DOMINANCE RANK AND MATING STRATEGY IN Japanese MACAQUES

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This reseat project aims to analyze maintenance mechanism of the reproductive groups and the reproductive significance of group members in the promiscuous society of Japanese macaques. The subject groups are the enclosed Wakasa group in Primate Research Institute and the wild groups in our Koshima field observation station. The effect of the male competition, female choice and their dominance rank to mating success and reproductive success were investigated (Ohsawa). Blood and other samples were taken from newborn babies in Wakasa group in 1996 and 1997. Their paternity was investigated through micro-satellite DNA analysis. Behavioral data were collected during the mating season in 1996 and 1997. Three males and 3 females were chosen as focal sample animals. The degree of influence of female choice and male competition to mating success (and reproductive success) was measured through Hinde index. This measurement, however, reflects both female choice and male competition intermingled. The index was modified and used for the analysis of the data. The result shows roughly that female choice dominated male competition for mating succcess, though the analysis was not yet completed. In the Koshima groups, in which the matrilineal family tree for 30 years is drown, the patrilineal family tree is now going to be made, though only some of data were analyzed. The patrilineal family tree will provide the knowledge about the whole mating system of wild Japanese macaques, when it is completed.Physiological research provided the methodology for hormonal analysis without catching monkeys (Shimizu). Based on this method the menstrual cycle of females in Wakasa group was detectd. This method will promote field reproductive studies of wild primates.