High rates of extra-pair young in the pair-living fat-tailed dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus medius

Fietz, Joanna; Zischler, Hans; Schwiegk, Claudia; Tomiuk, Jürgen; Dausmann, Kathrin H.; Ganzhorn, Jörg U.

doi:10.1007/s002650000269

Cited by 108 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…The PCR analysis of the microsatellite loci was conducted using an extended data set with the primers and conditions as described in Fietz et al (2000). Adaptive variability was studied in the highly polymorphic MHC-DRB exon2 (171 bp, without primer), which includes the functionally important ABS (Brown et al, 1988(Brown et al, , 1993.…”

Section: Molecular Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We used a fat-tailed dwarf lemur population (Cheirogaleus medius; cheirogaleidae, primates) of the dry deciduous forest of western Madagascar as a model, which has been the focus of long-term population and behavioural ecological investigations (Fietz and Ganzhorn, 1999;Fietz et al, 2000;Fietz and Dausmann, 2003;Dausmann et al, 2004Dausmann et al, , 2005. The main objectives of our study were: (1) to examine associations between microsatellite variability and the diversity of a functionally important region of an immune gene (MHC class II DRB exon2) with parasite burden and (2) to identify possible parasite-driven selection acting on the MHC under natural selection conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neutral versus adaptive genetic variation in parasite resistance: importance of major histocompatibility complex supertypes in a free-ranging primate

et al. 2007

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Current discussions in evolutionary ecology and conservation genetics focus on the relative importance of using selective neutral markers or markers of coding genes to identify adaptive and evolutionary relevant processes. Genetic diversity might be particularly important in immune genes (e.g., in genes of the major histocompatibility complex, MHC), which are influencing pathogen and parasite resistance. We investigated the effects of neutral versus adaptive genetic variation in parasite resistance in a natural population of fat-tailed dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus medius). No association between neutral overall individual genetic diversity and parasite load could be detected. In 149 individuals, we identified 50 MHC class II alleles of the functionally important duplicated DRB locus. The investigation of the functional importance of immune gene (MHC) diversity and parasite selection in natural populations is often problematic due to extensive polymorphism in the MHC genes and restrictions in available sample sizes. Here, for the first time we applied an approach that has been developed in human medical studies. Eleven MHC class II supertypes were identified based on shared antigen-binding similarities. The number of individual MHC supertypes had no influence on the nematode burden. However, we found evidence for a specific MHC supertype (supertype 1) that was linked to infected individuals, a higher number of different nematode infections and high intensity of infection per individual. Moreover, one rare MHC supertype (supertype 7) was revealed to be advantageous with respect to parasite burden. Thus, our results add evidence to the small body of studies that show significant associations between specific MHC constitutions and naturally occurring parasites in the complexity of natural populations.

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Section: Molecular Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neutral versus adaptive genetic variation in parasite resistance: importance of major histocompatibility complex supertypes in a free-ranging primate

et al. 2007

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“…The mating system of dwarf lemurs is best characterized as "scramble competition" polygyny, since it does not appear that individual males are able to effectively monopolize paternity on even a limited scale . Fietz et al (2000) investigated the mating system of another nocturnal prosimian, the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius), which, unlike Coquerel's dwarf lemur, is pair-living with males displaying paternal care. Using microsatellite genotypes for seven species-specific loci, Fietz et al (2000) found that 44% of a pair's offspring were sired by males other than the resident male.…”

Section: Studies Of Primate Social Organization In Less-studied Taxamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fietz et al (2000) investigated the mating system of another nocturnal prosimian, the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius), which, unlike Coquerel's dwarf lemur, is pair-living with males displaying paternal care. Using microsatellite genotypes for seven species-specific loci, Fietz et al (2000) found that 44% of a pair's offspring were sired by males other than the resident male. Typically, paternity was assigned to a paired male in a nearby social group, and in no case was a floater male identified as a sire.…”

Section: Studies Of Primate Social Organization In Less-studied Taxamentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular genetic approaches to the study of primate behavior, social organization, and reproduction

Fiore

2003

Am. J. Phys. Anthropol.

107

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In the past several decades, the development of novel molecular techniques and the advent of noninvasive DNA sampling, coupled with the ease and speed with which molecular analyses can now be performed, have made it possible for primatologists to directly examine the fitness effects of individual behavior and to explore how variation in behavior and social systems influences primate population genetic structure. This review describes the theoretical connections between individual behavior and primate social systems on the one hand and population genetic structure on the other, discusses the kinds of molecular markers typically employed in genetic studies of primates, and summarizes what primatologists have learned from molecular studies over the past few decades about dispersal patterns, mating systems, reproductive strategies, and the influence of kinship on social behavior. Several important conclusions can be drawn from this overview. First, genetic data confirm that, in many species, male dominance rank and fitness are positively related, at least over the short term, though this relationship need not simply be a reflection of malemale contest competition over mates. More importantly, genetic research reveals the significance of female choice in determining male reproductive success, and documents the efficacy of alternative mating tactics among males. Second, genetic data suggest that the presumed importance of kinship in structuring primate social relationships needs to be evaluated further, at least for some taxa such as chimpanzees in which demographic factors may be more important than relatedness. I conclude this paper by offering several suggestions of additional ways in which molecular techniques might be employed in behavioral and ecological studies of primates (e.g., for conducting "molecular censuses" of unhabituated populations, for studying disease and host-parasite interactions, or for tracking seed fate in studies of seed dispersal) and by providing a brief introduction to the burgeoning field of nonhuman primate behavioral genetics. Yrbk Phys Anthropol 46:62-99, 2003.

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“…However, although recent evidence suggests that EPP is likely to be important in mammalian mating systems (e.g. Goossens et al 1998;Fietz et al 2000;Griffin et al 2003;Ortega et al 2003), our knowledge of the extent and ecology of EPP stems primarily from research on birds (reviewed in Griffith et al 2002;Westneat & Stewart 2003). Patterns in mammals are likely to differ from those in birds, owing to the large differences between these taxa in parental care and social mating systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological correlates of extra-group paternity in mammals

2006

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Extra-group paternity (EGP) can form an important part of the mating system in birds and mammals. However, our present understanding of its extent and ecology comes primarily from birds. Here, we use data from 26 species and phylogenetic comparative methods to explore interspecific variation in EGP in mammals and test prominent ecological hypotheses for this variation. We found extensive EGP (46% of species showed more than 20% EGP), indicating that EGP is likely to play an important role in the mating system and the dynamics of sexual selection in mammals. Variation in EGP was most closely correlated with the length of the mating season. As the length of the mating season increased, EGP declined, suggesting that it is increasingly difficult for males to monopolize their social mates when mating seasons are short and overlap among females in oestrus is likely to be high. EGP was secondarily correlated with the number of females in a breeding group, consistent with the idea that as female clustering increases, males are less able to monopolize individual females. Finally, EGP was not related to social mating system, suggesting that the opportunities for the extra-group fertilizations and the payoffs involved do not consistently vary with social mating system.

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High rates of extra-pair young in the pair-living fat-tailed dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus medius

Cited by 108 publications

References 47 publications

Neutral versus adaptive genetic variation in parasite resistance: importance of major histocompatibility complex supertypes in a free-ranging primate

Neutral versus adaptive genetic variation in parasite resistance: importance of major histocompatibility complex supertypes in a free-ranging primate

Molecular genetic approaches to the study of primate behavior, social organization, and reproduction

Ecological correlates of extra-group paternity in mammals

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