Abstract
All gibbons are monogamous and territorial with the exception ofHylobates concolor. This paper reports the coexistence of monogamy and polygyny in black-crested gibbons. Based on the fact of two adult females and two offspring of the same age category in one group and other reasons, we suppose that the two adult females have bred in a single group, i.e. a polygynous one. The other main reasons are: (1) a large home range makes it possible for more individuals to live in one group; (2) mutual tolerance among two females; and (3) selection pressure favouring polygyny.
References
Bleisch, W. V.;Chen, N. 1991. Ecology and behavior of wild black-crested gibbons (Hylobates concolor) in China with a reconsideration of evidence for polygyny.Primates, 32: 539–548.
Brockelman, W. Y.;Srikosamatara, S. 1984. Maintenace and evolution of social structure in gibbons. In:The Lesser Apes,Preuschoft,H.;Chivers,D.;Brockelman,W.;Creel,N. (eds.), Edinburgh Univ. Press, Edinburgh, pp. 298–323.
Carpenter, C. R. 1964.Naturalistic Behavior of Nonhuman Primates. Pennsylvania State Univ. Press, Pennsylvania.
Chivers, D. J. 1977. The lesser apes. In:Primates Conservation,Prince Rainier,H. S. H.;Bourne,G. (eds.), Academic, London, pp. 539–598.
Delacour, J. 1933. On the Indochinese gibbons (Hylobates concolor).J. Mammol., 14: 71–73.
Eisenberg, J. E.;Muckenhirn, N. A.;Rudran, R. 1972. The relation between ecology and social structure in primates.Science, 176: 863–874.
Goss-Custard, J. D.;Dunber, R. I. M.;Aldrich-Blake, F. P. G. 1972. Survival, mating and rearing strategies in the evolution of primate social structure.Folia Primatol., 17: 1–19.
Groves, C. 1972 Systematics and phylogeny of the gibbons. InGibbon and Siamang, Vol. 1,Rumbaugh,D. M. (ed.), Karger, Basel, pp. 1–89.
Haimoff, E. H.;Yang, X. J.;He, X. J.;Chen, N. 1986. Census and survey of wild black-crested gibbons (Hylobates concolor concolor) in Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China.Folia Primatol., 46: 205–214.
Haimoff, E. H.;Yang, X. J.;He, X. J.;Chen, N. 1987. Preliminary observations of wild black-crested gibbons (Hylobates concolor concolor) in Yuman Province, People's Republic of China.Primates, 28: 319–335.
Jiang, X. L.;Ma, S. L.;Wang, Y. X.;Sheeran, L. K.;Poirier, F. E. 1994. The mating system of black-crested gibbon (Hylobates concolor) and its relationships with ecology, behavior and phylogeny.Acta Anthropol. Sinica, 13: 344–352.
Lan, D. 1989. Preliminary study on the group composition, behaviour and ecology of the black gibbons (Hylobates concolor) in southwest Yunnan.Zool. Res., 10 (suppl.): 119–126.
Lan, D. 1993. Feeding and vocal behaviour of black gibbons (Hylobates concolor) in Yunnan: a preliminary study.Folia Primatol., 60: 94–105.
Lan, D. Y.;He, S. J.;Shu, L. D. 1990. Preliminary ovservations on the group composition of the wild concolor gibbons (Hylobates concolor) in Yunnan, China,Primate Rep., 26: 89–96.
Leighton, D. 1987. Gibbons: territoriality and monogamy. In:Primate Societies,Smuts,D.;Wrangham,R.;Cheney,D.;Struhsaker,T.;Seyfarth,R. (eds.), Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 135–145.
Liu, Z.;Zhang, Y.;Jiang, H.;Southwick, C. 1989. Population structure ofHylobates concolor in Bawanglin Nature Reserve, Hainan, China.Amer. J. Primatol., 19: 247–254.
Ma, S.;Wang, Y. 1986. The taxonomy and distribution of gibbons in the southern China and its adjacent region-with description of three new subspecies.Zool. Res., 7: 393–410.
Mitani, J. C. 1984. The behavioral regulation of monogamy in gibbons (Hylobates meulleri).Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 15: 225–229.
Mitani, J. C. 1987. Territoriality and monogamy among agile gibbons (Hylobates agilis).Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 20: 265–269.
Rutberg, A. T. 1983. The evolution of monogamy in primates.J. Theoret. Biol., 104: 93–112.
Srikosamatara, S.;Brockelman, W. Y. 1987. Polygyny in a group of pileated gibbons via a familial route.Int. J. Primatol., 8: 389–393.
Struhsaker, T. T. 1969. Correlates of ecology and social organization among African Cercopithecines.Folia Primatol., 11: 80–118.
Tenaza, R. R. 1975. Territory and monogamy among kloss' gibbons (Hylobates klossii) in Siberut Island, Indonesia.Folia Primatol., 24: 60–80.
Tilson, R. L. 1979. Behavior of hoolock gibbon (Hylobates hoolock) during different seasons in Assam, India.J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 76: 1–16.
Xu, L. H.;Liu, A. H.;Yu, S. M. 1983. Primates. In:The Birds and Mammals of Hainan Island,Xu,L. H.;Liu,Z. H.;Liao,W. P.;Li,X. H.;Yu,S. M.;Qiu,J. C. (eds.), Science Press, Beijing. pp. 309–316.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Jiang, X., Wang, Y. & Wang, Q. Coexistence of monogamy and polygyny in black-crested gibbon (Hylobates concolor). Primates 40, 607–611 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02574835
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02574835