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Fake twins? Two cases of intensive allomaternal care by female Japanese macaques before and after their own partum

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Abstract

Allomaternal care is widely observed among primate species. Although diverse allomothering behavioral repertoire and types of caretakers have been reported, it remains unclear what social or physiological conditions may trigger such care in each individual. For a better understanding of mechanisms that give rise to allomaternal care in primates, more observational reports are needed with information on social or physiological conditions of caretakers. Here I report two cases of intensive allomaternal care in two different populations of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). The two adult females provided intensive allomaternal care including carrying, grooming, and nursing towards others’ infants. Their allomaternal care began 20 or 29 days prior to their own partum and lasted for 84 days at the most. This study firstly showed that nursing forms part of the allomothering behavioral repertoire, and allomaternal caretakers can be individuals that are prior to the time of their own partum in Japanese macaques. Their intensive allomaternal care may stem from their good nutritional conditions, increased concentrations of several hormones, or disappearance of the newborn infants’ biological mothers.

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Acknowledgements

I thank Mr. A. Nishio, Ms. C. Saeki, Mr. M. Ishii, Ms. Y. Kaji, Mr. K. Hida, Ms. K. Miyashita, and Ms. K. Kuno for support in Choshikei Monkey Park on Shodoshima Island, and stuff of Takasakiyama National Zoo, especially Dr. H. Kurita and Mr. T. Shimomura, for support in the park, and Dr. K. Watanabe, Dr. T. Furuichi, Dr. Y. Tsuji for support with my field researches. I also thank the anonymous reviewers and the editor for their reviews and helpful comments on my manuscript. This study was financially supported by the Leading Graduate Program in Primatology and Wildlife Science of Kyoto University.

Funding

This study was supported by the Leading Graduate Program in Primatology and Wildlife Science of Kyoto University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan

    Shintaro Ishizuka

  2. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0083, Japan

    Shintaro Ishizuka

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  1. Shintaro Ishizuka
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SI designed this study, collected behavioral and genetic data, wrote and revised the manuscript. The author gave final approval for publication.

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Correspondence to Shintaro Ishizuka.

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The author declares no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This study was conformed to the Guidelines for Field Research established by the Ethics Committee of the Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University. The study was approved by Choshikei Monkey Park, and Takasakiyama National Zoo.

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Ishizuka, S. Fake twins? Two cases of intensive allomaternal care by female Japanese macaques before and after their own partum. Primates 61, 351–355 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-020-00812-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-020-00812-7

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