Archived Abstracts
Male dominance and reproductive success in wild white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) at Lomas Barbudal, Costa Rica
Authors: L. Muniz, S. Perry, J. Manson, H. Gilkenson, J. Gros-Louis and L. Vigilant
A growing body of research using genetic measures of paternity has shown that, in wild primates living in multi-male social groups, dominant males generally father more offspring than subordinates. However, this status-related reproductive advantage ranges from small to substantial, and it is not yet clear what factors account for this variation. We used DNA extracted from fecal samples to establish the paternity of 120 infants born into three groups of wild white-faced capuchin monkeys at Lomas Barbdual Biological Reserve, Costa Rica, over periods of 13-20 years. Alpha males fathered about two-thirds of all offspring. The major factor that prevented alpha males from completely monopolizing reproduction was that they often continued to hold alpha rank after their co-resident daughters had reached sexual maturity, and father-daughter inbreeding was almost entirely avoided. Furthermore, alpha males were less likely to father offspring when more adult male rivals were present in the same social group, and when more adult females were present in the same social group. Because subordinate males almost never openly challenge alpha males or form aggressive coalitions against them, the former result suggests either that alpha males are less able to monitor the clandestine mating activities of larger numbers of subordinates, or that female preference for a subordinate male is more likely when females have a larger number of subordinates from which to choose.
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