Change of nipple preference between successive offspring in Japanese macaques.

Selective use of nipples among free-ranging infant Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) was studied. Each infant held only one of its mother's two nipples in the mouth during an average of 90.9% ± 1.5% (SEM) of total nipple contact time. The next offspring born to the same mother tended to use the nipple that its previous sibling had not used. Maternal behavior did not cause use of one nipple or the other.