Olfactory Communication in Primates

Duke University, Durham NC

Investigators

Abstract

Olfactory signals are ubiquitous among mammals and serve to advertise quality, reproductive state, and resource ownership to potential competitors or mates. Olfaction is an area of growing interest, but its role in primates, including humans, remains poorly understood. This project will examine olfactory communication in two key species, the ringtailed lemur and mandrill, selected because their exceptional morphological and behavioral characteristics provide an ideal comparative framework for examining olfactory mechanisms of mate choice: Both species have scent glands, but differ dramatically in their social organization and degree of sexual dimorphism. As a nontraditional model, the mandrill also promises to underscore the importance of chemosignals in Old World primates. This project also will survey odorant production in 20 other prosimian species, selected because the diversity of their scent glands and marking behavior offers an equally invaluable opportunity to examine species differences in signal content, with the goal of better understanding phylogenetic patterns. Combined field and laboratory approaches will include (1) chemical analyses to decipher the volatile information content of signals, (2) behavioral observation and bioassays to evaluate the receiver's response to scent signals, (3) genetic analyses to characterize variation in heterozygosity, relatedness, and immunocompatibility between signal senders and their recipients, and (4) proteomic analyses to unravel the nonvolatile contribution to odor cues. This integrative study will identify important correlates of olfactory cues to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying the evolution of olfactory communication. While focused on primates, the results promise to be broadly applicable, providing additional insight into the role of olfactory signals in mammalian reproductive advertisement, social stratification, and mate choice, as well as in individual, kin, and species recognition. The broader impact of this project will be attained through a strong commitment to teaching and an emphasis on collaboration. This project will (1) provide opportunities for training future scientists; (2) encourage under-represented groups to pursue science careers; (3) foster interdepartmental, inter-university, and international partnerships through new research ventures that broaden the perspectives of faculty and students alike; (4) integrate project-derived information into course development; (5) disseminate information to the scientific community; and (6) share information with educational programs that target universities, primary schools, and the general public, thereby enhancing education, raising public awareness about endangered primates, and aiding in species preservation.