Park or Ride? Evolution of Infant Carrying in Primates

摘要: Few mammalian orders carry their infants clinging to the mother's fur. I investigated evolution of carrying behavior in primates and life-history ecological correlates infant care patterns. Primates are ideal for study as there is variation Primate left hidden nests or parked trees, both which strategies term parking, carried orally ride fur: riding. Infant has evolved several times and, once evolved, it been conserved. Significant energetic costs riding indicated species maintain smaller home ranges than those non-riders same body size. With size phylogenetic influences taken into account, riders appear incur a reproductive cost by weaning breeding later parkers. Although do not have lower birth rates parkers, age at first reproduction leads having rate, measured intrinsic rate population increase. Precociality correlated with either nesting behavior. non-nesting larger litter sizes, significantly smaller, nor neonatal brains relatively smaller. may some costs, its repeated suggests that also benefits, most likely being reduced mortality risk infants.