| Title: | Do females pay attention to secondary sexual coloration in vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops)? |
| Author(s): | Gerald MS; Ayala J; Ruiz-Lambides A; Waitt C; Weiss A; |
| Address: | "Cayo Santiago, Caribbean Primate Research Center, P.O. Box 906, Punta Santiago, PR 00741, USA. melissa.gerald@gmail.com" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00114-009-0619-5 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1432-1904 (Electronic) 0028-1042 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Several primate species show sexual dichromatism with males displaying conspicuous coloration of the pelage or skin. Studies of scrotal coloration in male vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) suggest that it is an important intrasexual signal, with relatively dark, colourful males dominating paler males. To date, no studies have examined the influence of male colour on intersexual social interactions in vervet monkeys. The primary goal of the present study was to evaluate whether female vervet monkeys attend to male coloration. We experimentally introduced females, housed with either 'pale' or 'dark' males, to stimulus males whose scrota were pale, dark, or pale but painted to look dark. Overall, during introductions, females did not differ in time spent directing affiliative behaviour toward pale, dark, and painted males; however, females, permanently housed with dark males, spent significantly more time directing affiliative behaviour toward pale than painted males. When the stimulus male was pale, affiliative exchanges between males and females were longer than when the stimulus male was painted. Home male colour was not related to female-initiated aggression. Home male colour was also not related to male-initiated aggression, although painted stimulus males were more likely to initiate aggression than pale stimulus males. These findings lead us to conclude that females pay attention to male coloration, but do not bias their interactions toward males solely on the basis of natural male coloration" |
| Keywords: | "Aggression Animals Attention Barbados Body Weight Chlorocebus aethiops/*physiology Female Hair Color/*physiology Male Mating Preference, Animal/*physiology Scrotum/anatomy & histology/*physiology Sex Attractants/*physiology Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physio;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineGerald, Melissa S Ayala, James Ruiz-Lambides, Angelina Waitt, Corri Weiss, Alexander eng CM-20-P40RR003640/CM/NCI NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Germany 2009/10/31 Naturwissenschaften. 2010 Jan; 97(1):89-96. doi: 10.1007/s00114-009-0619-5. Epub 2009 Oct 30" |
