Figure 1. In sexually mature meerkats, dominant females (red) and animals during reproductive events (hatched bars) generally have greater concentrations of sex steroids than do either subordinate females (pink), dominant males (dark blue), and subordinate males (light blue) or animals outside of reproductive events (solid bars), respectively.

Shown by sex and social status are mean + SEM baseline circulating concentrations of (top row) androstenedione (ng/ml), (middle row) testosterone (ng/ml) and (bottom row) estradiol (pg/ml). Shown by reproductive state for each steroid are (first column) baseline values (solid bars) for both sexes, (second column) subordinate male baseline values (solid bars) in relation to roving (hatched bars) and (third column) female baseline values (solid bars) in relation to pregnancy (hatched bars). Numbers of individuals are included for each category at the bottom of the bar graphs. ***P < 0.001, **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05 and ^ψP < 0.10.