Sexual selection, multiple mating and paternity in grey mouse lemurs, Microcebus murinus

• Published in: Animal behaviour 2002-02, Vol.63 (2), p.259-268
• Main Authors: Radespiel, Ute, Dal Secco, Valentina, Drögemüller, Cord, Braune, Pia, Labes, Elisabeth, Zimmermann, Elke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Animal reproduction; Biological and medical sciences; Microcebus murinus
• ISSN: 0003-3472; 1095-8282
• DOI: 10.1006/anbe.2001.1924

Sexual selection theory predicts that the relative importance of dominance between males for access to females depends on the potential to monopolize oestrous females. We examined the relationship between male dominance, mating behaviour and reproductive success in a promiscuous, nocturnal primate species, the grey mouse lemur, in captivity, to test the predictions derived for different competitive regimes between males. We also investigated the relationship between male age, relatedness between mates and reproductive success. Dominance could be established in the majority of the study groups and dominant males mated more frequently than subdominant males. Dominant males, however, fathered only half of the infants born in the study groups, although in principle the captive conditions allowed males to monopolize mates. Multiple mating was observed or deduced from the paternity data in the majority of groups. For the first time in primates we detected one definite case of multiple paternity. Younger males sired more than half of the offspring. We conclude that contest competition between males is unlikely to be the primary factor predicting the reproductive outcome whereas female choice and sperm competition are likely to be effective in this seasonal breeder.