Lutermann Heike, Schmelting Barthel, Radespiel Ute, Ehresmann Petra, Zimmermann Elke
Institute of Zoology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
Proc Biol Sci. 2006 Oct 7;273(1600):2527-33. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2006.3603.
It is widely accepted that natal philopatry is a prerequisite for the evolution of sociality. The life-history hypothesis maintains that longevity of adults results in extended territory tenure and thus limits breeding vacancies for offspring, which makes natal philopatry more likely. Here, we tested the importance of longevity for natal philopatry in females of a basal primate, the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). This species is regarded as being solitary due to its foraging habits but while males disperse, female offspring in this species forgo dispersal and form long-term sleeping groups with their mothers. We tested whether high adult survival could be a cause for natal philopatry of female offspring. In addition, we assessed costs and benefits associated with space sharing between mothers and daughters and whether mothers actively increase survival of daughters by beqeauthal of territories, information transfer about resources or thermoregulation. Contrary to our predictions, adult females had low-survival rates. Space sharing appeared to improve survival of both, mothers and daughters. This could be a result of information transfer about sleeping sites and thermoregulatory benefits. Our results cast doubt on the idea that longevity predisposes species for social traits and provide support for benefits of philopatry.
人们普遍认为出生地留居是社会性进化的一个先决条件。生活史假说认为，成年个体的长寿会导致领地占有期延长，从而限制了后代的繁殖空缺，这使得出生地留居更有可能发生。在此，我们测试了长寿对于一种基础灵长类动物——灰鼠狐猴（Microcebus murinus）雌性个体出生地留居的重要性。由于其觅食习性，该物种被认为是独居的，但雄性会扩散，而该物种的雌性后代则放弃扩散，并与它们的母亲形成长期的睡眠群体。我们测试了高成年存活率是否可能是雌性后代出生地留居的一个原因。此外，我们评估了母女之间空间共享的成本和收益，以及母亲是否通过领地遗赠、资源信息传递或体温调节来积极提高女儿的存活率。与我们的预测相反，成年雌性的存活率较低。空间共享似乎提高了母亲和女儿双方的存活率。这可能是睡眠地点信息传递和体温调节益处的结果。我们的结果对长寿使物种倾向于具有社会特征这一观点提出了质疑，并为出生地留居的益处提供了支持。
