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Heritability of digit ratio (2D:4D) in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

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Abstract

The second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) is a putative biomarker for prenatal androgen effects, which has been widely employed to study androgenic-programming effects on shaping sex-linked traits and behaviours in humans. This approach is now increasingly applied to non-human species. Heritability studies of 2D:4D in both humans and zebra finches indicate substantial genetic contributions to the expression of this trait. This study examines the heritability of 2D:4D in rhesus macaques, based on the resemblance of mother–infant dyads, to see how these compare with human values. Results suggest that familial resemblance in 2D:4D is also strong in rhesus monkeys. Heritability estimates were within the range of estimates from human studies. These preliminary results suggest that the strength of heritability of 2D:4D may generalize across taxa.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks are extended to Melissa Gerald, Christy Hoffman, and the Caribbean Primate Research Center staff. All procedures in this study adhered to US laws governing animal research and were therefore in accordance with the National Institutes of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the University of Puerto Rico (PR, USA) and the School of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology’s Research Committee (University of Liverpool, UK).This publication complied with animal care regulations and national laws and was made possible by Grant P40RR003640 from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its contents are solely the authors’ responsibility and do not necessarily represent official views of NCRR or NIH. Funding support was provided by the University of Liverpool, the British Academy Centenary Project Fund and the British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, Hartley Building, Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L69 3GS, UK

    Emma Nelson

  2. Department of Basic Psychological Research, School of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Martin Voracek

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  1. Emma Nelson
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  2. Martin Voracek
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Correspondence to Emma Nelson.

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Nelson, E., Voracek, M. Heritability of digit ratio (2D:4D) in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Primates 51, 1–5 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-009-0173-y

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