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Genetic diversity and reproductive success in mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx)

Charpentier, M.; Setchell, J.M.; Prugnolle, F.; Knapp, L.A.; Wickings, E.J.; Peignot, P.; Hossaert-McKey, M.

Authors

M. Charpentier

F. Prugnolle

L.A. Knapp

E.J. Wickings

P. Peignot

M. Hossaert-McKey



Abstract

Recent studies of wild animal populations have shown that estimators of neutral genetic diversity, such as mean heterozygosity, are often correlated with various fitness traits, such as survival, disease susceptibility, or reproductive success. We used two estimators of genetic diversity to explore the relationship between heterozygosity and reproductive success in male and female mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) living in a semifree ranging setting in Gabon. Because social rank is known to influence reproductive success in both sexes, we also examined the correlation between genetic diversity and social rank in females, and acquisition of alpha status in males, as well as length of alpha male tenure. We found that heterozygous individuals showed greater reproductive success, with both females and males producing more offspring. However, heterozygosity influenced reproductive success only in dominant males, not in subordinates. Neither the acquisition of alpha status in males, nor social rank in females, was significantly correlated with heterozygosity, although more heterozygous alpha males showed longer tenure than homozygous ones. We also tested whether the benefits of greater genetic diversity were due mainly to a genome-wide effect of inbreeding depression or to heterosis at one or a few loci. Multilocus effects best explained the correlation between heterozygosity and reproductive success and tenure, indicating the occurrence of inbreeding depression in this mandrill colony.

Citation

Charpentier, M., Setchell, J., Prugnolle, F., Knapp, L., Wickings, E., Peignot, P., & Hossaert-McKey, M. (2005). Genetic diversity and reproductive success in mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(46), 16723-16728. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0507205102

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Nov 1, 2005
Deposit Date Feb 6, 2009
Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Print ISSN 0027-8424
Electronic ISSN 1091-6490
Publisher National Academy of Sciences
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 102
Issue 46
Pages 16723-16728
DOI https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0507205102.
Keywords Correlation heterozygosity-fitness, Genome-wide inbreeding, Primate, Social rank, Reproduction.
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1565106