Skip to main content
Log in

Infanticide by a Male Milne-Edwards' Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi) in Ampijoroa, NW-Madagascar

  • Published:
International Journal of Primatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

During a long-term field study on the behavioral ecology and communication of a population of the monogamous Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi) in NW-Madagascar, we recorded for the first time an infanticide in a nocturnal lemur. A male newcomer killed the infant of a female whose male partner had left her recently. Both the social-pathology and the sexual-selection hypotheses may explain infanticidal behavior in Lepilemur edwardsi.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Alcock, J. (1996). Das Verhalten der Tiere aus evolutionsbiologischer Sicht, Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganzhorn, J. U. (1988). Food partitioning among Malagasy primates. Oecologia 75: 436-445.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harcourt, C., and Thornback, J. (1990). Lemurs of Madagascar and the Comores. In The IUCN Red Data Book, IUCN, Gland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hrdy, S. B. (1983). Adaptive and nonadaptive classes of infanticide. In Seth, P. K. (ed.), Perspectives in Primate Biology, Today and Tomorrow's Printers and Publishers, New Delhi, pp. 11-17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hrdy, S. B., Janson, C., and van Schaik, C. (1995). Infanticide: Let's not throw out the baby with the bath water. Evol. Anthropol. 2: 151-154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jolly, A. (1998). Pair-bonding, female aggression, and the evolution of lemur societies. Folia Primatol 69: 1-13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, P., and Bateson, P. (1992). Measuring Behaviour, Cambridge University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mittermeier, R. A., Tattersall, I., Konstant, W. R., Meyers, D. M., and Mast, R. B. (1994). Lemurs of Madagascar, Conservation International, Washington DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pereira, M. E., and Weiss, M. L. (1991). Female mate choice, male migration, and the threat of infanticide in ringtailed lemurs. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 28: 141-152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasoloharijaona, S. (1998). Vocal Communication in a Nocturnal Lemur in Northwestern Madagascar. XVIIth Congress of the International Primatological Society, Antananarivo. Abstract 170.

  • Richard, A. F., and Dewar, R. E. (1991). Lemur ecology. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 22: 145-175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sommer, V. (1987). Infanticide among free-ranging langurs (Prebytis entellus) at Jodhpur. Primates 28: 163-197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sterling, E. J. (1993). The social organization of the Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) on Nosy Mangabe in Madagascar. In Ganzhorn, J. U., Kappeler, P. M. (eds.), Lemur Social Systems and their Ecological Basis, Plenum Press, New York and London, pp. 1-11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sussman, R. W., Cheverud, J. M., and Bartlett, T. Q. (1995). Infant killing as an evolutionary strategy: Reality or Myth? Evol. Anthropol. 3: 149-151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thalmann, U. (1998). Sociality in the Two Nocturnal Lemurs, Avahi, and Lepilemur: A comparison. XVIIth Congress of the International Primatological Society, Antananarivo. Abstract 64.

  • van Schaik, C., and Kappeler, P. M. (1993). Life history, activity period, and lemur social systems. In Kappeler, P. M., and Ganzhorn, J. U. (eds.), Lemur Social Systems and Their Ecological Basis, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 241-260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, P. (1988). Social behavior of Propithecus diadema edwardsi in Madagascar. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 27: 289-.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, E. (1998). Nachtgeister im Tropenwald: die nachtaktiven Lemuren Madagaskars. Biologie in unserer Zeit 28: 294-303.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rasoloharijaona, S., Rakotosamimanana, B. & Zimmermann, E. Infanticide by a Male Milne-Edwards' Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi) in Ampijoroa, NW-Madagascar. International Journal of Primatology 21, 41–45 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005419528718

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005419528718

Navigation