Effect of stress-inducing factors on the behavior of monkeys. I. The behavior of monkeys under acute emotional stress

The behavior of Papio hamadryas pubertal males under the immobilizational stress conditions has been studied. It has been established that this very type of stress appeared to be a powerful irritant for the individuals of this species and age leading them into the depression state. The process of normalization of behavior after the 2-hour immobilization lasted for about 72 h. The main consequences of the stress were the violation of locomotion, the reception by individuals of unnatural postures, the trembling of limbs and the violation of coordination. The reaction of stress was greatly influenced by the position of individual in the hierarchic system. The dominant (alpha) and the most subdominant (z) males bore the stress easier. The intensification of food activity was marked within the male z. In certain period after the immobilization the tendency of the growth of friendly contacts between the individuals was found. The frequency of aggressive behavior after the stress lowered. The violation of manipulation activity was also marked. These regularities are of great importance for the reconstruction of group social behavior models of protohominid's societies.     

Hormonal activity of the hypophysis-gonadal system in male hamadryas baboons in relationship to their hierarchical position

Hierarchic status-dependent hormonal activity of pituitary-gonadal system was studied in an isolated group of hamadryas baboons. Testosterone level was higher in dominating males. The level of sex hormone was higher in aged animals with great muscle mass. No correlation was observed between hierarchic status of hamadryas baboon males and the blood level of luteinizing hormone.     

Effect of immobilization stress on the gonadotropic function of the hypophysis in male hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas)

The plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone were studied in intact and castrated male baboons exposed to 2- and 10-hour periods of immobilization. Presented data have shown that immobilization stress induced a marked decrease in LH concentration both in intact and castrated monkeys. Changes in LH concentration positively correlated with plasma levels of testosterone only during the experimental procedures. During three days after immobilization there was a sharp dissociation in the dynamics of testosterone levels remained low and LH returned to normal values. We can suggest that it is not absolute LH level that is responsible for the changes in testosterone secretion during the immobilization stress.     

Acclimatization of hamadryas baboons on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus: their territorial behavior

The territorial behaviour of hamadryas baboon troop was studied from November 1984 up to February 1986. The observations were carried out from the time of animals' awakening till their arrangement for a night sleep using the method of daily tracking with recording to behavioural action frequency for all visible animals with definite intervals. It has been established that the size of habitat ranges depends on food resources. The travels across the territory has a seasonal nature.     

Effect of ACTH on the corticosteroid and progesterone levels in female hamadryas baboons in relation to the menstrual cycle phase

The effect of exogenous ACTH on the endogenous function of the steroid-producing glands has been investigated in hamadryas baboon females depending on the level of sex hormones in the body. The content of corticosteroids and progesterone in peripheral blood plasma was measured by radioimmunoassay. It has been established that the time course of changes in the adrenal gland response to administration of a standard ACTH dose was of the same type in the different menstrual cycle phases. The inhibitory effect of ACTH on progesterone secretion in ovarian corpus luteum being active has been revealed.     

Hormonal correlates of ontogeny in baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis) and mangabeys (Cercocebus atys)

This study investigates the relationship between serum hormone levels and morphometrics during ontogeny in olive baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis) and sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys), to test hypotheses about the endocrine regulation of species size differences. First, we expect that levels of hormones and binding proteins predict size change during ontogeny in both species. Second, a high level of integration among the hormones and binding proteins analyzed is expected, with the implication that they act in combination to influence the development of body size and shape. Utilizing a mixed longitudinal sample, we compare change in 18 different measurements, which reflect overall size growth as well as growth in length and circumference, with levels of six growth-related hormones and binding proteins. We examine the relationship between hormone and binding protein levels and morphometrics, using multivariate analyses and "arithmetically-estimated" velocity curves of hormones, binding proteins, to characterize how the endocrine factors analyzed relate to growth. Results suggest that levels of these endocrine factors can be used to predict local and overall growth during ontogeny and that integration between multiple hormone axes is indicated. While important for growth in both species, ontogenetic changes in hormone and binding protein levels are more tightly correlated with changes in morphometric measurements in baboons than mangabeys. These results have important implications for understanding why some smaller-bodied species have higher absolute growth-related hormone levels than larger-bodied species.     

Allogrooming and social status: An assessment of the contributions of female behavior to the social organization of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas)

Three isosexual social groups, each containing ten subadult female hamadryas monkeys (Papio hamadryas) were studied for seven months to test three hypotheses dealing with the assumptions underlyingSeyfarth's (1977) model of allogrooming and social organization. Aggression, avoid and allogrooming behaviors were used as criteria for studying the social organization of the groups. UsingLandau's (1951) index and discriminant analyses, we found that each of the three isosexual female social units conformed to a model of social organization having a non-linear hierarchy and only two major strata: a dominant animal and subordinates who were largely undifferentiated. This aspect of social organization is similar to the normal one-male unit leader harem form of social organization that is typical of hamadryas. However, since no male was present, the role of unit leader was filled by a female. The length of allogrooming bouts and the amount of allogroom received was affected by the social status of the recipient, with high status individuals receiving more than low status individuals. Social peers were not observed competing for access to high status individuals and did not exchange most of their grooming among themselves. We found that the assumptions underlyingSeyfarth's (1977) model were not appropriate for the type of social organization typically found in hamadryas monkeys, thus suggesting the need for further modification of the model so that it fits available data.     

Ethological study of the social behavior of hybrid baboons betweenPapio anubis andP. hamadryas in free-ranging groups

The male-female and male-male interactions of hybrid baboons betweenPapio anubis andP. hamadryas were analyzed quantitatively in two free-ranging groups in the Awash Valley, Ethiopia. Morphologically, one group (the Kerrayu group) was closer to hamadryas, while the other (the Gorge group) was closer to anubis. The adult males were classified into four categories; i.e., leaders of one-male units, males in pair units (both in the Kerrayu group), males with a closer appearance to hamadryas, and males with an anubis-like appearance (both in the Gorge group). These categories coincided with the morphological gradient from hamadryas to anubis. Social behavior was described in terms of 53 kinds of behavioral elements identified. In both groups, the closer a male was to being hamadryas in morphology, the more frequent was the aggressive behavior it tended to address toward partner females. The patterns of male-female interactions were compared between one-male units and pair units in the Kerrayu group. In one-male units, females responded immediately with obedient behavior to the males' behavior of directing visual attention toward them. In pair units, females responded with affinitive or avoiding behavior to physical contact by males. The flow of male social behavior was resolved into transitions from one behavioral element to another, and the succession rates for all the observed transitions were independently computed within each male category. By comparing the principal pathways of the behavioral sequences between male categories, 31 “basic pathways” were identified, which were presumed to be common to bothP. anubis andP. hamadryas. The basic pathways were composed of four main behavioral categories, i.e.,Contact, Visual-spacing, Aggressive behavior toward females, andAppeasing behavior toward males. In one-male units, transitions fromVisual-spacing toAggressive behavior were clearly recognized, whereas the principal pathways in pair units lacked such transitions. The frequency distributions of behavioral elements among the above behavioral categories were compared among the four male categories. The more prevalent anubis characters were in morphology, the larger was the proportion thatContact behavior occupied in the total amount of social behavior. The more prevalent hamadryas characters were, the larger was the proportion thatVisual-spacing behavior occupied. The leaders of one-male units showed a higher percentage ofAggressive behavior than did males of the other three categories. A conspicuous difference was observed in the percentage ofAppeasing behavior between the Gorge and Kerrayu groups. It appeared that the high frequency ofAppeasing behavior among males in the Kerrayu group contributed to the spatial cohesion of this group. The similarities of morphology, principal pathways, and frequency distribution of behavior were calculated for every combination of the four male categories. The morphological similarities correlated best with the similarities of principal pathways. It is concluded that the sequential structure of the male social behavior was strongly correlated with the genetic background, while the frequency of social behavior itself was subject to factors other than innate behavioral tendencies, such as the characteristics of the social environment and social context.     

Testing the function of reconciliation and third-party affiliation for aggressors in hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas)

In social groups, agonistic conflicts can have different negative consequences. Several post-conflict interactions have been suggested as post-conflict management behaviors to mitigate those negative effects. In this study, we investigated the function of two post-conflict behaviors--reconciliation and aggressor-initiated third-party affiliation--on the aggressor's levels of post-conflict anxiety and aggression in a large colony of hamadryas baboons. We also examined variation in the aggressor's levels of post-conflict anxiety as a function of relationship quality between the opponents as predicted by the Integrated Hypothesis. We found that after conflicts hamadryas baboon aggressors showed increased rates of anxiety-related behaviors and that they were also more likely to be involved in renewed aggressive interactions. Although both reconciliation and aggressor-initiated third-party affiliation reduced the probability of receiving post-conflict aggression, only reconciliation reduced the rates of anxiety-related behaviors, suggesting that the aggressors' post-conflict anxiety might be owing mainly to the damage that the conflict causes to their relationship with the victim. Furthermore, aggressor's rates of post-conflict anxiety were higher after conflicts with individuals with whom they had a high-quality relationship, supporting the idea that levels of post-conflict anxiety mediate the occurrence of reconciliation depending on the quality of the relationship with former opponent as predicted by the Integrated Hypothesis.     

Functional activity of the adrenal system in relation to the hierarchical status of male hamadryas baboons in an isolated group

The correlation between hormonal activity of hypophysis-gonad system and hierarchical status of hamadryas baboon males in an isolated group was studied. It has been established that the level of testosterone was higher in males occupying the leading position in a separate subgroup. A high level of sexual hormone was observed in animals with greater muscular mass and age. No correlation between hierarchical status and luteinizing hormone blood content has been observed in baboon males.     

Sexual dimorphism in two subspecies of Ethiopian baboons (Papio hamadryas) and their hybrids

Sexual dimorphism in mammals has been related to such variables as absolute body size, ecology, and various aspects of social behaviour. Attempts to relate dimorphism to any of these variables have necessarily used small heterogeneous samples to represent the relevant species. We are concerned by the inevitable exclusion of any measure of variability in dimorphism and the consequent impossiblity of assessing the significance of observed interspecific differences. In this paper we describe aspects of sexual dimorphism in anubis,hamadryas, and hybrid baboons from Ethiopia. Samples are large enough to permit a measure of intrapopulation variability. Hamadryas baboons are more dimorphic than anubis in epigamic features, but not in postcanine dentition, nor, contrary to previous reports, in body weight or canine tooth size. Hybrid males are more hamadryas-like and hybrid females more anubis-like, as would be predicted by the proposed mechanism for the establishment of the hybrid zone, namely the capture of anubis females by hamadryas males.     

The relationship of accentuated lines in enamel to weaning stress in juvenile baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis)

Weaning conflict may represent an evolutionary conflict of interest between parent and offspring, an honest signal of need on the part of a weanling, or both. Accentuated lines visible in histological sections of teeth are indicators of stress during enamel formation and have been hypothesised to form in baboon teeth during weaning. We analysed growth increments in 5 tooth sections from 2 Ugandan baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis), using polarised light microscopy, to determine when stresses occurred during the weaning process. Dietary transitions were reconstructed using normalised strontium intensities (Sr/Ca) in enamel. Accentuated lines were cross-matched between teeth from the same animal and plotted by month. The highest frequency of stress was experienced at around 6 months in 1 baboon, coinciding with an inferred reduction in suckling frequency, and at 11 months in another, coinciding with the inferred cessation of suckling. Because accentuated lines appear to indicate weaning stress at dietary transitions, weaning conflict may represent an honest signal of need on the part of the weanling.     

Effects of chronic melengestrol acetate contraceptive treatment on perineal tumescence,body weight,and sociosexual behavior of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas)

Melengestrol acetate (MGA) subcutaneous implants were used in seven adult female Hamadryas baboons to study the effects of chronic progestin administration on perineal swelling, behavior, and weight gain. At the dose level used (≥8 mg/kg body weight), cycles of perineal tumescence ceased and swellings subsided. Social dynamics were not significantly altered during treatment, and only minor changes in agonistic interactions were noted following implant removal. Body weight increased by 17.3–47.6% during treatment despite decreased time spent foraging. This paradox may be explained by 1) foraging time not necessarily corresponding to total intake and 2) the nonsignificant trend toward lower levels of activity during treatment. Treatment with MGA can be recommended based on its ability to suppress ovarian cyclicity without causing social disruption. However, because this and other progestins stimulate weight gain, their use is contraindicated in overweight or obese animals. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Hormonal correlates of changes in interest in unrelated infants across the peripartum period in female baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis sp.)

In past research on human and nonhuman primates, maternal responsiveness and behavior has been thought of as an experiential, cognitive mechanism; however, recent findings have shown that maternal motivation and behavior may not be entirely divorced from the endocrine system. To investigate the relationship between interest in infants and the hormonal changes related to pregnancy, we examined the nature of social interactions across parturition between a large sample (n = 133) of adult female baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis sp.) and unrelated infants. Prepartum data were collected during ten 30-min focal observations for each subject. Each mother-infant pair was then observed through the infant's first 8 weeks of life. A total of 2325 h of observation was recorded. Urine was collected on 65 subjects, starting 5 weeks before the expected date of parturition and ending 4 weeks after parturition. Evidence for a connection between endocrine function and responsiveness toward infants was found. Affiliative behaviors during the prepartum period were positively correlated to the estrogen/cortisol ratio and high dominance rank. In the postpartum period, affiliative behaviors were positively correlated with prepartum progesterone and dominance rank, and negatively correlated with postpartum cortisol levels. Finally, a positive correlation was recorded during the postpartum period between prepartum progesterone and aggression, and a negative correlation between postpartum cortisol and aggression and submission. Our data suggest that the endocrine changes that may help regulate maternal care of offspring also influence the way in which pre- and postpartum female baboons interact with unrelated infants in their social group.     

Greeting movements among adult males in a colony of baboons:Papio hamadryas,P. cynocephalus and their hybrids

Seven greeting movements performed by four adult males belonging to a colony of baboons (Papio hamadryas, P. cynocephalus and their hybrids) were described. The hamadryas male has more number and more refined repertoire of movements than the yellow baboons, what would mean that the greeting movements possess a species-specific nature. This characteristic is expressed also by the existence of some inappropriate responses of the yellow baboons to the greeting of the hamadryas male. The differences in the greeting movements between both species would be explained as characteristic consequences of their social system organization. The hybrid male, having acquired a system organization similar to that of the hamadryas male, has acquired the same signal code, too, according to this system. The hybridization tendency would be adaptive in those colonies or troops with mixed species.     

One-male units and clans in a colony of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas): effect of male number and clan cohesion on feeding success

In the multilevel societies of hamadryas baboons, adult males can be attached to single one-male units (OMUs) or to clans containing several such OMUs. This paper examines the effect of male number and rivalry between males within a clan on their ability to compete for access to a clumped food resource. The data come from a study of a multilevel colony of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) housed at the Madrid Zoo. The colony consisted of 12 harem-holding males and 40 sexually mature females, and was organized into five single OMUs and two clans (containing three and four OMUs, respectively). The top-ranking male of one of the clans was removed and later reintroduced, so the study involved an analysis of the composition of clans and OMUs and of the males' use of the feeding area across three study periods: preseparation, separation, and reintroduction. The findings reported indicate that both males and females derived clear advantages in the context of contest competition for access to clumped food if they were members of clans, because the males and females from large clans had a feeding advantage over those from smaller clans and single OMUs. Furthermore, rivalry among males within the clan reduced their ability to compete for food against males outside their clan. This paper provides empirical evidence for one of the potential advantages that hamadryas males may enjoy if they are attached to clans, and also provides empirical support for the general hypothesis that a large number of males in a group may provide fitness-related benefits to the group members, provided they are able to cooperate with each other.