Patterns of male scent-marking inPropithecus edwardsi of Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar

Abstract

Scent-marking behavior has been well documented in many primate species. Three common functions attributed to scent-marking in males of multi-male/multi-female lemur species include: 1) advertisement of individual identity, 2) territorial defense, and 3) reproductive suppression. We examined the average number of scent-marks per hour exhibited daily by adult male sifakas (Propithecus edwardsi) and found that patterns of scent-marking changed with season, natal status, and dominance status. Males in single-male groups scent-marked at the highest rate, followed by dominant males, males of equal status, and subordinate males. Non-natal males generally scent-marked at higher rates than natal males, and adult males living in a natal group without a parent marked at higher rates than males living with a parent. All males scent-marked at higher rates in the migration season compared to the other seasons. These patterns were consistent with territorial defense and advertisement to females, and the suggestion that these chemical signals impart information concerning status. Since scent-marking behavior tracked seasons and varied with both dominance and natal status, it may serve multiple functions in males.

A Preliminary Assessment of Sifaka (Propithecus) Distribution, Chromatic Variation and Conservation in Western Central Madagascar

“…In this study, we used only aggressive behaviors to measure the dominance hierarchy. Since the rate of aggression in this species is low, however, there could be other behaviors, more complex and difficult to identify, that indicate dominance; two possibilities would be scent-marking and submission (Kraus et al 1999;Lewis 2006;Pochron et al 2005). Our analysis of the contexts in which aggressions were initiated by female crowned sifakas, with most observed aggressions happening outside the feeding phases, confirms that female dominance in lemurs is not related only to priority access to resources (Kappeler 1990).…”

On the Relationship between Scent-Marking and Territoriality in Callitrichid Primates

“…Researchers have shown a link between scent-marking and aggression in strepsirrhines (Lewis 2005;Palagi and Norscia 2009;Pochron et al 2005;Scordato and Drea 2007) and monkeys (Hirano et al 2008;Setchell et al 2010). Some of these examples come from nocturnal species or those existing in tropical forest habitats where visibility is poor (Delbarco-Trillo et al 2011;Lazaro-Perea 2001;Lazaro-Perea et al 1999;Setchell et al 2010;Wolovich and Evans 2007) and the olfactory (or auditory) channel of communication may be relatively advantageous (Setchell et al 2010).…”

Females do it better. Individual recognition experiments reveal sexual dimorphism in Lemur catta (Linnaeus 1758) olfactory motivation and territorial defence

“…Eulemur mongoz (Curtis and Zaramody, 1999), L. catta (Jolly, 1966;Mertl-Millhollen, 1986;Mertl-Millhollen, 2006;Kappeler, 1998), Propithecus spp. (Lewis, 2005;Pochron et al, 2005a;Pochron et al, 2005b)]. Generally, an odour belonging to a novel unfamiliar individual (a potential competitor) elicits more intense olfactory responses compared with a scent belonging to a group mate (Ramsay and Giller, 1996;Palagi et al, 2005).…”