Hpa. Silva et Mbc. Sousa, THE PAIR-BOND FORMATION AND ITS ROLE IN THE STIMULATION OF REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION FEMALE COMMON MARMOSETS (CALLITHRIX-JACCHUS), International journal of primatology, 18(3), 1997, pp. 387-400
The sociosexual relationship between male and female common marmosets
(Callithrix jacchus) is characterized by pair-bond formation, which in
cludes sexual and social interactions such as contact, huddling and al
logrooming. The formation of heterosexual pairs in captivity sometimes
is unsuccessful in terms of reproduction. We investigated the existen
ce of a correlation between characteristics of sociosexual interaction
of marmoset pairs and its role in stimulating reproductive function i
n females. We studied pair-bond formation during the first 10 weeks of
pairing in eight unrelated heterosexual pairs of common marmosets (Ca
llithrix jacchus) without prior sexual experience. In three of them, p
regnancy occurred during the study period (group SR), and we compared
the profile of their sociosexual interactions with that of the five ot
her couples in which pregnancy was not registered (group NS) during th
at period. The results show differences between the two groups, relate
d mainly to affiliative responses between male and female, with signif
icantly higher levels of allogrooming and simultaneous piloerection in
the SR group, Although we did not find significant differences in the
frequency of mounting behavior between groups, their reproductive suc
cess was different, suggesting that some behavioral patterns related t
o cooperative interactions between the male and female could be expres
sing the pair-bond. These behaviors may be influencing the females' ph
ysiology and consequently successful reproduction in the species.