1
|
Simon M, Widdig A, Weiß BM. Sniffing behavior of semi free-ranging Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23611. [PMID: 38409866 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Olfaction is one of the evolutionarily oldest senses and plays a fundamental role in foraging and social interactions across mammals. In primates, the role of olfaction is now well recognized, but better investigated in strepsirrhine and platyrrhine primates than in catarrhines. We observed the sniffing behavior of semi-free ranging Barbary macaques, Macaca sylvanus, at Affenberg Salem, Germany, to assess how frequently macaques sniff and in which contexts, and how sniffing is affected by sex and age. Focal observations of 24 males and 24 females aged 1-25 years showed that Barbary macaques sniffed, on average, 5.24 times per hour, with more than 80% of sniffs directed at food. Irrespective of the context, younger individuals sniffed more often than older ones. Females' sniffs were more often directed at food than male sniffs, while males sniffed more often than females in a social context. Sniffs at conspecifics occurred primarily in a sexual context, with 70% of social sniffs directed at female anogenital swellings performed by males. Of the observed 176 anogenital inspections, 51 involved sniffing of the swelling. Olfactory inspections were followed by copulation significantly less often than merely visual inspections, suggesting that anogenital odors may play a role in male mating decisions, but the role of olfaction in sexual interactions warrants further investigations. In sum, results show that Barbary macaques routinely use olfaction during feeding, but also in a socio-sexual context, corroborating the relevance of the olfactory sense in the lives of catarrhine primates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Simon
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Division of Anthropology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anja Widdig
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Behavior, Research Group Primate Behavioural Ecology, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Brigitte M Weiß
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Behavior, Research Group Primate Behavioural Ecology, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rigaill L, Vaglio S, Setchell JM, Suda-Hashimoto N, Furuichi T, Garcia C. Chemical cues of identity and reproductive status in Japanese macaques. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23411. [PMID: 35757843 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory communication plays an important role in the regulation of socio-sexual interactions in mammals. There is growing evidence that both human and nonhuman primates rely on odors to inform their mating decisions. Nevertheless, studies of primate chemical ecology remain scarce due to the difficulty of obtaining and analyzing samples. We analyzed 67 urine samples from five captive female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) and 30 vaginal swabs from three of these females using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and examined the relationship between odor (compounds identified, richness, intensity, and diversity) and female identity as well as cycle phase. We found a total of 36 urine compounds of which we identified 31, and 68 vaginal compounds of which we identified 37. Our results suggest that urine and vaginal odor varied more between individuals than within cycle phases. However, we found that within a female cycle, urine samples from similar phases may cluster more than samples from different phases. Our results suggest that female odor may encode information about identity (vaginal and urine odor) and reproductive status (urine odor). The question of how conspecifics use female urine and vaginal odor remains open and could be tested using bioassays. Our results and their interpretation are constrained by our limited sample size and our study design. Nonetheless, our study provides insight into the potential signaling role of female odor in sexual communication in Japanese macaques and contributes to our understanding of how odors may influence mating strategies in primates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Rigaill
- EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine), CNRS, Université de Rennes 1, Normandie Université, Rennes, France.,Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Stefano Vaglio
- School of Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK
| | - Joanna M Setchell
- Department of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Naoko Suda-Hashimoto
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Furuichi
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Cécile Garcia
- Eco-anthropologie (EA), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kuběnová B, Ostner J, Schülke O, Majolo B, Šmilauer P, Waterman J, Tkaczynski P, Konečná M. The male and female perspective in the link between male infant care and mating behaviour in Barbary macaques. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Kuběnová
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
- Department of Behavioral Ecology Johann‐Friedrich‐Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology Georg August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Primate Research Institute, University of Kyoto Inuyama Japan
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition German Primate Center & Georg August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Julia Ostner
- Department of Behavioral Ecology Johann‐Friedrich‐Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology Georg August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition German Primate Center & Georg August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Research Group Primate Social Evolution German Primate Centre Göttingen Germany
| | - Oliver Schülke
- Department of Behavioral Ecology Johann‐Friedrich‐Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology Georg August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition German Primate Center & Georg August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Research Group Primate Social Evolution German Primate Centre Göttingen Germany
| | | | - Petr Šmilauer
- Department of Ecosystem Biology Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | | | - Patrick Tkaczynski
- Department of Life Science University of Roehampton London UK
- Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
| | - Martina Konečná
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tkaczynski PJ, Ross C, Lehmann J, Mouna M, Majolo B, MacLarnon A. Repeatable glucocorticoid expression is associated with behavioural syndromes in males but not females in a wild primate. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:190256. [PMID: 31598282 PMCID: PMC6774951 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Behavioural syndromes are a well-established phenomenon in human and non-human animal behavioural ecology. However, the mechanisms that lead to correlations among behaviours and individual consistency in their expression at the apparent expense of behavioural plasticity remain unclear. The 'state-dependent' hypothesis posits that inter-individual variation in behaviour arises from inter-individual variation in state and that the relative stability of these states within an individual leads to consistency of behaviour. The endocrine stress response, in part mediated by glucocorticoids (GCs), is a proposed behavioural syndrome-associated state as GC levels are linked to an individual's behavioural responses to stressors. In this study, in wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus), consistent inter-individual differences were observed in both sexes for GC activity (faecal glucocorticoid, fGC concentrations), but not GC variation (coefficient of variation in fGC concentrations). The expression of the behavioural syndrome 'Excitability' (characterized by the frequencies of brief affiliation or aggressive interactions) was related to GC activity in males but not in females; more 'excitable' males had lower GC activity. There was no relationship in females between any of the behavioural syndromes and GC activity, nor in either sex with GC variation. The negative relationship between GC activity and Excitability in males provides some support for GC expression as a behavioural syndrome-generating state under the state-dependent framework. The absence of this relationship in females highlights that state-behavioural syndrome associations may not be generalizable within a species and that broader sex differences in state need to be considered for understanding the emergence and maintenance of behavioural syndromes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P. J. Tkaczynski
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Inter-Disciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, Holybourne Avenue, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - C. Ross
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Inter-Disciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, Holybourne Avenue, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - J. Lehmann
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Inter-Disciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, Holybourne Avenue, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - M. Mouna
- Mohammed V University, Institut Scientifique, Rabat, Morocco
| | - B. Majolo
- School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - A. MacLarnon
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Inter-Disciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, Holybourne Avenue, London SW15 4JD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Cristóbal-Azkarate J, Maréchal L, Semple S, Majolo B, MacLarnon A. Metabolic strategies in wild male Barbary macaques: evidence from faecal measurement of thyroid hormone. Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2016.0168. [PMID: 27095269 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Selection is expected to favour the evolution of flexible metabolic strategies, in response to environmental conditions. Here, we use a non-invasive index of basal metabolic rate (BMR), faecal thyroid hormone (T3) levels, to explore metabolic flexibility in a wild mammal inhabiting a highly seasonal, challenging environment. T3 levels of adult male Barbary macaques in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco, varied markedly over the year; temporal patterns of variation differed between a wild-feeding and a provisioned group. Overall, T3 levels were related to temperature, foraging time (linked to food availability) and intensity of mating activity, and were higher in the provisioned than in the wild-feeding group. In both groups, T3 levels began to increase markedly one month before the start of the mating season, peaking four to six weeks into this period, and at a higher level in the wild-feeding group. Our results suggest that while both groups demonstrate marked metabolic flexibility, responding similarly to ecological and social challenges, such flexibility is affected by food availability. This study provides new insights into the way Barbary macaques respond to the multiple demands of their environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Laëtitia Maréchal
- School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN67TS, UK Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, London SW154JD, UK
| | - Stuart Semple
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, London SW154JD, UK
| | | | - Ann MacLarnon
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, London SW154JD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Maréchal L, Semple S, Majolo B, MacLarnon A. Assessing the Effects of Tourist Provisioning on the Health of Wild Barbary Macaques in Morocco. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155920. [PMID: 27203861 PMCID: PMC4874683 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Feeding wildlife is a very popular tourist activity, largely because it facilitates the close observation of animals in their natural habitat. Such provisioning may benefit animals by improving their survival and reproductive success, especially during periods of natural food shortage. However, provisioning by tourists may also have negative impacts on the health of the animals involved; to date such impacts are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of tourist provisioning on the health of wild adult Barbary macaques, Macaca sylvanus, in Morocco. We compared health measures between a heavily provisioned group and a group that received negligible food from tourists and, in the former group, we also assessed health measures in relation to the intensity of provisioning. We used a broad range of non-invasive health measures relating to birth rate and survival, disease and injury risk, body size and condition, and physiological stress. Our findings indicate that feeding by tourists may overall have negative impacts on the health of Barbary macaques, being linked in particular to larger body size, elevated stress levels and more alopecia. Finally, we propose a framework to help consider the potential costs and benefits of provisioning, which may facilitate future research and management decisions on whether-and how much-provisioning is acceptable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laëtitia Maréchal
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Semple
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ann MacLarnon
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Minge C, Berghänel A, Schülke O, Ostner J. Patterns and Consequences of Male-Infant Relationships in Wild Assamese Macaques ( Macaca assamensis). INT J PRIMATOL 2016; 37:350-370. [PMID: 27546937 PMCID: PMC4978776 DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9904-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Male care for offspring is unexpected in polygynandrous mammals. Evidence from nonhuman primates, however, indicates not only the existence of stable male-immature associations in multimale-multifemale groups, but also male care in the form of protection from infanticidal attacks and conspecific harassment. Here, we investigate the relationship characteristics, dynamics, and consequences of male-immature associations in wild Assamese macaques, Macaca assamensis, at Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand, to inform hypotheses of their evolutionary origins. Female Assamese macaques reproduce seasonally and do not signal ovulation, resulting in low mating and paternity skew. However, male-immature associations are predicted by paternity, and male behavior potentially reflects paternal effort. We present focal animal data on 12 immatures followed from birth beyond weaning into their juvenile life (1188 focal hours). The distribution of composite sociality indices suggests that male-immature relationships were highly differentiated. Association patterns and the degree of differentiation remained stable from 6 mo well into the juvenile phase, suggesting that male protection extends beyond the phase of high infanticide risk. Based on Hinde indices, immatures were responsible for maintaining the relationships. The likelihood that an infant was associated with its preferred male increased if the mother was absent and if other males were present in proximity, suggesting that immatures sought protection. The presence of the preferred male did not decrease the rate of mild aggression immatures received from group members, but the stronger the relationship between an immature and a male, the more often it received agonistic support from him. Future studies will have to assess whether this agonistic support translates into improved fitness and represents true paternal care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christin Minge
- Department for Behavioral Ecology, Georg-August University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Berghänel
- Department for Behavioral Ecology, Georg-August University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Schülke
- Department for Behavioral Ecology, Georg-August University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Research Group Primate Social Evolution, German Primate Center Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julia Ostner
- Department for Behavioral Ecology, Georg-August University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Research Group Primate Social Evolution, German Primate Center Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Street SE, Cross CP, Brown GR. Exaggerated sexual swellings in female nonhuman primates are reliable signals of female fertility and body condition. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
|
11
|
Rigaill L, MacIntosh AJJ, Higham JP, Winters S, Shimizu K, Mouri K, Furuichi T, Garcia C. Multimodal Advertisement of Pregnancy in Free-Ranging Female Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135127. [PMID: 26308441 PMCID: PMC4550261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of multiple sexual signals in indicating the timing of female ovulation, and discrimination of this timing by males, has been particularly well studied among primates. However the exhibition of pregnancy signals, and how such signals might modulate male post-conception mating decisions, is still poorly understood. Here we aimed to determine if Japanese macaque males use changes in female sexual signals (behavioral, visual and auditory) to discriminate pregnancy and adjust their socio-sexual behaviors. We combined behavioral observations, digital photography and endocrinological (progestogen and estrogen) data, collected systematically during three one-month periods: the pre-conceptive period, the 1st month of pregnancy and the 2nd month of pregnancy. We analyzed variation in the probability of detecting male and female socio-sexual behaviors and estrus calls, as well as changes in female face color parameters, in relation to female reproductive state. Based on our focal observations, we found that males did not copulate during the pregnancy period, and that female socio-sexual behaviors generally decreased from the pre-conceptive to post-conceptive periods. Female face luminance decreased from the pre-conceptive month to the pregnancy period whereas face color only varied between the 1st and 2nd month of gestation. Our results suggest that Japanese macaque females display sexual cues of pregnancy that males might use to reduce energy wasted on non-reproductive copulations with pregnant females. We hypothesize that females advertize their pregnancy through changes in behavioral, visual and potential auditory signals that males can use to adjust their mating behaviors. We finish by discussing implications for male and female post-conception strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Rigaill
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Andrew J. J. MacIntosh
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - James P. Higham
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University, New York, United States of America
| | - Sandra Winters
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University, New York, United States of America
| | - Keiko Shimizu
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University of Science, Okayama city, Okayama, Japan
| | - Keiko Mouri
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Furuichi
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Cécile Garcia
- Laboratoire de Dynamique de l’Evolution Humaine, UPR 2147, CNRS, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Male social bonds and rank predict supporter selection in cooperative aggression in wild Barbary macaques. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
13
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Thunström M, Kuchenbuch P, Young C. Concealing of facial expressions by a wild Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus). Primates 2014; 55:369-75. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-014-0423-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
16
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Young C, Hähndel S, Majolo B, Schülke O, Ostner J. Male coalitions and female behaviour affect male mating success independent of dominance rank and female receptive synchrony in wild Barbary macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1577-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
18
|
Seltmann A, Majolo B, Schülke O, Ostner J. The Organization of Collective Group Movements in Wild Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus): Social Structure Drives Processes of Group Coordination in Macaques. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67285. [PMID: 23805305 PMCID: PMC3689719 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social animals have to coordinate activities and collective movements to benefit from the advantages of group living. Animals in large groups maintain cohesion by self-organization processes whereas in smaller groups consensus decisions can be reached. Where consensus decisions are relevant leadership may emerge. Variation in the organization of collective movements has been linked to variation in female social tolerance among macaque species ranging from despotic to egalitarian. Here we investigated the processes underlying group movements in a wild macaque species characterized by a degree of social tolerance intermediate to previously studied congeneric species. We focused on processes before, during and after the departure of the first individual. To this end, we observed one group of wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) in the Middle Atlas, Morocco using all-occurrence behaviour sampling of 199 collective movements. We found that initiators of a collective movement usually chose the direction in which more individuals displayed pre-departure behavior. Dominant individuals contributed to group movements more than subordinates, especially juveniles, measured as frequencies of successful initiations and pre-departure behaviour. Joining was determined by affiliative relationships and the number of individuals that already joined the movement (mimetism). Thus, in our study group partially shared consensus decisions mediated by selective mimetism seemed to be prevalent, overall supporting the suggestion that a species’ social style affects the organization of group movements. As only the most tolerant species show equally shared consensus decisions whereas in others the decision is partially shared with a bias to dominant individuals the type of consensus decisions seems to follow a stepwise relation. Joining order may also follow a stepwise, however opposite, relationship, because dominance only determined joining in highly despotic, but not in intermediate and tolerant species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Seltmann
- Primate Social Evolution Group, Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg-August University Göttingen, Kellnerweg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Bonaventura Majolo
- School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Schülke
- Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg-August University Göttingen, Kellnerweg, Germany
| | - Julia Ostner
- Primate Social Evolution Group, Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg-August University Göttingen, Kellnerweg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|