Male Reproductive Strategies in Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi)

摘要: The lemurs of Madagascar are the evolutionary endpoints a spectacular primate adaptive radiation and provide unique opportunity to study convergent evolution in social organization. According sexual selection theory socioecological model, where females form small groups, single males should monopolize access these groups while excluding potential rivals from group membership as has been shown for many anthropoid species. social organization deviates expectations derived based on theoretical frameworks males do not exclude rival membership resulting even or male-biased sex ratios group composition. Moreover, although male-male competition receptive is intense, dimorphism absent among lemurs. I studied nine habituated Verreaux s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) using continuous focal observations and fecal sample collection female hormone analysis in order address questions related male reproductive strategies. main results this revealed that residing same come into estrous asynchronously dominant may be able each via use of mate-guarding. These proximate mechanisms may thus explain high reproductive skew favor dominant observed population. presence supernumerary subordinate within has explained anthropoids by examining benefits confer group. In study, presence did not increase infant survival nor decrease risk takeover potentially infanticidal extra-group males. However, subordinates tolerated their confers intergroup dominance over contested food resources. unusual sifakas also alternative strategies subordinate such delaying dispersal remain natal while waiting breeding opportunities and/or queuing non-natal with chance eventually inheriting position. Overall, thesis help high population at Kirindy why within tolerated. This also highlighted importance determining lemur organization, and, thus, tendency towards sex must seen the outcome interplay male,