Harem holding males do not rise to the challenge

Abstract

The challenge hypothesis has been enormously successful in predictinginterspecific androgen profiles for vertebrate males. Nevertheless, in the absence of another theoretical framework, many researchers ‘retrofit’ the challenge hypothesis, so that its predictions also apply tointraspecific androgen comparisons. We use a wild primate, geladas (Theropithecus gelada), to illustrate several considerations for androgen research surrounding male contests that do not necessarily fit within the challenge hypothesis framework.