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Jealous females? Female competition and reproductive suppression in a wild promiscuous primate

Authors :
Elise Huchard
Guy Cowlishaw
Alice Baniel
Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (UMR ISEM)
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE)
Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR226-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse (IAST)
Institute of Zoology
Zoological Society of London
École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)
Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR226
Source :
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2018, 285 (1886), pp.20181332. ⟨10.1098/rspb.2018.1332⟩, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Royal Society, The, 2018, 285 (1886), pp.20181332. ⟨10.1098/rspb.2018.1332⟩
Publication Year :
2018
Publisher :
The Royal Society, 2018.

Abstract

Female–female competition over paternal care has rarely been investigated in promiscuous mammals, where discreet forms of male care have recently been reported despite low paternity certainty. We investigated female competition over paternal care in a wild promiscuous primate, the chacma baboon ( Papio ursinus ), where pregnant and lactating females establish strong social bonds (friendships) with males that provide care to their offspring. We tested whether pregnant and lactating females interfere with the sexual activity of their male friend to prevent new conceptions that might lead to the subsequent dilution of his paternal care. We found that pregnant and lactating females were more aggressive towards oestrous females when they had recently conceived themselves, and when the oestrous female was mate-guarded by, and showed greater sexual activity with, their male friend. This aggression also reduced the likelihood of conception of the targeted female. These findings indicate that females can aggressively prevent further conceptions with their offspring's carer through reproductive suppression. Competition over access to paternal care may play an important and underestimated role in shaping female social relationships and reproductive strategies in promiscuous mammalian societies.

Details

ISSN :
14712954 and 09628452
Volume :
285
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....8442ef7ad7cc4985241387e249ccb4d6
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.1332