Mating system of Thrichomys fosteri in the Brazilian Pantanal: spatial patterns indicate promiscuity

Pâmela Antunes; Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues Oliveira-Santos; Thiago Mateus Rocha dos Santos; Jorge Fernando Saraiva de Menezes; Walfrido Moraes Tomas; James D. Forester; Fernando Antonio Santos Fernandez

doi:10.1007/s42991-020-00040-y

Mating system of Thrichomys fosteri in the Brazilian Pantanal: spatial patterns indicate promiscuity

Pâmela Antunes, Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues Oliveira-Santos, Thiago Mateus Rocha dos Santos, Jorge Fernando Saraiva de Menezes, Walfrido Moraes Tomas, James D. Forester, Fernando Antonio Santos Fernandez

Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Animal mating systems provide key insights into the relationship between evolutionary processes and ecological factors such as the spatio-temporal fluctuation of resource abundance. Characteristics of mating systems can be inferred from the spatial distribution of conspecifics and the arrangement of reproductive pairs. Here we used home-range size and overlap for Thrichomys fosteri in the Brazilian Pantanal to infer the mating system on this echimyid rodent. Our aims were to verify the existence of sexual dimorphism, to test whether home-range size varied with the sex and body weight of the individuals, to evaluate the degree of home-range overlap, to estimate mean population density, and to infer individuals’ mating system. Twenty one individuals (15 males and six females) were radio tracked from 14 to 349 days, with the number of locations by individuals ranging from 19 to 193 locations. There was a male-biased sexual dimorphism in body weight where males were 1.36 times heavier than females. Males’ home-range size increased with their body weight, while for females there was no relationship. There was extensive home-range overlap between both sexes, and no evidence of territoriality. Mean population density ranged from 0.9 to 3.03 individuals/ha. Our results indicate that multiple mates were available for both sexes, characterizing a promiscuous mating system.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	365-375
Number of pages	11
Journal	Mammalian Biology
Volume	100
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-020-00040-y
State	Published - Aug 1 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
PC Antunes, LGR Oliveira-Santos and FAS Fernandez were supported by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). We thank Alan Bolzan, Everton Miranda, Ismael V. Brack and Rafael P. Ferreira for the valuable help with field work. We acknowledge the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa Pantanal; Project SEG 02.10.06.007.00.00) for logistical and financial support.

Funding Information:
PC Antunes, LGR Oliveira-Santos and FAS Fernandez were supported by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). We thank Alan Bolzan, Everton Miranda, Ismael V. Brack and Rafael P. Ferreira for the valuable help with field work. We acknowledge the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa Pantanal;?Project SEG 02.10.06.007.00.00) for logistical and financial support.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Säugetierkunde.

Keywords

Density estimation
Home-range overlap
Home-range size
Rodent
Sexual dimorphism

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title = "Mating system of Thrichomys fosteri in the Brazilian Pantanal: spatial patterns indicate promiscuity",

abstract = "Animal mating systems provide key insights into the relationship between evolutionary processes and ecological factors such as the spatio-temporal fluctuation of resource abundance. Characteristics of mating systems can be inferred from the spatial distribution of conspecifics and the arrangement of reproductive pairs. Here we used home-range size and overlap for Thrichomys fosteri in the Brazilian Pantanal to infer the mating system on this echimyid rodent. Our aims were to verify the existence of sexual dimorphism, to test whether home-range size varied with the sex and body weight of the individuals, to evaluate the degree of home-range overlap, to estimate mean population density, and to infer individuals{\textquoteright} mating system. Twenty one individuals (15 males and six females) were radio tracked from 14 to 349 days, with the number of locations by individuals ranging from 19 to 193 locations. There was a male-biased sexual dimorphism in body weight where males were 1.36 times heavier than females. Males{\textquoteright} home-range size increased with their body weight, while for females there was no relationship. There was extensive home-range overlap between both sexes, and no evidence of territoriality. Mean population density ranged from 0.9 to 3.03 individuals/ha. Our results indicate that multiple mates were available for both sexes, characterizing a promiscuous mating system.",

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author = "P{\^a}mela Antunes and Oliveira-Santos, {Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues} and {dos Santos}, {Thiago Mateus Rocha} and {de Menezes}, {Jorge Fernando Saraiva} and Tomas, {Walfrido Moraes} and Forester, {James D.} and Fernandez, {Fernando Antonio Santos}",

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Mating system of Thrichomys fosteri in the Brazilian Pantanal: spatial patterns indicate promiscuity

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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