Sexual Selection and the differences between the sexes inMandrills (Mandrillus sphinx)

Abstract

Sexual selection has become a major focus in evolutionary and behavioral ecology. It is also a popular research topic in primatology. I use studies of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), a classic example of extravagant armaments and ornaments in animals, to exemplify how a long-term, multidisciplinary approach that integrates field observations with laboratory methods can contribute to on-going theoretical debates in the field of sexual selection. I begin with a brief summary of the main concepts of sexual selection theory and the differences between the sexes. I then introduce mandrills and the study population and review mandrill life history, the ontogeny of sex differences, and maternal effects. Next, I focus on male-male competition and female choice, followed by the less well-studied questions of female-female competition and male choice. This review shows how different reproductive priorities lead to very different life histories and divergent adaptations in males and females. It demonstrates how broadening traditional perspectives on sexual selection beyond the ostentatious results of intense sexual selection on males leads to an understanding of more subtle and cryptic forms of competition and choice in both sexes and opens many productive avenues in the study of primate reproductive strategies. These include the potential for studies of postcopulatory selection, female intrasexual competition, and male choice. These studies of mandrills provide comparison and, I hope, inspiration for studies of both other polygynandrous species and species with mating systems less traditionally associated with sexual selection. Am J Phys Anthropol 159:S105-S129,

The multidimensionality of female mandrill sociality—A dynamic multiplex network approach

“…Furthermore, the small sample size and observation time per individual reduced the power of the analyses and limit our capacity to interpret and generalise our findings. The captive setting of the study group and our focus on females also limit our capacity to generalise the obtained results to wild groups; however, mandrills are very difficult to follow in the wild [63] and captive studies provide a rare opportunity to investigate their social behaviour.…”

Chemical composition of glandular secretions from a pair‐living monogamous primate: Sex, age, and gland differences in captive and wild owl monkeys (Aotus spp.)

“…There is also substantial evidence that conspecifics can detect differences in these odors, and such odors may elicit behavioral or physiological changes in the odor recipient (Drea, ). More importantly, odor has been linked to variables (i.e., rank) important for mate choice in mandrills (Setchell, ), and are used in direct intra‐sexual competition through stink‐fights in ring‐tailed lemurs (Jolly, ) and reproductive suppression in some callitrichines (Ziegler, ). As a first step to identify potential chemosignals in a strictly socially monogamous pair‐living platyrrhine, we investigate the chemical components of glandular secretions in owl monkeys ( Aotus spp.…”

Age negatively impacts reproduction in high-ranking male rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico

“…A few studies have found evidence of changes in sexual behaviors with age in male nonhuman primates, but there is limited evidence of a decrease in fertility (reviewed in 22 ). The ability to study reproductive senescence in free-ranging primates is limited by the confounding factor that many older males lose their high-ranking status prior to a decrease in their reproductive success 5,23,24 . For example, male baboons experience a decline in reproductive output as they age, but this decline coincides with a loss in dominance rank 5 .…”