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Choi A, Yi Y, Mardiastuti A, Choe JC. Intra-group competition and social dynamics regarding dispersal and maturation in wild Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch). Sci Rep 2023; 13:8285. [PMID: 37217595 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34913-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Natal dispersal is an important life-history trait in all animal taxa. In pair-living species, parent-offspring competition derived from the offspring's maturity can motivate the natal dispersal of offspring. However, not much has been known about the dispersal mechanisms of pair-living gibbons. To test food and mate competition as potential reasons for dispersal, we investigated the effect of the offspring age and sex on relationships between parents and offspring in wild Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch) in Gunung Halimun-Salak National Park, Indonesia. We collected behavioral data for two years between 2016 and 2019. We found that aggression from parents toward offspring increased in both feeding and non-feeding context as the offspring got older. Offspring received more aggression from the parent of the same sex in the general context. While offspring decreased co-feeding and grooming time with parents as they got older, there was no change in the proximity and approach to parents. The results imply the presence of both intra-group food and mate competition which increase with the offspring's age. We highlight that increased competition between maturing offspring and parents changes their social relationships and peripheralizes offspring from the natal group which will eventually motivate offspring to disperse in Javan gibbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahyun Choi
- Interdisciplinary Program of EcoCreative, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonjung Yi
- Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Ani Mardiastuti
- Department of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Jae C Choe
- Division of EcoScience, Department of Life Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Ziegler TE, Tecot SR, Fernandez-Duque E, Savage A, Snowdon CT. Nonhuman Primate Paternal Care: Species and Individual Differences in Behavior and Mechanisms. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 27:213-238. [PMID: 36169817 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-97762-7_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Direct care of offspring by the father (sire) is relatively rare in primates. Besides humans, there are a number of species where the male is essential for the survival of offspring: marmosets, tamarins, titis and owl monkeys, some lemurs, and siamangs. All these species show reduced sexual dimorphism, territoriality, and biparental care. However, timing and levels of direct care may vary among these species. Here, relying on both lab and field data, we address the variability found in father's involvement with his infants, the behavioral, neuroendocrine and sensory systems that are a cause and consequence of paternal care, and social bonds between the breeding pair. We integrate studies of laboratory animals (where detailed observations and experimentation are possible) with field studies (which illuminate the ecological and evolutionary functions of paternal care) and discuss the future directions for examining the proximate and ultimate mechanisms of paternal care in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni E Ziegler
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Stacey R Tecot
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Charles T Snowdon
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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3
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Conley AJ, Berger T, Del Razo RA, Cotterman RF, Sahagún E, Goetze LR, Jacob S, Weinstein TAR, Dufek ME, Mendoza SP, Bales KL. The onset of puberty in colony-housed male and female titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus): Possible effects of oxytocin treatment during peri-adolescent development. Horm Behav 2022; 142:105157. [PMID: 35338890 PMCID: PMC9250660 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin has been used to treat neurodevelopmental conditions in adolescent patients but possible effects on reproductive development have not been well investigated. The effects of daily intra-nasal oxytocin treatment (12-18 months of age) on puberty and fertility were studied in colony-housed, male and female titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus). Body weight, urinary conjugated pregnanes and estrogens (defining cyclicity) in females, and androgens and sperm in urine of in males, were measured from 1 to 3 years of age to detect puberty. Serum testosterone was also measured in males at 13, 23 and 33 months of age and hemi-castration at 3 years of age enabled assessment of testicular morphometry and oxytocin receptor expression. An oxytocin treatment*time interaction suggested a minor, transient suppression in weight gain after treatment ended. Note that females weighed 10% less across all ages. Oxytocin-treated females exhibited early, spurious ovulations but neither regular cyclicity (≈30 months) nor pregnancies were affected by treatment. Oxytocin did not affect the pubertal increase in urinary androgen or the first appearance of sperm, which occurred as early as 15 months of age. Treatment did delay the puberty-associated rise in serum testosterone in males. All males were pubertal by 22 months and all females by 32 months of age. Although no major male or female fertility outcome was observed, oxytocin demonstrated some physiological effects through a delay of testosterone secretion in males, induction of precocious ovulation in females, and a suppression of general weight gain for the months following treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Conley
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.
| | - T Berger
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - R Arias Del Razo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - R F Cotterman
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - E Sahagún
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - L R Goetze
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - S Jacob
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - T A R Weinstein
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - M E Dufek
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - S P Mendoza
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - K L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America; Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.
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4
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Toda K, Mouri K, Ryu H, Sakamaki T, Tokuyama N, Yokoyama T, Shibata S, Poiret ML, Shimizu K, Hashimoto C, Furuichi T. Do female bonobos (Pan paniscus) disperse at the onset of puberty? Hormonal and behavioral changes related to their dispersal timing. Horm Behav 2022; 142:105159. [PMID: 35462131 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Natal dispersal is a milestone in an animal's life history, but its timing in developmental trajectories may differ between species. Although the two Pan species exhibit a similar pattern of female-biased dispersal, female bonobos (P. paniscus) leave their natal groups at an earlier age than female chimpanzees (P. troglodytes). As a preliminary step to explore the dispersal strategies of female bonobos, this study aimed to determine the relations of sexual swelling development, behavioral and hormonal activation, and first ovulation relative to dispersal timing. We measured levels of urinary estrone conjugates (E1C) and pregnanediol glucuronide (PdG) from 14 nulliparous females in wild bonobo groups at Wamba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and recorded their copulations with mature males. When close to dispersal, female bonobos exhibited swelling of the sexual skin (labia minora and perianal region) that did not reach the mature stage. Urinary E1C levels and copulation rates increased slightly before dispersal and greatly increased after dispersal. Ovulatory or gestatory signs implied by daily hormone profiles were not detected until one to two years after dispersal. Our findings indicate that female bonobos disperse at an early pubertal stage before ovulatory cycling is established. This earlier dispersal than sexual maturation could allow female bonobos to postpone reproduction-related energy costs until they become familiar with their new group or gain more time finding the group more suitable for successful reproduction in the future before actually settling. Further demographic and genetic data from dispersal to reproduction will help clarify their dispersal strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Toda
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin 41, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan.
| | - Keiko Mouri
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin 41, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
| | - Heungjin Ryu
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin 41, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan; School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, UNIST-gil 50, Eonyang-eup, Ulju, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Tetsuya Sakamaki
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin 41, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan; Antwerp Zoo Foundation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Koningin Astridplein 26, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Nahoko Tokuyama
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin 41, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan; Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Tanaka-Sekiden-cho 2-24, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takumasa Yokoyama
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin 41, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
| | - Shohei Shibata
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin 41, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
| | - Marie-Laure Poiret
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Upper Mountjoy, South Rd, United Kingdom
| | - Keiko Shimizu
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University of Science, Okayama 700-0005, Japan
| | - Chie Hashimoto
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin 41, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
| | - Takeshi Furuichi
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin 41, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
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5
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Garcia de la Chica A, Wood DB, Rotundo M, Fernandez‐Duque E. Responses of a pair‐living, sexually monogamous primate to the simulated presence of solitary individuals: A field playback experiment. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - David Bechtel Wood
- Owl Monkey Project‐ Fundación ECO Formosa Argentina
- Yale University New Haven Connecticut USA
| | | | - Eduardo Fernandez‐Duque
- Owl Monkey Project‐ Fundación ECO Formosa Argentina
- Yale University New Haven Connecticut USA
- Universidad de Formosa Formosa Argentina
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6
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Corley M, Perea-Rodriguez JP, Valeggia C, Fernandez-Duque E. Associations between fecal cortisol and biparental care in a pair-living primate. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 176:295-307. [PMID: 34272723 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We quantified variation in fecal cortisol across reproductive periods in Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) to examine physiological mechanisms that may facilitate biparental care. Specifically, we evaluated evidence for the explanation that owl monkeys have hormonal mechanisms to mobilize energy during periods when each sex is investing heavily in reproduction, that is, the gestation period for females and the infant care period for males. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 2011 and 2015, we monitored 10 groups of Azara's owl monkeys from a wild population in Formosa, Argentina and collected fecal samples from 26 adults (13 males, 13 females). Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, we quantified fecal cortisol as a proxy for evaluating stress responses, including energetic demands, on both sexes during periods of reproduction and parental care. RESULTS Male cortisol was lowest during periods when they were caring for young infants (<3 months) compared with periods with older infants or no infant. Female cortisol was elevated during gestation compared with other periods. Mean fecal cortisol in both males and females was lower when an infant was present compared with when females were gestating. DISCUSSION Our results do not support the hypothesis that owl monkey males have elevated fecal cortisol during periods when they need to mobilize energy to provide intensive infant care. Our findings are also inconsistent with the Maternal Relief hypothesis. However, results from studies measuring fecal cortisol must be interpreted with care and alternative explanations, such as seasonal fluctuations in diet and thermoenergic demands, should be considered when drawing conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Corley
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Juan Pablo Perea-Rodriguez
- Project Conservémonos, Limon, Costa Rica.,WELL-PRIM Project, Eco-Anthropologie Lab (UMR 7602), Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Claudia Valeggia
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Formosa, Formosa, Argentina
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7
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Fernandez-Duque E, Huck M, Van Belle S, Di Fiore A. The evolution of pair-living, sexual monogamy, and cooperative infant care: Insights from research on wild owl monkeys, titis, sakis, and tamarins. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 171 Suppl 70:118-173. [PMID: 32191356 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
"Monogamy" and pair bonding have long been of interest to anthropologists and primatologists. Their study contributes to our knowledge of human evolutionary biology and social evolution without the cultural trappings associated with studying human societies directly. Here, we first provide an overview of theoretical considerations, followed by an evaluation of recent comparative studies of the evolution of "social monogamy"; we are left with serious doubts about the conclusions of these studies that stem from the often poor quality of the data used and an overreliance on secondary sources without vetting the data therein. We then describe our field research program on four "monogamous" platyrrhines (owl monkeys, titis, sakis, and tamarins), evaluate how well our data support various hypotheses proposed to explain "monogamy," and compare our data to those reported on the same genera in comparative studies. Overall, we found a distressing lack of agreement between the data used in comparative studies and data from the literature for the taxa that we work with. In the final section, we propose areas of research that deserve more attention. We stress the need for more high-quality natural history data, and we urge researchers to be cautious about the uncritical use of variables of uncertain internal validity. Overall, it is imperative that biological anthropologists establish and follow clear criteria for comparing and combining results from published studies and that researchers, reviewers, and editors alike comply with these standards to improve the transparency, reproducibility, and interpretability of causal inferences made in comparative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.,Owl Monkey Project, Fundación ECO, Formosa, Argentina.,Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Formosa, Formosa, Argentina.,College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Maren Huck
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - Sarie Van Belle
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas.,Primate Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
| | - Anthony Di Fiore
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador.,Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas.,Primate Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
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8
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Bolechová P, Chaloupková H, Hradec M, Jánová E, Doležalová J. Fur color change and hormonal development in captive females of northern white-cheeked (Nomascus leucogenys) and buff-cheeked (Nomascus gabriellae) gibbons. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 282:113210. [PMID: 31228419 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Gibbons of the genus Nomascus exhibit strong sexual dichromatism in fur color. Change of fur color in sub-adult wild Nomascus females is associated with the onset of puberty and the time of their dispersal. The variability in fur change may be influenced by social factors. In this study, we determined whether in captive females of crested gibbons begin reproductive maturity prior to dispersing and with association to their fur color. We collected 287 fecal extracts to analyze pregnandiol -3- glucuronide and 17β estradiol profiles of 4 sub-adult females (Nomascus leucogenys and Nomascus gabriellae) and 183 samples from their mothers, using enzyme immunoassays. The sub-adult females were monitored from 4 years of age. Their hormone profiles showed the onset of ovulatory cycling between 4.6 and 5.8 years. Based on the information about the estrogen influence to the secondary sex characteristic (fur color of female) the positive link between estrogen concentration and age of the sub-adult females was found. However, the amount of the estrogen can apparently be influenced by the presence of mother. If the mother was presented, the level of estrogen was higher than if the mother was missing. Our findings suggest that the probability of changing to beige fur color by the sub-adult females increased with increased age and if they were without mother. This initial study presents the maternal influence as a possible social factor affecting the fur color change of female offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bolechová
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague Suchdol, Czech Republic.
| | - Helena Chaloupková
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Hradec
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Jánová
- Institute of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého tř. 1/3, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Doležalová
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1/3, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic
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Spence-Aizenberg A, Kimball BA, Williams LE, Fernandez-Duque E. Chemical composition of glandular secretions from a pair-living monogamous primate: Sex, age, and gland differences in captive and wild owl monkeys (Aotus spp.). Am J Primatol 2019; 80. [PMID: 29473987 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Broadening our knowledge of olfactory communication in strictly monogamous systems can inform our understanding of how chemosignals may facilitate social and reproductive behavior between the sexes. Compared to other social and mating systems, relatively little is known about olfactory communication in strictly monogamous non-human primates. Furthermore, platyrrhines are not well represented in chemical analyses of glandular secretions. We conducted semi-quantitative headspace gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to investigate the chemical components of glandular secretions from the subcaudal and pectoral glands of a strictly pair-living platyrrhine, the owl monkey (Aotus spp.). In this study, the first chemical analysis of a wild platyrrhine population, our goals were to (1) conduct a robust analysis of glandular secretions from both captive and wild owl monkey populations and (2) identify whether biologically relevant traits are present in glandular secretions. We also compared and contrasted the results between two Aotus species in different environmental contexts: wild Aotus azarae (N = 33) and captive A. nancymaae (N = 104). Our findings indicate that secretions from both populations encode sex, gland of origin, and possibly individual identity. These consistent patterns across species and contexts suggest that secretions may function as chemosignals. Our data also show that wild A. azarae individuals are chemically discriminated by age (adult or subadult). Among the captive A. nanycmaae, we found chemical differences associated with location, possibly caused by dietary differences. However, there was no noticeable effect of contraception on the chemical profiles of females, nor evidence that closely related individuals exhibit more similar chemical profiles in A. nancymaae. Overall, our data suggest that glandular secretions of both wild and captive Aotus convey specific information. Future studies should use behavioral bioassays to evaluate the ability of owl monkeys to detect signals, and consider whether odor may ultimately facilitate social and sexual relationships between male and female owl monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bruce A Kimball
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Lawrence E Williams
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas
| | - Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.,Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Formosa, Formosa, Argentina.,Proyecto Mirikiná/Fundación ECO, Formosa, Argentina
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Corley MK, Xia S, Fernandez-Duque E. The role of intragroup agonism in parent-offspring relationships and natal dispersal in monogamous owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) of Argentina. Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [PMID: 29034979 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Agonistic behaviors are common in many group-living taxa and may serve a variety of functions, ranging from regulating conflicts over reproduction to defending food resources. However, high rates of agonism are not expected to occur among close relatives or individuals in established mating relationships, which are characteristics of monogamous groups. To contribute to our understanding of agonism within socially monogamous groups, we collected behavioral and demographic data from Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) in the Gran Chaco of Argentina over 14 years. We examined factors related to age, sex, kinship, and behavioral context to evaluate predictions of the hypotheses that agonism functions to regulate dispersal and that it mediates competition for food and/or mates. Intragroup agonism was relatively rare: the group rate was approximately one event every three and a half hours. Rates of agonism were generally similar for both sexes, but there were marked differences among age categories. Agonism performed by adults was more frequently directed at subadults than at younger offspring. In contrast, agonistic interactions involving infants were very rare. Among interactions between adults and subadults, adults were much more frequently the actors than the recipients, suggesting that agonism from adults may influence natal dispersal of subadults. Agonistic events were most frequent during foraging, but also occurred more frequently than expected during bouts of social behavior. Overall, our results suggest that agonism in owl monkeys serves as a mechanism for regulating dispersal, and also likely plays a role in mediating mating and feeding competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret K Corley
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Siyang Xia
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.,Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Formosa, Formosa, Argentina
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