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Extended postpregnancy estrous cycles in fernale lion‐tailed macaques
Author(s) -
Clarke A. S.,
Harvey N. C.,
Lindburg D. G.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
american journal of primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.988
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1098-2345
pISSN - 0275-2565
DOI - 10.1002/ajp.1350310404
Subject(s) - estrous cycle , proceptive phase , biology , reproductive cycle , reproduction , primate , sexual behavior , zoology , physiology , medicine , endocrinology , ecology , hormone , ovariectomized rat , developmental psychology , psychology
Past studies of female primate reproduction have focused on regularly cycling females, and thus the reproductive characteristics of females in other reproductive states (e.g., pregnant, or lactating) have rarely been investigated. In this study, data were collected on estrous swellings and sexual and proceptive behavior in six female lion‐tailed macaques during recovery from lactational amenorrhea for the first three to five postpregnancy cycles. For these females, the length of the first lactational recovery swelling cycle averaged 81 days, nearly three times the length of cycles exhibited by nonparturient, isosexually housed females Actual swelling durations were also nearly three times the length of those seen in nonlactating females, and occupied a larger proportion of the cycle For most females, cycle duration and sexual and proceptive behavior declined progressively over successive cycles. The alpha female in each group accounted for the majority of copulations in the first three cycles, and this effect was pronounced in the first cycle. Extended postpregnancy cycles in this species may be related to female reproductive competition and /or a tactic to attract extra‐group males. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.