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Sobral G, Dubuc C, Winters S, Ruiz-Lambides A, Emery Thompson M, Maestripieri D, Milich KM. Facial and genital color ornamentation, testosterone, and reproductive output in high-ranking male rhesus macaques. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2621. [PMID: 38297064 PMCID: PMC10831099 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52400-0] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Males in many vertebrate species have colorful ornaments that evolved by sexual selection. The role of androgens in the genesis and maintenance of these signals is unclear. We studied 21 adult high-ranking male rhesus macaques from nine social groups in the free-ranging population on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, and analyzed facial and genital skin luminance and redness, fecal androgens, rates of mating behaviors, and offspring sired. Facial and genital coloration varied in relation to age, mating behavior, reproductive success, and testosterone concentration. Our results indicate that skin coloration in high-ranking male rhesus macaques is a sexually-selected trait mediated by androgens. These results add to the growing literature on the proximate and ultimate causes of male sexual signals and highlight the need to examine how these characteristics change with age in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Sobral
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade (NUPEM/UFRJ), Macaé, RJ, Brazil
| | - Constance Dubuc
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sandra Winters
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | | | - Krista M Milich
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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2
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Fontani S, Kaburu SSK, Marliani G, Accorsi PA, Vaglio S. Anogenital scent-marking signals fertility in a captive female Alaotran gentle lemur. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:940707. [PMID: 35967991 PMCID: PMC9366254 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.940707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Lake Alaotra gentle lemur (Hapalemur alaotrensis) is one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world and shows low success rate in captive breeding programmes. It is therefore vital to further understand its reproductive biology. We studied a captive troop consisting of five individuals hosted at Jersey Zoo during breeding and non-breeding periods over 1 year. We collected behavioural data (n = 318 h) using all occurrence of some behaviours and ad libitum sampling methods, as well as faecal (n = 54) and anogenital scent (n = 35) samples of the breeding female. We measured sex hormone levels using enzyme immunoassay technique and investigated the volatile component of odour signals using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We observed sexual and aggressive behaviours occasionally during the breeding period. Our regression analysis showed that only period significantly predicted rates of female anogenital scent-marking, whereby the female performed anogenital scent-marking more frequently during the breeding rather than the non-breeding period. In contrast, female hormone levels did not significantly explain variation in rates of neither male nor female olfactory, sexual and affiliative behaviours, suggesting that individuals' behaviour alone is not an effective indicator of the ovulation window. The volatile chemical profile of anogenital odour secretions changed over the study, with four compounds distinguishing the fertile window during the breeding period. In conclusion, our findings suggest that anogenital scent-marking may signal the reproductive status of captive female gentle lemurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Fontani
- Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation Group, School of Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
| | - Stefano S. K. Kaburu
- Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation Group, School of Medicine, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanna Marliani
- Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation Group, School of Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Universitá di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pier Attilio Accorsi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Universitá di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefano Vaglio
- Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation Group, School of Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
- Behavioural, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Stefano Vaglio
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3
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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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4
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5
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Zhang QX, Xia DP, Wang X, Li JH. Consort partner preference in male Tibetan macaques: How to choose when females conceal their ovulation? Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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6
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Zhang Q, Sun L, Xia D, Li J. Female behavioral strategies during consortship in Tibetan macaques ( Macaca thibetana). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9665-9675. [PMID: 34306652 PMCID: PMC8293731 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Consortship has been defined as a temporary association between an adult male and an estrous/receptive female. It has been considered as male mating strategies to improve male mating success and potential reproductive success. However, the female roles have been more or less neglected, and thus, less is known about female behavioral strategies during the consortship periods. In this study, during the two consecutive mating seasons, we collected behavioral data of free-ranging Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) habituated in Mt. Huangshan, China, to investigate female behaviors when she was consorted by an adult male. The results showed that (a) females were more likely to approach and exhibit sexual solicitation to their consorting males during the consorted period, and females also exhibited less approach to their nonconsorting males; (b) females exhibited strong responses (either departed distantly or formed affiliative relationships with their consorting male partner) when their consorting males mated with rival females or showed sexual motivation toward rival females; (c) female preferences were positively correlated to the duration of consortships and the frequencies of ejaculation copulations, independent of the social ranks of their consorting male partners. Our results suggested that female strategies played much more important roles in forming and maintaining consortship than previously assumed. It provides new insight into understanding female adaptive strategies to male strategies by forming consortships in multimale-multifemale primate species when males could not identify female's fertile phase accurately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi‐Xin Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental EngineeringAnhui UniversityHefeiChina
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral EcologyHefeiChina
| | - Lixing Sun
- Department of Biological SciencesCentral Washington UniversityEllensburgWAUSA
| | - Dong‐Po Xia
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral EcologyHefeiChina
- School of Life SciencesAnhui UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Jin‐Hua Li
- School of Resources and Environmental EngineeringAnhui UniversityHefeiChina
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral EcologyHefeiChina
- Schools of Life SciencesHefei Normal UniversityHefeiChina
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7
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Trébouet F, Malaivijitnond S, Reichard UH. Reproductive seasonality in wild northern pig-tailed macaques (Macaca leonina). Primates 2021; 62:491-505. [PMID: 33738636 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00901-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Macaque reproductive patterns range from strictly seasonal breeding to non-seasonal breeding, but factors explaining this variation are not fully understood. Valid reproductive seasonality data are also still lacking for many wild macaque populations because the majority of birth data are from captive animals living outside of their geographic range. We evaluated whether the reproductive seasonality of wild northern pig-tailed macaques falls as expected by the ecological (latitude) or phylogenetic inertia hypotheses in comparison with other macaque species. We recorded monthly occurrences of births (N = 22), copulations (N = 563), and females exhibiting sex skin swellings (N = 18) in one group at Khao Yai National Park (KYNP), Thailand. Births, copulations, and females exhibiting sex skin swellings were significantly different from a random distribution. Using measures of circular statistics and the van Schaik and colleagues' (Schaik et al. Lee (ed), Comparative primate socioecology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1999) seasonality categorizations, the population at KYNP is best characterized as moderately seasonal breeding. Despite some inconsistency, macaque reproductive seasonality was significantly influenced by latitudinal location. We broadly found that: (1) non-seasonal breeding macaque populations (birth r-vector < 0.3) lived at latitudes close to the equator between 1°S and 3°N, (2) moderately seasonal breeding macaque populations (0.3 < birth r-vector < 0.7) were found between 3°N and 14°N and at 5°S, and (3) strictly seasonal breeding macaque populations (birth r-vector > 0.7) ranged ≥ 12°N. A strong phylogenetic signal in reproductive seasonality on the macaque phylogeny was also detected. However, further studies of wild macaque populations are still needed to better characterize reproductive seasonality in this taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Trébouet
- Department of Anthropology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, USA.
| | - Suchinda Malaivijitnond
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,National Primate Research Center of Thailand-Chulalongkorn University, Saraburi, Thailand
| | - Ulrich H Reichard
- Department of Anthropology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, USA.,Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, USA
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8
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Higham JP, Kimock CM, Mandalaywala TM, Heistermann M, Cascio J, Petersdorf M, Winters S, Allen WL, Dubuc C. Female ornaments: is red skin color attractive to males and related to condition in rhesus macaques? Behav Ecol 2021; 32:236-247. [PMID: 33814977 PMCID: PMC7995641 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection produces extravagant male traits, such as colorful ornaments, via female mate choice. More rarely, in mating systems in which males allocate mating effort between multiple females, female ornaments may evolve via male mate choice. Females of many anthropoid primates exhibit ornaments that indicate intraindividual cyclical fertility, but which have also been proposed to function as interindividual quality signals. Rhesus macaque females are one such species, exhibiting cyclical facial color variation that indicates ovulatory status, but in which the function of interindividual variation is unknown. We collected digital images of the faces of 32 rhesus macaque adult females. We assessed mating rates, and consortship by males, according to female face coloration. We also assessed whether female coloration was linked to physical (skinfold fat, body mass index) or physiological (fecal glucocorticoid metabolite [fGCM], urinary C-peptide concentrations) condition. We found that redder-faced females were mated more frequently, and consorted for longer periods by top-ranked males. Redder females had higher fGCM concentrations, perhaps related to their increased mating activity and consequent energy mobilization, and blood flow. Prior analyses have shown that female facial redness is a heritable trait, and that redder-faced females have higher annual fecundity, while other evidence suggests that color expression is likely to be a signal rather than a cue. Collectively, the available evidence suggests that female coloration has evolved at least in part via male mate choice. Its evolution as a sexually selected ornament attractive to males is probably attributable to the high female reproductive synchrony found in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Higham
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Clare M Kimock
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tara M Mandalaywala
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 135 Hicks Way/Tobin Hall, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Research Center (DPZ), Kellnerweg, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julie Cascio
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Megan Petersdorf
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sandra Winters
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - William L Allen
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Constance Dubuc
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
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9
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Kimock CM, Dubuc C, Brent LJN, Higham JP. Male morphological traits are heritable but do not predict reproductive success in a sexually-dimorphic primate. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19794. [PMID: 31874959 PMCID: PMC6930303 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52633-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection favours traits that increase reproductive success via increased competitive ability, attractiveness, or both. Male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) morphological traits are likely to reflect the effects of multiple sexual selection pressures. Here, we use a quantitative genetic approach to investigate the production and maintenance of variation in male rhesus macaque morphometric traits which may be subject to sexual selection. We collected measurements of body size, canine length, and fat, from 125 male and 21 female free-ranging rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago. We also collected testis volumes from males. We used a genetic pedigree to calculate trait heritability, to investigate potential trait trade-offs, and to estimate selection gradients. We found that variation in most male morphometric traits was heritable, but found no evidence of trait trade-offs nor that traits predicted reproductive success. Our results suggest that male rhesus macaque morphometric traits are either not under selection, or are under mechanisms of sexual selection that we could not test (e.g. balancing selection). In species subject to complex interacting mechanisms of selection, measures of body size, weaponry, and testis volume may not increase reproductive success via easily-testable mechanisms such as linear directional selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare M Kimock
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Constance Dubuc
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lauren J N Brent
- Center for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - James P Higham
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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10
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Higham JP. A comparative perspective on measures of cycle phase, and how they relate to cues, signals, and mating behavior: A commentary on. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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11
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Minkner MMI, Young C, Amici F, McFarland R, Barrett L, Grobler JP, Henzi SP, Widdig A. Assessment of Male Reproductive Skew via Highly Polymorphic STR Markers in Wild Vervet Monkeys, Chlorocebus pygerythrus. J Hered 2019; 109:780-790. [PMID: 30272235 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esy048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Male reproductive strategies have been well studied in primate species where the ability of males to monopolize reproductive access is high. Less is known about species where males cannot monopolize mating access. Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) are interesting in this regard as female codominance reduces the potential for male monopolization. Under this condition, we assessed whether male dominance rank still influences male mating and reproductive success, by assigning paternities to infants in a population of wild vervets in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. To determine paternity, we established microsatellite markers from noninvasive fecal samples via cross-species amplification. In addition, we evaluated male mating and reproductive success for 3 groups over 4 mating seasons. We identified 21 highly polymorphic microsatellites (number of alleles = 7.5 ± 3.1 [mean ± SD], observed heterozygosity = 0.691 ± 0.138 [mean ± SD]) and assigned paternity to 94 of 97 sampled infants (96.9%) with high confidence. Matings pooled over 4 seasons were significantly skewed across 3 groups, although skew indices were low (B index = 0.023-0.030) and mating success did not correlate with male dominance. Paternities pooled over 4 seasons were not consistently significantly skewed (B index = 0.005-0.062), with high-ranking males siring more offspring than subordinates only in some seasons. We detected 6 cases of extra-group paternity (6.4%) and 4 cases of natal breeding (4.3%). Our results suggest that alternative reproductive strategies besides priority of access for dominant males are likely to affect paternity success, warranting further investigation into the determinants of paternity among species with limited male monopolization potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam M I Minkner
- Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Talstr, Leipzig, Germany.,Research Group Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany.,Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Christiaan de Wet Road and Pioneer Avenue, Florida, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Christopher Young
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Christiaan de Wet Road and Pioneer Avenue, Florida, Gauteng, South Africa.,Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Federica Amici
- Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Talstr, Leipzig, Germany.,Research Group Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Richard McFarland
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Louise Barrett
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Christiaan de Wet Road and Pioneer Avenue, Florida, Gauteng, South Africa.,Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - J Paul Grobler
- and Department of Genetics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - S Peter Henzi
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Christiaan de Wet Road and Pioneer Avenue, Florida, Gauteng, South Africa.,Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Anja Widdig
- Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Talstr, Leipzig, Germany.,Research Group Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
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12
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Amici F, Kulik L, Langos D, Widdig A. Growing into adulthood—a review on sex differences in the development of sociality across macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2623-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Ruiz-Lambides AV, Weiß BM, Kulik L, Widdig A. Which male and female characteristics influence the probability of extragroup paternities in rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta? Anim Behav 2018; 140:119-127. [PMID: 30455506 PMCID: PMC6238966 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Extragroup paternity (EGP) is found across a wide range of species and may entail reproductive benefits, but may also entail costs to both sexes. While population and group parameters affecting the degree of EGPs are relatively well established, less is known about the individual characteristics that make males and females engage in alternative reproductive tactics such as EGP. Applying a combination of long-term demographic and genetic data from the rhesus macaque population of Cayo Santiago (Puerto Rico, U.S.A.), we investigate which male and female characteristics influence the probability of EGP to better understand the circumstances that shape the distribution and occurrence of EGP. Our results show that, against our expectations, higher-ranking females were more likely to produce EGP offspring than lower- ranking females. The probability of producing extragroup offspring was not significantly related to female or male age, male tenure or previous reproductive success. Furthermore, genetic relatedness between the parents did not affect the production of extragroup offspring, but extragroup offspring were more frequently produced early rather than late in a given mating season. Altogether, our analysis suggests that individual attributes and seasonal aspects create different opportunities and preferences for engaging in EGP as an alternative reproductive tactic. The observed patterns of EGP in rhesus macaques appear to be consistent with female mate choice for genetic benefits, which needs to be confirmed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina V. Ruiz-Lambides
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Cayo Santiago Field Station, Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico
| | - Brigitte M. Weiß
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lars Kulik
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Widdig
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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14
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Milich KM, Georgiev AV, Petersen RM, Emery Thompson M, Maestripieri D. Alpha male status and availability of conceptive females are associated with high glucocorticoid concentrations in high-ranking male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) during the mating season. Horm Behav 2018; 97:5-13. [PMID: 28954215 PMCID: PMC6180231 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2016] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between male mating opportunities, stress, and glucocorticoid concentrations is complicated by the fact that physiological stress and glucocorticoid concentrations can be influenced by dominance rank, group size, and the stability of the male dominance hierarchy, along with ecological factors. We studied the three highest-ranking males in nine different social groups within the same free-ranging population of rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, during the mating season, to examine variation in glucocorticoid concentrations in relation to number of females that conceived each month, alpha status, number of adult males in a group, and male rank hierarchy stability. We found that glucocorticoid concentrations were highest in the early mating season period when more females conceived in each group and declined linearly as the mating season progressed and the number of conceptive females decreased. Alpha males had significantly higher mean monthly glucocorticoid concentrations than other high-ranking males throughout the study period. Male age, number of adult males in a group, and hierarchy stability were not significantly associated with glucocorticoid concentrations. Our findings suggest that alpha males may experience significantly higher levels of physiological stress than their immediate subordinates and that this stress coincides with the period of the mating season when most conceptions occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista M Milich
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, USA; Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, USA.
| | - Alexander V Georgiev
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, UK
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15
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Petersdorf M, Dubuc C, Georgiev AV, Winters S, Higham JP. Is male rhesus macaque facial coloration under intrasexual selection? Behav Ecol 2017; 28:1472-1481. [PMID: 29622929 PMCID: PMC5872909 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Exaggerated male traits can evolve under intra- or intersexual selection, but it remains less clear how often both mechanisms act together on trait evolution. While the males of many anthropoid primate species exhibit colorful signals that appear to be badges of status under intrasexual selection, the red facial coloration of male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) appears to have evolved primarily under intersexual selection and female mate choice. Nonetheless, experiments show that red color is salient to males, raising the question of whether the signal may also be under intrasexual selection. Here, we examine whether males express this signal more strongly in competitive contexts. Facial images were collected on all 15 adult males of a free-ranging social group during the peak of the mating season, and coloration was quantified using visual models. Results show that males more similar in facial redness were more likely to interact aggressively than more dissimilar ones, suggesting that color may be involved in the assessment of rivals. Furthermore, males exhibited darker coloration on days they were observed copulating, and dominance rank predicted facial redness only on copulating days, suggesting that coloration may also advertise motivation to defend a mate. Male rhesus macaque facial coloration may thus mediate agonistic interactions with rivals during competition over reproductive opportunities, such that it is under both inter- and intrasexual selection. However, color differences were small, raising perceptibility questions. It remains possible that color variation reflects differences in male condition, which in turn alter investment towards male-male competition and mating effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Petersdorf
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Pl, New York,
NY 10003, USA
| | - Constance Dubuc
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Pl, New York,
NY 10003, USA
| | - Alexander V Georgiev
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, 940 E 57th St,
Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor,
Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Sandra Winters
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Pl, New York,
NY 10003, USA
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Pl, New York,
NY 10003, USA
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16
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Ruiz-Lambides AV, Weiß BM, Kulik L, Stephens C, Mundry R, Widdig A. Long-term analysis on the variance of extra-group paternities in rhesus macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017; 71:67. [PMID: 28360453 PMCID: PMC5355504 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2291-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Revised: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Extra-group paternity (EGP) has been described in various mammalian species; however, little is known about which factors contribute to the variation in EGP, as the majority of studies were restricted in time and the number of groups considered. Using longitudinal demographic and genetic data, we aim to investigate which factors predict rates of EGP in the free-ranging rhesus macaque population of Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico (USA). Of the 1649 infants considered which were born into six social groups over 9 years, we identified an average of 16% of infants resulting from EGPs. We tested the influence of group size, breeding group sex ratio, female reproductive synchrony, and group instability on the occurrence of EGPs. Our results suggest a tendency for EGPs to increase as the proportion of females increased in larger groups, but no such effect in smaller groups. Furthermore, as group instability and female reproductive synchrony decreased, the number of EGPs tended to increase. Our results support the hypothesis that group structure affects the occurrence of EGPs, which might be mediated by male mating opportunities, male monopolization potential, and/or female choice. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In several species, both sexes seek alternative reproductive strategies to enhance their reproductive success. For instance, females may pursue EGPs to potentially increase genetic compatibility with males, or males may seek EGPs to improve their mating opportunities. Our longitudinal analysis, including demographic and genetic data over 9 years of six social groups of rhesus macaques, revealed high variation in the occurrence of EGPs across groups and years, and this variation tended to depend on group characteristics such as breeding group size, sex ratio, female synchrony, and group instability. The data suggest that group structure affects the number of EGPs in this group-living primate. Our results show that EGPs can affect the distribution of paternity within social groups and should be taken into account when assessing reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina V. Ruiz-Lambides
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Cayo Santiago Field Station, Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 906, Punta Santiago, 00741 Puerto Rico
| | - Brigitte M. Weiß
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lars Kulik
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Colleen Stephens
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roger Mundry
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Widdig
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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17
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Takahashi M, Singh RS, Stone J. A Theory for the Origin of Human Menopause. Front Genet 2017; 7:222. [PMID: 28111590 PMCID: PMC5216033 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2016.00222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A complete and compelling evolutionary explanation for the origin of human menopause is wanting. Menopause onset is defined clinically as the final menses, confirmed after 1 year without menstruation. The theory proposed herein explains at multiple levels - ultimately genetic but involving (1) behavioral, (2) life history, and (3) social changes - the origin and evolution of menopause in women. Individuals in Lower Paleolithic human populations were characterized by short lifespans with diminished late-age survival and fertility, similar to contemporary chimpanzees, and thence were subject to three changes. (1) A mating behavior change was established in which only young women reproduced, thereby rendering as effectively neutral female-specific late-onset fertility-diminishing mutations, which accumulated subsequently. (2) A lifespan increase was manifested adaptively, revealing the reproductive senescence phenotype encoded in late-onset fertility-diminishing mutation genotypes, which, heretofore, had been unexpressed in the shorter lifespan. (3) A social interaction change emerged exaptively, when older non-reproductive women exclusively started assisting in rearing grandchildren rather than giving birth to and caring for their own children, ultimately leading to menstrual cycle cessation. The changes associate in a one-to-one manner with existing, non-mutually exclusive hypotheses for the origin of human menopause. Evidence for each hypothesis and its associated change having occurred are reviewed, and the hypotheses are combined in a synthetic theory for the origin of human menopause. The new theory simultaneously addresses the main theoretical problem with each hypothesis and yields predictions for future testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rama S. Singh
- Department of Biology, Origins Institute, McMaster University, HamiltonON, Canada
| | - John Stone
- Department of Biology, Origins Institute, McMaster University, HamiltonON, Canada
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18
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Ruiz-Lambides AV, Weiß BM, Kulik L, Stephens C, Mundry R, Widdig A. Long-term analysis on the variance of extra-group paternities in rhesus macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017; 71:67. [PMID: 28360453 DOI: 10.10.1007/s00265-017-2291-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Revised: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Extra-group paternity (EGP) has been described in various mammalian species; however, little is known about which factors contribute to the variation in EGP, as the majority of studies were restricted in time and the number of groups considered. Using longitudinal demographic and genetic data, we aim to investigate which factors predict rates of EGP in the free-ranging rhesus macaque population of Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico (USA). Of the 1649 infants considered which were born into six social groups over 9 years, we identified an average of 16% of infants resulting from EGPs. We tested the influence of group size, breeding group sex ratio, female reproductive synchrony, and group instability on the occurrence of EGPs. Our results suggest a tendency for EGPs to increase as the proportion of females increased in larger groups, but no such effect in smaller groups. Furthermore, as group instability and female reproductive synchrony decreased, the number of EGPs tended to increase. Our results support the hypothesis that group structure affects the occurrence of EGPs, which might be mediated by male mating opportunities, male monopolization potential, and/or female choice. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In several species, both sexes seek alternative reproductive strategies to enhance their reproductive success. For instance, females may pursue EGPs to potentially increase genetic compatibility with males, or males may seek EGPs to improve their mating opportunities. Our longitudinal analysis, including demographic and genetic data over 9 years of six social groups of rhesus macaques, revealed high variation in the occurrence of EGPs across groups and years, and this variation tended to depend on group characteristics such as breeding group size, sex ratio, female synchrony, and group instability. The data suggest that group structure affects the number of EGPs in this group-living primate. Our results show that EGPs can affect the distribution of paternity within social groups and should be taken into account when assessing reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina V Ruiz-Lambides
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Cayo Santiago Field Station, Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 906, Punta Santiago, 00741 Puerto Rico
| | - Brigitte M Weiß
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lars Kulik
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Colleen Stephens
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roger Mundry
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Widdig
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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19
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Georgiev A, Christie D, Rosenfield K, Ruiz-Lambides A, Maldonado E, Emery Thompson M, Maestripieri D. Breaking the succession rule: the costs and benefits of an alpha-status take-over by an immigrant rhesus macaque on Cayo Santiago. BEHAVIOUR 2016. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Explaining intraspecific variation in reproductive tactics hinges on measuring associated costs and benefits. Yet, this is difficult if alternative (purportedly less optimal) tactics remain unobserved. We describe a rare alpha-position take-over by an immigrant male rhesus macaque in a population where males typically gain rank via succession. Unusually, male aggressiveness after the take-over correlated with rank and mating success. The new alpha achieved the highest mating and reproductive success. Nevertheless, he sired only 4 infants due to high extra-group paternity (59.3%). The costs of his immigration tactic were high: after the mating season ended, unable to deter coalitionary attacks by resident males, he was overthrown. The following year he had the highest relative annual weight loss and levels of immune activation among males in the group. Succession-based rank-acquisition in large, provisioned groups of macaques thus appears to be actively maintained by resident males, who impose high costs on challengers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V. Georgiev
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, 940 E57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, 1810 Hinman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Diana Christie
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, 1321 Kincaid Street, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Kevin A. Rosenfield
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, Holybourne Avenue, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - Angelina V. Ruiz-Lambides
- Caribbean Primate Research Center–Cayo Santiago, University of Puerto Rico, Punta Santiago, PR 00741, Puerto Rico
| | - Elizabeth Maldonado
- Caribbean Primate Research Center–Cayo Santiago, University of Puerto Rico, Punta Santiago, PR 00741, Puerto Rico
| | - Melissa Emery Thompson
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, 500 University Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Dario Maestripieri
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, 940 E57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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20
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Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) recognize group membership via olfactory cues alone. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-2013-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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21
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Langos D, Kulik L, Ruiz-Lambides A, Widdig A. Does Male Care, Provided to Immature Individuals, Influence Immature Fitness in Rhesus Macaques? PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137841. [PMID: 26367536 PMCID: PMC4569174 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Among many mammals, maternal care strongly impacts infant survival; however, less is known about whether adult males also affect infant fitness. Paternal care is expected when providing care enhances offspring survival and reproduction, which likewise increases fathers' fitness. Males might also care for unrelated immature individuals to increase their mating probability with the immature individuals' mothers. Studies in multimale primate groups showed that sires enhance food access for offspring and provide protection in conflicts. Furthermore, fathers' presence during infancy has been suggested to accelerate offspring sexual maturation. However, no study has yet directly linked the degree of father-offspring bonds to offspring fitness in primates. We previously reported father-offspring affiliation in rhesus macaques, pronounced during early infancy and independent of mothers' presence. The present study aims at investigating whether affiliation with fathers or other males affects proxies of immature fitness (body mass gain, body fat and testis size). First, we combined behavioral, genetic and morphometric data from 55 subjects of one group. Second, using demographic and genetic data, we investigated for 92 individuals of the population whether mother- and father-offspring co-residence during immaturity influenced offspring lifetime reproductive success (LRS). Our results show that focal rank and higher amounts of affiliation with high-ranking males during infancy tend to positively impact body mass gain of female, but not male focal animals. In contrast, body mass gain of male focal individuals, but not females', appeared to be higher when affiliation of male immature individuals was evenly distributed across their adult male partners. Moreover, we found mothers', but not fathers', presence during immaturity to predict offspring LRS. Our results suggest that male-immature affiliation, but not father-offspring co-residence, potentially impacts proxies of immature fitness. However, future studies should investigate the underlying mechanisms of male-immature relationships and their impact on immature fitness in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doreen Langos
- Junior Research Group of ‘Primate Kin Selection’, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lars Kulik
- Junior Research Group of ‘Primate Kin Selection’, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Angelina Ruiz-Lambides
- Junior Research Group of ‘Primate Kin Selection’, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box 906, Punta Santiago, PR, 00741, United States of America
| | - Anja Widdig
- Junior Research Group of ‘Primate Kin Selection’, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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22
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Dubuc C, Allen WL, Cascio J, Lee DS, Maestripieri D, Petersdorf M, Winters S, Higham JP. Who cares? Experimental attention biases provide new insights into a mammalian sexual signal. Behav Ecol 2015; 27:68-74. [PMID: 29622915 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2015] [Revised: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of intrasexual and intersexual selection on male trait evolution can be difficult to disentangle, especially based on observational data. Male-male competition can limit an observer's ability to identify the effect of female mate choice independently from sexual coercion. Here, we use an experimental approach to explore whether an ornament, the red facial skin exhibited by male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), might be involved in both female mate choice and male-male competition. We used a noninvasive experimental approach based on the looking time paradigm in a free-ranging setting, showing images of differently colored male faces to both adult females (N = 91) and males (N = 77), as well as to juveniles (N = 94) as a control. Results show that both adult females and males looked longer at dark red faces compared with pale pink ones. However, when considering the proportion of subjects that looked longer at dark red faces regardless of preference strength, only females showed a significant dark red bias. In contrast, juveniles did not show any preferences between stimuli, suggesting that the adult bias is not a consequence of the experimental design or related to a general sensory bias for red coloration among all age-sex classes. Collectively, these results support the role the ornament plays in female mate choice in this species and provide the first evidence that this ornament may play a role in male-male competition as well, despite a general lack of observational evidence for the latter effect to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance Dubuc
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - William L Allen
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Julie Cascio
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - D Susie Lee
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Dario Maestripieri
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, 940 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA, and.,Department of Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago, 1126 East 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Megan Petersdorf
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Sandra Winters
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
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23
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Widdig A, Kessler MJ, Bercovitch FB, Berard JD, Duggleby C, Nürnberg P, Rawlins RG, Sauermann U, Wang Q, Krawczak M, Schmidtke J. Genetic studies on the Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques: A review of 40 years of research. Am J Primatol 2015; 78:44-62. [PMID: 26031601 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Genetic studies not only contribute substantially to our current understanding of the natural variation in behavior and health in many species, they also provide the basis of numerous in vivo models of human traits. Despite the many challenges posed by the high level of biological and social complexity, a long lifespan and difficult access in the field, genetic studies of primates are particularly rewarding because of the close evolutionary relatedness of these species to humans. The free-ranging rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) population on Cayo Santiago (CS), Puerto Rico, provides a unique resource in this respect because several of the abovementioned caveats are of either minor importance there, or lacking altogether, thereby allowing long-term genetic research in a primate population under constant surveillance since 1956. This review summarizes more than 40 years of genetic research carried out on CS, from early blood group typing and the genetic characterization of skeletal material via population-wide paternity testing with DNA fingerprints and short tandem repeats (STRs) to the analysis of the highly polymorphic DQB1 locus within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The results of the paternity studies also facilitated subsequent studies of male dominance and other factors influencing male reproductive success, of male reproductive skew, paternal kin bias, and mechanisms of paternal kin recognition. More recently, the CS macaques have been the subjects of functional genetic and gene expression analyses and have played an important role in behavioral and quantitative genetic studies. In addition, the CS colony has been used as a natural model for human adult-onset macular degeneration, glaucoma, and circadian rhythm disorder. Our review finishes off with a discussion of potential future directions of research on CS, including the transition from STRs to single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing and whole genome sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Widdig
- Research Group of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico
| | - Matthew J Kessler
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico.,Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Fred B Bercovitch
- Primate Research Institute & Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - John D Berard
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Greater Los Angeles Health Care System, North Hills, California
| | - Christine Duggleby
- Department of Anthropology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Peter Nürnberg
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Richard G Rawlins
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico
| | - Ulrike Sauermann
- Unit of Infection Models, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas
| | - Michael Krawczak
- Institute of Medical Informatics and Statistics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Jörg Schmidtke
- Institute of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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24
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Georgiev AV, Muehlenbein MP, Prall SP, Emery Thompson M, Maestripieri D. Male quality, dominance rank, and mating success in free-ranging rhesus macaques. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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25
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Dubuc C, Winters S, Allen WL, Brent LJN, Cascio J, Maestripieri D, Ruiz-Lambides AV, Widdig A, Higham JP. Sexually selected skin colour is heritable and related to fecundity in a non-human primate. Proc Biol Sci 2014; 281:20141602. [PMID: 25253459 PMCID: PMC4211451 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection promotes the prevalence of heritable traits that increase an individual's reproductive rate. Despite theoretically strong directional selection, sexually selected traits can show inter-individual variation. Here, we investigate whether red skin ornamentation, a rare example of a male mammalian trait involved in mate attraction, influences fecundity and is heritable in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), and explore the mechanisms that are involved in maintaining trait variation. Interestingly, the trait is expressed by and is attractive to both sexes. We collected facial images of 266 free-ranging individuals and modelled skin redness and darkness to rhesus macaque vision. We used 20 years of genetic parentage data to calculate selection gradients on the trait and perform heritability analyses. Results show that males who were both darkly coloured and high-ranking enjoyed higher fecundity. Female skin redness was positively linked to fecundity, although it remains unclear whether this influences male selectiveness. Heritability explained 10-15% of the variation in redness and darkness, and up to 30% for skin darkness when sexes are considered separately, suggesting sex-influenced inheritance. Our results suggest that inter-individual variation is maintained through condition-dependence, with an added effect of balancing selection on male skin darkness, providing rare evidence for a mammalian trait selected through inter-sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance Dubuc
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Sandra Winters
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - William L Allen
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Lauren J N Brent
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, 450 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Julie Cascio
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Dario Maestripieri
- Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Angelina V Ruiz-Lambides
- Cayo Santiago, Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box 906, Punta Santiago, PR 00741, USA Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Anja Widdig
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - James P Higham
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
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Girard-Buttoz C, Heistermann M, Rahmi E, Agil M, Fauzan PA, Engelhardt A. Costs of mate-guarding in wild male long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis): physiological stress and aggression. Horm Behav 2014; 66:637-48. [PMID: 25236888 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Revised: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Mate-guarding is an important determinant of male reproductive success in a number of species. However, it is known to potentially incur costs. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of mate-guarding on male physiological stress and aggression in long-tailed macaques, a species in which males mate-guard females to a lesser extent than predicted by the Priority of Access model (PoA). The study was carried out during two mating periods on three groups of wild long-tailed macaques in Indonesia by combining behavioral observations with non-invasive measurements of fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) levels. Mate-guarding was associated with a general rise in male stress hormone levels but, from a certain threshold of mate-guarding onwards, increased vigilance time was associated with a decrease in stress hormone output. Mate-guarding also increased male-male aggression rate and male vigilance time. Overall, alpha males were more physiologically stressed than other males independently of mating competition. Increased glucocorticoid levels during mate-guarding are most likely adaptive since it may help males to mobilize extra-energy required for mate-guarding and ultimately maintain a balanced energetic status. However, repeated exposure to high levels of stress over an extended period is potentially deleterious to the immune system and thus may carry costs. This potential physiological cost together with the cost of increased aggression mate-guarding male face may limit the male's ability to mate-guard females, explaining the deviance from the PoA model observed in long-tailed macaques. Comparing our results to previous findings we discuss how ecological factors, reproductive seasonality and rank achievement may modulate the extent to which costs of mate-guarding limit male monopolization abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Girard-Buttoz
- Jr. Research Group Primate Sexual Selection, German Primate Centre, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany; Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, Germany.
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Centre, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Erdiansyah Rahmi
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Agil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Panji Ahmad Fauzan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Antje Engelhardt
- Jr. Research Group Primate Sexual Selection, German Primate Centre, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany; Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, Germany
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27
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Dubuc C, Ruiz-Lambides A, Widdig A. Variance in male lifetime reproductive success and estimation of the degree of polygyny in a primate. Behav Ecol 2014; 25:878-889. [PMID: 25024637 PMCID: PMC4095946 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2013] [Revised: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The degree of polygyny is predicted to influence the strength of direct male-male competition, leading to a high variance in male lifetime reproductive success and to reproduction limited to the prime period of adulthood. Here, we explore the variance in male lifetime reproductive success and reproductive time in an anthropoid primate forming multimale-multifemale groups. Males of this species form dominance hierarchies, which are expected to skew reproduction toward few high-ranking males. At the same time, however, females mate with multiple males (polygynandry), which should limit the degree of polygyny. Using 20 years of genetic and demographic data, we calculated lifetime reproductive success for the free-ranging rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) population of Cayo Santiago for subjects that died naturally or reached senescence. Our results show that 1) male lifetime reproductive success was significantly skewed (range: 0-47 offspring; males reproducing below average: 62.8%; nonbreeders: 17.4%), 2) variance in male lifetime reproductive success was 5 times larger than in females, and 3) male lifetime reproductive success was more influenced by variation in fecundity (60%) than longevity (25%), suggesting that some direct male-male competition takes place. However, the opportunity for selection (i.e., standardized variance in male lifetime reproductive success) is low compared with that in other large mammal species characterized by a high degree of polygyny. Moreover, male reproductive life extended much beyond the prime period, showing that physical strength was not required to acquire mates. We conclude that rhesus macaques exhibit a moderate degree of polygyny and, therefore, low levels of direct male-male competition for fertile females, despite the fact that males form linear dominance hierarchies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance Dubuc
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology , Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig , Germany , ; Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University , 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003 , USA
| | - Angelina Ruiz-Lambides
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology , Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig , Germany , ; Cayo Santiago, Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico , PO Box 306, Punta Santiago, PR 00741 , USA , and
| | - Anja Widdig
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology , Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig , Germany , ; Research Group of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig , Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig , Germany
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Dubuc C, Allen WL, Maestripieri D, Higham JP. Is male rhesus macaque red color ornamentation attractive to females? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014; 68:1215-1224. [PMID: 25246728 PMCID: PMC4167843 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1732-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Male sexually-selected traits can evolve through different mechanisms: conspicuous and colorful ornaments usually evolve through inter-sexual selection, while weapons usually evolve through intra-sexual selection. Male ornaments are rare among mammals in comparison to birds, leading to the notion that female mate choice generally plays little role in trait evolution in this taxon. Supporting this view, when ornaments are present in mammals they typically indicate social status and are products of male-male competition. This general mammalian pattern, however, may not apply to rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Males of this species display conspicuous skin coloration, but this expression is not correlated to dominance rank, and is therefore unlikely to have evolved due to male-male competition. Here, we investigate whether male color expression influences female proceptivity towards males in the Cayo Santiago free-ranging rhesus macaque population. We collected face images of 24 adult males varying in dominance rank and age at the peak of the mating season, and modeled these to rhesus macaque visual perception. We also recorded female socio-sexual behaviors towards these males. Results show that dark red males received more sexual solicitations, by more females, than pale pink ones. Together with previous results, our study suggests that male color ornaments are more likely to be a product of inter- rather than intra-sexual selection. This may especially be the case in rhesus macaques due to the particular characteristics of male-male competition in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance Dubuc
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University
- Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago
| | - William L. Allen
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University
| | - Dario Maestripieri
- Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago
- Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago
| | - James P. Higham
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University
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29
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Girard-Buttoz C, Heistermann M, Rahmi E, Agil M, Fauzan PA, Engelhardt A. Costs of and Investment in Mate-Guarding in Wild Long-Tailed Macaques ( Macaca fascicularis): Influences of Female Characteristics and Male-Female Social Bonds. INT J PRIMATOL 2014; 35:701-724. [PMID: 25152554 PMCID: PMC4129240 DOI: 10.1007/s10764-014-9775-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Male primates living in multimale groups tend to direct mate and mate-guarding choices toward females of high reproductive value, i.e., high-ranking, parous females, or females with which they share strong bonds. Little is known, however, about the constraints that may limit male mate-guarding choices (the costs of this behavior) and the influence of the females’ quality on male investment in mate-guarding. We aimed to study the effects of female rank, parity status, and male–female social bond strength on the costs of and investment in mate-guarding by males. We carried out our study during two reproductive seasons on three groups of wild long-tailed macaques in Indonesia. We combined behavioral observations on male locomotion and activity with noninvasive measurements of fecal glucocorticoids (fGC). Males spent less time feeding when mate-guarding nulliparous females than when mate-guarding parous females and tended to have higher fGC levels when mate-guarding low-ranking nulliparous females than when mate-guarding high-ranking nulliparous ones. Evolution should thus favor male choice for high-ranking parous females because such a decision brings benefits at proximate (reduced costs of mate-guarding) and ultimate (higher reproductive value) levels. Further, male investment in mate-guarding was flexible and contingent on female reproductive and social value. Males were more vigilant and more aggressive toward other males when mate-guarding females to which they were strongly bonded and/or high-ranking ones than when mate-guarding other females. Our findings bring a new dimension to the study of mate choice by showing that males not only mate preferentially with high-quality females but may also aim to secure paternity with these females through optimized monopolization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Girard-Buttoz
- Jr. Research Group Primate Sexual Selection, German Primate Centre, 37077 Göttingen, Germany ; Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg-August University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Erdiansyah Rahmi
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Agil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Panji Ahmad Fauzan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Antje Engelhardt
- Jr. Research Group Primate Sexual Selection, German Primate Centre, 37077 Göttingen, Germany ; Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg-August University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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30
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Lack of Evidence for Energetic Costs of Mate-Guarding in Wild Male Assamese Macaques (Macaca assamensis). INT J PRIMATOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9748-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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31
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Girard-Buttoz C, Heistermann M, Rahmi E, Marzec A, Agil M, Fauzan PA, Engelhardt A. Mate-guarding constrains feeding activity but not energetic status of wild male long-tailed macaques ( Macaca fascicularis). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014; 68:583-595. [PMID: 24659851 PMCID: PMC3950606 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1673-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2013] [Revised: 12/12/2013] [Accepted: 12/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Mate-guarding is an important determinant of male reproductive success in a number of species. Little is known however about the constraints of this behaviour, e.g. the associated energetic costs. We investigated these costs in long-tailed macaques where alpha males mate guard females to a lesser extent than predicted by the priority of access model. The study was carried out during two mating periods on three wild groups living in the Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia. We combined behavioural observations on males’ locomotion and feeding activity, GPS records of distance travelled and non-invasive measurements of urinary C-peptide (UCP), a physiological indicator of male energetic status. Mate-guarding led to a decrease in feeding time and fruit consumption suggesting a reduced intake of energy. At the same time, vertical locomotion was reduced, which potentially saved energy. These findings, together with the fact that we did not find an effect of mate-guarding on UCP levels, suggest that energy intake and expenditure was balanced during mate-guarding in our study males. Mate-guarding thus seems to not be energetically costly under all circumstances. Given that in strictly seasonal rhesus macaques, high-ranking males lose physical condition over the mating period, we hypothesise that the energetic costs of mate-guarding vary inter-specifically depending on the degree of seasonality and that males of non-strictly seasonal species might be better adapted to maintain balanced energetic condition year-round. Finally, our results illustrate the importance of combining behavioural assessments of both energy intake and expenditure with physiological measures when investigating energetic costs of behavioural strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Girard-Buttoz
- Jr. Research Group Primate Sexual Selection, Reproductive Biology Unit, German Primate Centre, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, Germany
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Centre, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Erdiansyah Rahmi
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Anna Marzec
- Jr. Research Group Primate Sexual Selection, Reproductive Biology Unit, German Primate Centre, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Muhammad Agil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Panji Ahmad Fauzan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Antje Engelhardt
- Jr. Research Group Primate Sexual Selection, Reproductive Biology Unit, German Primate Centre, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, Germany
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32
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Non-invasive collection and analysis of semen in wild macaques. Primates 2013; 55:231-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-013-0393-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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33
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Dubuc C, Coyne SP, Maestripieri D. Effect of mating activity and dominance rank on male masturbation among free-ranging male rhesus macaques. Ethology 2013; 119:10.1111/eth.12146. [PMID: 24187414 PMCID: PMC3810986 DOI: 10.1111/eth.12146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The adaptive function of male masturbation is still poorly understood, despite its high prevalence in humans and other animals. In non-human primates, male masturbation is most frequent among anthropoid monkeys and apes living in multimale-multifemale groups with a promiscuous mating system. In these species, male masturbation may be a non-functional by-product of high sexual arousal or be adaptive by providing advantages in terms of sperm competition or by decreasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections. We investigated the possible functional significance of male masturbation using behavioral data collected on 21 free-ranging male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) at the peak of the mating season. We found some evidence that masturbation is linked to low mating opportunities: regardless of rank, males were most likely to be observed masturbating on days in which they were not observed mating, and lower-ranking males mated less and tended to masturbate more frequently than higher-ranking males. These results echo the findings obtained for two other species of macaques, but contrast those obtained in red colobus monkeys (Procolobus badius) and Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris). Interestingly, however, male masturbation events ended with ejaculation in only 15% of the observed masturbation time, suggesting that new hypotheses are needed to explain masturbation in this species. More studies are needed to establish whether male masturbation is adaptive and whether it serves similar or different functions in different sexually promiscuous species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance Dubuc
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, NY 10003, USA
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Sean P. Coyne
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637, USA
| | - Dario Maestripieri
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637, USA
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34
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Widdig A. The Impact of male reproductive skew on kin structure and sociality in multi-male groups. Evol Anthropol 2013; 22:239-50. [DOI: 10.1002/evan.21366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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35
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Habumuremyi S, Robbins MM, Fawcett KA, Deschner T. Monitoring ovarian cycle activity via progestagens in urine and feces of female mountain gorillas: A comparison of EIA and LC-MS measurements. Am J Primatol 2013; 76:180-91. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Revised: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sosthene Habumuremyi
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; Atlanta Georgia
- Institut d'Enseignement Supérieur de Ruhengeri (INES-Ruhengeri); Musanze North Province Rwanda
| | | | | | - Tobias Deschner
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
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36
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Rakhovskaya MV. Correlates of Male Consortship Rate in Free-Ranging Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta). INT J PRIMATOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9686-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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37
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Langos D, Kulik L, Mundry R, Widdig A. The impact of paternity on male-infant association in a primate with low paternity certainty. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:3638-51. [PMID: 23682587 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Revised: 03/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In multimale groups where females mate promiscuously, male-infant associations have rarely been studied. However, recent studies have shown that males selectively support their offspring during agonistic conflicts with other juveniles and that father's presence accelerates offspring maturation. Furthermore, it was shown that males invest in unrelated infants to enhance future mating success with the infant's mother. Hence, infant care might provide fitness gain for males. Here, we investigate male-infant associations in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), a primate with low paternity certainty as females mate with multiple partners and males ensure paternity less efficiently through mate-guarding. We combined behavioural data with genetic paternity analyses of one cohort of the semi-free-ranging population of Cayo Santiago (Puerto Rico) and recorded affiliative and aggressive interactions between focal subjects and adult males from birth to sexual maturation (0-4 years) of focal subjects. Our results revealed that 9.6% of all interactions of focal subjects involved an adult male and 94% of all male-infant interactions were affiliative, indicating the rareness of male-infant aggression. Second and most interestingly, sires were more likely to affiliate with their offspring than nonsires with unrelated infants. This preference was independent of mother's proximity and emphasized during early infancy. Male-infant affiliation rose with infant age and was pronounced between adult males and male rather than female focal subjects. Overall, our results suggest that male-infant affiliation is also an important component in structuring primate societies and affiliation directed towards own offspring presumably represent low-cost paternal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doreen Langos
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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Hoi H, Krištofík J, Darolová A. Experimentally simulating paternity uncertainty: immediate and long-term responses of male and female reed warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62541. [PMID: 23658637 PMCID: PMC3639161 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2012] [Accepted: 03/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In many socially monogamous species, both sexes seek copulation outside the pair bond in order to increase their reproductive success. In response, males adopt counter-strategies to combat the risk of losing paternity. However, no study so far has tried to experimentally prove the function of behaviour for paternity assurance. Introducing a potential extra-pair partner during the female fertile period provides a standardised method to examine how pair members respond immediately (e.g. increase mate guarding or copulation frequency) or long term (e.g. later parental investment and paternity uncertainty). In this study on a socially monogamous passerine species, we experimentally confronted pairs of reed warblers with a conspecific male (caged male simulating an intruder) during egg-laying. Our results revealed that occurrence of an intruder during that period triggered aggression against the intruder, depending on the presence of the female. The male territory owner also attacked the female partner to drive her away from the intruder. Thus territory defence in reed warblers also serves to protect paternity. The increase in paternity uncertainty did not affect later paternal investment. Paternal investment was also independent of the actual paternity losses. In females, the experiment elicited both, immediate and long-term responses. E.g. female copulation solicitations during the intruder experiment were only observed for females which later turned out to have extra-pair chicks in their nest. In relation to long term response females faced with an intruder invested later less in offspring feeding, and had less extra-pair chicks in their nests. Extra-pair paternity also seems to be affected by female quality (body size). In conclusion female reed warblers seem to seek extra-pair fertilizations but we could demonstrate that males adopt paternity assurance tactics which seems to efficiently help them to reduce paternity uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herbert Hoi
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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