People
Primate Reproductive Ecology and Evolution
New York University
James Higham
PI
Alex DeCasien
PhD student
Constance Dubuc
Affiliated Researcher
Susie Lee
PhD student
Laura Newman
PhD student
Megan Petersdorf
PhD student
Rachel Petersen
PhD student
Sandra Winters
PhD student
Will Allen
Postdoc, alumnus
Lauren Petrullo
MA student, alumna
Benjamin Ragen
Postdoc, alumnus
Connie Rojas
RA, alumna
Louisa Radosevich
RA, alumna
Victoria Johnson
RA, alumna
James Higham
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Contact Information
jhigham@nyu.edu
Publications
As Editor
Higham, J.P. & Roney, J. (Eds). 2017. Field endocrinology of nonhuman and human primates.
Hormones and Behavior 91.
Higham, J.P. & Hebets, E.A. (Eds). 2013. Multimodal communication.
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 67 (9)
Higham, J.P. & Semple, S. (Eds). 2013. Primate signals.
American Journal of Primatology 75 (7)
Higham, J.P. (Ed). 2009. Primate coloration: measurement, mechanisms and function.
International Journal of Primatology 30 (6)
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Mandalaywala, T.M., Petrullo, L., Parker, K., Maestripieri, D. & Higham, J.P. Vigilance for threat accounts for inter-individual variation in physiological responses to adversity in rhesus macaques: a cognition x environment approach.
Developmental Psychobiology In Press
Petersdorf, M., Dubuc, C., Georgiev, A., Winters, S. & Higham, J.P. 2017. Is the red facial coloration of male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) subject to intrasexual selection?
Behavioral Ecology 28: 1472-1481.
Hiramatsu, C., Melin, A.D., Allen, W.L., Dubuc, C. & Higham, J.P. 2017. Experimental evidence that primate trichromacy is well suited for detecting primate social colour signals.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B 284: 20162458.
Roney, J.R. & Higham, J.P. 2017. Synthesizing research on field endocrinology of nonhuman primates and humans.
Hormones and Behavior 91: 1-2.
DeCasien, A.R., Williams, S.A. & Higham, J.P. 2017. Primate brain size is predicted by diet but not sociality.
Nature Ecology and Evolution 1:0112.
Hammond, A.S., Johnson, V.P. & Higham, J.P. 2017. Hip joint mobility in free-ranging rhesus macaques.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology 58: 83-91
Rigaill, L., MacIntosh, A.J.J., Higham, J.P., Winters, S., Shimizu, K., Mouri, K., Suzumura, T., Furuichi, T., Garcia, C. 2017. Testing for links between face color and age, dominance status, parity, weight, and intestinal nematode infection in a sample of female Japanese macaques.
Primates 58: 83-91.
Petrullo, L., Mandalaywala, T.M., Parker, K., Maestripieri, D. & Higham, J.P. 2016. Effects of early-life adversity on cortisol/salivary alpha-amylase symmetry in free-ranging juvenile rhesus macaques.
Hormones and Behavior 86: 78-84.
Higham, J.P. 2016. Field endocrinology of nonhuman primates: past, present and future.
Hormones and Behavior 84: 145-155
Dubuc, C., Allen, W.L., Cascio, J., Lee, D.S., Maestripieri, D., Petersdorf, M., Winters, S. & Higham, J.P. 2016. Who cares? Experimental attention biases provide new insights into a mammalian sexual signal.
Behavioral Ecology 27: 68-74
Grueter, C.C., Zhu, P., Allen, W.L., Higham, J.P., Ren, B. & Li, M. 2015. Sexually-selected lip colour indicates male group-holding status in the mating season in a multi-level primate society.
Royal Society Open Science 2: 150490
Heistermann, M. & Higham, J.P. 2015 Urinary neopterin, a non-invasive marker of mammalian cellular immune activation, is highly stable under field conditions.
Scientific Reports 5: 16308
Fischer, J., Wheeler, B.C., & Higham, J.P. 2015. Is there any evidence for vocal learning in chimpanzee food calls?
Current Biology 25, R1-R2
Rigaill, L., MacIntosh, A.J.J., Higham, J.P., Winters, S., Shimizu, K., Mouri, K., Takeshi, F. & Garcia, C. Multimodal advertisement of pregnancy in free-ranging female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).
PLOS One 10(8): e0135127
Higham, J.P., Kraus, C., Stahl-Hennig, C., Engelhardt, A., Fuchs, D. & Heistermann, M. 2015. Evaluating non-invasive markers of non-human primate immune activation and inflammation.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology 158: 673-684
Winters, S., Dubuc, C. & Higham, J.P. 2015. The looking time experimental paradigm in studies of animal visual perception and cognition.
Ethology 121: 625-640
Allen, W.L. & Higham, J.P. 2015. Assessing the potential information content of multicomponent visual signals: A machine learning approach.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B 282: 20142284
MacLarnon, A.M., Sommer, V., Goffe, A.S., Higham, J.P., Lodge, E., Tkaczynski, P. & Ross, C. 2015. Assessing adaptability and reactive scope: a new measure and a case study of environmental stress in forest-living baboons.
General and Comparative Endocrinology 215: 10-24Dubuc, C., Winters, S., Allen, W.L., Brent, L.J.N., Cascio, J., Maestripieri, D.M., Ruiz-Lambides, A., Widdig, A. & Higham, J.P. 2014. Sexually-selected skin color is heritable and related to fecundity in a non-human primate.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B 281: 20141602
Mandalaywala, T.M., Higham, J.P., Heistermann, M., Parker, K.J. & Maestripieri D. 2014. Physiological and behavioral stress responses to weaning conflict in free-ranging primate infants.
Animal Behaviour 91: 241-247
Hughes, K.D., Higham, J.P., Allen, W.L., Elliot, A.J. & Hayden, B.Y. 2015. Extraneous red drives female macaques’ gaze toward photographs of male conspecifics.
Evolution and Human Behavior 36: 25-31
Allen, W.L., Stevens, M & Higham, J.P. 2014. Character displacement of Cercopithecini primate visual signals.
Nature Communications 5: 4266
Higham, J.P. & Maestripieri, D. 2014. The costs of reproductive success in Cayo Santiago male rhesus macaques.
International Journal of Primatology 35: 661-676
Dubuc, C., Allen, W.L., Maestripieri, D. & Higham, J.P. 2014. Is male rhesus macaque red colour ornamentation attractive to females?
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 68: 1215-1224
Higham, J.P. 2014. How does honest costly signaling work?Behavioral Ecology 25: 8-11
Higham, J.P. & Hebets, E.A. 2013. An introduction to multimodal communication.
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 67: 1381-1388
Wilson A., Dean, M. & Higham, J.P. 2013. A game theoretic approach to multimodal communication.
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 67: 1399-1415
Higham, J.P., Pfefferle, D., Heistermann, M., Maestripieri, D. & Stevens, M. 2013. Signaling in multiple modalities in male rhesus macaques: barks and sex skin coloration in relation to androgen levels, social status and mating behavior.
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 67: 1457-1469
Semple, S. & Higham, J.P. 2013. Primate signals: Current issues and perspectives.
American Journal of Primatology 75: 613-620
Allen, W.L. & Higham, J.P. 2013. Analyzing visual signals as visual scenes.
American Journal of Primatology 75: 664-682
Rigaill, L., Higham, J.P., Lee, PC., Blin, A. & Garcia, C. 2013. Multimodal sexual signaling and mating behavior in olive baboons (Papio anubis).
American Journal of Primatology 75: 774-787
Higham, J.P., Heistermann, M. & Maestripieri, D. 2013. The endocrinology of male rhesus macaque social and reproductive status: a test of the challenge and social stress hypotheses.
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 67: 19-30
Higham, J.P., Heistermann, M., Saggau, C., Agil, M., Perwitasari-Farajallah, D. & Engelhardt, A. 2012. Sexual signaling in the crested macaque and the evolution of primate fertility signals.
BMC Evolutionary Biology 12: 89
Mandalaywala, T.M., Higham, J.P., Heistermann, M. & Maestripieri, D. 2011. Infant bystanders modulate the effects of ovarian hormones on socio-sexual behaviour in free-ranging female rhesus macaques.
Behaviour 148: 1137-1155
Higham, J.P., Girard-Buttoz, C., Engelhardt, A. & Heistermann, M. 2011 Urinary C-peptide of insulin as a non-invasive marker of nutritional status: some practicalities.
PLoS One 6: e22398
Higham, J.P., Hughes, K.D., Brent, L.J.N., Dubuc, C., Engelhardt, A., Heistermann, M., Maestripieri, D., Santos, L.R & Stevens, M. 2011. Familiarity affects assessment of facial signals of female fertility by free-ranging male rhesus macaques.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B 278: 3452-3458
Hoffman, C.L., Higham, J.P., Heistermann, M., Prendergast, B., Coe, C. & Maestripieri, D. 2011. Immune function and HPA axis activity in free-ranging rhesus macaques.
Physiology and Behavior 104: 507-514
Girard-Buttoz, C., Higham, J.P., Heistermann, M., Wedegärtner, S., Maestripieri, D. & Engelhardt, A. 2011. Urinary c-peptide measurement as a marker of nutritional status in macaques.
PLoS One 6: e18042
Higham, J.P., Heistermann, M. & Maestripieri, D. 2011. The energetics of male-male endurance rivalry in rhesus macaques.
Animal Behaviour 81: 1001-1007
Higham, J.P., Barr, C.S., Hoffman, C.L., Mandalaywala, T.M., Parker, K.J. & Maestripieri, D. 2011. Mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) variation, oxytocin levels and maternal behavior in free-ranging rhesus macaques.
Behavioral Neuroscience 125: 131-136
De Vere, R., Warren, Y., Nicholas, A., MacKenzie, M.E. & Higham, J.P. 2011. Nest site ecology of the Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) in the Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary, Cameroon, with special reference to anthropogenic influence.
American Journal of Primatology 73: 253-261
Higham, J.P. & Maestripieri, D. 2010. Revolutionary coalitions in male rhesus macaques.
Behaviour 147: 1889-1908
Higham, J.P., Vitale, A.B., Mas-Rivera, A., Ayala, J.E. & Maestripieri, D. 2010. Measuring salivary analytes from free-ranging monkeys.
Physiology & Behavior 101: 601-607
Hoffman, C.L., Higham, J.P., Mas-Rivera, A., Ayala, J.E. & Maestripieri, D. 2010. Terminal investment and senescence in rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago.
Behavioral Ecology 21: 972-978
Higham, J.P., Brent, L.J.N., Dubuc, C., Accamando, A,K., Engelhardt, A., Gerald, M.S., Heistermann, M. & Stevens, M. 2010. Color signal information content and the eye of the beholder: a case study in the rhesus macaque.
Behavioral Ecology 21: 739-746
Higham, J.P. MacLarnon, A.M., Heistermann, M., Ross, C. & Semple, S. 2009. Self-directed behaviours and faecal glucocorticoid levels are not correlated in female wild olive baboons.
Stress 12: 526-532
Higham, J.P. Primate Coloration – An introduction to the special issue. 2009.
International Journal of Primatology 30: 749-751
Marty, J.M., Higham, J.P., Gadsby, E.L., & Ross, C. 2009 Color, dominance and social and sexual behavior in male drills.
International Journal of Primatology 30: 807-823
Stevens, M., Stoddard, M.C., & Higham, J.P. 2009. Studying primate color: towards visual system dependent methods.
International Journal of Primatology 30: 893-917
Higham, J.P., Semple, S. MacLarnon, A., Heistermann, M. & Ross, C. 2009. Female reproductive signals, and male mating behavior, in the olive baboon.
Hormones and Behavior 55: 60-67
Higham, J.P., Warren, Y., Adanu, J. Bubu, U. MacLarnon, A., Sommer, V. & Ross, C. 2009. Living on the edge: Life-history of olive baboons at Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Nigeria.
American Journal of Primatology 71: 293-304
Higham, J.P., MacLarnon, A., Ross, C., Heistermann, M. & Semple, S. 2008 Baboon sexual swellings: Information content of size and color.
Hormones and Behavior 53: 452-462
Higham, J.P. Heistermann, M., Ross, C., Semple, S. & MacLarnon, A. 2008. The timing of ovulation with respect to sexual swelling detumescence in wild olive baboons.
Primates 49: 295-299
Higham, J.P., Ross, C., Warren, Y., Heistermann, M. & MacLarnon, A. 2007 Reduced reproductive function in wild baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis) related to natural consumption of the African black plum (Vitex doniana).
Hormones and Behavior 52: 384-390
Asakura, T., Umemura, K., Nakazawa, Y., Hirose, H., Higham, J.P. & Knight, D. 2007 Some observations on the structure and function of the spinning apparatus in the silkworm Bombyx mori.
Biomacromolecules 8: 175-181
Higham, J.P. & Gosler, A.G. 2006 Speckled eggs: water loss and incubation behaviour in the Great tit Parus major.
Oecologia 149: 561-570
Gosler, A.G., Higham, J.P. & Reynolds, S.J. 2005 Why are birds’ eggs speckled?
Ecology Letters 8: 1105-1113
Book Chapters
Petersdorf, M. & Higham, J.P. 2017. Mating systems, Primates.
In: International Encyclopedia of Biological Anthropology John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Hoboken: New Jersey.
Winters, S., Petersdorf, M. & Higham, J.P. 2017. Charles Darwin and selection in relation to sex in the colors of monkeys. In: Evolutionary studies: Darwin’s roadmap to the curriculum. Oxford University Press: Oxford
Higham, J.P. 2017. Sperm competition.
In: The International Encyclopedia of Primatology. Wiley Blackwell. Hoboken: New Jersey. In Press
Higham, J.P. & Petersdorf, M. 2017. Sexual swellings.
In: The International Encyclopedia of Primatology. Wiley Blackwell. Hoboken: New Jersey. In Press
Petersdorf, M. & Higham, J.P. 2017. Mating systems.
In: The International Encyclopedia of Primatology. Wiley Blackwell. Hoboken: New Jersey. In Press
Higham, J.P. 2016. Multimodal Communication.
In: The missing lemur link: an ancestral step in human evolution (Palagi, E. & Norscia I.) Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. In Press
Higham, J.P. & Dubuc, C. 2015. The evolution of female fertility signals in macaques.
In: eLS (Encyclopedia of Life Sciences). Wiley Blackwell. Hoboken: New Jersey. DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0024968Higham, J.P. & Winters, S. 2015. Color and mate choice in nonhuman animals.
In: The handbook of color psychology Eds Elliot, A.J. & Fairchild, M.D. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. pp 502-530. ISBN: 978-1-107-04323-7
Higham, J.P. 2013. Primate visual signals.
In: McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science and Technology 2014. McGraw-Hill Professional: New York
Warren, Y., Higham, J.P., MacLarnon, A. & Ross, C. 2011. Crop-raiding and commensalism: the costs and benefits of living with humans.
In: Primates of Gashaka Eds. Sommer, V & Ross, C. Developments in primatology: progress and prospects. Springer. Series Ed. Tuttle, R.H.
Ross, C., Warren, Y., MacLarnon, A. & Higham, J.P. 2011. How different are Gashaka’s baboons? A comparison of forest-living and open-country populations.
In: Primates of Gashaka Eds. Sommer, V & Ross, C. Developments in primatology: progress and prospects. Springer. Series Ed. Tuttle, R.H.
Other journal publications
Setchell, J.M., Fernandez-Duque, E. Higham, J.P., Rothman, J.M., Schulke, O. 2016. Editorial: Changes and clarifications to the policies of the International Journal of Primatology to promote transparency and open communication.
International Journal of Primatology 37: 617-627.
Petersdorf, M. & Higham, J.P. 2015. Katja Liebal, Bridget M. Waller, Anne M. Burrows, Katie E. Slocombe: Primate Communication: A Multimodal Approach.
International Journal of Primatology 36: 1055-1059
Winters, S. & Higham, J.P. 2015. Martin Stevens: Sensory Ecology, Behaviour, and Evolution.
International Journal of Primatology 36: 205-208
Dubuc, C. & Higham, J.P. 2014. Quite the complexion: rhesus monkey face redness is passed on to their offspring, and affects their reproductive fitness.
Biosphere 2: 50-55
Higham, J.P., Amann, A.L., Bryer, M.A.H., Thompson, N.A. & Winters, S. 2013. Review of “The Evolution of Primate Societies” (Eds. John C. Mitani, Josep Call, Peter M. Kappeler, Ryne A. Palombit & Joan B. Silk).
International Journal of Primatology 34: 1298-1303
Higham, J.P. 2011. Review of “The Japanese Macaques” (Eds., Naofumi, N., Nakamichi, N. & Sugiura, H.).
International Journal of Primatology 32: 1033-1036
Semple, S., Higham, J.P., MacLarnon, A., Ross, C. & Lehmann, J. 2010. Comment on ‘Pan Thanatology’.
Current Biology http://www.cell.com/current-biology/comments/S0960-9822(10)00145-4
Wiseman, R., Warren, Y., Nicholas, A., MacKenzie, M., & Higham, J.P. 2008. A GIS habitat map for the Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary, Cameroon.
Gorilla Journal 37: 12-14
Alex DeCasisen
PhD candidate, 2014-present
Contact Information
alex.decasien@nyu.edu
Research Interests
I am interested in how sexual selection has shaped primate cognitive evolution. Sex differences in behavior and cognitive abilities have been demonstrated in humans and non-human primates, but the specific neurobiological underpinnings of such differences remain unknown.Education
2016 M.A. Biological Anthropology, New York University
2014 B.S. Economics & Biological Anthropology, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of BusinessPublications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
DeCasien, A.R., Williams, S.A., Higham, J.P. (2017). Primate brain size evolution is predicted by diet but not sociality. Nature Ecology and Evolution 1:0112.
Published Abstracts
DeCasien, A.R., Yim, A. (2017). Megelencephaly and macrocephaly genes are associated with comparative variation in primate brain size [abstract]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
DeCasien, A.R., Higham, J.P., Williams, S.A. (2016). Hard-tissue markers of face flanges in male Pongo [abstract]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 159(S62): 128.
Book Chapters
DeCasien, A.R., Brown, M., Ross, S., Pontzer, H. (In press). Primate energy requirements: brains, babies, or behavior?. In Primate Diet & Nutrition (Eds. Lambert, J., Rothman, J.) University of Chicago Press.
Book Reviews
DeCasien, A.R., Evans, K.D., Fuong, H., Lee, D.S., Petersdorf, M., Petersen, R.M., Shackelford, C.M. (2016). Crickette M. Sanz, Josep Call, and Christophe Boesch (Eds.): Tool Use in Animals: Cognition and Ecology. International Journal of Primatology 37: 608-611.
Other Publications
DeCasien, A.R. (2016). Revisiting the social vs. ecological determinants of primate brain size [Master's thesis]. New York: New York University.
Constance Dubuc
Affiliated Researcher, 2014-present
Postdoctoral Researcher, 2012-2014
Contact Information
cd556@cam.ac.uk
Research Interests
My research to date has focused on sexual selection in anthropoid primates, using rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) as a model. As a post-doc in James Higham’s lab at New York University, I investigated the causes and consequences of inter-individual variation in red skin ornamentation in this species. I recently joined Tim Clutton-Brock’s research group at the University of Cambridge where I study reproductive strategies in wild meerkats (Suricata suricatta).
Publications
Petersdorf, M., Dubuc, C., Georgiev, A., Winters, S. & Higham, J.P. (2017). Is the red facial coloration of male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) subject to intrasexual selection? Behavioral Ecology DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx110
Dubuc, C., English, S., Thavarajah, N., Dantzer, B., Sharp, S. P., Spence-Jones, H. C., ... & Clutton-Brock, T. H. (2017). Increased food availability raises eviction rate in a cooperative breeding mammal. Biology Letters, 13(4): 20160961.
Hiramatsu, C., Melin, A.D., Allen, W.L., Dubuc, C. & Higham, J.P. (2017). Experimental evidence that primate trichromacy is well suited for detecting primate social colour signals. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 284: 20162458.
Dubuc, C., Allen, W.L., Cascio, J., Lee, S., Maestripieri, M., Petersdorf, M., Winters, S. & Higham, J.P (2016). Who cares? Experimental attention biases provide new insights into a mammalian sexual signal. Behavioral Ecology 27 (1): 68-74
Winters, S., Dubuc, C. & Higham, J.P. (2015). The looking time experimental paradigm in studies of animal visual perception and cognition. Ethology 121:625-640
Higham, J.P. & Dubuc, C. (2015). The evolution of female fertility signals in macaques. In: eLS (Encyclopedia of Life Sciences). Wiley Blackwell. Hoboken: New Jersey. DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0024968
Dubuc, C., Winters, S., Allen, W.L., Brent, L.J.N., Cascio, J., Maestripieri, D.M., Ruiz-Lambides, A.V., Widdig, A., & Higham, J.P. (2014). Sexually-selected skin colour is heritable and linked to fecundity in a non-human primates. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 281: 20141602
Dubuc, C., Ruiz-Lambides, A., & Widdig, A. (2014). Variance in male lifetime reproductive success and estimation of the degree of polygyny in a primate. Behavioral Ecology, 25:878-889.
Dubuc, C., Allen, W.L., Maestripieri, D., & Higham, J.P. (2014). Is male rhesus macaque red color ornamentation attractive to females? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 68:1215-1224.
Dubuc, C., Coyne, S.P., & Maestripieri, D. (2013). Effect of mating activity and dominance rank on male masturbation among free-ranging male rhesus macaques. Ethology, 119:1-8.
Dubuc, C., Muniz, L., Heistermann, M., Widdig, A., & Engelhardt, A. (2012). Do males time their mate-guarding effort with the fertile phase in order to secure fertilisation in Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques? Hormones and Behavior, 61: 696-705.
Dubuc, C., Hughes, K.D, Cascio, J., & Santos, L. (2012). Social tolerance in a despotic primate: co-feeding between consortship partners in rhesus macaques. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 148: 73-80.
Dubuc, C., Muniz, L., Heistermann, M., Engelhardt, A., & Widdig, A. (2011). Testing the priority-of-access model in a seasonally breeding primate species. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 65: 1615-1627.
Brent, L.J.N., Semple, S., Dubuc, C., Heistermann, M., & MacLarnon, A. (2011). Social capital and physiological stress levels in adult female rhesus macaques. Physiology and Behavior, 102: 76-83.
Bélisle, P., Prud’homme, J., & Dubuc, C. (2012). The impact of kinship, defence cost and priority of access on food competition. In: The Monkeys of Stormy Mountain: 60 Years of Primatological Research on the Japanese Macaques of Arashiyama. Jean-Baptiste Leca, Michael A. Huffman & Paul L. Vasey, Eds. Cambridge University Press. pp. 331-355.
Higham, J.P, Hughes, K.D, Brent, L.J.N., Dubuc, C., Engelhardt, A., Heistermann, M., Maestripieri, D, Santos, L.R., & Stevens, M. (2011). Familiarity affects the assessment of facial signals in free-ranging rhesus macaques. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 278: 3452-3458.
Neumann, C., Duboscq, J., Dubuc, C., Ginting, A., Maulana Irwan, A., Agil, M., Widdig, A., & Engelhardt, A. (2011). Assessing dominance hierarchies: validation and advantages of progressive evaluation with Elo rating. Animal Behaviour, 82: 911-921.
Higham, J.P., Brent, L.J.N., Dubuc, C., Accamando, A., Engelhardt, A., Gerald, M.S., Heistermann, M., & Stevens, M. (2010). Color signal information content and the eye of the beholder: a case study in the rhesus macaque. Behavioral Ecology, 21: 739-746.
Dubuc, C., Brent, L.J.N., Accamando, A.K., Gerald, M.S., MacLarnon, A., Semple, S., Heistermann, M., & Engelhardt, A. (2009). Sexual skin color contains information about the timing of the fertile phase in free-ranging rhesus macaques. International Journal of Primatology, 30: 777-789.
Dubuc, C., & Chapais, B. (2007). Feeding competition in Macaca fascicularis: An assessment of the early arrival tactic. International Journal of Primatology, 28: 357-367.
Susie Lee
PhD candidate, 2013-present
Contact Information
Email: susie.lee@nyu.edu
Research Interests
My long-term goal is to understand how, why and when attachment behaviors evolved in animals. For my doctoral study I am focusing on patterns of mother-infant relationships in non-human primates.Education
2016 M.A. Biological Anthropology, New York University
2009 M.A. Anthropology, Seoul National University
2005 B.A. Child Development & Anthropology, Seoul National University
Publications
Lee, D. S., Dubuc, C., Mandalaywala, T., Maestripieri, D., Widdig, A., & Higham, J. P. (2016). Infant weight growth and weaning age in freeranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Physical Anthropology 159: 205-205.
DeCasien, A.R., Evans, K.D., Fuong, H., Lee, D.S., Petersdorf, M., Petersen, R.M., Shackelford, C.M. (2016). Crickette M. Sanz, Josep Call, and Christophe Boesch (Eds.): Tool Use in Animals: Cognition and Ecology. International Journal of Primatology 37: 608-611.
Lee, D.S. (2016). Testing the threshold weaning weight hypothesis in free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) [Master's thesis]. New York University: New York.
Dubuc, C., Allen, W.L., Cascio, J., Lee, D.S., Maestripieri, D., Petersdorf, M., Winters, S. & Higham, J.P. (2016). Who cares? Experimental attention biases provide new insights into a mammalian sexual signal. Behavioral Ecology 27 (1): 68-74
Lee, D.S. & Hyoung R.K. (2012). The categorization of "bad animal" and its relation to animal appearances: a study of 6-year-old children's perceptions. Journal of Social, Cultural, and Evolutionary Psychology 6 32-49Laura Newman
PhD student, 2017-present
Contact Information
Email: laura.newman@nyu.edu
Research Interests
I am broadly interested in primate behavioral endocrinology. More specifically, I am interested in the hormonal correlates of social behavior as well as the relationship between the stress response and fitness outcomes.Education
2015 B.S. Biology, Boston College
Publications
Park M., Newman L.E., Gold P.W., Luckenbaugh D.A., Yuan P., Machado-Vieira R., Zarate C.A. Jr. (2016). Change in Cytokine Levels is Not Associated with Antidepressant Response to Ketamine in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression. The Journal of Psychiatric Research 84:113-118.
Lucantonio F., Gardner M.P., Mirenzi A., Newman L.E., Takahashi Y.K., Schoenbaum G. (2015). Neural Estimates of Imagined Outcomes in Basolateral Amygdala Depend on Orbitofrontal Cortex. Journal of Neuroscience 35(50): 16521–16530.
Megan Petersdorf
PhD candidate, 2013-present
Research Interests
My research is generally centered in sexual selection and communication. I am interested in understanding variation in sexually selected traits in primates and the evolution of mating system diversity. I address my research questions through a combination of behavioral observations of primates in the field with endocrinology, genetics, and digital measurements of morphology. For my PhD dissertation, I am studying the reproductive ecology of Kinda baboons at the Kasanka Baboon Project in Zambia.Education
2016 M.A. Biological Anthropology, New York University
2012 M.Res Primate Biology, Behavior, and Conservation, University of Roehampton
2009 B.A. Biological Anthropology, University of California San Diego.
Publications
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Petersdorf, M., Dubuc, C., Georgiev, A., Winters, S. & Higham, J.P. (2017). Is the red facial coloration of male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) subject to intrasexual selection? Behavioral Ecology 28: 1472-1481.
Dubuc C, Allen WL, Cascio J, Lee DS, Maestripieri D, Petersdorf M, Winters S, Higham JP. (2016). Who cares? Experimental attention biases provide new insights into a mammalian sexual signal. Behavioral Ecology 27: 68-74.
Sommer V, Lowe A, Jesus G, Alberts N, Bouquet Y, Petersdorf M, MacGregor Inglis D, Ross C. (2016). Antelope predation by Nigerian forest baboons: ecological and behavioural correlates. Folia Primatoligica 87: 67-90.
Book chapters and encyclopedia entries
Winters S, Petersdorf M, Higham JP. (2017). Charles Darwin and selection in relation to sex in colors of monkeys. In: Evolutionary Studies: Darwin’s Roadmap to the Curriculum. Oxford University Press.
Petersdorf M & Higham JP. (2018). Mating systems, Primates. In: The International Encyclopedia of Primatology. (ed. W Trevathan). John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (In press)
Petersdorf M & Higham JP. (2017). Mating systems. In: The International Encyclopedia of Primatology. Wiley Blackwell: Hoboken, NJ. doi:10.1002/9781119179313.wbprim0212
Higham JP & Petersdorf M. (2017). Sexual swellings. In: The International Encyclopedia of Primatology. Wiley Blackwell: Hoboken, NJ. doi:10.1002/9781119179313.wbprim0309
Book and conference reviews
DeCasien AR, Evans KD, Fuong H, Lee DS, Petersdorf M, Petersen RM, Shackelford CM. (2016). Crickette M. Sanz, Josep Call, and Christophe Boesch (Eds): Tool Use in Animals: Cognition and Ecology. International Journal of Primatology 37: 608-611.
Petersdorf M & Higham JP. (2015). Katja Liebal, Bridget M. Waller, Anne M. Burrows, Katie E. Slocombe: Primate Communication: A Multimodal Approach. International Journal of Primatology 36: 1055-1059.
Winters S, Dunayer ES, Petersdorf M, Simons ND, Tinsman J. (2014) Primatology and Conservation in Hanoi, Vietnam. Evolutionary Anthropology 23: 201-204.
Published abstracts
Petersdorf M, Higham JP, Williams SA. (2015). What can the skeleton tell us about flanging? Hard-tissue markers of cheek flanges in Mandrillus [abstract]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 156(S60): 251-252.
Theses
Petersdorf M. (2016). Is the red facial coloration of male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) subject to intra-sexual selection? [Master's thesis]. New York: New York University.
Petersdorf M. (2012). Sexual swelling symmetry, individual quality, and attractiveness in wild female olive baboons (Papio anubis) [Master's thesis]. London (UK): University of Roehampton.Rachel Petersen
PhD candidate, 2014-present
Contact Information
rachel.petersen@nyu.edu
Research Interests
For my masters project I studied the relationship between sociality and fitness in the rhesus macaque through non-invasive markers of immune activation and HPA axis function. This research aimed to uncover the role of the immune and endocrine system in mediating the negative health consequences associated with low social integration. For my dissertation, I plan to study both pre- and post-copulatory mechanisms by which promiscuous female primates bias paternity. Specifically, I am interested in mechanisms of cryptic female choice and exploring how sexual selection has acted on female physiology in order to better understand the co-evolution of reproductive strategies in male and female primates.
Education2017 M.A. Biological Anthropology, New York University
2013 B.S. Animal Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Publications
Milich, K.M., Georgiev, A.V., Petersen, R.M., Thompson, M.E., Maestripieri, D. (2017). Alpha male status and availability of conceptive females are associated with high glucocorticoid concentrations in high-ranking male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) during the mating season. Hormones and Behavior 97: 5-13.
Kimock, C.M., Evans, K.D., Petersen, R.M. (2017). The second meeting of the Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists. Evolutionary Anthropology 26: 42-43.
DeCasien, A.R., Evans, K.D., Fuong, H., Lee, D.S., Petersdorf, M., Petersen, R.M., Shackelford, C.M. (2016). Crickette M. Sanz, Josep Call, and Christophe Boesch (Eds.): Tool Use in Animals: Cognition and Ecology. International Journal of Primatology 37: 608-611.
Milich, K.M., Georgiev, A.V., Petersen, R.M., Thompson, M.E. and Maestripieri, D., (2016). Social status, seasonality, and stress: Variation in glucocorticoid concentrations of high-ranking male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) [abstract]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 159(S62): 229.
Sandra Winters
PhD candidate, 2012-present
Research Interests
For my dissertation I am studying the form and function of guenon face patterns. Guenons are a group of forest monkeys in Africa that exhibit an extraordinary variety of colorful facial displays. Guenons often form polyspecfic groups in which up to six species live side by side, however hybridization between species, while possible, is rare in undisturbed circumstances. This indicates that there are likely pre-mating barriers to heterospecific mating; previous research in my lab has indicated that the face patterns exhibited by guenons are likely contributing to maintaining species boundaries and have been under selective pressures to diversify (i.e. there is evidence of character displacement in sympatric species groups). I will extend this research using a variety of techniques, including computational recognition algorithms based on photographs of guenon faces, modeling of evolutionary scenarios, experiments to assess guenon preferences, and measurements of guenon behavior and ecology.
Education
2015 M.A. Biological Anthropology, New York University
2011 M.S. Primate Behavior, Central Washington University
2008 B.S. Anthropology and Psychology, University of Maryland
Publications
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Winters S, Kamilar JM, Webster TH, Bradley BJ, Higham JP. In review. Primate camouflage in the eyes of felids, raptors, and conspecifics.
Petersdorf, M., Dubuc, C., Georgiev, A., Winters, S. & Higham, J.P. (2017). Is the red facial coloration of male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) subject to intrasexual selection? Behavioral Ecology 28: 1472-1481.
Rigaill L, MacIntosh AJJ, Higham JP, Winters S, Shimizu K, Mouri K, Suzumura T, Furuichi T, Garcia C. 2017. No evidence that face color varies with age, dominance status, parity, weight, and intestinal nematode infection in female Japanese macaques. Primates 58(1): 83-91.
Dubuc C, Allen WL, Casscio J, Lee S, Maestripieri D, Petersdorf M, Winters S, Higham JP. 201. Who cares? Experimental attention biases provide new insights into a mammalian sexual signal. Behavioral Ecology 27(1): 68-74
Rigaill LR, MacIntosh AJJ, Higham JP, Winters S, Shimizu K, Mouri K, Furuichi T, Garcia C. 2015. Multimodal advertisement of pregnancy in free-ranging female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). PLoS One 10(8): e0135127
Winters S, Dubuc C, Higham JP. 2015. Perspectives: the looking time experimental paradigm in studies of animal visual perception and cognition. Ethology 121:1-16. DOI: 10.1111/eth.12378
Dubuc C, Winters S, Allen WL, Brent LJN, Cascio J, Maestripieri D, Ruiz-Lambides AV, Widdig A, Higham JP. 2014. Sexually selected skin colour is heritable and related to fecundity in a non-human primate. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 281:20141602. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1602
Book chapters
Higham JP & Winters S. 2015. Color and mate choice in non-human animals. In: Handbook of Color Psychology, Elliott AJ & Fairchild MD (eds). Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. pp 502-530. ISBN: 978-1-107-04323-7
Published abstracts
Rigaill LR, MacIntosh AJJ, Higham JP, Winters S, Shimizu K, Mouri K, Furuichi T, Garcia C. In press. Multimodal advertisement of pregnancy in free-ranging female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) [abstract]. Folia Primatologica.
Milich, KM, Dubuc C, Winters S, Allen WL, Rosenfield KA, Graham S, Higham JP, Maestripieri D. 2015. Red-hot males: sexual strategies of high-ranking male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) [abstract]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 156(S60):225-226. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22718
Winters S, Kamilar JM, Webster TH, Bradley BJ, Higham JP. 2014. Primate camouflage as seen by felids, raptors, and conspecifics [abstract]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 153(S58):275. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22488
Simons N, Winters S, Lorenz J. 2011. Comparative analysis of length polymorphisms in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) in Cercopithecidae [abstract]. American Journal of Primatology 73(S1):83. DOI: 10.1002/ajp.20978
Other manuscripts
Winters S & Higham JP. 2015. Martin Stevens: Sensory Ecology, Behaviour, and Evolution. International Journal of Primatology 36:205-208. DOI: 10.1007/s10764-015-9811-y
Winters S, Dunayer ES, Petersdorf M, Simons ND, Tinsman J. 2015. Primatology and conservation in Hanoi, Vietnam. Evolutionary Anthropology 23:201-204. DOI: 10.1002/evan.21429
Winters S. 2015. Primate colors facilitate conspecific communication while remaining cryptic to predators [Master’s thesis]. New York University: New York.
Higham JP, Amann AL, Bryer MAH, Thompson NA, Winters S. 2013. Review of The Evolution of Primate Societies (Eds. John C. Mitani, Josep Call, Peter M. Kappeler, Ryne A. Palombit, and Joan B. Silk). International Journal of Primatology 34:1298-1303. DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9731-7
Winters S. 2011. Social recruitment in Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mt. Huangshan, China [Master’s thesis]. Central Washington University: Ellensburg, WA.
Alumni
Will Allen
Postdoctoral Researcher, 2012-2014
Contact Information
Will.Allen@hull.ac.uk
Research Interests
I use comparative approaches to understand patterns of diversity in animals’ traits.
I have recently moved to the University of Hull to work with Isabella Capellini on a NERC funded project that aims to understand how the life histories of vertebrates influence the success of species invasions at the different stages of introduction, establishment and spread.
Prior to this I was a a post-doc in James Higham’s lab at New York University investigating how the colourful face patterns of guenon primates were involved in the adaptive radiation of the tribe.
My PhD was supervised by Innes Cuthill and Nick Scott-Samuel at the University of Bristol. I conducted investigations of the beautiful patterning worn by many species of cat and snake, the countershaded coats of ruminants and the camouflage of moths.
You can find out more about my research projects here.
Publications
See willallen.me/publications for an up-to-date list of publications.Lauren Petrullo
MA student, 2013-2015
Contact Information
lauren.petrullo@stonybrook.edu
Research Interests
My research interests are centered on primate development, particularly infancy and adolescence. I am interested in the physiological and behavioral aspects of development and how things like maternal care, social/environmental factors, and stressors influence an individual’s life history trajectory. I am particularly interested in the mechanisms that have evolved to allow young primates to cope with “stressful” events such as weaning and aggression. I completed my MA thesis on the association between early life adversity and developing stress physiology in free-ranging juvenile rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago. I recently joined the Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences at Stony Brook University as a Ph.D student.Education
2015 M.A. Anthropology, New York University
2012 B.A. Anthropology, New York University
Publications
Mandalaywala, T.M., Petrullo, L., Parker, K., Maestripieri, D. & Higham, J.P. Vigilance for threat accounts for inter-individual variation in physiological responses to adversity in rhesus macaques: a cognition x environment approach. Developmental Psychobiology In Press
Petrullo, L., Mandalaywala, T.M., Parker, K., Maestripieri, D. & Higham, J.P. 2016. Effects of early-life adversity on cortisol/salivary alpha-amylase symmetry in free-ranging juvenile rhesus macaques. Hormones and Behavior 86: 78-84.
Petrullo, L.A., Mandalaywala, T.M., Maestripieri, D., Higham, J.P. 2015. Effects of early life experience on cortisol/salivary alpha-amylase symmetry in free-ranging juvenile rhesus monkeys [abstract]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 156(S60): 252.
Petrullo, L.A., Goldstein, D.M., Lee, A.B., & Williams, S.A. (2014). Suspension, brachiation, and the evolution of short torsos in atelines and hominoids [abstract]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 153(S58): 207.
Petrullo, L.A., Shattuck, M.R., Williams, S.A. (2013).
Extensive convergence between giant panda and hominoid vertebral formulae [abstract]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 150(S56): 221.
Benjamin J Ragen
Postdoctoral Researcher, 2015-2016
Visiting Scholar, 2016-2017
Contact Information
benjaminragen@gmail.com
Research Interests
I received my undergraduate degree at Skidmore College where I did my thesis studying the cannabinoid system and female sexual behavior in rats. I went to the University of California, Davis where I got my doctorate studying the neurobiology of monogamy. My research focused on the opioid system and its role in adult attachment in the monogamous titi monkey (Callicebus cupreus). My future research goal is to study the relationship between immune functioning and social behavior in male rhesus macaques.
Education
2014-2015 Postdoctoral Fellow, NYU Langone Medical Center
2008-2014 M.A., Ph.D Psychology, University of California, Davis
2004-2008 B.A. Neuroscience, Skidmore College
Publications
Ragen, B.J., Bales, K.L., Mendoza, S.P., Pagberg, J., Mason, W.A., Krubitzer, L., and Mendoza, S.P. Effects of prefrontal lesions on the pair-bond in the monogamous titi monkey (Callicebus cupreus). IN PROGRESS
Maninger, N., Hinde, K., Mendoza, S.P., Mason, W.A., Larke, R.H., Ragen, B.J., Jarcho, M.R., Cherry, S.R., Ferrer, E., and Bales, K.L. (2017). Pair bond formation leads to a sustained increase in global cerebral glucose metabolism in monogamous male titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus). Neuroscience 348: 302-312.
Hinde, K., Muth, C., Maninger, N. Ragen, B.J., Larke, R.H., Jarcho, M.R., Mendoza, S.P., Mason, W.A., Ferrer, E., and Bales, K.L. Challenges to the pair bond: Neural and hormonal effects of separation and reunion in a monogamous primate. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00221
Larke, R., Maninger, N., Ragen, B.J., Mendoza, S.P., and Bales, K.L. Serotonin 1a agonism decreases afiiliation in titi monkeys: Implications for hyperserotonemia models in autism. Hormones and Behavior 86: 71-77
Fisher-Phelps, M.L., Mendoza, S.P., Serna, S., Griffin, L.L., Schaefer, T.J., Jarcho, M.R., Ragen, B.J., and Bales, K.L. (2015). Laboratory simulations of mate-guarding as a component of the pair-bond in male titi monkeys, Callicebus cupreus. American Journal of Primatology 78: 573-582
Ragen, B.J., Roach, A.J., and Chollack, C. Chronic stress, regulation of emotion and functional activity of the brain. Ed. Fink, G. Stress Concepts and Cognition, Emotion and Behavior. Elseveir pp.241-250
Ragen, B.J., Seidel, J., Chollak, C., Pietrzak, R.H., and Neumeister, A. (2015). Investigational drugs under development for the treatment of PTSD. Expert Opinions in Investigational Drugs, 24: 659-672
Ragen, B.J., Freeman, S.M., Laredo, S.A., Mendoza, S.P., and Bales, K.L. (2015). μ and κ Opioid receptor distribution in the monogamous titi monkey (Callicebus cupreus): Implications for social behavior and endocrine functioning. Neuroscience, 290: 421-434
Laredo, S.A., Steinman, M.Q., Robles, C.F., Ferrer, E., Ragen, B.J., Bales, K.L., and Trainor, B.C. (2015). Effects of defeat stress on behavioral flexibility in males and females: Modulation by the mu-opioid receptor. European Journal of Neuroscience, 41: 434-441
Neumeister, A., Seidel, J., Ragen, B.J., and Pietrzak, R.H. (2015). Translational evidence for the role of endocannabinoids in the etiology and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 51: 577-584
Ragen, B.J., Maninger, N., Mendoza, S.P. and Bales, K.L. (2015). The effects of morphine, naloxone, and kopioid manipulation on endocrine functioning and social behavior in monogamous titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus). Neuroscience, 287: 32-42
Ragen, B.J., Maninger, N., Mendoza, S.P., Jarcho, M.R., and Bales, K.L. (2013). Presence of a pair-mate regulates the behavioral and physiological effects of opioid manipulation in the monogamous titi monkey (Callicebus cupreus). Psychoneuroendocrinology, 38:2448-2461
Ragen, B.J. and Bales, K.L. (2013). Oxytocin and Vasopressin in Non-Human Primates. Eds. Choleris, E., Pfaff, D., and Kavaliers, M. Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Related Peptides in the Regulation of Behavior. Cambridge University Press. pp. 288-306
Ragen, B.J., Mendoza, S.P., Mason, W.A., and Bales, K.L. (2012) Differences in titi monkey (Callicebus cupreus) social bonds affect arousal, affiliation, and response to reward. American Journal of Primatology. 74: 758-769.
López, H.H., Wurzel, G., and Ragen, B. (2007). The effect of acute bupropion on sexual motivation and behavior in the female rat. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, 87.369-379.
Connie Rojas
Research Assistant on Cayo Santiago who collected data on social status and its links to immune function, 2014-2015
Contact Information
Research Interests
In the Fall of 2015, I started a dual Ph. D in Integrative Biology, and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior (EEBB) at Michigan State University. I joined Dr. Kay Holekamp’s lab, which focuses on the ontogenetic development, physiological substrates, and evolution of mammalian behavior, using the free-living spotted hyena as a model species. My specific project has not yet been formalized, but I am interested in studying the energetics of maternal investment, factors influencing female mate choice, or individual variation in stress physiology, and coupling field observations with genetic/endocrinological/microbial analyses.
Education
2015 - present Ph.D student, Integrative Biology, & Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, Michigan State University
2014 B.A. Biological Sciences & Psychology, Wellesley College.
Louisa Radosevich
Research Assistant on Cayo Santiago who collected data on social status and its links to immune function, 2014-2015
Contact Information
lmradose@aol.com
Research Interests
My general research interests lie in social organization of mammals, specifically mating and reproductive behaviors. I am currently attending Sonoma State University for a M.S. in Biology, working under Dr. Karin Enstam Jaffe. I am interested in studying behavior of primates and applying this information to animal welfare in zoos as well as to conservation programs.
Education
2013 B.S. Animal Biology, University of California Davis
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Victoria Johnson
Research assistant on Cayo Santiago who collected data for rhesus macaque projects, 2015
Contact Information
vpj207@nyu.edu
Education
2014 - present M.A. student, New York University
2012 B.A. Anthropology & Political Science, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Research Interests
My research interests are currently centered around hominin evolution and functional and adaptive morphology, but I am still in the process of discovering my ultimate PhD track. I am presently working at the American Museum of Natural History studying primate ecomorphology by collecting functional measurements on post-crania of extant primates. In addition, I am continuing my work as a TA and researcher at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. I am working towards my thesis reconstructing the paleoenvironment of a site at Olduvai Gorge.
Publications
Hammond, A.S., Johnson, V.P. & Higham, J.P. Hip joint mobility in free-ranging rhesus macaques. American Journal of Physical Anthropology In Press
