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Behavioral correlates of extra-pair copulation in Indri indri

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Abstract

Active pursuit of extra-pair mating has been reported for Indri indri, the socially monogamous largest living lemur. This study, conducted in a mountain rainforest in eastern Madagascar, presents the first evidence for extra-pair mating of indri and discusses the alternative mating strategy and alteration of the social, territorial, spatial, and vocal behavior of the adult female of a group of wild indris. Further studies may investigate whether extra-pair copulation is an attempt to breed with a partner of superior quality and thus lead to extra-pair paternity. If so, it could potentially play a role in maintaining genetic variability within a population.

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Acknowledgments

This occurrence of EPC was recorded during a larger field study of Indri indri supported by the Università degli Studi di Torino and the ACP Science and Technology Programme of the ACP Group of States, with the financial assistance of the European Union, through the Projects BIRD (Biodiversity Integration and Rural Development; no. FED/2009/217077) and SCORE (Supporting Cooperation for Research and Education; Contract no. ACP RPR 118 # 36) and by grants from the Parco Natura Viva—Centro Tutela Specie Minacciate. We are grateful to Compagnia di San Paolo for co-financing the “Progetto 2008-10 Innovazione Laboratori didattici—Facoltà di Scienze MFN” which enabled the purchase of laboratory equipment used by G.B. and V.T. during field activity. We thank the Ministère de l’Environnement et des Forêts (MEF) and Madagascar National Parks for granting the research permits. We are also grateful to GERP (Groupe d’Etudes et des Recherche sur les Primates) for allowing us to collect data in the forest under its management. Last, we thank Dr Cesare Avesani Zaborra and Dr Caterina Spiezio for their important role in organization of the Maromizaha field station and all the research and international guides, Dr Olivier Friard for helping during data analysis, Lanto and Mamatin for their help and logistic support, Dr Dominic Currie and Dr Caroline Harcourt for linguistic revision and two anonymous referees. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Torino, Italy

    Giovanna Bonadonna, Valeria Torti, Nicole Martinet, Marco Gamba & Cristina Giacoma

  2. GERP (Group d’Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar), Fort Duchesne, Antananarivo, 101, Madagascar

    Rose Marie Randrianarison

Authors
  1. Giovanna Bonadonna
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  2. Valeria Torti
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  3. Rose Marie Randrianarison
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  4. Nicole Martinet
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  5. Marco Gamba
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  6. Cristina Giacoma
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Correspondence to Valeria Torti.

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Bonadonna, G., Torti, V., Randrianarison, R.M. et al. Behavioral correlates of extra-pair copulation in Indri indri . Primates 55, 119–123 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-013-0376-0

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