Hormonal correlates of development and natal dispersal in wild female owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) of Argentina.

ABSTRACT: Pair-living and socially monogamous primates typically do not reproduce before dispersing. It is currently unclear whether this reproductive suppression is due to endocrine or behavioral mechanisms. Cooperatively breeding taxa, like callitrichids, may forego reproduction in natal groups because they reap inclusive fitness benefits and/or they are avoiding inbreeding. However, neither of these benefits of delayed reproduction appear to adequately explain the lack of reproduction prior to leaving the natal group in pair-living monogamous species. In this study, we determined whether wild Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) in the Argentinean Chaco establish reproductive maturity prior to dispersing. We utilized 635 fecal extracts to characterize reproductive hormone profiles of 11 wild juveni

SUBMITTER: Corley M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5722690 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature