Year: 2016
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Members of the lemur clade are known to exhibit a number of traits that are unusual in the context of living primates. Here, I investigate the basis of three of these traits: sexual size monomorphism, female dominance over males, and rapid rates of growth and attainment of adult body mass. My research focuses on multiple lemur species from the current and historic colony residing at the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, NC. Using long-term morphological data on 18 lemur species, I determine that rapid growth and early attainment of adult body mass do not constrain the development of sexual size dimorphism in lemurs. Next, I conduct behavioural observations and hair hormone analysis on ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta), revealing that receiving aggression leads to chronic stress in males and females and that female dominance and high rates female of aggression in females are potentially mediated by sex steroid hormone concentrations. Finally, using growth records and hair hormone analysis in Coquerelâ s sifakas (Propithecus coquereli), I identify a negative relationship between chronic stress and relative body mass in early life, and demonstrate a potential carryover effect of low body mass in early life on relative body mass in adulthood. Uncovering the proximate and ultimate causes of these unique lemur traits can advance our understanding of the factors underlying trait variation in primates and other mammals.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Erica Tennenhouse
Language: English
Topic: Primate Behavior and Ecology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3145039538