Shelmidine Nichole, Borries Carola, Koenig Andreas
Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York, USA.
Am J Primatol. 2007 May;69(5):519-32. doi: 10.1002/ajp.20359.
The occurrence of genital swellings was examined in adult female silvered langurs (Trachypithecus cristatus). In contrast to the exaggerated swellings found in cercopithecines and apes, genital swellings in silvered langurs are confined to the vulva and the surrounding perineum, but they may nevertheless convey information similar to that of exaggerated swellings (i.e., correlate with the receptive period and fertility). If so, genital swellings would be expected to occur most frequently in cycling females, and sexual behavior and male interest should most frequently involve females with swellings. Swellings during gestation, if they occur at all, should be most pronounced at the beginning. Swelling sizes (in three size categories) in nine adult females were examined throughout different reproductive states (cycling, pregnant, and lactating), and in relation to proceptivity, receptivity, and attractivity. Data were collected from November 2002 through March 2004 (on 500 of the 502 calendar days) at the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo. Female sexual behavior (proceptivity and receptivity) and male inspection (attractivity) were recorded each day for 6 hr by video camera (2,948 hr total) and analyzed as present or absent for each female day. Swellings were assessed directly (not from videotapes). In contrast to the predictions, swellings occurred significantly less frequently in cycling females (compared to pregnant females) and no regular, cyclic pattern could be detected. Some females conceived without a swelling. Female attractivity was independent of swellings but coincided with proceptive behavior. Swellings occurred most frequently in pregnant females, especially toward the end of the gestation period. Therefore, genital swellings in silvered langurs are not similar to exaggerated swellings or the smaller genital swellings that have been described for some other primates. It is currently not clear what they signal to conspecifics. Male behavior needs to be studied in more detail, and the hormonal basis for these swellings should be explored.
对成年雌性银叶猴（Trachypithecus cristatus）的生殖器肿胀情况进行了研究。与猕猴和猿类中发现的明显肿胀不同，银叶猴的生殖器肿胀仅限于外阴和周围的会阴部位，但它们仍可能传达与明显肿胀类似的信息（即与发情期和生育能力相关）。如果是这样，预计生殖器肿胀在处于发情周期的雌性中出现的频率最高，性行为和雄性的兴趣应该最常涉及有肿胀的雌性。孕期的肿胀如果确实出现，应该在开始时最为明显。对9只成年雌性在不同生殖状态（发情周期、怀孕和哺乳）下的肿胀大小（分为三个大小类别）进行了检查，并与主动求偶、接受交配和吸引力相关联。数据收集于2002年11月至2004年3月（在502个日历日中的500天），地点是野生动物保护协会的布朗克斯动物园。每天用摄像机记录6小时雌性性行为（主动求偶和接受交配）和雄性检查（吸引力）情况（总计2948小时），并分析每只雌性每天的行为表现（出现或未出现）。肿胀情况直接进行评估（而非通过录像带）。与预测结果相反，处于发情周期的雌性中肿胀出现的频率显著低于怀孕雌性，且未检测到规律的周期性模式。一些雌性在没有肿胀的情况下受孕。雌性的吸引力与肿胀无关，但与主动求偶行为一致。肿胀在怀孕雌性中出现的频率最高，尤其是在孕期接近尾声时。因此，银叶猴的生殖器肿胀与其他灵长类动物中描述的明显肿胀或较小的生殖器肿胀不同。目前尚不清楚它们向同种个体传达了什么信号。需要更详细地研究雄性行为，并探索这些肿胀的激素基础。
