Determinants of postnatal weight in infant rhesus monkeys: Implications for the study of interindividual differences in neonatal growth

Johnson, Rodney L.; Kapsalis, Ellen

doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330980307

Cited by 14 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In this study, lactating females had larger subscapular skinfolds than did non-lactating ones suggesting that fatter, better condition females are those who could afford the demands of lactation and reproduce more rapidly (Johnson and Kapsalis, 1995;Campbell and Gerald, 2004). However, we were unable to document any differences in body fat between lactating and non-lactating females.…”

Section: Energetics and Reproductive Effortcontrasting

confidence: 72%

Energetic consequences of seasonal breeding in female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)

Garcia¹,

Huffman

Shimizu

et al. 2011

American J Phys Anthropol

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Japanese macaques inhabit a relatively cold environment and females of this species could have developed strategies of energy economy to face the sometimes-harsh seasonal conditions of temperate climates, as well as reproductive costs, and thus regulate their energy balance. Here, we explore the relationship between nutritional status, body composition, seasonality, and reproductive status using isotope-labeled water, anthropometric measurements, and leptin assays from 14 captive female Japanese macaques. Our results indicated that body mass provided the best predictor of fat-free mass and fat mass. These females varied in estimated percent body fat between 8 and 25% (18% on average at the beginning of the mating season and 13% during the birth season). Higher body mass and body fat content were observed at the beginning of the mating season, which supports the hypothesis that individual females need to attain a sufficient physical condition to cover energy costs associated with mating activity, and to survive under severe ecological conditions in winter with high thermoregulatory costs. We found a relationship between conception rates and energetic condition or body fat, with females that conceived during one mating season being fatter after the end of their previous mating season. Together, these results suggest that, even in captive settings with constant food availability, seasonal breeding entails relatively high energy costs, and that females with higher energy status could invest more in reproductive activities and could afford to reproduce more rapidly.

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Section: Energetics and Reproductive Effortcontrasting

confidence: 72%

Energetic consequences of seasonal breeding in female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)

Garcia¹,

Huffman

Shimizu

et al. 2011

American J Phys Anthropol

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show abstract

“…In this sample, lactating females in early lactation tended to have larger total skinfolds than did nonlactating ones. Fatter, higher condition females are those who can afford the demands of lactation and reproduce more rapidly [Campbell & Gerald, 2004;Johnson & Kapsalis, 1995]. Moreover, the stage of lactation influenced female body condition with females in early lactation having smaller abdominal skinfolds than females in mid-or late lactation, supporting Altmann's [1980] prediction that lactating female baboons lose weight and condition.…”

Section: Relationship Between Maternal Condition and Reproductive Statusmentioning

confidence: 62%

Seasonal and reproductive variation in body condition in captive female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)

Garcia

Huffman

Shimizu

2009

American J Primatol

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The geographic distribution of Japanese macaques includes populations with the most northern range of any primate species. Not surprisingly, females of this species are characterized by physiological adaptations and unique fat deposition mechanisms that facilitate their survival through the sometimes-harsh seasonal conditions of temperate climates, as well as sustaining the metabolic costs of mating, pregnancy, and lactation. Here, we explore the relationship between nutritional status, seasonality, and reproductive status using anthropometric and leptin measures from 14 captive female Japanese macaques. No seasonal patterns were found in the levels of leptin, but there were differences between seasons in anthropometric measures, specifically between the beginning and the end of the mating season. Females gained weight and accumulated energy reserves in fall to prepare for mating activity, and to survive the severe conditions of winter, which is also the period of gestation if pregnancy occurs. Lactating females had larger total skinfolds relative to nonlactating individuals, and females with older babies at the beginning of the mating season had larger abdominal skinfolds than did those with younger babies. There was a relationship between the likelihood of conception and nutritional status, with females that conceived during one mating season being in better condition at the end of their previous mating season. Together, these results suggest that, even in captive settings, seasonal breeding has a cost on the energetic demands of mating, and that higher condition (i.e. fatter) females could afford the demands of lactation and reproduced more rapidly.

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“…It should be noted that the developmental changes in suckling intensity depicted in Figure 1 (e.g., the elevated bout rates during postpartum months 2 and 3) are not indicative of short-term developmental changes in the rate of neonatal growth or the production of milk on the part of rhesus mothers. Although a macaque infant's access to its mother's nipples declines precipitously during its first few months of life, the rate of weight gain (grams per day) by rhesus monkey infants is relatively stable during at least their first 6 months of life (Johnson and Kapsalis, 1995) and perhaps even their entire first year (Smith and Small, 1982). Furthermore, among provisioned Japanese macaques, the rate of milk transfer from mother to infant also remains relatively constant during the first 5-6 months postpartum (Tanaka, 1992), apparently because the total time spent engaged in nutritive suckling is conserved.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the quantification of suckling intensity in primates

Johnson¹,

Malik²,

Berman

1998

Am. J. Phys. Anthropol.

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The inhibitory effect that suckling has on the reproductive function of primate mothers varies as a function of the intensity with which they are suckled. Here we present an easily computed index of one parameter of suckling intensity, namely the temporal patterning of suckling bouts. High intensity suckling is characterized by frequent nursing bouts demarcated by short interbout intervals. Therefore, our suckling index is based on the brevity of observed interbout intervals, more specifically the proportion of such intervals that fail to exceed a criterion length. The index is an appropriate means of making interspecific comparisons of the development of infant suckling and is well suited for application to field data that include interbout intervals that were not observed in their entirety. To demonstrate its utility, we apply the index to field data collected on the suckling behavior of free-ranging rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) infants in India. In this context, we demonstrate that, in rhesus, between-infant differences in suckling intensity manifest themselves early in the postpartum period and contribute to between-female differences in the timing of first mating postpartum.

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Determinants of postnatal weight in infant rhesus monkeys: Implications for the study of interindividual differences in neonatal growth

Cited by 14 publications

References 32 publications

Energetic consequences of seasonal breeding in female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)

Energetic consequences of seasonal breeding in female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)

Seasonal and reproductive variation in body condition in captive female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)

On the quantification of suckling intensity in primates

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