Facial and genital color ornamentation, testosterone, and reproductive output in high-ranking male rhesus macaques
Abstract Males in many vertebrate species have colorful ornaments that evolved by sexual selection. The role of androgens in the genesis and maintenance of these signals is unclear. We studied 21 adult high-ranking male rhesus macaques from nine social groups in the free-ranging population on Cayo S...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52400-0 |
| _version_ | 1797274607086993408 |
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| author | Gisela Sobral Constance Dubuc Sandra Winters Angelina Ruiz‑Lambides Melissa Emery Thompson Dario Maestripieri Krista M. Milich |
| author_facet | Gisela Sobral Constance Dubuc Sandra Winters Angelina Ruiz‑Lambides Melissa Emery Thompson Dario Maestripieri Krista M. Milich |
| author_sort | Gisela Sobral |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Males in many vertebrate species have colorful ornaments that evolved by sexual selection. The role of androgens in the genesis and maintenance of these signals is unclear. We studied 21 adult high-ranking male rhesus macaques from nine social groups in the free-ranging population on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, and analyzed facial and genital skin luminance and redness, fecal androgens, rates of mating behaviors, and offspring sired. Facial and genital coloration varied in relation to age, mating behavior, reproductive success, and testosterone concentration. Our results indicate that skin coloration in high-ranking male rhesus macaques is a sexually-selected trait mediated by androgens. These results add to the growing literature on the proximate and ultimate causes of male sexual signals and highlight the need to examine how these characteristics change with age in other species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:00:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c993583bf696423db94c9875356cbb46 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:00:47Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-c993583bf696423db94c9875356cbb462024-03-05T19:09:14ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-01-0114111010.1038/s41598-024-52400-0Facial and genital color ornamentation, testosterone, and reproductive output in high-ranking male rhesus macaquesGisela Sobral0Constance Dubuc1Sandra Winters2Angelina Ruiz‑Lambides3Melissa Emery Thompson4Dario Maestripieri5Krista M. Milich6Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. LouisDepartment of Anthropology, New York UniversityDepartment of Anthropology, New York UniversityCaribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto RicoDepartment of Anthropology, University of New MexicoInstitute for Mind and Biology, University of ChicagoDepartment of Anthropology, Washington University in St. LouisAbstract Males in many vertebrate species have colorful ornaments that evolved by sexual selection. The role of androgens in the genesis and maintenance of these signals is unclear. We studied 21 adult high-ranking male rhesus macaques from nine social groups in the free-ranging population on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, and analyzed facial and genital skin luminance and redness, fecal androgens, rates of mating behaviors, and offspring sired. Facial and genital coloration varied in relation to age, mating behavior, reproductive success, and testosterone concentration. Our results indicate that skin coloration in high-ranking male rhesus macaques is a sexually-selected trait mediated by androgens. These results add to the growing literature on the proximate and ultimate causes of male sexual signals and highlight the need to examine how these characteristics change with age in other species.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52400-0 |
| spellingShingle | Gisela Sobral Constance Dubuc Sandra Winters Angelina Ruiz‑Lambides Melissa Emery Thompson Dario Maestripieri Krista M. Milich Facial and genital color ornamentation, testosterone, and reproductive output in high-ranking male rhesus macaques Scientific Reports |
| title | Facial and genital color ornamentation, testosterone, and reproductive output in high-ranking male rhesus macaques |
| title_full | Facial and genital color ornamentation, testosterone, and reproductive output in high-ranking male rhesus macaques |
| title_fullStr | Facial and genital color ornamentation, testosterone, and reproductive output in high-ranking male rhesus macaques |
| title_full_unstemmed | Facial and genital color ornamentation, testosterone, and reproductive output in high-ranking male rhesus macaques |
| title_short | Facial and genital color ornamentation, testosterone, and reproductive output in high-ranking male rhesus macaques |
| title_sort | facial and genital color ornamentation testosterone and reproductive output in high ranking male rhesus macaques |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52400-0 |
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