Doctoral Dissertation Research: Guenon face patterns and the maintenance of primate reproductive isolation

博士论文研究：Guenon 面部模式与灵长类动物生殖隔离的维持

• 批准号: 1613378
• 负责人: James Higham
• 金额: $ 2.26万
• 依托单位: New York University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-07-15 至 2019-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1613378&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Guenon; face

Reproduction and mate choice are key components of evolution because they affect how species are formed and maintained. In primates, there are several examples of closely-related primate species living in overlapping geographic ranges. How do these animals distinguish between members of their own versus other species when looking for mates? This doctoral dissertation project is an investigation of the role of face patterns and behavioral displays in maintaining reproductive isolation in the guenons, a group of forest monkey species in Africa that exhibit an extraordinary variety of colorful face patterns. Innovative methods will be used to measure and analyze the monkeys' appearance and their behavior related to members of their own species and closely-related species. Computer code and methodological details will be made freely available, and the project will support education and diversity in science through undergraduate training and K-12 science education outreach. The investigators will also be involved in scientific and biodiversity conservation outreach programs at their research site, and the project will foster international collaborations between research and conservation organizations in the USA and Nigeria. Identifying appropriate mates is potentially challenging for closely-related species with overlapping geographic ranges. One mechanism for preventing matings between different species is the evolution of signals that advertise species membership and that are used in mate choice to maintain reproductive isolation. Previous research has demonstrated that guenons can be classified by species based on images of their faces, and that facial distinctiveness increases with the degree of range overlap. However, the behavioral mechanisms by which a system of facial distinctiveness and associative mate choice might operate remain unclear. In this project, researchers will assess if and how guenons discriminate between species, and how variation in face patterns and behavioral displays influences mating decisions. To answer this question, researchers will: (1) identify regions of guenon faces critically important for species classification using computer vision algorithms; (2) assess guenon visual biases for same versus different species faces using a discrimination task with live guenons; (3) quantify behavioral displays and investigate their relationship with facial morphology using computer vision algorithms; and (4) document the ways in which guenon morphology and behavior are used in the wild using behavioral observations. This research will help to clarify the extent to which guenon face patterns function as signals of species membership, and how guenon morphologies and behaviors interact to influence their mating decisions. Ultimately, the results of this project will help us understand the relationship between phenotypic diversity and reproductive isolation.

繁殖和配偶选择是进化的关键组成部分，因为它们影响物种的形成和维持。在灵长类动物中，有一些密切相关的灵长类物种生活在重叠的地理范围内的例子。这些动物在寻找配偶时如何区分自己的成员和其他物种的成员？ 本博士论文项目旨在调查长尾猴的面部图案和行为表现在维持生殖隔离方面的作用，长尾猴是非洲的一群森林猴，表现出各种各样的彩色面部图案。将使用创新方法来测量和分析猴子的外观以及它们与本物种和近亲物种成员相关的行为。计算机代码和方法细节将免费提供，该项目将通过本科生培训和 K-12 科学教育推广来支持科学教育和多样性。研究人员还将参与其研究地点的科学和生物多样性保护外展计划，该项目将促进美国和尼日利亚的研究和保护组织之间的国际合作。 对于地理范围重叠的密切相关物种来说，确定合适的配偶可能具有挑战性。防止不同物种之间交配的一种机制是信号的进化，这些信号宣传物种成员资格并用于配偶选择以维持生殖隔离。先前的研究表明，长尾猴可以根据其面部图像进行物种分类，并且面部独特性随着范围重叠程度的增加而增加。然而，面部独特性和联想择偶系统的运作机制仍不清楚。在这个项目中，研究人员将评估长尾猴是否以及如何区分物种，以及面部图案和行为表现的变化如何影响交配决策。为了回答这个问题，研究人员将：（1）使用计算机视觉算法识别对物种分类至关重要的长尾猴面部区域； (2) 使用活体长尾猴的辨别任务来评估相同物种与不同物种面孔的长尾猴视觉偏差； （3）使用计算机视觉算法量化行为显示并研究其与面部形态的关系； (4) 通过行为观察记录在野外使用长尾猴形态和行为的方式。这项研究将有助于阐明长尾猴面部图案在多大程度上作为物种成员身份的信号，以及长尾猴的形态和行为如何相互作用以影响它们的交配决策。最终，该项目的结果将帮助我们了解表型多样性与生殖隔离之间的关系。