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Related Experiment Videos

Social control of reproduction in banded mongooses.

Cant1

  • 1Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, UK

Animal Behaviour
|January 21, 2000
PubMed
Summary

In banded mongooses, dominant males couldn't fully control mating, and females didn't suppress subordinate reproduction. Dominant females may even benefit from subordinates breeding, explaining the lack of reproductive control.

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Animal Reproduction
  • Social Behavior

Background:

  • Reproductive skew theory predicts control depends on dominant control and subordinate impact on dominant fitness.
  • Banded mongooses exhibit cooperative breeding, offering a model to test these factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the factors influencing reproductive skew in banded mongooses.
  • Determine the extent of dominant control over subordinate reproduction.
  • Assess the fitness consequences of subordinate reproduction for dominants.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study of banded mongoose social dynamics and reproductive behavior.
  • Monitoring of oestrus, mating attempts, gestation, and parturition within social groups.
  • Analysis of factors influencing conception and successful births.

Main Results:

  • Dominant male banded mongooses could not fully prevent subordinate mating attempts.
  • Females entered oestrus and gave birth synchronously, with older females carrying more fetuses.
  • Approximately 83% of females conceived, and 71% carried to term, with no apparent suppression of subordinate breeding before birth.
  • Male-mediated infanticide occurred postpartum, suggesting some reproductive control.
  • Increased litter survivorship correlated with more females giving birth.

Conclusions:

  • Dominant control over reproduction in banded mongooses is incomplete, particularly regarding mating.
  • Subordinate female reproduction is not suppressed, possibly because dominant females benefit from group breeding.
  • Postpartum infanticide may represent a form of reproductive control by males.

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