Reproductive characteristics of wild female Phayre's leaf monkeys

Abstract

Understanding female reproductive characteristics is important for assessing fertility, interpreting female behavior, and designing appropriate conservation and captive management plans. In primate species lacking morphological signs of receptivity, such as most colobines, determination of reproductive parameters depends on the analysis of reproductive hormones. Here, we use fecal hormone analysis to characterize cycle patterns ( N =6 females) and gestation length ( N =7 females) in a group of wild Phayre's leaf monkeys ( Trachypithecus phayrei crepusculus ) in Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. We found that both fecal estrogen (fE) and progestin (fP) levels showed clear biological patterns indicative of ovulation and conception. However, because fP patterns were inadequate in determining the end of the luteal phase, we used fE rather than fP patterns to delineate menstrual cycle parameters. We found a mean cycle length of 28.4 days ( N =10), with follicular and luteal phases of 15.4 ( N =10) and 12.5 days ( N =14), respectively. On average, females underwent 3.57 ( N =7) cycles until conception. Average gestation length was 205.3 days ( N =7), with fE levels increasing over the course of pregnancy. Overall, the reproductive characteristics found for Phayre's leaf monkeys were consistent with results for other colobine species, suggesting that fecal hormone monitoring, particularly for fE metabolites, can provide useful reproductive information for this species. Am. J. Primatol. 72:1073–1081, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.