First observations of nest attendance behavior by wild maned wolves, Chrysocyon brachyurus
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20213.abs In many species of canids the male’s role in reproduction extends to providing extensive or some parental care to his offspring. Maned wolves are a monogamous canid species whose males have been observed providing parental care to their offspring in captivity, but no field observations exist. We observed a wild pair of maned […]
Birth and simultaneous rearing of two litters in a pack of captive African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20111.abs Two female African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in a pack of 10 animals at the Bronx Zoo gave birth to litters of nine and seven pups within a 2-day period. Two pups from the litter of seven died before they were 2 weeks old, but the other 14 survived past weaning. Litter size, […]
Pairs of zebra finches with similar ‘personalities’ make better parents
Although behavioural plasticity should be an advantage in a varying world, there is increasing evidence for widespread stable individual differences in the behaviour of animals: that is, [`]personality’. Here we provide evidence suggesting that sexual selection is an important factor in the evolution of personality in species with biparental care. We carried out a cross-fostering […]
Androgen levels in a Bornean voiceless frog, Rana blythi
Male Rana blythi and males of three other species of voiceless frogs from Bornean rain forests lack the suite of secondary sex characteristics typical of most anurans: nuptial pads, vocal sacs, enlarged forearm flexors, and male advertisement calls. At the same time, basal species in the voiceless frog lineage exhibit an extreme type of male […]
Cannibalism of nonviable offspring by postparturient Mexican lance-headed rattlesnakes, Crotalus polystictus
Female vertebrates frequently ingest undeveloped ova and stillborn offspring. Two hypotheses have been proposed to interpret this behaviour: (1) it is a form of parental care, and (2) it recycles otherwise wasted energy, facilitating maternal recovery. Our study of Mexican lance-headed rattlesnakes provides the first quantitative description of cannibalism by postparturient rattlesnakes. We collected gravid […]
The role of temperature and humidity in python nest site selection
Parental care is a convergent trait shown by a broad range of taxa. Often, successful parents must balance multiple developmental variables (e.g. embryonic water balance and thermoregulation). Pythons have recently emerged as valuable parental care models because females show simple egg-brooding behaviours that significantly influence variables of widespread importance (i.e. embryonic predation, hydration, temperature and […]
Ultrasonic calling in isolated infant prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and montane voles (M. montanus)
I compared number of ultrasonic calls infant prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and montane voles (M. montanus) emit when isolated. Typically, murid infants produce ultrasonic calls when they cannot thermoregulate adequately. Infant prairie voles called much more than did infant montane voles (average of 954 versus 17 calls/20 min at ages 0–10 days, P < 0.001) […]
Enhancement of attachment and cognitive development of young nursery-reared chimpanzees in responsive versus standard care
Forty-six nursery-reared chimpanzee infants (22 females and 24 males) receiving either standard care (n = 29) or responsive care (n = 17) at the Great Ape Nursery at Yerkes participated in this study. Standard care (ST) consisted primarily of peer-rearing, with humans providing essential health-related care. Responsive care (RC) consisted of an additional 4 hr […]
Effects of early paternal presence upon nonhuman offsprings’ development
Both laboratory and field studies of the effects of pateral care on offspring development are useful for explaining and controlling offspring development, for discovering the mechanisms involved, and for explainig the presence of and variance in paternalcare. Many observers of paternal behaviors have simply assumed that paternal care has beneficial effects on the offspring. This […]
Turtle Vocalizations as the First Evidence of Posthatching Parental Care in Chelonians
Until recently, freshwater turtles were thought to be silent reptiles, neither vocalizing nor hearing very well. We recorded individuals in nature, captivity, and during interactions between adults and hatchlings and show that hatchlings and adult turtles, Podocnemis expansa, produce sounds in and out of the water. Sounds were emitted by hatchlings inside the egg, in […]