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Is sexual monomorphism a predictor of polygynandry? Evidence from a social mammal, the collared peccary

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Abstract

Sexual dimorphism is common in polygynous species, and there is clear evidence that both intra-sexual competition and female preferences can drive the evolution of large body size in males. In contrast, sexual monomorphism is often argued to reflect a relaxation of male mate competition or an intensification of resource competition among females. Alternatively, it might imply opportunities for females to circumvent or counteract male mate competition in a polygynandrous mating system. We test the prediction that sexual monorphism is associated with polygynandry in the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu, Tayassuidae), a social ungulate closely related to the old-world suids. The genetic mating system in the Tayassuidae is unknown, but its sexual monomorphism presents a striking contrast to the strong size dimorphism found in most Suidae, so that a departure from the polygynous system common in Suidae would be noteworthy. We characterized genetic relationships among adults within herds in three geographically distinct populations, assigned parents to 75 offspring, and tested for skew in individual reproductive success. Parentage assignment data indicated that multiple males sire offspring within a herd, and in the population for which genetic data were most complete, 19% of parentage assignments were potentially sired by extra-herd males. Some litters have multiple sires, and neither males nor females monopolized reproduction, even in small herds. This result supports our prediction and suggests that sexual monomorphism may either select for or be an evolutionary consequence of a promiscuous mating system.

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Funding

This work was supported by the American Society of Mammalogists (Grant in Aid of Research to J.D. C.), by the Welder Wildlife Refuge (Graduate Fellowship to J.D.C), and by Purdue University (funding to J.A.D.). J.D. Cooper is a Welder Wildlife Refuge Fellow, and she sincerely thanks the wonderful faculty and staff at the Welder for their encouragement and support. Much appreciation goes to Jim Cathey and to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department personnel at Big Bend Ranch State Park and Chaparral Wildlife Management Area for their advice and assistance during field data collection. We offer special thanks to volunteers Edmund Harriss, Rachel Bonner, and Raul Martinez for their dedication and hard work in trapping. The work described here complies with the laws of the USA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biological Sciences, California State University, Stanislaus, Turlock, CA, 95382, USA

    Jennifer D. Cooper

  2. Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    Peter M. Waser & J. A. DeWoody

  3. Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA

    Eric C. Hellgren

  4. Biology, TRF # 265E, Northland Community & Technical College, 1101 Hwy One East, Thief River Falls, MN, 56701, USA

    Timothy M. Gabor

  5. Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    J. A. DeWoody

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  1. Jennifer D. Cooper
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  2. Peter M. Waser
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  3. Eric C. Hellgren
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  4. Timothy M. Gabor
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  5. J. A. DeWoody
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Correspondence to Jennifer D. Cooper.

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Communicated by A. Schulte-Hostedde

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Cooper, J.D., Waser, P.M., Hellgren, E.C. et al. Is sexual monomorphism a predictor of polygynandry? Evidence from a social mammal, the collared peccary. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 65, 775–785 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-010-1081-2

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