Love is in the air: Sociality and pair bondedness influence sifaka reproductive signalling

摘要: Social complexity, often estimated by group size, is seen as driving the complexity of vocal signals, but its relation to olfactory which arguably arose function in nonsocial realms, remains underappreciated. That signals also may mediate within-group interaction, vary with social and promote cohesion underscores a potentially crucial link sociality. To examine that link, we integrated chemical behavioural analyses ask whether facilitate reproductive coordination strepsirrhine primate, Coquerel's sifaka, Propithecus coquereli. Belonging clade comprising primarily solitary, nocturnal species, diurnal, group-living sifaka represents an interesting test case. Convergent lemurids, sifakas expressed chemically rich scent consistent hypothesis for communication. These minimally encoded sex signaller varied female state. Likewise, fertility were reflected investigation, marking overmarking. We further asked whether, within breeding pairs, stability or quality pair's bond influences composition glandular patterns investigatory scent-marking behaviour. Indeed, reproductively successful pairs tended show greater similarity their than did unsuccessful through convergence. Moreover, was temporally coordinated influenced past success. signalling reflects bondedness history lends support recent suggestions relationships be more valuable proxy size estimating complexity. suggest complex previously recognized and, other socially can mechanism promoting maintaining bonds. Thus, evolution sociality well signalling.