Pubertal growth spurt in the female rhesus monkey: Relation to menarche and skeletal maturation

Three-monthly measurements of tibia length, crown-rump length (CRL), and body wieght have been made on nine indoor-housed and six outdoor-housed female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) from ages 17 to 41 months. In the indoor-housed there were clear pubertal growth spurts, identifiable in individual curves, with average peaks at 22.5 months for tibia length, 23.5 months for CRL, and 24.5 for weight. Menarche occurred on average at 26.0 months. In both skeletal dimensions the amount of acceleration exceeded that which occurs in man. The relative timing of the spurts and of menarche was similar to that in man. The outdoor-housed monkeys showed a similar spurt in tibia length, although a less easily identifiable one in crown-rump length. The peak velocity of tibia length in these monkeys occurred on average at 30.5 months, with menarche at 32.5 months. We conclude that the pubertal growth spurt in female rhesus is very little different from that in man.