Infanticide
Comparative and Evolutionary Perspectives
1st Edition
Published on 30. June 2008
Book
Paperback/Softback
640 pages
978-0-202-36221-2 (ISBN)
Description
Recent field studies of a variety of mammalian species reveal a surprisingly high frequency of infanticide - the killing of unweaned or otherwise maternally dependent offspring. Similarly, studies of birds, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates demonstrate egg and larval mortality in these species, a phenomenon directly analogous to infanticide in mammals. In this collection, Hausfater and Hrdy draw together work on animal and human infanticide and place these studies in a broad evolutionary and comparative perspective.Infanticide presents the theoretical background and taxonomic distribution of infanticide, infanticide in nonhuman primates, infanticide in rodents, and infanticide in humans. It examines closely sex allocation and sex ratio theory, surveys the phylogeny of mammalian interbirth intervals, and reviews data on sources of egg and larval mortality in a variety of invertebrate and lower vertebrate species. Dealing with infanticide in nonhuman primates, two chapters critically examine data on infanticide in langurs and its broader theoretical implications. By reviewing sources of infant mortality in populations of small mammals and new laboratory analyses of the causes and consequences of infanticide, this work explores such issues as the ontogeny of infanticide, proximate cues of infants and females which elicit infanticidal behavior in males, the genetical basis of infanticide, and the hormonal determinants.Hausfater and Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, through their selection of materials for this book, evaluate the frequency, causes, and function of infanticide. Historical, ethnographic, and recent data on infanticide are surveyed. "Infanticide" summarizes current research on the evolutionary origins and proximate causation of infanticide in animals and man. As such it will be indispensable reading for anthropologists and behavioral biologists as well as ecologists, psychologists, demographers, and epidemiologists.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Somerset
United States
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Inc
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight
1024 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-202-36221-2 (9780202362212)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
10/2017
1st Edition
Routledge
€208.40
Shipment within 10-20 days
E-Book
07/2017
Routledge
€72.49
Available for download
E-Book
07/2017
Routledge
€72.49
Available for download
Persons
Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, Glenn Hausfater
Content
Comparative and Evolutionary Perspectives on Infanticide: Introduction and Overview List of Contributors and Symposium Participants I. BACKGROUND AND TAXONOMIC REVIEWS 1 Infanticide, Siblicide, and Avian Nestling Mortality 2 Infanticide in Carnivores 3 Cannibalism of Early Life Stages in Fishes 4 The Influence of Conspecifics on Egg and Larval Mortality in Amphibians 5 Intraspecific Predation and "Infant Killing'' Among Invertebrates 6 Mammalian Reproduction: Constraints on the Evolution of Infanticide 7 The Evolutionary Ecology of Sex Allocation: A Primer II. INFANTICIDE IN NONHUMAN PRIMATES: A TOPIC OF CONTINUING DEBATE Infanticide in Nonhuman Primates: An Introduction and Perspective 8 Infanticide by Adult Males in Three Primate Species of the Kibale Forest, Uganda: A Test of Hypotheses 9 Infanticide in Red Howler Monkeys [Alouatta seniculus) 10 Infanticide in Two Populations of Savanna Baboons 11 Infanticide in Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) with Comparative Notes on Chimpanzees 12 Reproductive Parameters, Adult-Male Replacements, and Infanticide Among Free-Ranging Langurs [Presbytis entellus) at Jodhpur (Rajasthan], India 13 Infanticide in Langurs: Strategies, Counterstrategies, and Parameter Values 14 Infant Killing and Male Reproductive Strategies in Langurs [Presbytis entellus) 15 Proximate Factors of Infanticide Among Langurs at Dhar[1]war: A Reply to Boggess 16 Assumptions and Evidence Regarding the Sexual Selection Hypothesis: A Reply to Boggess III. INFANTICIDE IN RODENTS: QUESTIONS OF PROXIMATE AND ULTIMATE CAUSATION Infanticidal Behavior in Male and Female Rodents: Sectional Introduction and Directions for Future Research 17 Causes and Consequences on Infanticide in Populations of Rodents 18 Infanticide and the Evolution of Pregnancy Block in Rodents 19 Infanticide by Male and Female Mongolian Gerbils: Ontogeny, Causation, and Function 20 Psychobiological Determinants Underlying Infanticide in Mice 21 Proximate and Ultimate Causes of Infanticide and Parental Behavior in Male House Mice IV. INFANTICIDE IN HUMANS: ETHNOGRAPHY, DEMOGRAPHY, SOCIOBIOLOGY, AND HISTORY Concepts and Classification in the Study of Human Infanticide: Sectional Introduction and Some Cautionary Notes 22 Infanticide in Human Populations: Societal and Individual Concerns 23 Deferred Infanticide: Excess Female Mortality during Childhood 24 A Sociobiological Analysis of Human Infanticide 25 Ayoreo Infanticide: A Case Study