13 research outputs found
Correlates of genetic monogamy in socially monogamous mammals: insights from Azara's owl monkeys
Understanding the evolution of mating systems, a central topic in evolutionary biology for more than 50 years, requires examining the genetic consequences of mating and the relationships between social systems and mating systems. Among pair-living mammals, where genetic monogamy is extremely rare, the extent of extra-group paternity rates has been associated withmale participation in infant care, strength of the pair bond and length of the breeding season. This study evaluated the relationship between two of those factors and the genetic mating system of socially monogamous mammals, testing predictions that male care and strength of pair bond would be negatively correlated with rates of extra-pair paternity (EPP). Autosomal microsatellite analyses provide evidence for genetic monogamy in a pair-living primate with bi-parental care, the Azara’s owl monkey (Aotus azarae). A phylogenetically corrected generalized least square analysis was used to relate male care and strength of the pair bond to their genetic mating system (i.e. proportions of EPP) in 15 socially monogamous mammalian species. The intensity of male care was correlated with EPP rates in mammals, while strength of pair bond failed to reach statistical significance. Our analyses showthat, once social monogamy has evolved, paternal care, and potentially also close bonds, may facilitate the evolution of genetic monogamy.German Science Foundation (HU 1746/2-1); Wenner-Gren Foundation; L.S.B. Leakey Foundation;National Geographic Society; National Science Foundation
(BCS-0621020, 1219368, and 1232349); the University of Pennsylvania Research Foundation; the Zoological Society of San Dieg
Building Babies - Chapter 16
In contrast to birds, male mammals rarely help to raise the offspring. Of all mammals, only among rodents, carnivores, and primates, males are sometimes intensively engaged in providing infant care (Kleiman and Malcolm 1981). Male caretaking of infants has long been recognized in nonhuman primates (Itani 1959). Given that infant care behavior can have a positive effect on the infant’s development, growth, well-being, or survival, why are male mammals not more frequently involved in “building babies”? We begin the chapter defining a few relevant terms and introducing the theory and hypotheses that have historically addressed the evolution of paternal care. We then review empirical findings on male care among primate taxa, before focusing, in the final section, on our own work on paternal care in South American owl monkeys (Aotus spp.). We conclude the chapter with some suggestions for future studies.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (HU 1746/2-1)
Wenner-Gren Foundation, the L.S.B. Leakey Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the National Science Foundation (BCS-0621020), the University of Pennsylvania Research Foundation, the Zoological Society of San Dieg
To Each According to His Need? Variability in the Responses to Inequity in Nonhuman Primates
While it is well established that humans respond to inequity, it remains unclear the extent to which this behavior occurs in our nonhuman primate relatives. By comparing a variety of species, spanning from New World and Old World monkeys to great apes, scientists can begin to answer questions about how the response to inequity evolved, what the function of this response is, and why and how different contexts shape it. In particular, research across nonhuman primate species suggests that the response is quite variable across species, contexts and individuals. In this paper, we aim to review these differences in an attempt to identify and better understand the patterns that emerge from the existing data with the goal of developing directions for future research. To begin, we address the importance of considering socio-ecological factors in nonhuman primates in order to better understand and predict expected patterns of cooperation and aversion to inequity in different species, following which we provide a detailed analysis of the patterns uncovered by these comparisons. Ultimately, we use this synthesis to propose new ideas for research to better understand this response and, hence, the evolution of our own responses to inequity
The evolution of food sharing in primates
The aim of this study is to explain the occurrence
of food sharing across primates. Defined as the unresisted
transfer of food, evolutionary hypotheses have to explain
why possessors should relinquish food rather than keep it.
While sharing with offspring can be explained by kin
selection, explanations for sharing among unrelated adults
are more controversial. Here we test the hypothesis that
sharing occurs with social partners that have leverage over
food possessors due to the opportunity for partner choice in
other contexts. Thus, we predict that possessors should
relinquish food to potential mates or allies, who could
provide or withhold matings or coalitionary support in the
future. We used phylogenetic analyses based on both
maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches in a sample
of 68 primate species to test these predictions. The analyses
strongly indicate that (1) sharing with offspring is predicted
by the relative processing difficulty of the diet, as measured by the degree of extractive foraging, but not overall diet
quality, (2) food sharing among adults only evolved in
species already sharing with offspring, regardless of diet,
and (3) male–female sharing co-evolved with the opportunity
for female mate choice and sharing within the sexes
with coalition formation. These results provide comparative
support for the hypothesis that sharing is “traded” for
matings and coalitionary support in the sense that these
services are statistically associated and can thus be selected
for. Based on this, we predict that sharing should occur in
any species with opportunities for partner choice