Growth, development, and parental care in the western tarsier (Tarsius bancanus) in captivity: Evidence for a “slow” life-history and nonmonogamous mating system

Roberts, Miles

doi:10.1007/bf02735232

Cited by 45 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The di¡erence in mean relative lactation length among groups is highly signi¢cant (F 2,44 51.28, p50.001). Data are from Harvey & Clutton-Brock (1985) and Roberts (1994). For each category of infant care, the proportions of species with (i) postpartum oestrus and (ii) reports of male infanticide were determined in an extensive literature search (total n 88; van Schaik et al 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Infanticide risk and the evolution of male–female association in primates

Schaik

Kappeler

1997

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

307

149

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SU M M A RYYear-round association between adult males and females is common in primates, even though internal gestation and lactation predispose males to mate-desertion in the majority of mammals. Because there is little a priori support for alternative explanations, we hypothesized that permanent male^female association in primates serves to reduce the risk of infanticide by strange males whenever females and infants are closely associated. For a phylogenetic test of this hypothesis, we reconstructed the evolution of male^female and female^infant association among primates. The results of Maddison's concentrated changes test con¢rmed the prediction that mother^infant association, as opposed to infant parking, and female^male association did not evolve independently. Changes in litter size and activity, in contrast, were not signi¢-cantly associated with evolutionary changes in male^female association. Thus, we demonstrate a fundamental link between primate life history and social behaviour, explain the most basic type of variation in primate social organization, and propose an additional determinant of social organization that may also operate in other mammals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Infanticide risk and the evolution of male–female association in primates

Schaik

Kappeler

1997

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

307

149

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“…Instead, these studies have suggested that the infant's postnatal growth rate is correlated with the development of allocaretaking behavior in anthropoid primates. A preliminary examination of the growth rate in spectral tarsiers indicates that, like other tarsiers [36,41,63,64], they have a relatively rapid postnatal growth rate. The mean infant growth rate for 2 male spectral tarsier infants was approximately 0.43 g per day from birth through 9 weeks [36].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By providing care for a younger sibling, subadult females may learn how to care for their own infants [2,4,[16][17][18]29]. Subadult females may also provide infant care in exchange for the opportunity to remain in the parental territory [2,63]. Whereas the subadult males studied dispersed at approximately 1 year of age (n = 2), the subadult female remained in her natal territory well into her second year (n = 1) [36].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Allocare in a Nocturnal Primate: Data on the Spectral Tarsier, Tarsius spectrum

Gursky¹

2000

IJFP

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Non-maternal infant care in many of the small-bodied New World primate species has been hypothesized by some researchers to be related to the high infant/adult weight ratio found in these species. The spectral tarsier, Tarsius spectrum, an Old World primate, has one of the highest infant/adult weight ratios of any primate, with infants weighing between 20–33% of adult weight at birth. On the basis of the hypothesized relationship between allocare and the infant/adult weight ratio, it is predicted that the spectral tarsier will also exhibit extensive allocaretaking behaviour. The results of this study indicate that although spectral tarsiers show care by male and female subadults as well as adult males, it is extremely limited compared to the extensive allocaretaking behavior observed in New World primate species such as Aotus and Callicebus. Spectral tarsier subadult females provide substantially more allocare to infants than do subadult males or adult males. Female subadults were observed sharing food, transporting, grooming, playing, alarm calling, baby-sitting and maintaining physical contact with infants more than other age/sex classes. Although the amount of allocare exhibited by adult males and subadult males was much less than that exhibited by female subadults, the data suggest that adult and subadult male spectral tarsiers do play a small part in the care and socialization of the infant. Adult males and subadult males were both observed occasionally engaging in allocaretaking behaviors such as grooming and playing, as well as frequently patrolling and defending the territory’s boundaries. The results from this study suggest that although a high infant/adult weight ratio may be a prerequisite for selection to favor extensive allocare, it is not a causal factor. Additional research is needed in order to understand better the selective pressures involved and the costs and benefits of providing allocare to subadults and adult male spectral tarsiers.

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“…For T. bancanus in captivity, the initial attempts to prey on crickets occurred between 30 and 49 days, and the initial captures were between 36 and 57 days [Roberts, 1994]. For a hand-raised T. syrichta, the infant captured its 1st live prey on the 68th day [Harring and Wright, 1989].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Tarsius syrichta infants were born at the Philadelphia Zoo, Frankfurt Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, and Duke University Primate Center [Harring and Wright, 1989]. Tarsius bancanus infants were born at the National Zoological Park [Roberts, 1994]. But the infant survival rate is not so high in both of the species [Wright et al, 2003].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hand‐raising a spectral tarsier (Tarsius tarsier) at the Ueno Zoological Gardens

et al. 2010

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On February 10, 2008, a newborn male spectral tarsier (Tarsius tarsier) was found on the floor of the indoor exhibit room in the Small Mammal House of the Ueno Zoological Gardens. The dam showed no signs of providing maternal care and therefore we decided to hand-raise the infant. Its birth weight was 18.7 g. We placed the dam and infant in an incubator and gave 12.5-25% formula (for kittens), until the 145th day after birth. We limited the volume of formula intake to avoid excessive intake and to prevent diarrhea. For nutrition enrichment, we added a chicken liver homogenate to the formula 1-3 times per day. The infant was given a sunbath for 10 min on the 28th day. He showed no serious decline in health, except for diarrhea that occurred during the first few days after birth. He ate a small cricket for the first time on the 50th day and easily caught mealworms on his own on the 105th day. Gradual changes in feeding times, formula concentration, and the nutritionally enriched formula were essential for successfully hand-raising the tarsier.

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Growth, development, and parental care in the western tarsier (Tarsius bancanus) in captivity: Evidence for a “slow” life-history and nonmonogamous mating system

Cited by 45 publications

References 42 publications

Infanticide risk and the evolution of male–female association in primates

Infanticide risk and the evolution of male–female association in primates

Allocare in a Nocturnal Primate: Data on the Spectral Tarsier, Tarsius spectrum

Hand‐raising a spectral tarsier (Tarsius tarsier) at the Ueno Zoological Gardens

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