Anthropologist Finds Owl Monkey Reproduction Favors Monogamy
Eduardo Fernandez-Duque, an associate professor in Penn’s Department of Anthropology, and Maren Huck, a former postdoctoral fellow in his laboratory and now a professor at the University of Derby in the United Kingdom, have found evidence that owl monkeys who opt for multiple partners produce fewer offspring.
Focusing on wide-eyed, nocturnal owl monkeys, the research reveals that when an owl monkey pair is severed by an intruding individual, the mate who takes up with a new partner disrupts normal reproductivity.
“We have managed over the years to have quite significant sample sizes for a study of wild non-human primates,” Fernandez-Duque said. “These findings are possible because we have intense demographic monitoring year-round that allows us to notice when a male is missing, when a female is missing, or when there’s a new adult in the group. We couple this with intense behavioral monitoring that allows us to document the details of fights or the whole process of mate replacement.”
To view the full release, click here.
