Male morphological traits are heritable but do not predict reproductive success in a sexually-dimorphic primate.

ABSTRACT: Sexual selection favours traits that increase reproductive success via increased competitive ability, attractiveness, or both. Male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) morphological traits are likely to reflect the effects of multiple sexual selection pressures. Here, we use a quantitative genetic approach to investigate the production and maintenance of variation in male rhesus macaque morphometric traits which may be subject to sexual selection. We collected measurements of body size, canine length, and fat, from 125 male and 21 female free-ranging rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago. We also collected testis volumes from males. We used a genetic pedigree to calculate trait heritability, to investigate potential trait trade-offs, and to estimate selection gradients. We found that variation in m

SUBMITTER: Kimock CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6930303 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature