Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Changes in Behaviour Following A ‘Rank Changeover by Challenge’ in the Nicobar Long-Tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis umbrosus)


Affiliations
1 Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore 641 108, India
2 Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
3 Biopsychology Laboratory and Institution of Excellence, University of Mysore, Mysuru 570 006, India
4 Organismal Biology Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advance Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560 064, India
 

A rank changeover is a sexual strategy by primate males to gain access to reproductive females. We observed one such event in the Nicobar long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis umbrosus) at the Great Nicobar Island, India. In the three and half months of the post-rank changeover period, the home range reduced significantly while there was no change in the intensity of range use and day range length. The sleeping sites in the post-rank changeover period were confined to the centre of the home range. The overall mating rate and aggressive mating approach by males increased significantly during the post-rank changeover period. The females developed sexual swelling and started soliciting the immigrated males within two weeks after the rank changeover event. During this period no female conceived, which suggests that they used situation-dependent receptivity with deceptive swelling as a counter strategy to avoid male aggression for copulation.

Keywords

Between-Group Encounters, Grid Use, Nicobar Long-Tailed Macaque, Rank Changeover, Reproductive Behaviour.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Clutton-Brock, T. H. and Huachard, E., Social competition and selection in males and females. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, Ser. B, 2013, 368, 20130074.

  • Albert, S. C., Magnitude and source of variation in male reproductive performance. In The Evolution of Primate Societies (eds Mitani, J. C. et al.), University of Chicago Press, Chicago, USA, 2012, pp. 412–431.

  • Kappeler, P. M. and van Schaik, C. P., Evolution of primate social systems. Int. J. Primatol., 2002, 23, 707–740.

  • van Noordwijk, M. A. and van Schaik, C. P., Sexual selection and the careers of primate males: paternity concentration, dominance– acquisition tactics and transfer decision. In Sexual Selection in Primates: New and Comparative Perspectives (eds Kappeler, P. M. and van Schaik, C. P.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2004, pp. 208–229.

  • deRuiter, J. R., van Hooff, J. A. R. A. M. and Scheffrahn, W., Social and genetic aspects of paternity in wild long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Behavior, 1994, 129, 203–224.

  • van Schaik, C. P. and Janson, C. H., Infanticide by Males and its Implications, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2000, p. 565.

  • van Noordwijk, M. A. and van Schaik, C. P., Male migration and rank acquisition in wild long-tailed macaque. Anim. Behav., 1985, 33, 849–886.

  • Marty, P. R., Hodges, K., Agil, M. and Engelhardt, A., Alpha male replacements and delayed dispersal in crested macaques (Macaca nigra). Am. J. Primatol., 2017, 79, e22448.

  • Kumar, M. A., Singh, M., Kumara, H. N., Sharma, A. K. and Bertsch, C., Male migration in lion-tailed macaques. Primate Rep., 2001, 59, 5–18.

  • Singh, M., Kumara, H. N., Kumar, M. A., Singh, M. and Cooper, M., Male influx, infanticide, and female transfer in Macaca radiata radiata. Int. J. Primatol., 2006, 27, 515–528.

  • van Noordwijk, M. A. and van Schaik, C. P., Male careers in Sumatran long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Behaviour, 1988, 10, 24–43.

  • Hayakawa, S. and Soltis, J., Troop takeover and reproductive success of wild male Japanese macaques on Yakushima island (Macaca fuscata yakui). Int. J. Zool., 2011, 308469, 1–8.

  • Saj, T. L. and Sicotte, P., Male takeover in Colobus vellerosus at Boabeng–Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, Central Ghana. Primates, 2005, 46, 211–214.

  • Clarke, P. M. R., Henzi, S. P. and Barrett, L., Sexual conflict in chacma baboons, Papio hamadryas ursinus: absent males select for proactive females. Anim. Behav., 2009, 77, 1217–1225.

  • Smuts, B. B. and Smuts, R. W., Male aggression and sexual coercion of females in nonhuman primates and other mammals: evidence and theoretical implications. Adv. Stud. Behav., 1993, 22, 1–63.

  • Hrdy, S. B., Male–male competition and infanticide among the langurs (Presbytis entellus) of Abu, Rajasthan. Folia Primatol., 1974, 22, 19–58.

  • Hrdy, S. B., Infanticide as a primate reproductive strategy. Am. Sci., 1977, 65, 40–49.

  • Hrdy, S. B., Infanticide among animals: a review, classification, and examination of the implications for the reproductive strategies of females. Ethol. Sociobiol., 1979, 1, 13–40.

  • Zinner, D. and Deschner, T., Sexual swellings in female hamadryas baboons after male takeovers: ‘deceptive’ swellings as a possible female counter-strategy against infanticide. Am. J. Primatol., 2000, 52, 157–168.

  • Hadidian, J. and Bernstein, I. S., Female reproductive cycles and birth data from an Old World monkey colony. Primates, 1979, 20, 429–442.

  • Colmenares, F. and Gomendio, M., Changes in female reproductive condition following male take-overs in a colony of hamadryas and hybrid baboons. Folia Primatol., 1988, 50, 157–174.

  • Takahata, Y., Ihobe, H. and Idani, G., Comparing copulations of chimpanzees and bonobos: do females exhibit proceptivity or receptivity? In Great Apes Societies (eds McGrew, W. C., Marchant, L. F. and Nishida, T.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1996, pp. 146–155.

  • Swedell, L., Two takeovers in wild hamadryas baboons. Folia Primatol., 2000, 71, 169–172.

  • Teichroeb, J. A. and Sicotte, P., Infanticide in ursine colobus monkeys (Colobus vellerosus): new cases and a test of the existing hypotheses. Behaviour, 2008, 145, 727–755.

  • Zhao, Q., Borries, C. and Pan, W., Male takeover, infanticide, and female counter tactics in white-headed leaf monkeys (Trachypithecus leucocephalus). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 2011, 65, 1535– 1547.

  • Sterck, E. H. M. and Korstjens, A. H., Female dispersal and infanticide avoidance in primates. In Infanticide by Males and its Implications (eds van Schaik, C. P. and Janson, C. H.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2000, pp. 293–321.

  • van Noordwijk, M. A. and van Schaik, C. P., Career moves: transfer and rank challenge decisions by male long-tailed macaques. Behaviour, 2001, 138, 359–395.

  • Sprague, D. S., Suzuki, S., Takahashi, H. and Sato, S., Male life history in natural populations of Japanese macaques: migration, dominance rank, and troop participation of males in two habitats. Primates, 1998, 39, 351–363.

  • Velankar, A. D., Kumara, H. N., Pal, A., Mishra, P. S. and Singh, M., Population recovery of Nicobar long-tailed macaque Macaca fascicularis umbrosus following a tsunami in the Nicobar Islands, India. PLoS ONE, 2016, 11(2), e0148205; doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0148205.

  • van Noordwijk, M. A. and van Schaik, C. P., The effect of dominance rank and group size on female life-time reproductive success in wild long-tailed macaque Macaca fascicularis. Primates, 1999, 40, 105–130.

  • Thierry, B., Social epigenesis. In Macaque Societies: A Model for the Study of Social Organization (eds Thierry, B., Singh, M. and Kaumanns, W.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2004, pp. 267–294.

  • van Schaik, C. P., Social counterstrategies against male infanticide in primates and other mammals. In Primate Males (ed. Kappeler, P. M.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2000, pp. 34–52.

  • Palombit, R. A., Infanticide as sexual conflict: coevolution of male strategies and female counterstrategies. CSH Perspect. Biol., 2015; doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a017640.

  • Kavana, T. S., Erinjery, J. J. and Singh, M., Male takeover and infanticide in Nilgiri langur Semnopithecus johnii in the Western Ghats, India. Folia Primatol., 2014, 85, 164–177.

  • Hajra, P. K., Rao, P. S. N. and Sinha, B. K., Flora of Great Nicobar Islands, Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta, 1999.

  • Santhosh, K., Kumara, H. N., Velankar, A. D. and Sinha, A., Ranging behaviour and resource use by lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus) in selectively logged forests. Int. J. Primatol., 2015, 36, 288–310.

  • Tsuji, Y., Sleeping-site preferences of wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata): the importance of nonpredatory factors. J. Mammal., 2011, 92, 1261–1269.

  • Altmann, J., Observational study of behaviour: sampling methods. Behaviour, 1974, 49, 227–265.

  • Cooper, M. A., Aureli, F. and Singh, M., Between-group encounters among bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 2004, 56, 217–227.

  • Kumara, H. N., Singh, M., Sharma, A. K., Santhosh, K. and Pal, A., Impact of forest fragment size on between-group encounters in lion-tailed macaques. Primates, 2015, 55, 543–548.

  • Kowalewski, M. M. and Garber, P. A., Mating promiscuity and reproductive tactics in female black and gold howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) inhabiting an island on the Parana river, Argentina. Am. J. Primatol., 2010, 71, 1–15.

  • Jones, C. B., Reproductive patterns in mantled howler monkeys: estrus, mate choice and copulation. Primates, 1985, 26, 130–142.

  • Soltis, J., Mitsunaga, F., Shimizu, K., Yanagihara, Y. and Nozaki, M., Sexual selection in Japanese macaques. I: female mate choice or male sexual coercion? Anim. Behav., 1997, 54, 725–736.

  • Price, E. C. and Piedade, H. M., Ranging behaviour and intraspecific relationships of masked titi monkeys (Callicebus personatus personatus). Am. J. Primatol., 2001, 53, 87–92.

  • Fei, H. L., Scott, M. B., Zhang, W., Ma, C. M., Xiang, Z. F. and Fan, P. F., Sleeping tree selection of caovit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) living in degraded karst forest in Bangliang, Jingxi, China. Am. J. Primatol., 2012, 74, 998–1005.

  • van Noordwijk, M. A., Sexual behaviour of Sumatran long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Z. Tierpsychol., 1985, 70, 277–296.

  • Markham, A. C., Alberts, S. C. and Altmann, J., Intergroup conflict: ecological predictors of winning and consequences of defeat in a wild primate population. Anim. Behav., 2012, 84, 399– 403.

  • Horiuchi, S., Affiliative relations among male Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui) within and outside a troop on Yakushima Island. Primates, 2005, 46, 191–197.

  • van Belle, S., Kulp, A. E., Thiessen-Bock, R., Garcia, M. and Estrada, A., Observed infanticides following a male immigration event in black howler monkeys, at Palenque National Park, Mexico. Primates, 2010, 51, 279–284.

  • Hayakawa, S., Female defensibility in a small troops of Japanese macaques vis-à-vis nontroop males and copulation on the periphery of the troop. Int. J. Primatol., 2007, 28, 73–96.

  • Jack, K. M., Sheller, C. and Fedigan, L. M., Social factors influencing natal dispersal in male white-faced capuchins. Am. J. Primatol., 2012, 74, 359–365.

  • Roux, A., Snyder-Mackler, N., Roberts, E. A., Beehner, J. C. and Bergman, T. J., Evidence for tactical concealment in a wild primate. Nature Commun., 2013, 4, 1462.

  • Muller, M. N. and Wrangham, R. W., Sexual Coercion in Primates and Humans: An Evolutionary Perspective on Male Aggression Against Females, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, 2009, p. 475.

  • Timmerman, P. J. A., Schouter, W. G. P. and Krijnen, J. C. M., Reproduction of cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) in harems. Lab Anim., 1981, 13, 119–123.

  • Sugiyama, Y., On the social change of Hanuman langurs (Presbytis entellus) in their natural condition. Primates, 1965, 6, 381–418.

  • Beehner, J. C. and Bergman, T. J., Infant mortality following male takeovers in wild geladas. Am. J. Primatol., 2008, 70, 1152–1159.

  • Berman, C. M., Rasmussen, K. L. R. and Suomi, S. J., Reproductive consequences of maternal care patterns during estrus among free ranging rhesus monkeys. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 1993, 332, 391–399.

  • Schino, G., Majolo, B., Ventura, R. and Troisi, A., Resumption of sexual activity affects mother–infant interactions in Japanese macaques. Behaviour, 2001, 138, 261–275.

  • Rudran, R., Adult male replacement in one-male troops of purplefaced langurs (Presbytis senexsenex) and its effect on population structure. Folia Primatol., 1973, 19, 166–192.

  • Nunn, C. L., The evolution of exaggerated sexual swellings in primates and the graded signal hypothesis. Anim. Behav., 1999, 58, 229–246.

  • Engelhardt, A., Hodges, J. K., Niemitz, C. and Heistermann, M., Female sexual behaviour, but not sex skin swelling is a reliable indicator for the timing of the fertile phase in wild long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Horm. Behav. 2005, 47, 195– 204.

  • Agoramoorthy, G. and Rudran, R., Infanticide by adult and subadult males in free ranging red howler monkeys, Alouatta seniculus, in Venezuela. Ethology, 1995, 99, 75–88.


Abstract Views: 241

PDF Views: 77




  • Changes in Behaviour Following A ‘Rank Changeover by Challenge’ in the Nicobar Long-Tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis umbrosus)

Abstract Views: 241  |  PDF Views: 77

Authors

Arijit Pal
Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore 641 108, India
Honnavalli N. Kumara
Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore 641 108, India
Avadhoot D. Velankar
Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
Partha Sarathi Mishra
Biopsychology Laboratory and Institution of Excellence, University of Mysore, Mysuru 570 006, India
Mewa Singh
Organismal Biology Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advance Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560 064, India

Abstract


A rank changeover is a sexual strategy by primate males to gain access to reproductive females. We observed one such event in the Nicobar long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis umbrosus) at the Great Nicobar Island, India. In the three and half months of the post-rank changeover period, the home range reduced significantly while there was no change in the intensity of range use and day range length. The sleeping sites in the post-rank changeover period were confined to the centre of the home range. The overall mating rate and aggressive mating approach by males increased significantly during the post-rank changeover period. The females developed sexual swelling and started soliciting the immigrated males within two weeks after the rank changeover event. During this period no female conceived, which suggests that they used situation-dependent receptivity with deceptive swelling as a counter strategy to avoid male aggression for copulation.

Keywords


Between-Group Encounters, Grid Use, Nicobar Long-Tailed Macaque, Rank Changeover, Reproductive Behaviour.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv117%2Fi4%2F672-682