Marking Versus Overmarking: Spatial and Behavioral Patterns of Scent Marking in Wild Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema)

Abstract

In mammals, olfactory communication plays an essential role in territorial and mating dynamics. Scent depositions in various species, including lemurs, can be placed via marking or overmarking (marking over previous depositions). We focused on the role that marking and overmarking play in territorial defence and intrasexual competition. We investigated these aspects in diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) in the primary rainforest of Maromizaha (eastern Madagascar). We collected scent marking data for five groups from April to November 2018 and from May to December 2019. We aimed to understand whether the lemurs deposited scent marks homogeneously across the home range and whether sex, rank, and occurrence of intergroup encounters affected the lemur’s deposition rate. We also asked whether males overmarked adult females more often than other depositions, and the marking and overmarking rates changed between the migration and non-migration seasons. We found that scent marking was performed higher in peripheral and overlapping areas than in the home range central areas. In addition, males had higher scent marking rates, but intergroup encounters did not affect deposition rates. Males showed higher rates of overmarking and primarily targeted dominant females’ depositions, particularly during the “migration” season (including premating and mating seasons). Our findings suggest a border-marking strategy in Propithecus diadema. More frequent scent marking in the “migration” season suggests intrasexual competition in males. Our results suggest that marking is associated with territorial and resource defence, suggesting that it plays a role in monopolizing females using a mate-guarding strategy and may also serve for males’ self-advertisement to females and subordinate depositors.

Behavioural Correlates of Lemur Scent-Marking in Wild Diademed Sifakas (Propithecus diadema) in the Maromizaha Forest (Madagascar)

“…In particular, it is unclear to what extent scent-glandular secretions contribute to scent-marking deposition in this potentially glandular marker species. Most studies support the idea that scent-marking could be related to intrasexual competition, especially in adult males [ 55 ]. Territorial defence is also commonly proposed, but its purpose may differ between the sexes.…”

“…The diademed sifaka ( Propithecus diadema ) is a diurnal lemur living in female-dominated groups, in which a single male is dominant over other males [ 55 , 56 ]. Although the species is known to perform complex scent-marking from both excreted and scent-glandular secretions [ 55 ], the scent-marking behaviour remains little investigated.…”

“…The diademed sifaka ( Propithecus diadema ) is a diurnal lemur living in female-dominated groups, in which a single male is dominant over other males [ 55 , 56 ]. Although the species is known to perform complex scent-marking from both excreted and scent-glandular secretions [ 55 ], the scent-marking behaviour remains little investigated. Indeed, depositor sex, social rank and the species’ reproductive schedule may affect the scent-marking rate [ 55 ], but nothing is known about the delivery pattern or the factors influencing scent-marking deposition.…”

“…Although the species is known to perform complex scent-marking from both excreted and scent-glandular secretions [ 55 ], the scent-marking behaviour remains little investigated. Indeed, depositor sex, social rank and the species’ reproductive schedule may affect the scent-marking rate [ 55 ], but nothing is known about the delivery pattern or the factors influencing scent-marking deposition. In particular, it is unclear to what extent scent-glandular secretions contribute to scent-marking deposition in this potentially glandular marker species.…”

Latrine site selection by African clawless otters, Aonyx capensis, and their behavior during latrine visitations

“…Overmarking will typically occur within breeding pairs where males will scent mark over the scent of their mates, as described in the Neotropical otter ( Michalski et al 2021 ). Other examples of overmarking in breeding pairs include the Meerkat, Suricata suricatta ( Jordan et al 2007 ); Kirk’s Dik-dik, Madoqua kirkii ( Brotherton 1994 ); Grey Wolf, Canis lupus ( Peters and Mech 1975 ); and the Wild Diademed Sifaka, Propithecus diadema ( Miaretsoa et al 2022 ).…”