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Bertrand DA, Berman CM, Heistermann M, Agil M, Sutiah U, Engelhardt A. Effects of Tourist and Researcher Presence on Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Levels in Wild, Habituated Sulawesi Crested Macaques ( Macaca nigra). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2842. [PMID: 37760243 PMCID: PMC10525950 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ecotourism managers and researchers often assume that apparently habituated primate groups no longer experience adverse consequences of prolonged exposure to tourists or researchers. We examined the effects of tourists and researchers on fecal glucocorticoid metabolite output (FGCM) in three critically endangered, wild crested macaque (Macaca nigra) groups in Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia. We assayed FGCM from 456 fecal samples collected from thirty-three adults. Tourists can walk through and among macaque groups freely. Hence, we examined the possible effects of tourists both (1) in the reserve when away and not interacting with the study groups and (2) when they were present within the macaque groups. Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) analysis indicated that when tourists were present in the forest, but not directly among the macaques, FGCM levels in the macaque tourism groups were higher in months with more tourists. When tourists were among the macaque groups, some female macaques experienced rises and subsequent postexposure decreases in FGCM levels, consistent with predictions for acute stress. Male FGCM levels increased with tourist numbers within the group. Nevertheless, they were not significantly different from levels during undisturbed or postexposure conditions. FGCM responses related to researchers in groups varied by group, sex, and tourist presence. However, the temporal patterning of FGCM responses showed little evidence of chronic stress from tourism at this site.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carol M. Berman
- Department of Anthropology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14261, USA
- Evolution, Ecology, & Behavior Program, Department of Environment and Sustainability, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Michael Heistermann
- German Primate Centre, Endocrinology Laboratory, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Muhammad Agil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Uni Sutiah
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Antje Engelhardt
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
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2
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Sun B, Liu M, Tang L, Zhou X, Hu C, Chen L. Variability in fecal metabolome depending on age, PFBS pollutant, and fecal transplantation in zebrafish: A non-invasive diagnosis of health. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 127:530-540. [PMID: 36522083 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
To protect the wellbeing of research animals, certain non-invasive measures are in increasing need to facilitate an early diagnosis of health and toxicity. In this study, feces specimen was collected from adult zebrafish to profile the metabolome fingerprint. Variability in fecal metabolite composition was also distinguished as a result of aging, perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) toxicant, and fecal transplantation. The results showed that zebrafish feces was very rich in a diversity of metabolites that belonged to several major classes, including lipid, amino acid, carbohydrate, vitamin, steroid hormone, and neurotransmitter. Fecal metabolites had functional implications to multiple physiological activities, which were characterized by the enrichment of digestion, absorption, endocrine, and neurotransmission processes. The high richness and functional involvement of fecal metabolites pinpointed feces as an abundant source of diagnostic markers. By comparison between young and aged zebrafish, fundamental modifications of fecal metabolomes were caused by aging progression, centering on the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway. Exposure of aged zebrafish to PFBS pollutant also significantly disrupted the metabolomic structure in feces. Of special concern were the changes in fecal hormone intermediates after PFBS exposure, which was concordant with the in vivo endocrine disrupting effects of PFBS. Furthermore, it was intriguing that transplantation of young zebrafish feces efficiently mitigated the metabolic perturbation of PFBS in aged recipients, highlighting the health benefits of therapeutic strategies based on gut microbiota manipulation. In summary, the present study provides preliminary clues to evidence the non-invasive advantage of fecal metabolomics in the early diagnosis and prediction of physiology and toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baili Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mengyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lizhu Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiangzhen Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chenyan Hu
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Lianguo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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3
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Alba AC, Wheaton CJ, Weibel CJ, Hicks P, Richards B, Lyon CEM, Ferrie GM. Using behavior and genital swellings to monitor social dynamics and track reproductive cycling in zoo-housed lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus). Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23432. [PMID: 36138540 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Though lion-tailed macaques are managed ex situ as an assurance population, little information is available on the relationship between behavior and reproductive physiology to ensure successful management and evaluate welfare. To facilitate social and reproductive management in a group of one male and three female lion-tailed macaques at Disney's Animal Kingdom®, we observed behaviors associated with dominance and reproduction, rated genital swellings, recorded menses, tracked ovarian cycles as determined by measurement of fecal immunoreactive progesterone (P4) and estradiol (E2), and monitored fecal cortisol (CORT). We analyzed the dominance hierarchy of females, compared hormone patterns of ovarian cycles with genital swellings and copulations relative to menses, and tested for correlations between hormones and behavior. The strength of the dominance hierarchy indicated moderate linearity, but relaxed after the dominant female received anxiolytic medications to reduce intraspecific aggression. Fecal P4 and E2 patterns revealed ovarian cycle lengths averaging 29.7 ± 0.8 days. The timing of single-day E2 peaks varied between and within females' cycles. However, on average, E2 peaks occurred 6-10 days after the first day of menses, with maximum genital swellings and copulations occurring slightly thereafter in uncontracepted females. Female-to-female aggression and sexual behaviors with the male were related to ovarian cycle phase, but correlations between behaviors and hormones varied between females. Initiated aggression was positively correlated with E2 in the dominant and mid-ranked females, while aggression received was positively correlated with P4 or negatively correlated with E2 in the mid-ranked and subordinate females. In one uncontracepted female, sexual behaviors with the male were negatively correlated to P4. CORT was positively correlated to aggression in the dominant and mid-ranked females and negatively correlated to grooming in the subordinate female. Results indicate observations of visual and behavioral cues can be used to track ovarian cycles and evaluate social dynamics and welfare in zoo-housed lion-tailed macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Alba
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
| | - Catharine J Wheaton
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
| | - Chelsea J Weibel
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
| | - Pilar Hicks
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
| | - Beth Richards
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
| | - Cassandra E M Lyon
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
| | - Gina M Ferrie
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
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4
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Durgavich LS, Harwell FS, Knott CD. A composite menstrual cycle of captive orangutans, with associated hormonal and behavioral variability. Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23420. [PMID: 35856470 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge of species-typical reproductive endocrinology profiles is crucial for testing hypotheses pertaining to the evolutionary history, reproductive parameters, and life history of a species, and for managing the well-being of individual animals in human care. Large-scale empirical measurements of ovarian hormones, however, are rare for most primate species, including orangutans. In this study, we used enzyme immunoassays (EIA) to quantify estrogen (estrone conjugates; E1 C) and progesterone (pregnanediol-3-glucuronide; PdG) levels for 98 cycles in 7 cycling zoo-housed female orangutans (10-43 years old). We use a subset of these cycles (N = 44) to create the first composite menstrual cycle for orangutans, which serves as a valuable baseline for future comparative analyses and veterinary considerations. Similar to previous studies, we determined the mean ovarian cycle length of orangutans to be 29.7 days (N = 98 cycles), although we illustrate evidence of both intra- and interindividual variation in ovarian steroid production. Given that this study took place in captivity, we consider how energetic and psychosocial aspects of the zoo environment, such as greater food availability and potential stress, may affect the reproductive physiology and sexual behavior of these females. Furthermore, we discuss the role that age and genetic background may play in producing variability. Finally, we test whether ovarian hormone levels correlate with the reproductive behaviors of these female orangutans using associated behavioral data. Our results suggest that matings are more common during the periovulatory period than outside of it, but do not support a consistent link between hormonal indices of fecundability and mating behaviors in these individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara S Durgavich
- Anthropology Department, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Faye S Harwell
- Anthropology Department, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Cheryl D Knott
- Anthropology Department, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Zhu J, Evans BJ. Mitonuclear Interactions and the Origin of Macaque Societies. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:7033213. [PMID: 36757387 PMCID: PMC9937042 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In most eukaryotes, aerobic respiration requires interactions between autosomally encoded genes (Ninteract genes) and mitochondrial DNA, RNA, and protein. In species where females are philopatric, contrasting distributions of genetic variation in mitochondrial and nuclear genomes create variation in mitonuclear interactions that may be subject to natural selection. To test this expectation, we turned to a group with extreme female philopatry: the macaque monkeys. We examined four genomic data sets from (1) wild caught and (2) captive populations of rhesus macaque, which is the most widely distributed nonhuman primate, and (3) the stump-tailed macaque and (4) a subspecies of longtail macaque, both of whose mitochondrial DNA is introgressed from a highly diverged ancestor. We identified atypically long runs of homozygosity, low polymorphism, high differentiation, and/or rapid protein evolution associated with Ninteract genes compared with non-Ninteract genes. These metrics suggest a subset of Ninteract genes were independently subject to atypically pervasive natural selection in multiple species. These findings suggest that natural selection on mitonuclear interactions could have influenced several aspects of macaque societies including species diversity, ecological breadth, female-biased adult sex ratio and demography, sexual dimorphism, and mitonuclear phylogenomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlong Zhu
- Biology Department, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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6
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Rigaill L, Vaglio S, Setchell JM, Suda-Hashimoto N, Furuichi T, Garcia C. Chemical cues of identity and reproductive status in Japanese macaques. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23411. [PMID: 35757843 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory communication plays an important role in the regulation of socio-sexual interactions in mammals. There is growing evidence that both human and nonhuman primates rely on odors to inform their mating decisions. Nevertheless, studies of primate chemical ecology remain scarce due to the difficulty of obtaining and analyzing samples. We analyzed 67 urine samples from five captive female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) and 30 vaginal swabs from three of these females using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and examined the relationship between odor (compounds identified, richness, intensity, and diversity) and female identity as well as cycle phase. We found a total of 36 urine compounds of which we identified 31, and 68 vaginal compounds of which we identified 37. Our results suggest that urine and vaginal odor varied more between individuals than within cycle phases. However, we found that within a female cycle, urine samples from similar phases may cluster more than samples from different phases. Our results suggest that female odor may encode information about identity (vaginal and urine odor) and reproductive status (urine odor). The question of how conspecifics use female urine and vaginal odor remains open and could be tested using bioassays. Our results and their interpretation are constrained by our limited sample size and our study design. Nonetheless, our study provides insight into the potential signaling role of female odor in sexual communication in Japanese macaques and contributes to our understanding of how odors may influence mating strategies in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Rigaill
- EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine), CNRS, Université de Rennes 1, Normandie Université, Rennes, France.,Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Stefano Vaglio
- School of Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK
| | - Joanna M Setchell
- Department of Anthropology & Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Naoko Suda-Hashimoto
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Furuichi
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Cécile Garcia
- Eco-anthropologie (EA), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
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7
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Lee DS, Knittel T, Deschner T, Heistermann M, Higham JP. Testing the role of testosterone versus estrogens in mediating reproductive transitions in female rhesus macaques. Horm Behav 2022; 139:105123. [PMID: 35149292 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In male vertebrates, testosterone is generally known to coordinate reproductive trade-offs, in part by promoting the transition to the next reproduction at the expense of current parental care. The role of testosterone in reproductive transitions has been little tested in female vertebrates, especially in mammals. The present study sought to fill this gap, by first undertaking an experimental study, in which we identified DHT, androstenediol, and in particular etiocholanolone, as fecal androgen metabolites which reflect serum testosterone concentration in female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Using concentrations of fecal etiocholanolone as proxy for circulating testosterone, we then conducted a field study on 46 free-ranging rhesus macaques of Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, to test if testosterone mediates the trade-off between reproductive transition (a higher chance of reproducing in the next year) and current reproduction (providing more care to current offspring). While the evidence for testosterone was weak, the testing of fecal immunoreactive estrogen metabolites suggested a potential role of estrogen in reproductive trade-offs. We found large individual differences in fecal etiocholanolone concentrations during the early postpartum period that were unexplained even after accounting for sociodemographic factors such as age and dominance rank. Further investigation is needed to understand this variation. Our study suggests that the actions of testosterone in females may not have evolved to fulfil the same role in primate reproductive transitions as it does in males, and we encourage more studies to consider the function of testosterone in reproductive behaviors and life history transitions in females of mammalian taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Susie Lee
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York 10003, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York 10024, NY, USA.
| | - Tina Knittel
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Interim Group Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Interim Group Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York 10003, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York 10024, NY, USA
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8
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Assessing male gelada chest patches: color measurement and physiological mechanisms. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00211-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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9
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Schmitt CA, Garrett EC. De-Scent with Modification: More Evidence and Caution Needed to Assess Whether the Loss of a Pheromone Signaling Protein Permitted the Evolution of Same-Sex Sexual Behavior in Primates. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:2301-2307. [PMID: 31741251 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01583-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Schmitt
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, 232 Bay State Road, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Eva C Garrett
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, 232 Bay State Road, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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10
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Zanoli A, Gamba M, Lemasson A, Palagi E, Norscia I. Looking into each other's eyes makes it better: eye-to-eye contact enhances sexual interactions in wild geladas. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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11
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Cowl VB, Walker SL, Shultz S. Reproductive males are effective at managing conflict in captive Sulawesi crested macaques (Macaca nigra). Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23266. [PMID: 33970515 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Group size, density, and composition significantly influence the expression of agonism and, as demography is frequently manipulated in captivity, natural mechanisms of conflict management may be disrupted. Here, we examine how changes to the social and physical environment of a captive group of Sulawesi crested macaques, Macaca nigra, influenced mechanisms of conflict management. The initial group was comprised of females, juveniles, and castrated males; under a series of management interventions, the group was moved to a new enclosure, 75% of the castrated adult males were removed, 67% of the females were contracepted, a novel, intact male was introduced, and the group was allowed access to an outdoor enclosure. Despite a decreasing trend in aggression following the changes to the social group, we found no significant differences in aggression or intervention behavior in the 5-week periods immediately following changes to the social group, apart from a significant decrease in aggression following the introduction of the novel male. This decrease in the frequency of aggression was still evident 10 weeks after the interventions occurred, and was coupled with a decrease in the intensity of aggression. Moreover, the intensity of aggression as well as the frequency of aggression and intervention were significantly lower under low-density conditions. Our results highlight how management changes to the social and physical environment can influence aggressive behavior, albeit following a period of acclimation. We discuss the relative impacts of social group composition, social density, and individual reproductive status on the management of conflict behavior in a captive setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica B Cowl
- Chester Zoo, Upton-by-Chester, UK.,Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Susanne Shultz
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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12
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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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13
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Female fertile phase synchrony, and male mating and reproductive skew, in the crested macaque. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4251. [PMID: 33608592 PMCID: PMC7896048 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81163-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
High social status is the primary determinant of reproductive success among group-living male mammals. Primates living in multimale-multifemale groups show the greatest variation in the strength of this link, with marked variation in reproductive skew by male dominance among species, dependent on the degree of female fertile phase synchrony, and the number of competing males. Here, we present data on two groups of wild crested macaques (Macaca nigra), living in the Tangkoko Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia. We investigated male monopolization of fertile females in 31 cycles of 19 females, and genetic paternity of 14 offspring conceived during the study period. We show that female fertile phase synchrony was low, that females had few mating partners in their fertile phase, and that dominant males monopolized a high proportion of consortships and matings, resulting in marked and steep mating and reproductive skew. We conclude that female cycle asynchrony provides the opportunity for strong direct male-male competition in crested macaques, resulting in monopolization of females by dominant males, consistent with their marked sexual dimorphism. Our study provides a test of the underlying factors that determine the relative occurrence and strength of different mechanisms of sexual selection, and the phenotypes that evolve as a result.
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14
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Rooker K, Gavrilets S. On the evolution of sexual receptivity in female primates. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11945. [PMID: 32686696 PMCID: PMC7371874 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68338-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been much interest in the evolutionary forces responsible for, and underlying the diversity in, female primate reproductive cycles. While there has been limited research on sexual receptivity in primates, this has been one recurring topic of interest. Some primate species are like humans, sexually receptive to mating throughout their entire estrus cycle, while other species are the opposite, receptive for mere hours out of their several-week cycles. Why is there such prominent variation in sexual receptivity length among primate species? Here we examine the evolutionary trade-offs associated with sexual receptivity length using mathematical modeling. We investigate how various factors, including having ovulation signs present versus concealed ovulation, female physiological costs, and group size, each influence the length of females’ receptive periods. We find that both continuous receptivity and very short lengths of receptivity are able to evolve. Our model predicts that increasing the impacts of infanticide will increase the length of the female receptive period, emphasizing the possible importance of paternity confusion. Similar effects can also be achieved by increasing the non-genetic benefits provided by males. Overall, our work offers a theoretical framework for understanding the evolution and diversity of mating traits in female primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Rooker
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Sergey Gavrilets
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA. .,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA. .,National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA. .,Center for the Dynamics of Social Complexity, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
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15
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Zuñiga-Garcia S, Meza-Herrera CA, Mendoza-Cortina A, Otal-Salaverri J, Perez-Marin C, Lopez-Flores NM, Carrillo E, Calderon-Leyva G, Gutierrez-Guzman UN, Veliz-Deras FG. Effect of Social Rank upon Estrus Induction and Some Reproductive Outcomes in Anestrus Goats Treated With Progesterone + eCG. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1125. [PMID: 32630701 PMCID: PMC7401613 DOI: 10.3390/ani10071125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the possible role of the social rank [R] (i.e., low-LSR, middle-MSR, or high-HSR) in anestrus goats exposed to a P4 + eCG [D] (i.e., 100 or 350 IU) estrus induction protocol (EIP). Adult, multiparous (two to three lactations), multiracial, dairy-type goats (Alpine-Saanen-Nubian x Criollo goats (n = 70; 25°51' North) managed under stall-fed conditions were all ultrasound evaluated to confirm anestrus status while the R was determined 30 d prior to the EIP. The variables of estrus induction (EI, %), estrus latency (LAT, h), estrus duration (DUR, h), ovulation (OVU, %), ovulation rate (OR, n), corpus luteum size (CLS, cm), pregnancy (PREG, %), kidding (KIDD, %), and litter size (LS, n) as affected by R, D, and the R × D interaction, were evaluated. While OVU and CLS favored (p < 0.05) HSR (96% and + 1.04 ± 0.07 cm), an increased (p < 0.05) LS occurred in D350 vs. D100 (2.06 ± 0.2 vs. 1.36 ± 0.2); neither R nor D affected (p > 0.05; 38.5%) KIDD. However, EI, LAT, DUR, OR, and PREG were affected by the R × D interaction. The HSR group had the largest (p < 0.05) EI % and DUR h, irrespective of D. The shortest (p < 0.05) LAT occurred in D350, irrespective of R. While the largest (p < 0.05) OR occurred in HSR and MSR within D350, the HSR + D350 group had the largest PREG (p < 0.05). These research outcomes are central to defining out-of-season reproductive strategies designed to attenuate seasonal reproduction in goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Zuñiga-Garcia
- Unidad Laguna, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, 27054 Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico; (S.Z.-G.); (G.C.-L.)
| | - Cesar A. Meza-Herrera
- Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, 35230 Bermejillo, Durango, Mexico; (C.A.M.-H.); (A.M.-C.); (N.M.L.-F.)
| | - Adela Mendoza-Cortina
- Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, 35230 Bermejillo, Durango, Mexico; (C.A.M.-H.); (A.M.-C.); (N.M.L.-F.)
| | - Julio Otal-Salaverri
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain;
| | - Carlos Perez-Marin
- Instituto de Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain;
| | - Noé M. Lopez-Flores
- Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, 35230 Bermejillo, Durango, Mexico; (C.A.M.-H.); (A.M.-C.); (N.M.L.-F.)
- Instituto de Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain;
| | | | - Guadalupe Calderon-Leyva
- Unidad Laguna, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, 27054 Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico; (S.Z.-G.); (G.C.-L.)
| | - Ulises N. Gutierrez-Guzman
- Facultad de Agricultura y Zootecnia, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, 35111 Venecia, Durango, Mexico;
| | - Francisco G. Veliz-Deras
- Unidad Laguna, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, 27054 Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico; (S.Z.-G.); (G.C.-L.)
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16
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Sulawesi Crested Macaque (Macaca nigra) Grooming Networks Are Robust to Perturbation While Individual Associations Are More Labile. INT J PRIMATOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00139-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSocial and environmental disturbance occurs naturally, and species in bonded social groups should be resilient to it. Empirical evidence of social responses to disturbance in primates, however, remains limited. We constructed social networks using group-level scan samples (N = 299) to test the robustness of grooming networks in a captive group of 20 Sulawesi crested macaques (Macaca nigra) to two management interventions involving environmental and social disturbance. During the first, the institution removed six castrated males and one female, contracepted six of the nine remaining females, and moved the group to a new enclosure. The second involved the introduction of a novel, reproductive male five weeks later. Networks remained stable following the first intervention. However, after introduction of the male, the number of grooming partners and the frequency of grooming with non-maternal kin increased in female-only networks. We observed less marked increases in the grooming frequency and number of grooming partners in whole group networks. Ten weeks later, network structure was more similar to that of pre-intervention networks than post-intervention networks. Our results suggest that reproductive males play a more important role in structuring Sulawesi crested macaque social networks than castrated males, as networks expanded and relationships between non-maternal kin occurred more frequently after introduction of the reproductive male. However, network responses to interventions appeared to be temporary as networks following a period of acclimation more closely resembled pre-intervention networks than post-intervention networks. Our study demonstrates the utility of social network analysis for understanding the impact of disturbance on stable social groups.
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17
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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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18
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Willink B, Duryea MC, Svensson EI. Macroevolutionary Origin and Adaptive Function of a Polymorphic Female Signal Involved in Sexual Conflict. Am Nat 2019; 194:707-724. [DOI: 10.1086/705294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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19
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Petersdorf M, Weyher AH, Kamilar JM, Dubuc C, Higham JP. Sexual selection in the Kinda baboon. J Hum Evol 2019; 135:102635. [PMID: 31421317 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Due to wide variation in the presence and degree of expression of a diverse suite of sexually-selected traits, the tribe Papionini represents an outstanding model for understanding how variation in sexual selection pressures and mechanisms leads to trait evolution. Here, we discuss the particular value of Papio as a model genus for studies of sexual selection, emphasizing the presence of multiple mating systems, and differences in the expression of sexually-selected traits among closely-related species. We draw particular attention to the Kinda baboon (Papio kindae), a comparatively less-studied baboon species, by providing a primer to Kinda baboon morphology, genetics, physiology, and behavior. Based on observations of large group sizes, combined with low degrees of sexual dimorphism and large relative testis size relative to other baboon species, we test the hypothesis that Kinda baboons have evolved under reduced direct, and increased indirect, male-male competition. We present the first long-term data on wild Kinda baboons in Zambia. Kinda baboon females show seasonal peaks in births and reproductive receptivity, and males exhibit a queing-rather than contest-based dominance acquisition with long alpha-male tenure lengths. We finish by making a number of explicit testable predictions about Kinda baboon sexual signals and behaviors, and suggest that Kinda baboons have potential to offer new insights into the selective environments that may have been experienced during homininization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Petersdorf
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Anna H Weyher
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01002, USA
| | - Jason M Kamilar
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01002, USA
| | - Constance Dubuc
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
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20
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Rooker K, Gavrilets S. On the evolution of visual female sexual signalling. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2017.2875. [PMID: 29848642 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A long-standing evolutionary puzzle surrounds female sexual signals visible around the time of ovulation. Even among just primates, why do some species have substantial sexual swellings and/or bright colorations visible around females' genital regions, while other species are like humans, with no signs of ovulation visible? What is the evolutionary purpose behind not just these signs, but also this great variation seen among species? Here, we examine the evolutionary trade-offs associated with visual ovulation signalling using agent-based modelling. Our model predicts how various factors, including male genetic heterogeneity and reproductive inequality, female physiological costs, group size, and the weighting of genetic versus non-genetic benefits coming from males, each influence the strength of ovulation signalling. Our model also predicts that increasing the impacts of infanticide will increase ovulation signalling. We use comparative primate data to show that, as predicted by our model, larger group size and higher risk of infanticide each correlate with having stronger visual ovulation signs. Overall, our work resolves some old controversies and sheds new light on the evolution of visual female sexual signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Rooker
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Sergey Gavrilets
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA .,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.,National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
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21
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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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22
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Bernaldo de Quirós E, Wheeler BC, Hammerschmidt K, Heistermann M, Tiddi B. Do sexual calls in female black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) vary with fertility? An acoustic analysis. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22920. [PMID: 30296346 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Females across a range of animal taxa produce vocalizations and signals uniquely associated with periods of mating. While such signals may ultimately function to increase female attractivity to males, conflicting findings challenge the extent to which these signals co-vary in accordance with the probability of conception. Female black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) display an elaborate repertoire of both vocal and visual components as part of their socio-sexual behavior, and previous analyses have shown that the rates of production of visual, but not vocal, components provide graded information on female ovulation. It remains possible, however, that the acoustic parameters of these sexual calls, rather than their rate of productions, co-vary with female fertility. To test this, we analyzed structural and temporal call parameters from estrous calls and post-copulatory calls recorded over five consecutive mating seasons in 12 sexually mature females at Iguazú National Park, Argentina. Calls given during the fertile phase of the female ovarian cycle were compared with those given during the non-fertile phase, as determined by profiles of female reproductive hormones. Similarly, within the fertile phase, we tested whether temporal or spectral acoustic parameters of calls gradually change with the approach of ovulation. We did not find any significant relationship between call parameters and the two measures of female fertility in either female estrous calls or post-copulatory calls. However, some differences between pre- and post-copulatory calls were apparent. Overall, our results indicate that sexual calls in black capuchin females do not provide precise information about the timing of ovulation, but may allow listeners to make probabilistic inferences about whether copulations have taken place. This, combined with previous findings, suggests that females in our study may use signals in different modalities to convey information about their fertility and sexual behavior with varying degrees of precision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Bernaldo de Quirós
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Brandon C Wheeler
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Barbara Tiddi
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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23
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Hidayatik N, Agil M, Heistermann M, Iskandar E, Yusuf TL, Sajuthi D. Assessing female reproductive status of spectral tarsier (Tarsius tarsier) using fecal steroid hormone metabolite analysis. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22917. [PMID: 30221787 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The wild population of spectral tarsier is declining and attempts to breed the species in captivity have been of limited success. One possible reason for this is that information on the reproductive biology of Tarsius tarsier is extremely limited and data on the species reproductive physiology are completely lacking. We validated fecal estrogen (E-total) and progesterone metabolite (5-P-3OH) measurements for monitoring female ovarian activity and pregnancy. We used this approach to provide the first data on cycle and pregnancy length based on endocrine information in this species. We collected regular fecal samples in combination with observations on socio-sexual behaviors for a maximum of 15 months from three females maintained at Primate Research Center of Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia. Hormonal profiles indicated that behavioral estrus was associated with marked elevations in fecal E-total concentrations followed by increases in 5-P-3OH levels indicating luteal function. Pregnancy was characterized by low levels of E-total and 5-P-3OH during the first month and markedly rising concentrations thereafter. An ovarian cycle length of 21.7 ± 5.7 days was found. Gestation length was 128d (live infant), 131d (stillbirth), and 164d (death of mother and infant due to dystocia). Despite the small sample size, the study demonstrates the overall validity of fecal sex hormone metabolite measurements for reproductive monitoring in female T. tarsier, as such, the methods described here may ultimately help to improve the breeding management of the species in captivity. They may also offer new opportunities for investigating basic questions of tarsier reproductive biology in the wild by using fecal hormone metabolite analysis to diagnose pregnant animals and determine reproductive rates in relation to ecological and other factors influencing tarsier reproduction. Thus, non-invasive assessment of female reproductive condition as described here may ultimately contribute to facilitate in and ex situ conservation efforts of this endangered primate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanik Hidayatik
- Primatology Study Program, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Agil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproductive Clinic and Pathology, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Entang Iskandar
- Primatology Study Program, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia.,Primate Research Center, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Tuty L Yusuf
- Primatology Study Program, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproductive Clinic and Pathology, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Dondin Sajuthi
- Primatology Study Program, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproductive Clinic and Pathology, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia.,Primate Research Center, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
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24
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Tiddi B, Heistermann M, Fahy MK, Wheeler BC. Male resource defense mating system in primates? An experimental test in wild capuchin monkeys. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197020. [PMID: 29787573 PMCID: PMC5963770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological models of mating systems provide a theoretical framework to predict the effect of the defendability of both breeding resources and mating partners on mating patterns. In resource-based mating systems, male control over breeding resources is tightly linked to female mating preference. To date, few field studies have experimentally investigated the relationship between male resource control and female mating preference in mammals due to difficulties in manipulating ecological factors (e.g., food contestability). We tested the within-group male resource defense hypothesis experimentally in a wild population of black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) in Iguazú National Park, Argentina. Sapajus spp. represent an ideal study model as, in contrast to most primates, they have been previously argued to be characterized by female mate choice and a resource-based mating system in which within-group resource monopolization by high-ranking males drives female mating preference for those males. Here, we examined whether females (N = 12) showed a weaker preference for alpha males during mating seasons in which food distribution was experimentally manipulated to be less defendable relative to those in which it was highly defendable. Results did not support the within-group male resource defense hypothesis, as female sexual preferences for alpha males did not vary based on food defendability. We discuss possible reasons for our results, including the possibility of other direct and indirect benefits females receive in exercising mate choice, the potential lack of tolerance over food directed towards females by alpha males, and phylogenetic constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Tiddi
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Martin K Fahy
- CERCOPAN Nigeria, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
| | - Brandon C Wheeler
- School of Anthropology & Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
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25
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Comparison of fecal preservation and extraction methods for steroid hormone metabolite analysis in wild crested macaques. Primates 2018; 59:281-292. [PMID: 29429140 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-018-0653-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Since the non-invasive field endocrinology techniques were developed, several fecal preservation and extraction methods have been established for a variety of species. However, direct adaptation of methods from previous studies for use in crested macaques should be taken with caution. We conducted an experiment to assess the accuracy and stability of fecal estrogen metabolite (E1C) and glucocorticoid metabolite (GCM) concentrations in response to several preservation parameters: (1) time lag between sample collection and fecal preservation; (2) long-term storage of fecal samples in 80% methanol (MeOH) at ambient temperature; (3) different degrees of feces drying temperature using a conventional oven; and (4) different fecal preservation techniques (i.e., freeze-drying, oven-drying, and field-friendly extraction method) and extraction solvents (methanol, ethanol, and commercial alcohol). The study used fecal samples collected from crested macaques (Macaca nigra) living in the Tangkoko Reserve, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Samples were assayed using validated E1C and GCM enzyme immunoassays. Concentrations of E1C and GCM in unprocessed feces stored at ambient temperature remained stable for up to 8 h of storage after which concentrations of both E1C and GCM changed significantly compared to controls extracted at time 0. Long-term storage in 80% MeOH at ambient temperature affected hormone concentrations significantly with concentrations of both E1C and GCM increasing after 6 and 4 months of storage, respectively. Drying fecal samples using a conventional oven at 50, 70, and 90 °C did not affect the E1C concentrations, but led to a significant decline for GCM concentrations in samples dried at 90 °C. Different fecal preservation techniques and extraction solvents provided similar results for both E1C and GCM concentrations. Our results confirm previous studies that prior to application of fecal hormone analysis in a new species, several preservation parameters should be evaluated for their effects on hormone metabolite stability. The results also provide several options for fecal preservation, extraction, and storage methods that can be selected depending on the condition of the field site and laboratory.
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26
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Comparing functions of copulation calls in wild olive baboons, Papio anubis, using multimodel inference. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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27
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Engelhardt A, Muniz L, Perwitasari-Farajallah D, Widdig A. Highly Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers for the Assessment of Male Reproductive Skew and Genetic Variation in Critically Endangered Crested Macaques ( Macaca nigra). INT J PRIMATOL 2017; 38:672-691. [PMID: 28845069 PMCID: PMC5550527 DOI: 10.1007/s10764-017-9973-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Genetic analyses based on noninvasively collected samples have become an important tool for evolutionary biology and conservation. Crested macaques (Macaca nigra), endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia, are important for our understanding of primate evolution as Sulawesi macaques represent an exceptional example of primate adaptive radiation. Crested macaques are also Critically Endangered. However, to date we know very little about their genetics. The aim of our study was to find and validate microsatellite markers useful for evolutionary, conservation, and other genetic studies on wild crested macaques. Using fecal samples of 176 wild macaques living in the Tangkoko Reserve, Sulawesi, we identified 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci through cross-species polymerase chain reaction amplification with later modification of some of these primers. We tested their suitability by investigating and exploring patterns of paternity, observed heterozygosity, and evidence for inbreeding. We assigned paternity to 63 of 65 infants with high confidence. Among cases with solved paternity, we found no evidence of extragroup paternity and natal breeding. We found a relatively steep male reproductive skew B index of 0.330 ± 0.267; mean ± SD) and mean alpha paternity of 65% per year with large variation across groups and years (29–100%). Finally, we detected an excess in observed heterozygosity and no evidence of inbreeding across our three study groups, with an observed heterozygosity of 0.766 ± 0.059 and expected heterozygosity of 0.708 ± 0.059, and an inbreeding coefficient of −0.082 ± 0.035. Our results indicate that the selected markers are useful for genetic studies on wild crested macaques, and possibly also on other Sulawesi and closely related macaques. They further suggest that the Tangkoko population of crested macaques is still genetically variable despite its small size, isolation, and the species’ reproductive patterns. This gives us hope that other endangered primate species living in small, isolated populations may also retain a healthy gene pool, at least in the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antje Engelhardt
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, L3 3AF, Liverpool, UK.,Junior Research Group of Primate Sexual Selection, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,Courant Research Center Evolution of Social Behavior, Georg August University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Laura Muniz
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Research Group of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dyah Perwitasari-Farajallah
- Primate Research Centre, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Anja Widdig
- Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Research Group of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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28
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Fernández D, Doran-Sheehy D, Borries C, Ehardt CL. Exaggerated Sexual Swellings and the Probability of Conception in Wild Sanje Mangabeys ( Cercocebus sanjei). INT J PRIMATOL 2017; 38:513-532. [PMID: 28680189 PMCID: PMC5487806 DOI: 10.1007/s10764-017-9961-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Females of several catarrhine primate species exhibit exaggerated sexual swellings that change in size and coloration during the menstrual cycle and, in some species, gestation. Although their function remains under debate, studies indicate that swellings may contain information males could use to discern ovulation and the probability that a cycle will be conceptive. Here we combine visual ratings of swellings with hormonal data for a group of Sanje mangabeys (18 adult, 3 adolescent females) to determine if their swellings provide reliable information on female fertility. In all cases where ovulation was detected (N = 7), it occurred during maximum tumescence, and in 83.3% during the first two days of the "shiny phase," a period during maximum tumescence when the swelling was brightest. There were no significant differences in maximum tumescence and shiny phase duration among cycles of different probability of conception, although there was a trend toward conceptive cycles exhibiting shorter shiny phases than nonconceptive ones. Only 25% (N = 4) of postconceptive swellings developed the shiny phase, and adolescents displayed the longest maximum tumescence and shiny phases. The conspicuous nature of the shiny phase and the frequent overlap between its onset and ovulation suggest that its presence serves as a general signal of ovulation and that the cycle has a high probability of being conceptive. It also suggests that swellings in some Sanje mangabeys are more accurate signals of fertility than in other primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Fernández
- Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, BS16 1QY UK
| | - Diane Doran-Sheehy
- Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
| | - Carola Borries
- Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
| | - Carolyn L. Ehardt
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249 USA
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29
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Rebout N, Thierry B, Sanna A, Cozzolino R, Aujard F, De Marco A. Female mate choice and male-male competition in Tonkean macaques: Who decides? Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Rebout
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien; Université de Strasbourg; Strasbourg France
| | - Bernard Thierry
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien; Université de Strasbourg; Strasbourg France
| | | | | | - Fabienne Aujard
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution; Brunoy France
| | - Arianna De Marco
- Fondazione Ethoikos; Radicondoli Italy
- Parco Faunistico di Piano dell'Abatino; Poggio San Lorenzo Italy
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; Rome Italy
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Duboscq J, Neumann C, Agil M, Perwitasari-Farajallah D, Thierry B, Engelhardt A. Degrees of freedom in social bonds of crested macaque females. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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31
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Setchell JM. Sexual Selection and the differences between the sexes in Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 159:S105-29. [PMID: 26808101 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Sexual selection has become a major focus in evolutionary and behavioral ecology. It is also a popular research topic in primatology. I use studies of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), a classic example of extravagant armaments and ornaments in animals, to exemplify how a long-term, multidisciplinary approach that integrates field observations with laboratory methods can contribute to on-going theoretical debates in the field of sexual selection. I begin with a brief summary of the main concepts of sexual selection theory and the differences between the sexes. I then introduce mandrills and the study population and review mandrill life history, the ontogeny of sex differences, and maternal effects. Next, I focus on male-male competition and female choice, followed by the less well-studied questions of female-female competition and male choice. This review shows how different reproductive priorities lead to very different life histories and divergent adaptations in males and females. It demonstrates how broadening traditional perspectives on sexual selection beyond the ostentatious results of intense sexual selection on males leads to an understanding of more subtle and cryptic forms of competition and choice in both sexes and opens many productive avenues in the study of primate reproductive strategies. These include the potential for studies of postcopulatory selection, female intrasexual competition, and male choice. These studies of mandrills provide comparison and, I hope, inspiration for studies of both other polygynandrous species and species with mating systems less traditionally associated with sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna M Setchell
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Anthropology Research Group, Behaviour Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
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32
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Higham JP. Field endocrinology of nonhuman primates: past, present, and future. Horm Behav 2016; 84:145-55. [PMID: 27469069 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Revised: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
In the past few decades, research on nonhuman primate endocrinology has moved from the lab to the field, leading to a huge increase in both the breadth and depth of primate field studies. Here, I discuss the past, present, and future of primate field endocrinology. I review the history of the field, and go on to discuss methodological developments and the issues that they sometimes entail. Next, I consider ways in which we might conceptualize the role of hormones, and focus on the need to distinguish proximate from ultimate levels of explanation. Current potentially problematic issues in the field include: 1) an inability to obtain noninvasive measurements of Central Nervous System (CNS) rather than peripheral hormone concentrations; 2) research questions that become stuck (e.g., questions regarding sexual swelling expression mechanisms); 3) data dredging and post-hoc linking of hormones to any plausible variable, leading to a lack of clarity on their role in animal ecology and behavior. I finish by discussing several unanswered questions that might benefit from further research. These are how we might: 1) best obtain measurements for CNS hormone concentrations non-invasively; 2) measure hormone receptor expression alongside hormone concentrations; 3) consider the human endocrinology literature more thoroughly and perhaps take more multimarker approaches; 4) better consider the social environment, including audience and dyadic familiarity effects; and 5) apply our findings to conservation issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Higham
- Dept. of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003.
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33
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Garcia C, Bercovitch F, Furuichi T, Huffman M, MacInstosh A, Rigaill L, Takeshita R, Shimizu K. Ten years of collaboration between France and Japan - Studies on reproduction in Japanese macaques. REVUE DE PRIMATOLOGIE 2016. [DOI: 10.4000/primatologie.2666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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Douglas PH, Hohmann G, Murtagh R, Thiessen-Bock R, Deschner T. Mixed messages: wild female bonobos show high variability in the timing of ovulation in relation to sexual swelling patterns. BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:140. [PMID: 27356506 PMCID: PMC4928307 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0691-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The evolution of primate sexual swellings and their influence on mating strategies have captivated the interest of biologists for over a century. Across the primate order, variability in the timing of ovulation with respect to females' sexual swelling patterns differs greatly. Since sexual swellings typically function as signals of female fecundity, the temporal relation between ovulation and sexual swellings can impact the ability of males to pinpoint ovulation and thereby affect male mating strategies. Here, we used endocrine parameters to detect ovulation and examined the temporal relation between the maximum swelling phase (MSP) and ovulation in wild female bonobos (Pan paniscus). Data were collected at the Luikotale field site, Democratic Republic of Congo, spanning 36 months. Observational data from 13 females were used to characterise female swelling cycles (N = 70). Furthermore, we measured urinary oestrone and pregnanediol using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and used pregnanediol to determine the timing of ovulation in 34 cycles (N = 9 females). RESULTS We found that the duration of females' MSP was highly variable, ranging from 1 to 31 days. Timing of ovulation varied considerably in relation to the onset of the MSP, resulting in a very low day-specific probability of ovulation and fecundity across female cycles. Ovulation occurred during the MSP in only 52.9 % of the analysed swelling cycles, and females showed regular sexual swelling patterns in N = 8 swelling cycles where ovulation did not occur. These findings reveal that sexual swellings of bonobos are less reliable indicators of ovulation compared to other species of primates. CONCLUSIONS Female bonobos show unusual variability in the duration of the MSP and in the timing of ovulation relative to the sexual swelling signal. These data are important for understanding the evolution of sexual signals, how they influence male and female mating strategies, and how decoupling visual signals of fecundity from the periovulatory period may affect intersexual conflict. By prolonging the period during which males would need to mate guard females to ascertain paternity, the temporal variability of this signal may constrain mate-guarding efforts by male bonobos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Heidi Douglas
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Róisín Murtagh
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robyn Thiessen-Bock
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Biocenter Großhaderner Str. 2, D-82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
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Mother-male bond, but not paternity, influences male-infant affiliation in wild crested macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016; 70:1117-1130. [PMID: 27478299 PMCID: PMC4954837 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2116-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract In promiscuous primates, interactions between adult males and infants have rarely been investigated. However, recent evidence suggests that male affiliation towards infants has an influence on several aspects of the infants’ life. Furthermore, affiliations may be associated with male reproductive strategy. In this study, we examined which social factors influenced male-infant affiliation initiated by either male or infant, in wild crested macaques (Macaca nigra). We combined behavioral data and genetic paternity analysis from 30 infants living in three wild groups in Tangkoko Reserve, Indonesia. Our results indicate that adult males and infants do not interact at random, but rather form preferential associations. The social factors with the highest influence on infant-initiated interactions were male rank and male association with the infant’s mother. While infants initiated affiliations with males more often in the absence of their mothers, adult males initiated more affiliations with infants when their mothers were present. Furthermore, males initiated affiliations more often when they were in the same group at the time the infant was conceived, when they held a high dominance rank, or when they had a close relationship with the mother. Interestingly, paternity did not affect male-infant affiliation despite being highly skewed in this species. Overall, our results suggest that adult males potentially associate with an infant to secure future mating with the mother. Infants are more likely to associate with a male to receive better support, suggesting a strategy to increase the chance of infant survival in a primate society with high infant mortality. Significance statement We explore social relationships between males and infants in a promiscuous primate, the wild crested macaque. Our novel approach addresses the nature of affiliations both from males’ and infants’ perspectives. The results show that males and infants form preferential associations. Male-female affiliation, but not paternity, was a significant predictor of interactions initiated both by males and infants. Males initiated more interactions towards infants when the mother was in proximity, while infants initiated more interactions in her absence. Finally, high-ranking males were more likely to initiate interactions towards infants. We demonstrated that paternity is not a good predictor of male-infant affiliations, even in a species with a high reproductive skew and a relatively high confidence of paternity. Our paper is one of the first to show that infants are active agents in establishing and maintaining preferential relationships with males. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00265-016-2116-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Burrows AM, Li L, Waller BM, Micheletta J. Social variables exert selective pressures in the evolution and form of primate mimetic musculature. J Anat 2016; 228:595-607. [PMID: 26750637 PMCID: PMC4804140 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammals use their faces in social interactions more so than any other vertebrates. Primates are an extreme among most mammals in their complex, direct, lifelong social interactions and their frequent use of facial displays is a means of proximate visual communication with conspecifics. The available repertoire of facial displays is primarily controlled by mimetic musculature, the muscles that move the face. The form of these muscles is, in turn, limited by and influenced by phylogenetic inertia but here we use examples, both morphological and physiological, to illustrate the influence that social variables may exert on the evolution and form of mimetic musculature among primates. Ecomorphology is concerned with the adaptive responses of morphology to various ecological variables such as diet, foliage density, predation pressures, and time of day activity. We present evidence that social variables also exert selective pressures on morphology, specifically using mimetic muscles among primates as an example. Social variables include group size, dominance 'style', and mating systems. We present two case studies to illustrate the potential influence of social behavior on adaptive morphology of mimetic musculature in primates: (1) gross morphology of the mimetic muscles around the external ear in closely related species of macaque (Macaca mulatta and Macaca nigra) characterized by varying dominance styles and (2) comparative physiology of the orbicularis oris muscle among select ape species. This muscle is used in both facial displays/expressions and in vocalizations/human speech. We present qualitative observations of myosin fiber-type distribution in this muscle of siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), and human to demonstrate the potential influence of visual and auditory communication on muscle physiology. In sum, ecomorphologists should be aware of social selective pressures as well as ecological ones, and that observed morphology might reflect a compromise between the demands of the physical and the social environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M Burrows
- Department of Physical Therapy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ly Li
- Department of Physical Therapy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bridget M Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
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Street SE, Cross CP, Brown GR. Exaggerated sexual swellings in female nonhuman primates are reliable signals of female fertility and body condition. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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38
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Rigaill L, MacIntosh AJJ, Higham JP, Winters S, Shimizu K, Mouri K, Furuichi T, Garcia C. Multimodal Advertisement of Pregnancy in Free-Ranging Female Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135127. [PMID: 26308441 PMCID: PMC4550261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of multiple sexual signals in indicating the timing of female ovulation, and discrimination of this timing by males, has been particularly well studied among primates. However the exhibition of pregnancy signals, and how such signals might modulate male post-conception mating decisions, is still poorly understood. Here we aimed to determine if Japanese macaque males use changes in female sexual signals (behavioral, visual and auditory) to discriminate pregnancy and adjust their socio-sexual behaviors. We combined behavioral observations, digital photography and endocrinological (progestogen and estrogen) data, collected systematically during three one-month periods: the pre-conceptive period, the 1st month of pregnancy and the 2nd month of pregnancy. We analyzed variation in the probability of detecting male and female socio-sexual behaviors and estrus calls, as well as changes in female face color parameters, in relation to female reproductive state. Based on our focal observations, we found that males did not copulate during the pregnancy period, and that female socio-sexual behaviors generally decreased from the pre-conceptive to post-conceptive periods. Female face luminance decreased from the pre-conceptive month to the pregnancy period whereas face color only varied between the 1st and 2nd month of gestation. Our results suggest that Japanese macaque females display sexual cues of pregnancy that males might use to reduce energy wasted on non-reproductive copulations with pregnant females. We hypothesize that females advertize their pregnancy through changes in behavioral, visual and potential auditory signals that males can use to adjust their mating behaviors. We finish by discussing implications for male and female post-conception strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Rigaill
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Andrew J. J. MacIntosh
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - James P. Higham
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University, New York, United States of America
| | - Sandra Winters
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University, New York, United States of America
| | - Keiko Shimizu
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University of Science, Okayama city, Okayama, Japan
| | - Keiko Mouri
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Furuichi
- Social Systems Evolution Section, Department of Ecology and Social Behaviors, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Cécile Garcia
- Laboratoire de Dynamique de l’Evolution Humaine, UPR 2147, CNRS, Paris, France
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Marty PR, Hodges K, Agil M, Engelhardt A. Alpha male replacements and delayed dispersal in crested macaques (Macaca nigra). Am J Primatol 2015; 79. [PMID: 26194621 PMCID: PMC5484350 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2014] [Revised: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In species with a high male reproductive skew, competition between males for the top dominant position is high and escalated fights are common between competitors. As a consequence, challenges incur potentially high costs. Selection should favor males who time an alpha male challenge to maximize chances of a successful outcome minimizing costs. Despite the importance of alpha male replacements for individual males, we know little about the timing of challenges and the condition of the challenger. We investigated the timing and process of alpha male replacements in a species living in multi‐male groups with high male reproductive skew, the crested macaque. We studied four wild groups over 6 years in the Tangkoko Reserve, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, during which 16 alpha male replacements occurred. Although unusual for cercopithecines, male crested macaques delayed their natal dispersal until they attained maximum body mass and therefore fighting ability whereupon they emigrated and challenged the alpha male in another group. Accordingly, all observed alpha male replacements were from outside males. Ours is the first report of such a pattern in a primate species living in multi‐male groups. Although the majority of alpha male replacements occurred through direct male‐male challenges, many also took place opportunistically (i.e., after the alpha male had already been injured or had left the group). Furthermore, alpha male tenures were very short (averaging ca. 12 months). We hypothesize that this unusual pattern of alpha male replacements in crested macaques is related to the species‐specific combination of high male reproductive skew with a large number of males per group. Am. J. Primatol. 79:e22448, 2017. © 2015 The Authors. American Journal of Primatology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal R Marty
- Junior Research Group Primate Sexual Selection, German Primate Center, G, ö, ttingen, Germany.,Reproductive Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,Courant Research Center 'Evolution of Social Behaviour', Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Keith Hodges
- Reproductive Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Muhammad Agil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agriculture University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Antje Engelhardt
- Junior Research Group Primate Sexual Selection, German Primate Center, G, ö, ttingen, Germany.,Courant Research Center 'Evolution of Social Behaviour', Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
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Tiddi B, Wheeler BC, Heistermann M. Female behavioral proceptivity functions as a probabilistic signal of fertility, not female quality, in a New World primate. Horm Behav 2015; 73:148-55. [PMID: 26188948 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Revised: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The interests of males and females in mating contexts often conflict, and identifying the information conveyed by sexual signals is central to understanding how signalers manage such conflicts. Research into the information provided by female primate sexual signals has focused on exaggerated anogenital swellings as either reliable-indicators of reproductive quality (reliable-indicator hypothesis) or probabilistic signals of fertility (graded-signal hypothesis). While these morphological signals are mostly confined to catarrhine primates, these hypotheses are potentially widely applicable across primates, but have not been tested in taxa that lack such morphological signals. Here, we tested these hypotheses in wild black capuchins (Sapajus nigritus), a species in which females lack morphological sexual signals but produce conspicuous behavioral estrous displays. Specifically, we examined the proportion of time different females spent producing these signals with respect to measures of female quality (dominance rank, parity, age-related fecundity and cycle type) and in relation to the timing of fertility, as determined by analysis of fecal progesterone. Time spent displaying did not vary across females based on measures of female quality, but increased with the approach of ovulation. Further, male mating effort varied according to the timing of female fertility. Proceptive behaviors in this species thus meet predictions of the graded-signal hypothesis, providing the first support for this hypothesis based solely on behavioral signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Tiddi
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Goettingen, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Germany; Courant Research Centre "Evolution of Social Behaviour", University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Kellnerweg 7, 37077, Germany; Instituto de Biologia Subtropical, Universidad Autonoma de Misiones, Puerto Iguazú, Bertoni 85, 3370, Argentina.
| | - Brandon C Wheeler
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Goettingen, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Germany; School of Anthropology & Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Goettingen, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Germany
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41
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Fitzpatrick CL, Altmann J, Alberts SC. Exaggerated sexual swellings and male mate choice in primates: testing the reliable indicator hypothesis in the Amboseli baboons. Anim Behav 2015; 104:175-185. [PMID: 26752790 PMCID: PMC4704114 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The paradigm of competitive males vying to influence female mate choice has been repeatedly upheld, but, increasingly, studies also report competitive females and choosy males. One female trait that is commonly proposed to influence male mate choice is the exaggerated sexual swelling displayed by females of many Old World primate species. The reliable indicator hypothesis posits that females use the exaggerated swellings to compete for access to mates, and that the swellings advertise variation in female fitness. We tested the two main predictions of this hypothesis in a wild population of baboons (Papio cynocephalus). First, we examined the effect of swelling size on the probability of mate-guarding ('consortship') by the highest-ranking male and the behavior of those males that trailed consorshipts ('follower males'). Second, we asked whether a female's swelling size predicted several fitness measures. We found that high-ranking males do not prefer females with larger swellings (when controlling for cycle number and conception) and that females with larger swellings did not have higher reproductive success. Our study-the only complete test of the reliable indicator hypothesis in a primate population-rejects the idea that female baboons compete for mates by advertising heritable fitness differences. Furthermore, we found unambiguous evidence that males biased their mating decisions in favor of females who had experienced more sexual cycles since their most recent pregnancy. Thus, rather than tracking the potential differences in fitness between females, male baboons appear to track and target the potential for a given reproductive opportunity to result in fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeanne Altmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; National Museums of Kenya, Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; National Museums of Kenya, Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
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42
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Kerhoas D, Perwitasari-Farajallah D, Agil M, Widdig A, Engelhardt A. Social and ecological factors influencing offspring survival in wild macaques. Behav Ecol 2014; 25:1164-1172. [PMID: 25214754 PMCID: PMC4160111 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2013] [Revised: 04/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Premature loss of offspring decreases direct fitness of parents. In gregarious mammals, both ecological and social variables impact offspring survival and may interact with each other in this regard. Although a number of studies have investigated factors influencing offspring loss in mammals, we still know very little on how different factors interact with one another. We therefore investigated fetal and infant mortality in 3 large groups of wild crested macaques (Macaca nigra) over a period of up to 5 years by including potential social causes such as maternal dominance rank, male immigration, between group encounters, and ecological conditions such as rainfall in a multivariate survival analysis using Cox proportional hazards model. Infant but not fetal survival was most impaired after a recent takeover of the alpha-male position by an immigrant male. Furthermore, infant survival probability increased when there was an increase in number of group adult females and rainfall. Fetal survival probability also increased with an increase of these 2 factors, but more in high-ranking than low-ranking females. Fetal survival, unlike that of infants, was also improved by an increase of intergroup encounter rates. Our study thus stresses the importance of survival analyses using a multivariate approach and encompassing more than a single offspring stage to investigate the determinants of female direct fitness. We further provide evidence for fitness costs and benefits of group living, possibly deriving from high pressures of both within- and between-group competition, in a wild primate population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne Kerhoas
- Jr. Research Group 'Primate Sexual Selection', German Primate Center , Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Goettingen , Germany , ; Jr. Research Group 'Primate Kin Selection', Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology , Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig , Germany , ; Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig , Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig , Germany
| | - Dyah Perwitasari-Farajallah
- Primate Research Centre, Bogor Agricultural University , Jl. Lodaya II/5, 16151 Bogor , Indonesia , ; Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Darmaga , Jl. Raya Darmaga, 16680 Bogor , Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Agil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Darmaga , Jl. Raya Darmaga, 16680 Bogor , Indonesia , and
| | - Anja Widdig
- Jr. Research Group 'Primate Kin Selection', Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology , Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig , Germany , ; Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig , Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig , Germany
| | - Antje Engelhardt
- Jr. Research Group 'Primate Sexual Selection', German Primate Center , Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Goettingen , Germany , ; CRC 'Evolution of Social Behaviour', Georg-August University , Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Goettingen , Germany
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Higham JP, Maestripieri D. The Costs of Reproductive Success in Male Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago. INT J PRIMATOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-014-9789-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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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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45
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Sources of variance in a female fertility signal: exaggerated estrous swellings in a natural population of baboons. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014; 68:1109-1122. [PMID: 25089069 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1722-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Signals of fertility in female animals are of increasing interest to evolutionary biologists, a development that coincides with increasing interest in male mate choice and the potential for female traits to evolve under sexual selection. We characterized variation in size of an exaggerated female fertility signal in baboons and investigated the sources of that variance. The number of sexual cycles that a female had experienced after her most recent pregnancy ("cycles since resumption") was the strongest predictor of swelling size. Furthermore, the relationship between cycles since resumption and swelling size was most evident during rainy periods and was not evident during times of drought. Finally, we found significant differences in swelling size between individual females; these differences endured across cycles (i.e., were not explained by variation within individuals) and persisted in spite of ecological effects. This study is the first to provide conclusive evidence of significant variation in swelling size between female primates (controlling for cycles since resumption) and to demonstrate that ecological constraints influence variation in this signal of fertility.
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46
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Roberts SJ, Nikitopoulos E, Cords M. Factors affecting low resident male siring success in one-male groups of blue monkeys. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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47
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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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48
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Male Adaptations to Female Ovulation. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0314-6_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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49
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Higham JP, Pfefferle D, Heistermann M, Maestripieri D, Stevens M. Signaling in multiple modalities in male rhesus macaques: sex skin coloration and barks in relation to androgen levels, social status, and mating behavior. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013; 67:1457-1469. [PMID: 25013266 PMCID: PMC4084859 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1521-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The past decade has seen an increasing shift in animal communication towards more studies that incorporate aspects of signaling in multiple modalities. Although nonhuman primates are an excellent group for studying the extent to which different aspects of condition may be signaled in different modalities, and how such information may be integrated during mate choice, very few studies of primate species have incorporated such analyses. Here, we present data from free-ranging male rhesus macaques on sex skin coloration (modeled to receiver perception), bark vocal signals, androgen levels, morphometric variables, dominance status, and female mate choice. We show that, consistent with data on females, most intra- and interindividual variation in sex skin appearance occurs in luminance rather than color. Sex skin luminance was significantly correlated across different skin regions. Sex skin luminance did not correlate with the majority of bark parameters, suggesting the potential for the two signals to convey different information. Sex skin appearance was not related to androgen levels although we found some evidence for links between androgen levels and bark parameters, several of which were also related to morphometric variables. We found no evidence that either signal was related to male dominance rank or used in female mate choice, though more direct measures of female proceptive behavior are needed. Overall, the function of male sex skin coloration in this species remains unclear. Our study is among the first nonhuman primate studies to incorporate measurements of multiple signals in multiple modalities, and we encourage other authors to incorporate such analyses into their work.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Higham
- Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, 940 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Dana Pfefferle
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Centre, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dario Maestripieri
- Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, 940 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Martin Stevens
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
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50
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Rigaill L, Higham JP, Lee PC, Blin A, Garcia C. Multimodal sexual signaling and mating behavior in olive baboons (Papio anubis). Am J Primatol 2013; 75:774-87. [PMID: 23592393 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Revised: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In primate species, mating decisions seem to be based on multiple signal elements with different roles in the signaling of female reproductive status. Whereas some primate signals are relatively well described (e.g., sexual swellings and copulation calls), studies that simultaneously assess visual, auditory, behavioral, and olfactory cues as signals of reproductive state are rarely undertaken. We used data on variation in sexual behaviors and sexual swellings in relation to the fertile period (estimated from the date of swelling detumescence) from a troop of semi-free ranging olive baboons (Papio anubis) to assess how different signals influence patterns of mate choice. Using an objective and quantitative measure of swelling size and color, along with detailed data on sexual behaviors from 13 cycles of nine adult females, we found that fine-scale variation in sexual swelling size, female behavior and copulation call rates could advertise the beginning of the fertile phase whereas swelling color did not. Rates of olfactory inspections by males also increased during the fertile phase, suggesting that olfactory signals were of interest to males and may contain information about ovulation. There was no relationship between female characteristics (age and rank) and the expression of sexual signals, except for proceptive behaviors which increased with female rank. Males displayed more sexual behaviors such as approaches and holding and tended to direct more ejaculatory mounts during the fertile phase. All together, we suggest that whereas all males could have information concerning the timing of ovulation through female proceptive behaviors and swelling size, consorting males may have access to additional signals (olfactory cues). Sexual communication in olive baboons is consistent with a multimodal framework for fertility signaling, potentially allowing males and females to establish different mating strategies. The possible selective pressures leading to multi-modal signaling are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Rigaill
- Laboratoire de Dynamique de l'Evolution Humaine, CNRS UPR 2147, Paris, France
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