The relationship between female rank and reproductive parameters of the ringtailed lemur: a preliminary analysis |
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| Authors: | Yukio Takahata Naoki Koyama Shinichiro Ichino Naomi Miyamoto Masayuki Nakamichi Takayo Soma |
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| Institution: | (1) School of Policy Studies, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda 669-1337, Japan;(2) Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan;(3) Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan;(4) Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan;(5) Faculty of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan |
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| Abstract: | We used data from a 13-year field study of wild ringtailed lemurs to analyze the relationship between female rank and reproductive
parameters. In medium and small groups there were no significant differences in birth rate, infant mortality rate, and the
number of surviving infants between the female rank categories. On the other hand, in large sized groups low-ranked females
had a smaller number of surviving infants than middle-ranked females. This suggests that in large sized groups, within-group
competition lowered the values of reproductive parameters of low-ranked females. On the other hand, high and low-ranked females
of small sized groups tended to have a smaller number of surviving infants than high-ranked females of medium sized groups
and middle-ranked females of large sized groups. Between-group competition should lower the values of their reproductive parameters.
In sum, these results fit the expectation from Wrangham’s (1980) inter group feeding competition model. |
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| Keywords: | Lemur catta Female competition Rank Reproductive parameters Birth rate Infant mortality |
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