%0 Journal Article %J J Med Primatol %D 1990 %T Familial incidence of multiple births in a colony of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). %A Geissmann, T %K Animals %K Female %K Inbreeding %K Male %K Pan troglodytes %K Pedigree %K Pregnancy %K Pregnancy, Multiple %K Twins %X

This paper describes the incidence of multiple births in the Yerkes Chimpanzee colony for a period of about 63 years. Pedigrees are presented for all multiple births. They demonstrate the recurrence of twins in relatively few family lines which can be traced back to a small number of ancestors. The findings suggest that twinning is a family trait in chimpanzees and they support the hypothesis that the incidence of multiple births is genetically influenced in this colony. In addition, a relatively high level of inbreeding may have enhanced the incidence of multiple births in these family lines. Similar findings are known from human populations.

%B J Med Primatol %V 19 %P 467-78 %8 1990 %G eng %N 5 %1

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2213855?dopt=Abstract