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Seasonality of Conceptions in Captive Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta)

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Abstract

Environmental variables have an effect on patterns of seasonality in conceptions across many animal species. Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are well documented as seasonal breeders, and it has been proposed that rhesus macaques are “relaxed income breeders.” This means they should respond to changes in photoperiod but that endogenous cues can allow deviations from photoperiod-timed seasonality. Despite this, little is known about what factors cause seasonal reproduction in rhesus macaques. We present the results of a natural experiment on the influence of different housing conditions (featuring different levels of environmental exposure) on the seasonal pattern of reproduction in rhesus macaques. The data come from a captive colony of rhesus macaques, housed in a variety of conditions between 1970 and 1990: indoors with regulated temperature and photoperiod, in enclosures with an open window allowing for photoperiod and temperature variation, or in outdoor enclosures with even more available natural environmental exposure. Conceptions (measured by day-of-year) occurred throughout the year and in a seasonal pattern in all treatment conditions, but the seasonal pattern differed for each treatment. The variability in conception dates was highest for the outdoor groups. These results are consistent with rhesus macaques as “relaxed income breeders.” However, comparison with other macaque species for which similar data are available casts doubt on previous applications of the income and capital breeder model to the macaques.

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Acknowledgments

The data used in this work were collected as part of a breeding program funded by NIH grant RR00168 to New England Primate Research Center (Harvard Medical School). This work was conducted as part of the requirements leading to completion of a Master of Science degree in the Biological Sciences department at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Ryan D. P. Dunk thanks the Biological Sciences department for their support preceding and during this study. The authors also thank Reinhold Hutz, Gerry Bergtrom, Karen Bales, Joanna Setchell, and four anonymous reviewers for their helpful and insightful comments, and C. H. Janson for his kind and helpful clarifications regarding his work.

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  1. Ryan D. P. Dunk

    Present address: Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201, USA

    Ryan D. P. Dunk & Andrew J. Petto

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Parkside, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 53141, USA

    Gregory C. Mayer

  3. Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201, USA

    Benjamin C. Campbell

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Dunk, R.D.P., Petto, A.J., Mayer, G.C. et al. Seasonality of Conceptions in Captive Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta). Int J Primatol 36, 855–870 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-015-9858-9

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