TY - JOUR
T1 - Are olfactory traits in a pair-bonded primate under sexual selection? An evaluation of sexual dimorphism in Aotus nancymaae
AU - Spence-Aizenberg, Andrea
AU - Williams, Lawrence E.
AU - Fernandez-Duque, Eduardo
N1 - Funding Information:
Leakey Foundation, American Society of Primatology, International Primatological Society, Nacey Maggioncalda Foundation, National Science Foundation, Grant Number: BCS-924352
Funding Information:
This research was funded through grants by the Leakey Foundation, International Primatological Society, American Society of Primatology, and Nacey Maggioncalda Foundation grants to ASA, and the National Science Foundation (BCS-924352) to EFD. The authors thank the Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research (MD Anderson Cancer Center), Director Dr. C. Abee, and veterinarian Dr. A. Brady for allowing them access to the owl monkey colony. They also thank G. Tustin, the owl monkey staff at the Keeling Center, S. Carrera, M. Fernandes, A. Fogel, and E. Yau for assistance with behavioral data collection. They also thank the Associate Editor and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive feedback. This research complied with all animal care regulations of the MD Anderson Cancer Center that also approved the procedures at the national level. This research adhered to the Code of Ethics of the American Society of Physical Anthropologists. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PY - 2018/8
Y1 - 2018/8
N2 - Objectives: Sexual selection has seemingly influenced chemical communication in numerous non-human primates, although it is unclear whether it has influenced strictly pair-living and pair-bonded taxa. The physical similarities between male and female owl monkeys suggest that disruptive selection has not played a role in this taxon. However, given their nocturnality, olfactory traits may show differing patterns of sexual selection than visual traits. If sexual selection has influenced chemical communication in owl monkeys, we expect larger scent glands and greater scent-marking in females given the high degree of paternal care, as has been proposed for callitrichines. Materials and Methods: We evaluated sex differences in the qualitative and quantitative descriptions of the subcaudal and perianal glandular regions of captive male (n = 39) and female (n = 36) owl monkeys (A. nancymaae), and in the olfactory behaviors performed within breeding pairs (n = 16). Results: Males had larger areas of secretion retained in the hairs covering the subcaudal gland, and females had more and darker secretion than males covering the perianal region. Males inspected the genital region of their partners more frequently than females did, but the sexes did not differ much in other investigative and marking behaviors. Discussion: The observed sex differences and variation in olfactory traits are consistent with the hypothesis that sexual selection has influenced chemical communication in owl monkeys, with males having larger subcaudal glands and spending more time investigating odors. Still, sex differences in monogamous owl monkeys were less extreme than those in other, non-monogamous, taxa.
AB - Objectives: Sexual selection has seemingly influenced chemical communication in numerous non-human primates, although it is unclear whether it has influenced strictly pair-living and pair-bonded taxa. The physical similarities between male and female owl monkeys suggest that disruptive selection has not played a role in this taxon. However, given their nocturnality, olfactory traits may show differing patterns of sexual selection than visual traits. If sexual selection has influenced chemical communication in owl monkeys, we expect larger scent glands and greater scent-marking in females given the high degree of paternal care, as has been proposed for callitrichines. Materials and Methods: We evaluated sex differences in the qualitative and quantitative descriptions of the subcaudal and perianal glandular regions of captive male (n = 39) and female (n = 36) owl monkeys (A. nancymaae), and in the olfactory behaviors performed within breeding pairs (n = 16). Results: Males had larger areas of secretion retained in the hairs covering the subcaudal gland, and females had more and darker secretion than males covering the perianal region. Males inspected the genital region of their partners more frequently than females did, but the sexes did not differ much in other investigative and marking behaviors. Discussion: The observed sex differences and variation in olfactory traits are consistent with the hypothesis that sexual selection has influenced chemical communication in owl monkeys, with males having larger subcaudal glands and spending more time investigating odors. Still, sex differences in monogamous owl monkeys were less extreme than those in other, non-monogamous, taxa.
KW - chemical communication
KW - monogamy
KW - pair bond
KW - scent glands
KW - scent-marking
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U2 - 10.1002/ajpa.23487
DO - 10.1002/ajpa.23487
M3 - Article
C2 - 29719049
AN - SCOPUS:85046257613
SN - 0002-9483
VL - 166
SP - 884
EP - 894
JO - American Journal of Physical Anthropology
JF - American Journal of Physical Anthropology
IS - 4
ER -