Data for: Fur color change and hormonal development in captive Nomascus females

Gibbons of the genus Nomascus exhibit strong sexual dichromatism in fur color. Change of fur color in sub-adult wild Nomascus females is associated with the onset of puberty and the time of their dispersing. The fact about the more observed reproductive suppression in monogamous species is known, particularly in females. The variability in color change may be therefore influenced by social factors. In this study, we determined whether captive Nomascus females establish reproductive maturity prior to dispersing with an association to their fur color. We collected 287 fecal extracts to analyze pregnandiol -3- glucuronide and 17β estradiol profiles of 4 sub-adult females (Nomascus leucogenys and Nomascus gabriellae) and 183 samples from their mothers, using enzyme immunoassays. The sub-adult females were monitored aging from 4 years old. Their hormone profiles showed the onset of ovulatory cycling between ages of 4.6-5.8 years. Based on the information about the estrogen influence to the secondary sex characteristic (color of female) the positive link between estrogen concentration and age of the sub-adult females was found. However, the amount of the estrogen can apparently determinate the presence of the mother. If the mother was presented, the level of estrogen was higher than if the mother was missing. Our findings suggest that the probability to the beige color of the sub-adult females increased with increased age and if they were without mother. Due to a small number of females in this study, we can only assume a certain degree of maternal influence to the fur color change of their daughters.

冠长臂猿属（Nomascus）长臂猿具有显著的两性毛色二态性（sexual dichromatism）。野生亚成体雌性冠长臂猿的毛色变化，与其青春期启动及扩散时间密切相关。学界已观测到单配制物种中更为普遍的生殖抑制（reproductive suppression）现象，其中尤以雌性个体为甚。因此，毛色变化的个体差异可能受到社会因素的调控。本研究旨在探究圈养雌性冠长臂猿是否会在扩散前达到生殖成熟，及其与毛色变化的关联。本研究采用酶免疫分析法（enzyme immunoassays），共收集了287份粪便提取物（fecal extracts），用于分析4只亚成体雌性冠长臂猿（Nomascus leucogenys与Nomascus gabriellae）及其183份母体样本的孕烷二醇-3-葡糖苷酸（pregnandiol -3- glucuronide）与17β-雌二醇（17β estradiol）水平谱。研究对象为年龄从4岁起开始监测的亚成体雌性冠长臂猿，其激素谱显示排卵周期（ovulatory cycling）启动于4.6~5.8岁之间。基于雌激素对雌性第二性征（secondary sex characteristic）的调控作用相关研究，本研究发现雌性冠长臂猿的雌激素浓度与其亚成体年龄呈正相关关系。但雌激素水平显然会受母体存在与否的影响：当母体存在时，雌性冠长臂猿的雌激素水平显著高于母体缺失时的水平。本研究结果显示，亚成体雌性冠长臂猿出现米黄色毛色的概率，随年龄增长以及母体缺失的情况而升高。由于本研究的雌性样本量较小，我们仅能推测母体对其雌性后代的毛色变化存在一定程度的调控作用。