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Demography and reproductive output in langurs of the Western Ghats, India

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Abstract

Life history traits evolve such that the reproductive output of an organism is maximized. Demographic characteristics, a consequence of life history traits, indicate the reproductive output per individual in group-living species. Both phylogenetic and ecological factors influence demographic traits. In the forests of the Western Ghats, India, we studied the demography of three langur species: Semnopithecus johnii, a wet forest-dwelling species; Semnopithecus hypoleucos, largely a wet forest-dwelling species; and Semnopithecus priam, a primarily dry forest-dwelling species. S. hypoleucos and S. priam are genetically closer to each other than to S. johnii. We sampled a total of 193 groups of the three species of langurs. The group size was smaller in the two wet forest-dwelling species, S. johnii (median = 10) and S. hypoleucos (nine), than in the dry forest-dwelling species, S. priam (18). The number of adult females per group was higher in S. priam (seven) and S. johnii (six) than in S. hypoleucos (four). On the other hand, the adult female:immature ratio, indicating reproductive output and life history, was highest in S. johnii (1:0.33) followed by S. hypoleucos (1:1) and S. priam (1:1.09). Our results suggest that reproductive output is lowest in the arboreal wet forest species and increases as the species become somewhat dry deciduous forest dwellers, or almost facultative dry forest dwellers, and relatively more terrestrial. Some traits, such as group size, appear to be more sensitive to ecological factors, and some other traits such as age-sex ratios and reproductive output appear to be more conservative.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Chief Wildlife Warden and the officials of the Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Forest Departments for permission to conduct this study and for their field assistance. We thank Mukesh Chalise and Wolfgang Dittus for comments that enhanced the quality of this article. This study was supported by a Department of Science and Technology Ramanna Fellowship, India to M. S. Our work conformed to the ethical guidelines for animal treatment of the University of Mysore, Mysore, India. Further, our work adhered to all the legal requirements for conducting wildlife research in India. Permits were obtained from the Forest Departments of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for fieldwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biopsychology Laboratory and Institute of Excellence, University of Mysore, Mysore, 570 006, India

    Mewa Singh

  2. Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, 560 064, India

    Mewa Singh, T. S. Kavana & Joseph J. Erinjery

  3. National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore, India

    Mewa Singh

  4. Salimali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty Post, Coimbatore, 641 108, India

    Honnavalli N. Kumara

  5. Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, 641046, Tamil Nadu, India

    Shanthala Kumar

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  1. Mewa Singh
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  2. Honnavalli N. Kumara
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  3. T. S. Kavana
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  4. Joseph J. Erinjery
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Correspondence to Mewa Singh.

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Singh, M., Kumara, H.N., Kavana, T.S. et al. Demography and reproductive output in langurs of the Western Ghats, India. Primates 57, 501–508 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-016-0550-2

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