Sociality in the spectral tarsier,Tarsius spectrum

Gursky, Sharon

doi:10.1002/(sici)1098-2345(200005)51:1<89::aid-ajp7>3.0.co;2-7

Cited by 42 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Moreover, variability in behavior has undermined ideas about the nature of social systems such as the supposition that social organization determines social structure, while social structure influences mating systems (van Schaik and van Hooff 1983). Solitary strepsirrhines exhibit sociality and monogamous mating systems (Bearder 1999;Fietz 1999;Gursky 2000;Müller 1999), and in other species group composition and mating patterns can vary seasonally or between groups within populations (Cords 2002;Cords et al 1986;Pochron and Wright 2003). Researchers rarely focused on difficult to measure variables, e.g., food depletion time, energy exchange rates, reproductive success, in comparison to variables that are easier to measure, e.g., patch size (Janson and van Schaik 1988;Isbell and Young 2002;Kappeler and van Schaik 2002;Koenig 2002;Koenig and Borries 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rates of Agonism by Diurnal Lemuroids: Implications for Female Social Relationships

Erhart

Overdorff

2008

Int J Primatol

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Sterck and colleagues (Behaviour 134:749-774, 1997) focused attention on the evolutionary ecology of female social relationships within and between groups and proposed a model that distinguishes 4 categories of female relationships, which correspond to particular types of intra-and intergroup competition. They emphasized literature on haplorhines in their model because of numerous, detailed studies conducted on a range of species in the wild; in contrast, strepsirrhines such as the lemuroids are poorly represented. We evaluate more closely their classification of lemuroids as Dispersal-Egalitarian using a greater number of species of Lemur, Eulemur, Varecia, Hapalemur, Indri, and Propithecus. For the focal species we found that female philopatry occurs rarely, agonistic rates are relatively low, female dominance hierarchies are not stable and do not exist year-round, and intra-and intergroup female-female competition is infrequent. Therefore, our results support the suggestion that a majority of lemuroid taxa we surveyed correspond to the Dispersal-Egalitarian category with 2 probable exceptions: Lemur catta and Propithecus edwardsi. Because female Lemur catta are philopatric, have year-round dominance hierarchies with female matrilines, exhibit the highest rates of agonism in studied lemuroids, and have frequent intra-and intergroup female-female competition, it would seem that they more closely correspond to the category Resident-Nepotistic. However, maternal Lemur catta rarely support their offspring in agonistic contests and matrilineal rank is not inherited, which leads us to state that the species does not fit into any existing category that explains the nature of female social relationships. The relationships of female Propithecus edwardsi are also a challenge to categorize under the current model because some of their characteristicstypical female dispersal and low agonistic rates-fall into the Dispersal-Egalitarian category, yet other behaviors -intense targeted aggression and stable and year-round female dominance hierarchies-do not.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rates of Agonism by Diurnal Lemuroids: Implications for Female Social Relationships

Erhart

Overdorff

2008

Int J Primatol

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“…The results expand knowledge on the ranging pattern of avahis and shed more light on possible correlates of pair-living. (2003); Ganzhorn et al (1985); Gursky (2000Gursky ( , 2005; Harcourt (1991) The mean values of daily path length and home range of our subjects (100% MCP and 95% kernel; Table 1) are higher than the values of home range and daily path length in previous studies on Avahi laniger (Table 3). The differences may be related to the short period of observation in previous studies (2 mo do not fall into the asymptotic part of the MCP curve; Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the nocturnal primate Tarsius spectrum, male-female association -observed especially at the sleeping sites and when females are lactating-seems to be related to a reduction of predation pressure (male-defense-against-predator hypothesis) and of the risk of infanticide (infanticide prevention hypothesis; Gursky 2000Gursky , 2005.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ranging Behavior and Possible Correlates of Pair-Living in Southeastern Avahis (Madagascar)

Norscia

Borgognini-Tarli

2008

Int J Primatol

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Researchers have proposed several hypotheses to explain pair-living in primates. In particular, when males are not involved in direct parental care, pairliving may be related to female dispersal, infanticide prevention, or male mate/ resource defense. We aimed to evaluate, through a better understanding of the ranging patterns of avahis, which hypotheses may best account for pair-living in these nocturnal lemurs. We collected focal observations over 26 nights, JuneSeptember 2004, in a littoral forest (Sainte Luce, southeastern Madagascar) on 4 adult radiocollared avahis [Avahi laniger (Tattersall, I. (1982). The Primates of Madagascar. Columbia University Press, New York.) or Avahi meridionalis (Zaramody in Primate Reports 74:9-22, 2006)]. We followed 2 males and 2 females from 2 groups: B, a male-female couple, and A, comprising the parental pair and 1-yr-old female offspring. The adult females birthed in August. We recorded resting and feeding tree points (via global positioning system) for home range calculation through minimum convex polygon and kernel methods. We provide the first quantitative information on the ranging behavior of 2 male and 2 female avahis. Home range/daily path length values (means) are higher than the ones previously reported for the same and other folivorous pair-living lemur species. On average, the 2 females spent more time feeding and traveled shorter distances than the 2 males did. Male-female cohesion (mean values), possibly enhanced by offspring presence, was higher in A and after births than in B and before births, respectively. Although male avahis may be forced into pair-living owing to energy constraints related to size, locomotion, and diet, females might accept pair-living in exchange for indirect territory defense and mate guarding.

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“…Spectral tarsier infants are transported in the mother's mouth and then parked on branches while the mother forages nearby (Gursky 1997). Spectral tarsiers are highly insectivorous, eating a wide variety of insects, but with a preference for Orthopterans and Lepidopterans (Gursky 2000). Spectral tarsiers at Tangkoko Nature Reserve are extremely territorial.…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Infanticide by a male spectral tarsier (Tarsius spectrum)

Gursky

2011

Primates

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As part of a long-term field study on the behavioral ecology and conservation of a population of spectral tarsiers (Tarsius spectrum) in Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia, I observed the first known instance of infanticide in this species. A young infant was killed by a neighboring male. Neither the epiphenomenal aggression hypothesis, social pathology hypothesis, nutritive benefits of cannibalism hypothesis, nor sexual selection hypothesis are supported by this observation. The only hypothesis that could not be rejected outright, on the basis of this single observation, was the competition for limited resources hypothesis.

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Sociality in the spectral tarsier,Tarsius spectrum

Cited by 42 publications

References 18 publications

Rates of Agonism by Diurnal Lemuroids: Implications for Female Social Relationships

Rates of Agonism by Diurnal Lemuroids: Implications for Female Social Relationships

Ranging Behavior and Possible Correlates of Pair-Living in Southeastern Avahis (Madagascar)

Infanticide by a male spectral tarsier (Tarsius spectrum)

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