Chemical communication of reproductive status in female cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipusoedipus)
β Scribed by Kate Washabaugh; Charles T. Snowdon
- Book ID
- 101266583
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1998
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 131 KB
- Volume
- 45
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0275-2565
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
β¦ Synopsis
Among Callitrichids, scent secretions have been identified as carrying information regarding species, subspecies, gender, social status, individuality, hormonal status, and timing of ovulation. We propose that information regarding familiarity and reproductive status is also communicated. Seven male-female pairs of cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus oedipus) were presented with several drops of distilled water, a scent secretion from the female of that pair, scent secretions from unfamiliar, reproductively mature but noncycling females, and scent secretions from unfamiliar, reproductively cycling females. Behavioral responses from both males and females were recorded over a 10 min period. Differences in behavioral response for both males and females were significant across all four conditions. This indicates that cotton-top tamarins are capable of discriminating a familiar scent from an unfamiliar scent as well as the reproductive status of an unfamiliar female. The communication of this information may play an important role in regulating mate selection, reducing reproductive competition, and stabilizing transfers in and out of groups in the wild. Am.
π SIMILAR VOLUMES
Reproductive patterns of wild cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) females located in La Reserva Forestal Protectora SerranΓa de Coraza-Montes de MarΓa in ColosΓ³, Colombia, were examined using long-term behavioral observations and fecal steroid analysis. Using an enzyme immunoassay, we analyzed fec