability indices of 2.2-3.6 across groups. Groups visited, on average, 4 of 12 sections of their home range border area per day, but that was not more often than would be expected by chance, and intergroup encounters were infrequent. We did not find evidence of active monitoring for intruders in border areas, in that groups did not travel either faster or slower when at the border than when in central areas of their range. The absence of overt monitoring might be compensated for by engaging in loud calls, which the study groups did throughout their home ranges; these calls may serve as an advertisement of occupancy and a deterrent to intruding conspecifics. Our finding that red titis have a high potential for territoriality is consistent with several of the main hypotheses proposed to explain pair-living in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarie Van Belle
- Department of Anthropology and Primate Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Amy M Porter
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Formosa, Formosa, Argentina.,College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Cumbayá, Ecuador
| | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology and Primate Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.,College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Cumbayá, Ecuador
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24
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Dolotovskaya S, Roos C, Heymann EW. Genetic monogamy and mate choice in a pair-living primate. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20328. [PMID: 33230212 PMCID: PMC7683532 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77132-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In pair-living mammals, genetic monogamy is extremely rare. One possible reason is that in socially monogamous animals, mate choice can be severely constrained, increasing the risk of inbreeding or pairing with an incompatible or low-quality partner. To escape these constraints, individuals might engage in extra-pair copulations. Alternatively, inbreeding can be avoided by dispersal. However, little is known about the interactions between mating system, mate choice, and dispersal in pair-living mammals. Here we genotyped 41 wild individuals from 14 groups of coppery titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus) in Peruvian Amazon using 18 microsatellite loci. Parentage analyses of 18 young revealed no cases of extra-pair paternity, indicating that the study population is mostly genetically monogamous. We did not find evidence for relatedness- or heterozygosity-based mate choice. Despite the lack of evidence for active inbreeding avoidance via mate choice, mating partners were on average not related. We further found that dispersal was not sex-biased, with both sexes dispersing opportunistically over varying distances. Our findings suggest that even opportunistic dispersal, as long as it is not constrained, can generate sufficient genetic diversity to prevent inbreeding. This, in turn, can render active inbreeding avoidance via mate choice and extra-pair copulations less necessary, helping to maintain genetic monogamy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofya Dolotovskaya
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany. .,Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Christian Roos
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,Gene Bank of Primates, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eckhard W Heymann
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
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