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Monogamous Species (monogamous + species)
Selected AbstractsParental Effort in Relation to Structural Plumage Coloration in the Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)ETHOLOGY, Issue 9 2007Susan L. Balenger Indicator models of sexual selection suggest that costly ornaments signal reliable information regarding an individual's quality to potential mates. In species that produce altricial offspring, the amount of parental care provided by both males and females can impact reproductive success. The Good Parent Hypothesis proposes that ornamentation in biparental species can act as an honest signal of parental ability to potential mates. We tested this hypothesis using the mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides), a sexually dichromatic, socially monogamous species in which both sexes have structurally based ornamental plumage coloration. A male's plumage color predicted neither the rate at which it provisioned nestlings nor brood growth rate. The same was true for females. We also found no indication of assortative mating by color or body condition. Feeding rates within pairs were positively correlated, which we suggest may be due to pairs responding similarly to the perceived needs of nestlings or to local area prey availability. In sum, our results do not support the Good Parent Hypothesis as an explanation for the evolution of ornamental plumage color in mountain bluebirds. We suggest alternative hypotheses for the evolution of ornamental plumage color in this species. [source] Effects of Pair-Bond and Social Context on Male,Female Interactions in Captive Titi Monkeys (Callicebus moloch, Primates: Cebidae)ETHOLOGY, Issue 12 2000Eduardo Fernandez-Duque In monogamous species, an abiding relationship between a specific adult male and a specific adult female is a defining feature of the social system. The interactions between these individuals are influenced by many factors, including not only the history of their relationship (for example, development of a mutual bond), but also the immediate effects of the prevailing social context (for example, presence and sex of extra-pair conspecifics). In this study we examined the effects of an existing bond and of social context on interactions between adult heterosexual pairs of the monogamous titi monkeys (Callicebus moloch). Twelve adult males and 12 adult females were tested with their cagemates and with an unfamiliar partner of the opposite sex in five social contexts: (1) mated male,female pair; (2) unfamiliar pair; (3) single female; (4) single male; and (5) empty stimulus cage. Results show that mated pairs were more affiliative than unfamiliar pairs and differentiated social contexts more sharply. Males were more responsive to context than females. Distance between mates was less and physical contact was more frequent in the presence of male,female pairs or a single male, than in the presence of a single female or an empty cage. These findings suggest that the presence and sex of strangers have a stronger influence on male,female interactions when the pair has an existing relationship. [source] Meadow Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and Prairie Voles (M. ochrogaster) Differ in Their Responses to Over-Marks from Opposite- and Same-Sex ConspecificsETHOLOGY, Issue 11 2000Raymond L. Woodward Jr Over-marking occurs when one individual deposits its scent mark on the scent mark of a conspecific. Previous studies have shown that meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and prairie voles (M. ochrogaster) that were exposed to an over-mark of two same-sex conspecifics, later responded similarly to the top-scent mark but differed in their response to the bottom-scent mark. In the present study, we examined the responses of meadow voles and prairie voles to same-sex and mixed-sex over-marks to ascertain whether their responses reflect the different tactics which males and females in promiscuous (meadow voles) and monogamous (prairie voles) species use to attract opposite-sex conspecifics and to compete with same-sex conspecifics. Males and females of both species spent more time investigating the mark of the top-scent donor than that of the bottom-scent donor of an over-mark. Meadow voles exposed to a mixed-sex over-mark spent more time investigating the mark of the opposite-sex conspecific independently of whether it was from the top- or bottom-scent donor. In contrast, prairie voles spent more time investigating the mark of the opposite-sex donor if it was from the top-scent donor. These results suggest that: (i) over-marking serves a competitive function; (ii) the scent marks of individuals attract multiple mates in promiscuous species such as the meadow vole; and (iii) the scent marks of individuals establish and maintain pair bonds between familiar opposite-sex conspecifics in monogamous species such as the prairie vole. [source] PROMISCUITY DRIVES SEXUAL SELECTION IN A SOCIALLY MONOGAMOUS BIRDEVOLUTION, Issue 9 2007Michael S. Webster Many socially monogamous species paradoxically show signs of strong sexual selection, suggesting cryptic sources of sexual competition among males. Darwin argued that sexual selection could operate in monogamous systems if breeding sex ratios are biased or if some males attract highly fecund females. Alternatively, sexual selection might result from promiscuous copulations outside the pair bond, although several recent studies have cast doubt on this possibility, in particular by showing that variance in apparent male reproductive success (number of social young) differs little from variance in actual male reproductive success (number of young sired). Our results from a long-term study of the socially monogamous splendid fairy-wren (Malurus splendens) demonstrate that such comparisons are misleading and do not adequately assess the effects of extra-pair paternity (EPP). By partitioning the opportunity for selection and calculating Bateman gradients, we show that EPP has a strong effect on male annual and lifetime fitness, whereas other proposed mechanisms of sexual selection do not. Thus, EPP drives sexual selection in this, and possibly other, socially monogamous species. [source] Sex differences in behaviour as an indirect consequence of mating systemJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2000A. E. Magurran A considerable literature has been devoted to documenting differences between the sexes. However, relatively little attention has hitherto been directed towards those differences that arise as an indirect consequence of mating system even though they can have profound implications for the daily lives of the animals involved. In this review we focus on differences in the non-reproductive behaviour of fish and relate these to sexual dimorphism in size and morphology, and to variance in fitness between the sexes. In line with our expectation, differences in distributional ecology, schooling, aggression, predator avoidance and foraging are exaggerated in sexually dimorphic species and polygamous mating systems. Nonetheless, the behaviour of males and females may also differ in sexually monomorphic and monogamous species. We conclude by highlighting promising directions for further research. [source] Extra pair paternity in birds: a review of interspecific variation and adaptive functionMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 11 2002Simon C. Griffith Abstract The application of molecular genetic techniques has revolutionized our view of avian mating systems. Contrary to prior expectations, birds are only very rarely sexually monogamous, with ,extra-pair offspring' found in approximately 90% of species. Even among socially monogamous species, over 11% of offspring are, on average, the result of extra-pair paternity (EPP). Based on over 150 molecular genetic studies of EPP in birds, we review two topical areas: (i) ecological explanations for interspecific variation in the rate of EPP; and (ii) evidence bearing on the adaptive function of EPP. We highlight the remaining challenges of understanding the relative roles of genes and ecology in determining variation between taxa in the rate of extra paternity, and testing for differences between extra-pair offspring and those sired within-pair. [source] Breeding habitat selection behaviors in heterogeneous environments: implications for modeling reintroductionOIKOS, Issue 5 2009Jean-Baptiste Mihoub Animal movement and habitat selection behavior are important considerations in ecology, and remain a major issue for successful animal reintroductions. However, simple rules are often used to model movement or focus only on intrinsic environmental cues, neglecting recent insights in behavioral ecology on habitat selection processes. In particular, social information has been proposed as a widespread source of information for habitat evaluation. We investigated the role of explicit breeding habitat selection strategies on the establishment pattern of reintroduced populations and their persistence. We considered local movement at the scale of a single population. We constructed a spatially-implicit demographic model that considered five breeding habitat selection rules: 1) random, 2) intrinsic habitat quality, 3) avoidance of conspecifics, 4) presence of conspecifics and 5) reproductive success of conspecifics. The impact of breeding habitat selection was examined for different release methods under various levels of environmental heterogeneity levels, for both long and short-lived monogamous species. When heterogeneity between intrinsic habitat patch qualities is high, the persistence of reintroduced populations strongly depends on habitat selection strategies. Strategies based on intrinsic quality and conspecific reproductive success lead to a lower reintroduction failure risk than random, conspecific presence or avoidance-based strategies. Conspecific presence or avoidance-based strategies may aggregate individuals in suboptimal habitats. The release of adults seems to be more efficient independent of habitat selection strategy. We emphasize the crucial role of oriented habitat selection behavior and non ideal habitat selection in movement modeling, particularly for reintroduction. [source] Mated pairs of owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae) exhibit sex differences in response to unfamiliar male and female conspecificsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 11 2010Christy K. Wolovich Abstract In socially monogamous species, mate-guarding could be a reproductive strategy that benefits both males and females, especially when males contribute to parental care. By actively guarding mates, males may reduce their chances of being cuckolded, whereas females that mate-guard may reduce the likelihood that their mates will desert them or acquire additional mates, and hence limit or reduce paternal care of offspring. Owl monkeys (Aotus spp.) are socially monogamous with biparental care of young and, hence, potential beneficiaries of mate-guarding. We presented mated pairs of captive owl monkeys (A. nancymaae) with unfamiliar male and female conspecifics, to determine if either member of the pair exhibits intraspecific aggression toward an intruder or stays close to its mate, behaviors indicative of mate-guarding. Male mates were more responsible for the maintenance of close proximity between mates than females. Male mates also exhibited elevated levels of behavior that signify arousal when presented with a male conspecific. These responses by mated male owl monkeys are consistent with patterns that may help prevent cuckoldry. Am. J. Primatol. 72:942,950, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||