publication . Article . 2008

Mutual tolerance or reproductive competition? Patterns of reproductive skew among male redfronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus)

Name: Mutual tolerance or reproductive competition? Patterns of reproductive skew among male redfronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus)
Keywords: Animal Science and Zoology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Sexual selection; Reproductive skew; Primates; Paternity; Eulemur fulvus, 570, Life Sciences; Zoology ; Behavioural Sciences

Markus Port; Peter M. Kappeler;

Open Access

Published: 17 Apr 2008 Journal: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, volume 62, pages 1,477-1,488 (issn: 0340-5443, eissn: 1432-0762,

Publisher: Springer Nature

Country: Germany

Summary

Abstract

The social organization of gregarious lemurs significantly deviates from predictions of the socioecological model, as they form small groups in which the number of males approximately equals the number of females. This study uses models of reproductive skew theory as a new approach to explain this unusual group composition, in particular the high number of males, in a representative of these lemurs, the redfronted lemur (Eulemur fulvus rufus). We tested two central predictions of “concession” models of reproductive skew theory, which assume that subordinates may be allowed limited reproduction by dominant group members as an incentive to remain in the group, the...

doi: 10.1007/s00265-008-0577-5

Subjects

free text keywords: Animal Science and Zoology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Sexual selection; Reproductive skew; Primates; Paternity; Eulemur fulvus, 570, Life Sciences; Zoology ; Behavioural Sciences, Eulemur fulvus rufus, Lemur, biology.animal, biology, Animal ecology, Ecology, Sexual selection, Population study, Group composition, Zoology, Offspring, Skew

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