野生短尾猴的临时配偶关系及其适应策略

In polygynandry nonhuman primates with multi-males and multi-females, the mating system is promiscuity. Males have potential chance to access multiple females, and females can also mate with more than one male. However, in real primate society, it is often seen that a mature male and an oestrous female form a temporary, exclusive sexual relationship.This relationship is not only different from monogamy, but also different from the non-sexual intersexual relationship, which has been defined as consortship. Consortship is a transition type between polygynandry and monogramy within the framework of mating system. Therefore, studying on consortship is crucial to clarify the diversity of mating system and complexity of reproductive behavior. In this program, we take free-ranging Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Huangshan, China, and focus on impact factors to form consortship, the criteria of intersexual selection, social relationships within consortship, and the relationship between consortship, mating and reproductive success. We expect to answer behavioral adaptation and evolutionary driving force of consortship in Tibetan macaque groups with multi-male and multi-female. Moreover, this program can demonstrate the fundamental characteristics and adaptive strategies of consortship. It could also provide new insight into discussing of origin and evolution for monogramy. Finally, it could help us to explain the complex intersexual relationship in human society.

多雄多雌的灵长类社会群体的交配体制是“混交”，但经常可见一个性成熟的雄性和一个发情雌性形成临时性、排他性的两性关系，这种关系既不同于一夫一妻的关系，也不同于非性的异性关系，通常称为临时配偶关系（Consortship）。临时配偶关系是介于多配与单配的过渡类型，对阐明灵长类动物繁殖的多样性和复杂性至关重要。本项目以栖息于安徽黄山的野生短尾猴（Macaca Thibetana）为研究对象，通过研究临时配偶关系的形成因素、选择标准、社会关系和交配与繁殖成功，期望回答多雄多雌的社会群体中临时配偶关系的行为策略与繁殖适应。本研究成果有助于阐明短尾猴临时配偶关系的基本特征，探讨一夫一妻单配制的起源与演化，对揭示人类复杂的两性关系也具有重要参考价值。

临时配偶关系普遍存在于多雄多雌的灵长类社会群体中，但不同物种中临时配偶关系的内涵和性质高度多样和复杂，因此，临时配偶关系的功能意义和适应进化存在较大争议。短尾猴是我国特有的国家二级保护野生动物，其群体结构、社会关系、繁殖特征加上本课题组长期积累的种群资料，是研究临时配偶关系难得的极好对象。本研究对安徽黄山的野生短尾猴YA1群临时配偶关系的个体特征、选择标准、社会交往和交配/繁殖成功进行了研究，主要结果如下：（1）短尾猴的临时配偶关系主要发生在交配期，由高顺位雄性主动跟随形成，且雄性等级顺位越高，形成临时配偶关系越多；（2）雄性主要选择中青年且混交程度较低的雌性作为临时配偶伙伴；（3）短尾猴的临时配偶关系主要由雄性维持，维持期间雄性会更多的给雌性理毛、攻击支持以及觅食容忍，雌性也对配偶雄性表现出较强的合作，雄性在临时配偶期间增加觅食时间对其自身能量消耗进行了一定程度的弥补；（4）雄性形成临时配偶关系虽然不是雄性交配成功度的主要影响因素，但可以通过发情雌性数量和雌性选择限制其他雄性的交配成功，间接提升临时配偶关系雄性自身的交配成功，且高顺位雄性在发情雌性数量增多时会增加临时配偶关系的形成。由于雌性短尾猴具有隐藏自身发情的倾向，临时配偶关系是雄性短尾猴在混交体制最为有效的繁殖策略。本研究不仅阐明短尾猴临时配偶关系的基本特征与适应策略，也为揭示人类社会复杂的两性关系提供参考。