Growth and development in wild Owl Monkeys (Aotus azarai) of Argentina

Life history predicts that in sexually dimorphic species in which males are the larger sex, males should reach sexual maturity later than females (or vice versa if females are the larger sex). The corresponding prediction that in sexually monomorphic species maturational rates will differ little between the sexes has rarely been tested. We report here sex differences in growth and development to adulthood for 70 female and 69 male wild owl monkeys (Aotus azarai). In addition, using evidence from natal dispersal and first reproduction (mean: 74 mo) for 7 individuals of known age, we assigned ages to categories: infant, 0–6 mo; juvenile, 6.1–24 mo; subadult, 24.1–48 mo; adult >48 mo. We compared von Bertalanffy growth curves and growth rates derived from linear piecewise regressions for juvenile and subadult females and males. Growth rates did not differ between the sexes, although juvenile females were slightly longer than males. Females reached maximum maxillary canine height at ca. 2 yr, about a year earlier than males, and females’ maxillary canines were shorter than males’. Thus apart from canine eruption and possibly crown–rump length, the development of Azara’s owl monkeys conforms to the prediction by life history that in monomorphic species the sexes should develop at similar paces.

Life history predicts that in sexually dimorphic species in which males are
the larger sex, males should reach sexual maturity later than females (or vice versa if
females are the larger sex). The corresponding prediction that in sexually
monomorphic species maturational rates will differ little between the sexes has
rarely been tested. We report here sex differences in growth and development to
adulthood for 70 female and 69 male wild owl monkeys (Aotus azarai). In addition,
using evidence from natal dispersal and first reproduction (mean: 74 mo) for 7
individuals of known age, we assigned ages to categories: infant, 0–6 mo; juvenile,
6.1–24 mo; subadult, 24.1–48 mo; adult >48 mo. We compared von Bertalanffy
growth curves and growth rates derived from linear piecewise regressions for
juvenile and subadult females and males. Growth rates did not differ between the
sexes, although juvenile females were slightly longer than males. Females reached
maximum maxillary canine height at ca. 2 yr, about a year earlier than males, and
females’ maxillary canines were shorter than males’. Thus apart from canine
eruption and possibly crown–rump length, the development of Azara’s owl monkeys
conforms to the prediction by life history that in monomorphic species the sexes
should develop at similar paces.

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