An opportunity for testing multiple paternity in a wild Jaguar (Panthera onca)

Abstract

We performed a paternity test for three cubs from one wild female jaguar (Panthera onca). The opportunity for this study was generated by an accident involving a vehicle collision with a pregnant jaguar in the central Amazon. The cubs are polyzygotic triplets and were found to have been sired by the same male. Here, we also provide an overview and discuss several aspects of jaguar reproduction.

Unveiling demographic and mating strategies ofPanthera oncain the Pantanal, Brazil

“…This strategy could also increase the genetic diversity of the offspring, considering that 34.3% of the litters registered in the study area were multiples (twins or triplets). Several previous studies do not support this hypothesis ( Soares et al 2006 ; Pinho et al 2014 ), but it is known that multiple paternities in the same litter occur in lions ( Lyke et al 2013 ) and it is possible that it occurs in jaguars, which could be evaluated through genetic studies. With regard to conceptive matings, although promiscuity brings potential benefits to females (e.g., increased fitness of young, protection of the litters), they may also be mating with males of inferior genotypic and phenotypic characteristics to those suggested by mate choice theory ( Bellemain et al 2006 ).…”

“…Most studies about this species are focused on habitat use, home ranges, activity patterns, and density estimates ( Harmsen et al 2011 ; Morato et al 2018 ). Information on behavioral and reproductive aspects is scarce and generally based on captive animals ( Morato et al 2004 ; Jorge-Neto et al 2018 ) or in specific cases with a maximum of four free-living individuals ( Soares et al 2006 ; Carrillo et al 2009 ; Pinho et al 2014 ). Jaguars are considered polyestric with no reproductive season ( Leuchtenberger et al 2009 ).…”

Cryptorchidism in free-living jaguar (Panthera onca): first case report

“…Therefore, it is hypothesized that physical interaction may not have resulted in pregnancy. As free-living jaguars’ copulatory behavior – multiple male matting – remains controversial ( Cavalcanti and Gese, 2009 ; Pinho et al, 2014 ; Soares et al, 2006 ), it is not possible, at this moment, to predict the impact that a cryptorchid male with low sperm viability can cause to the local population of the species.…”

Report of a serendipitous encounter with a melanistic Jaguar in Darién (3 May 2019)

“…They usually sleep during the day in shady areas, on stream banks or on horizontal tree branches (Reid, 2009). Owing to their cryptic habits, jaguars remain less studied than most other large cats (Brodie, 2009), many ecological, reproductive and ethological aspects of this species are poorly understood (Pinho et al, 2014;Harmsen et al, 2017;Miranda et al, 2018); in addition, there are relatively few sightings documented in the literature, despite its wide distribution (Hoogesteijn et al, 2016). At least in Panama, apparently there are no published reports on encounters with jaguars (although there are many anecdotal stories about encounters in rural communities).…”