Life history theory and dental development in four species of catarrhine primates

Dental development was reconstructed in several individuals representing four species of catarrhine primates--Symphalangus syndactylus, Hylobates lar, Semnopithecus entellus priam, and Papio hamadryas--using the techniques of dental histology. Bar charts assumed to represent species-typical dental development were constructed from these data and estimated ages at first and third molar emergence were plotted on them along with ages at weaning, menarche, and first reproduction from the literature. The estimated age at first molar emergence appears to occur at weaning in the siamang, lar gibbon, and langur, and just after weaning in the baboon. Age at menarche and first reproduction occur earlier relative to dental development in both cercopithecoids than in the hylobatids, suggesting that early reproduction may be a derived trait in cercopithecoids. The results are examined in the context of life history theory.     

Energetics of feeding,social behavior,and life history in non-human primates

Energy is a variable of key importance to a wide range of research in primate behavioral ecology, life history, and conservation. However, obtaining detailed data on variation in energetic condition, and its biological consequences, has been a considerable challenge. In the past 20 years, tremendous strides have been made towards non-invasive methods for monitoring the physiology of animals in their natural environment. These methods provide detailed, individualized data about energetic condition, as well as energy allocations to growth, reproduction, and somatic health. In doing so, they add much-needed resolution by which to move beyond correlative studies to research programs that can discriminate causes from effects and disaggregate multiple correlated features of the social and physical environment. In this review, I describe the conceptual and methodological approaches for studying primate energetics. I then discuss the core questions about primate feeding ecology, social behavior, and life history that can benefit from physiological studies, highlighting the ways in which recent research has done so. Among these are studies that test, and often refute, common assumptions about how feeding ecology shapes primate biology, and those that reveal proximate associations between energetics and reproductive strategies.     

Life history theory and human reproductive behavior

The purpose of this article is to develop a model of life history theory that incorporates environmental influences, contextual influences, and heritable variation. I argue that physically or psychologically stressful environments delay maturation and the onset of reproductive competence. The social context is also important, and here I concentrate on the opportunity for upward social mobility as a contextual influence that results in delaying reproduction and lowering fertility in the interest of increasing investment in children. I also review evidence that variation in life history strategies is influenced by genetic variation as well. Finally, I show that cultural shifts in the social control of sexual behavior have had differential effects on individuals predisposed to high- versus low-investment reproductive strategies.     

Life history traits, maternal behavior and infant development of blue-eyed black lemurs (Eulemur flavifrons)

An understanding of recruitment is important for estimating population growth and viability, and their implications for conservation. We present the first results regarding the life history, maternal behavior and infant development of the critically endangered blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur flavifrons) of Madagascar. The species breeds seasonally, with births occurring at the end of the dry season, between late August and October. Over two successive birth seasons in 2006 and 2007, we observed a total of 13 lactating females and 22 infants from six groups. We inferred age at first reproduction as 3 years, and calculated the birth rate as 1.0 infant per female per year with a mean inter-birth interval of 358 ± 24.81 days (319-410 days). Infants spent the first 3 weeks of life constantly with their mothers; locomotor independence and ingestion of solid food began at week 10, and the infants were weaned by week 25. After week 28, infants spent less than 20% of their time in contact with their mothers. Over the study period infant mortality was 22.7%, with predation and sickness observed as causes. Our results suggest that overall recruitment is relatively slow, which has implications for the species' survival, particularly given their restricted and threatened habitat.     

非人灵长类位置行为的辐射适应与研究进展

野生动物在长期进化中形成特定的行为模式以适应特定的生存环境。灵长类的位置行为研究对于理解灵长类进化、适应性的多样化以及生态学和解剖学十分关键。该文对已有文献进行了综述,针对位置行为的分类、季节性、以及具体地点和年龄性别差异性进行了总结,分析了灵长类位置行为的发展、特征以及研究现状,以期对今后非人灵长类位置行为的研究提供借鉴和参考,从而促进我国灵长类行为生态学理论体系的发展。     

巨型褶翅小蜂的生活史和产卵行为

巨型褶翅小蜂Leucospis gigas Fabricius是小蜂总科中体型最大的物种之一,对野生传粉蜜蜂中的一些种类为害很大。在西鄂尔多斯地区首次发现其寄生当地多种植物的重要传粉昆虫沙漠石蜂Megachile(Chalicodoma)desertorum Cockerell后,对其在当地的生活史、成蜂的活动规律、寄主范围以及产卵行为进行了研究。结果表明:巨型褶翅小蜂在西鄂尔多斯地区1年发生1代,当地没有雄性个体,营孤雌生殖。雌蜂寿命30d左右,每年的6月中旬为成蜂活动高峰期。在当地只发现其寄生沙漠石蜂的老熟幼虫,其产卵行为分为3个阶段,即寻找寄主巢室、选择产卵位点与产卵、拉出产卵针。     

Life history of yellow baboons: Physical development,reproductive parameters,and infant mortality

Longitudinal data from a population of yellow baboons,Papio cynocephalus, in the Amboseli National Park, Kenya, provide life history parameter estimates. Females reached menarche at approximately four-and-a-half years of age and then cycled for approximately a year before first conception. Postpartum anestrum averaged 12 months but ranged from six to 16 months. In cases of still births or infant death during postpartum amenorrhea, females commenced cycling after approximately one month. In mature females the time spent cycling before conception was five months on the average with a range from one to over 18 months. Only half of all full-term pregnancies resulted in infants who survived the first year of life; only a third, in infants who survived until the birth of their mother’s next infant. In comparison with data from laboratory colonies, our data indicate that female baboons in Amboseli are older at birth of first infant. They have, on the average, a somewhat shorter interbirth interval than was estimated from earlier crossectional field data, and therefore spend a larger portion of their adult life pregnant, but have a much longer interval—at least three years on the average—between the birth of an infant and the birth of that infant’s next older surviving sibling. A number of morphological changes in immature baboons are described.     

Life history,immature morphology and adult behavior ofTelenomus solitus [Hymenoptera: Scelionidae]

The results of laboratory studies on the life history, morphology of immature stages, effects of food and water on adult longevity, host age preference for oviposition, parthenogenesis, and adult behavior ofTelenomus solitus Johnson are presented.Telenomus solitus completed its development in 10.8 days (egg, 0.3 day; 1^st instar, 2.7 days; 2^nd instar, 3.7 days; and pupa, 4.1 days). The adults lived longest when provided with both honey and water. Without food, they survived less than 24 h. Parasitization of host eggs varied significantly with their age, being highest in 42 h old eggs. Fewer than 10% of eggs older than 60 h were parasitized successfully. The periodicity of oviposition was unimodal; it occurred throughout the 24 h period and peaked in the late photophase. Females ofT. solitus are arrhenotokous. The behavioral sequences during courtship, mating, and oviposition are described.      

Life history of amphibians and gravity.

Anurans hold a unique position in vertebrate phylogeny, as they made the major transition from water to land. Through evolution they have acquired fundamental mechanisms to adapt to terrestrial gravity. Such mechanisms are now shared among other terrestrial vertebrates derived from ancestral amphibians. Space research, using amphibians as a model animal, is significant based on the following aspects: (1) Anuran amphibians show drastic changes in their living niche during their metamorphosis. Environments for tadpoles and for terrestrial life of frogs are quite different in terms of gravity and its associated factors. (2) Certain tadpoles, such as Rhacophorus viridis amamiensis, have a transparent abdominal wall. Thus visceral organs and their motion can be observed in these animals in non-invasive manner through their transparent abdominal skin. This feature enables biologists to evaluate the physiological state of these amphibians and study the autonomic control of visceral organs. It is also feasible for space biologists to examine how such autonomic regulation could be altered by microgravity and exposure to the space environment.     

萧氏松茎象的生活史、产卵和取食习性

萧氏松茎象Hylobitelus xiaoi是严重蛀害国外松的新害虫。在江西赣南地区两年发生一代,以幼虫在蛀道、成虫在蛹室或土中越冬。卵和蛹的发育起点温度分别为8.4℃和7.5℃,有效积温分别为215.9和345.3日·度。各虫态历期：13～28℃间,卵为52.9～11.4天;13～30℃间,蛹为60.1～16.4天; 25℃恒温下,幼虫128.9天。成虫靠爬行活动,极少飞翔。成虫具夜出性活动节律：即傍晚上树行取食、交配和扩散等活动,早晨回到树干基部或土缝中。成虫需取食松枝作为补充营养,产卵前期46.3天,产卵期 105.3天,卵产于近表土的寄主树皮内,每雌产卵35.7粒。幼虫5～7龄,以幼树危害最烈。     

Life history of captive gray-cheeked mangabeys: Physical and sexual development

Ontogeny refers to every aspect of the development of an individual. In this respect growth and sexual maturation are useful life-history parameters that can be correlated with developmental features of social behavior. In this paper, I analyze body-weight growth and sexual maturation in captive gray-cheeked mangabeys (Cercocebus albigena). I also describe the development of external morphological characteristics, used as “physical markers.” Body-weight growth is analyzed in 15 males and 7 females. Individual weight velocity curves for animals of both sexes showed an, early peak around 2 years of age. Males had a later growth spurt, peaking between 4 and 6 years of age. Females showed no clear second growth acceleration (spurt), but they experienced an interruption of their weight growth deceleration between 3 and 5 years of age, which is generally coincident with puberty. In females there is a close relationship between weight and the occurrence of the first swelling of their sexual skin. These developmental parameters are compared to those described in baboons and macaques.