The Mandrill : a Case of Extreme Sexual Selection
Alan F. Dixson (Author)
Living in the remote forests of western central Africa, the mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) is notoriously elusive and has evaded scientific scrutiny for decades. Yet, it is the largest and most sexually dimorphic of all the Old World monkeys, and perhaps the most colourful of all the mammals. Synthesising the results of more than twenty-five years of research, this is the first extensive treatment of the mandrill's reproductive and behavioural biology. Dixson explores in detail the role that sexual selection has played in shaping the mandrill's evolution, covering mechanisms of mate choice, intra-sexual competition, sperm competition and cryptic female choice. Bringing to life, through detailed descriptions and rich illustrations, the mandrill's communicatory biology and the functions of its brightly coloured adornments, this book sheds new light on the evolutionary biology of this fascinating primate
1 online resource (273 pages)
9781316335345, 9781107535121, 1316335348, 1107535123
941030864
Print version:
Prologue; Part I. Natural History: 1. Historiae animalium; 2. The genus Mandrillus: classification and distribution; 3. Morphology and functional anatomy; 4. Ecology and behaviour; 5. Social communication; 6. Matters of life and death; Part II. Reproduction: 7. Seasonal patterns of reproduction; 8. Behaviour and reproductive success; Part III. Evolution and Sexual Selection: 9. A brief evolutionary history of the genus Mandrillus; 10. Sexual selection; 11. Epilogue: conservation status of the genus Mandrillus; Appendix; References; Index.
Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 11 Feb 2016)