No Cover Image

E-Thesis 329 views 56 downloads

Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification / EWAN SUTTIE

Swansea University Author: EWAN SUTTIE

  • 2023_Suttie_E.final.63348.pdf

    PDF | Redacted version - open access

    Copyright: The Author, Ewan Suttie, 2023.

    Download (3.42MB)

Abstract

Many species of primates have natal coats in infancy that can be lighter, darker, or an entirely different colour to that of adults. Sometimes these appear highly conspicuous, at least to humans, which is unusual for ontogenetic colour change for infants without any intrinsic defence. Previous compa...

Full description

Published: Swansea, Wales, UK 2023
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Master of Research
Degree name: MRes
Supervisor: Allen, William. and King, Andrew.
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa63348
first_indexed 2023-05-04T13:19:13Z
last_indexed 2025-03-20T07:57:04Z
id cronfa63348
recordtype RisThesis
fullrecord <?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2025-03-19T09:49:03.8147552</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>63348</id><entry>2023-05-04</entry><title>Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>8baea628e13cd233068975eb0761d240</sid><firstname>EWAN</firstname><surname>SUTTIE</surname><name>EWAN SUTTIE</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2023-05-04</date><abstract>Many species of primates have natal coats in infancy that can be lighter, darker, or an entirely different colour to that of adults. Sometimes these appear highly conspicuous, at least to humans, which is unusual for ontogenetic colour change for infants without any intrinsic defence. Previous comparative studies have tested various hypotheses as to what the benefit of a bright coat could be to the most vulnerable individuals in a group, and currently there is weak equivocal support for several different hypotheses. The main weakness of previous studies has been quantifying the great diversity of natal coat phenotypes in as little as two or three restrictive categories. In this study, primate natal coats are measured on a continuous scale of conspicuousness to more accurately represent the great interspecies variety of natal coats. In this hypothesis-driven study, phylogenetic comparative method were used to test comparative predictions about the function of primate natal coats. Results showed infanticidal behaviour, small relative testes mass, and ventral carriage of infants were all significantly associated with primate natal coat conspicuousness. The results suggest evidence to support the hypothesis that natal coats act as a signal to out-group, hostile males that the infant will be defended by other group members if the male attempts infanticide. This study furthers knowledge of an unusual form type of ontogenetic colour change that is currently unexplained and rarely seen in mammals and suggests that infanticide is a key selective pressure in many primate societies.</abstract><type>E-Thesis</type><journal/><volume/><journalNumber/><paginationStart/><paginationEnd/><publisher/><placeOfPublication>Swansea, Wales, UK</placeOfPublication><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic/><keywords>Primate, conspicuous natal coat, colouration, comparative study</keywords><publishedDay>27</publishedDay><publishedMonth>3</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2023</publishedYear><publishedDate>2023-03-27</publishedDate><doi/><url/><notes>A selection of third party content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis due to copyright restrictions.</notes><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><supervisor>Allen, William. and King, Andrew.</supervisor><degreelevel>Master of Research</degreelevel><degreename>MRes</degreename><apcterm/><funders/><projectreference/><lastEdited>2025-03-19T09:49:03.8147552</lastEdited><Created>2023-05-04T14:04:42.1532518</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Science and Engineering</level><level id="2">School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences</level></path><authors><author><firstname>EWAN</firstname><surname>SUTTIE</surname><order>1</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>63348__27338__72c2450bd77248e9b0aa4d16c483269c.pdf</filename><originalFilename>2023_Suttie_E.final.63348.pdf</originalFilename><uploaded>2023-05-05T09:41:13.4429620</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>3582595</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>Redacted version - open access</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><documentNotes>Copyright: The Author, Ewan Suttie, 2023.</documentNotes><copyrightCorrect>true</copyrightCorrect><language>eng</language></document></documents><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2025-03-19T09:49:03.8147552 v2 63348 2023-05-04 Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification 8baea628e13cd233068975eb0761d240 EWAN SUTTIE EWAN SUTTIE true false 2023-05-04 Many species of primates have natal coats in infancy that can be lighter, darker, or an entirely different colour to that of adults. Sometimes these appear highly conspicuous, at least to humans, which is unusual for ontogenetic colour change for infants without any intrinsic defence. Previous comparative studies have tested various hypotheses as to what the benefit of a bright coat could be to the most vulnerable individuals in a group, and currently there is weak equivocal support for several different hypotheses. The main weakness of previous studies has been quantifying the great diversity of natal coat phenotypes in as little as two or three restrictive categories. In this study, primate natal coats are measured on a continuous scale of conspicuousness to more accurately represent the great interspecies variety of natal coats. In this hypothesis-driven study, phylogenetic comparative method were used to test comparative predictions about the function of primate natal coats. Results showed infanticidal behaviour, small relative testes mass, and ventral carriage of infants were all significantly associated with primate natal coat conspicuousness. The results suggest evidence to support the hypothesis that natal coats act as a signal to out-group, hostile males that the infant will be defended by other group members if the male attempts infanticide. This study furthers knowledge of an unusual form type of ontogenetic colour change that is currently unexplained and rarely seen in mammals and suggests that infanticide is a key selective pressure in many primate societies. E-Thesis Swansea, Wales, UK Primate, conspicuous natal coat, colouration, comparative study 27 3 2023 2023-03-27 A selection of third party content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis due to copyright restrictions. COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Allen, William. and King, Andrew. Master of Research MRes 2025-03-19T09:49:03.8147552 2023-05-04T14:04:42.1532518 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences EWAN SUTTIE 1 63348__27338__72c2450bd77248e9b0aa4d16c483269c.pdf 2023_Suttie_E.final.63348.pdf 2023-05-05T09:41:13.4429620 Output 3582595 application/pdf Redacted version - open access true Copyright: The Author, Ewan Suttie, 2023. true eng
title Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification
spellingShingle Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification
EWAN SUTTIE
title_short Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification
title_full Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification
title_fullStr Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification
title_full_unstemmed Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification
title_sort Testing comparative predictions of primate natal coat function hypotheses using continuous coat conspicuousness quantification
author_id_str_mv 8baea628e13cd233068975eb0761d240
author_id_fullname_str_mv 8baea628e13cd233068975eb0761d240_***_EWAN SUTTIE
author EWAN SUTTIE
author2 EWAN SUTTIE
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2023
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Many species of primates have natal coats in infancy that can be lighter, darker, or an entirely different colour to that of adults. Sometimes these appear highly conspicuous, at least to humans, which is unusual for ontogenetic colour change for infants without any intrinsic defence. Previous comparative studies have tested various hypotheses as to what the benefit of a bright coat could be to the most vulnerable individuals in a group, and currently there is weak equivocal support for several different hypotheses. The main weakness of previous studies has been quantifying the great diversity of natal coat phenotypes in as little as two or three restrictive categories. In this study, primate natal coats are measured on a continuous scale of conspicuousness to more accurately represent the great interspecies variety of natal coats. In this hypothesis-driven study, phylogenetic comparative method were used to test comparative predictions about the function of primate natal coats. Results showed infanticidal behaviour, small relative testes mass, and ventral carriage of infants were all significantly associated with primate natal coat conspicuousness. The results suggest evidence to support the hypothesis that natal coats act as a signal to out-group, hostile males that the infant will be defended by other group members if the male attempts infanticide. This study furthers knowledge of an unusual form type of ontogenetic colour change that is currently unexplained and rarely seen in mammals and suggests that infanticide is a key selective pressure in many primate societies.
published_date 2023-03-27T05:11:27Z
_version_ 1851368603379564544
score 11.089572

Similar Items