Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
2005-9-20
pubmed:abstractText
In many primate species, conspicuous behavioral and/or morphological changes are indicators of the fertile phase of the female cycle. However, several primate species, such as the white-faced capuchin, lack these cues. This is referred to as "concealed ovulation," and is argued to be a reproductive strategy that confuses paternity and lowers the risk of infanticide. We studied 10 adult female white-faced capuchins in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica, from January to June 2002. We determined their ovarian cycling patterns by analyzing fecal ovarian hormones, and compared simultaneously collected behavioral data to determine which, if any, cues females use to signal their fertile phases. We found that four females cycled during the study period but ceased to cycle without becoming pregnant. We considered several explanations for the lack of conception during our study, including reproductive seasonality. We found that female C. capucinus showed only small increases in rates of affiliative/proceptive behaviors directed toward adult males during their periovulatory phases. The best indicator of cycle phase was a significant increase in male affiliative behaviors (e.g., following and grooming bouts) and sexual behaviors (e.g., copulations and courtship displays) directed toward females during the periovulatory phase compared to the nonovulatory phase. Our finding that females exhibit little proceptive behavior, but that copulations and male courtship are nonetheless concentrated in periovulatory phases suggests that even though females do not provide behavioral and morphological cues to ovulation, males are still able to detect it. Infanticide occurs with some frequency in these monkeys, and there is evidence for postconceptive mating as a female strategy to lower risk of infanticide via paternity confusion. However, despite this occurrence of nonconceptive mating and the absence of female cues to ovulation, truly concealed ovulation does not appear to be characteristic of this study population of white-faced capuchins.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Sep
pubmed:issn
0275-2565
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
67
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
51-68
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2005
pubmed:articleTitle
Behavioral indicators of ovarian phase in white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. sdcarneg@ucalgary.ca
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural