Hurst, Jane 
ORCID: 0000-0002-3728-9624, Beynon, Robert ORCID: 0000-0003-0857-495X, Stockley, Paula and Davidson, Amanda
(2023)
Cryptic kin discrimination during communal lactation in mice favours cooperation between relatives.
Communications Biology, 6 (1).
734-.
Abstract
Breeding females can cooperate by rearing their offspring communally, sharing synergistic benefits of offspring care but risking exploitation by partners. In lactating mammals, communal rearing occurs mostly among close relatives. Inclusive fitness theory predicts enhanced cooperation between related partners and greater willingness to compensate for any partner under-investment, while females are less likely to bias investment towards own offspring. We use a dual isotopic tracer approach to track individual milk allocation when familiar pairs of sisters or unrelated house mice reared offspring communally. Closely related pairs show lower energy demand and pups experience better access to non-maternal milk. Lactational investment is more skewed between sister partners but females pay greater energetic costs per own offspring reared with an unrelated partner. The choice of close kin as cooperative partners is strongly favoured by these direct as well as indirect benefits, providing a driver to maintain female kin groups for communal breeding.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Milk, Animals, Mammals, Mice, Lactation, Female |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Jul 2023 14:39 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Oct 2023 15:57 |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s42003-023-05115-3 |
| Open Access URL: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-05115-3 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3171981 |
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