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Research
My research revolves around the evolution of sociality and social behavior in nonhuman primates with digressions into life history theory, reproductive seasonality, taxonomy, and research methods (e.g., data accuracy, reproducibility).
I have worked on captive South American callitrichid monkeys (primarily common marmosets, Callithrix jacchus) in order to test hypotheses on predator-prey interactions (e.g., use of sentinels, effects of group size on vigilance), reproductive strategies (cause and consequences of deviations from monogamy), and cooperative infant care (effects of number of helpers).
In addition, I studied wild Nepalese Gray langurs (Semnopithecus schistaceus) focusing particularly on costs of group size and ecological effects on female social relationships.
In the last years, I studied wild Phayre's leaf monkeys (Trachypithecus phayrei crepusculus) focusing on the costs and benefits of sociality, the ecology of female relationships, allomaternal care, and male reproductive strategies.
In addition, I extended my comparative research with an emphasis on agonism / dominance hierarchies, socio-ecological models, and primate life histories.
Latest Publications
(for a complete overview check my pages on
Google Scholar or ORCID or Research Gate or researcher ID)
Rowe AK, Hending D, Ridgway ZM, Nomenjanahary ES, Randriamanandaza LJ, François LE, Rakotonirina Andriamanantena TE, Randrianantenaina A, Wright PC, Koenig A. 2026. Multidimensional spatial niche differentiation promotes coexistence in a Malagasy lemur community. Front. Ecol. Evol. 14:1840154. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2026.1840154
Borries C, Lu A, Ossi-Lupo K, Koenig A. 2024. Timing of conceptions in wild Phayre’s leaf monkeys: energy and phytochemical intake. Am J Biol Anthropol, doi: 10.1002/ajpa.24881
Ekanayake-Weber M*, Mathew N*, Cunha D*, Payen N*, Grimm V, Koenig A. 2024. It’s about time: feeding competition costs of sociality are affected more by temporal characteristics than spatial distribution. Ecol Evol 14:e11209. doi: 10.1002/ece3.11209
Ekanayake-Weber M*, O’Connor-Coates C, Koenig A. 2024. Steep hierarchies without skew? Modeling how ecology and decision-making shape despotism of relationships. Am Nat 203(2), doi: 10.1086/727702
Perlman RF*, Beehner JC, Koenig A, Lu A. 2024. Consumption of underground storage organs is associated with improved energetic status in a graminivorous primate. J Hum Evol 192:103545. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103545
Vee S*, Borries C, Larney E, Koenig A. 2024. Costs and benefits of allomaternal care to mothers and others in wild Phayre’s leaf monkeys. Am J Biol Anthropol e25035. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.25035
Borries C, Lodwick JL, Salmi R, Koenig A. 2022. Phenotypic plasticity rather than ecological risk aversion or folivory can explain variation in gorilla life history. Front Ecol Evol 10:873557. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2022.873557
Koenig A, Miles A*, Riaz D*, Borries C. 2022. Intersexual agonism in gray langurs reflects male dominance and feeding competition. Front Ecol Evol 10: 860437. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2022.860437
Borries C, Smaers JB, Mongle CS, Koenig A. 2021. The effect of data provenance on gestation length in African and Asian colobines. Am J Phys Anthropol 176: 606-613. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.24370
Pain E*, Koenig A, Di Fiore A, Lu A. 2021. Behavioral and physiological responses to instability in group membership in wild male woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii). Am J Primatol 83:e23240 doi:10.1002/ajp.23240
Rowe AK*, Donohue ME, Clare EL, Drinkwater R, Koenig A, Ridgway ZM, Martin LD, Nomenjanahary ES, Zakamanana F, Randriamanandaza LJ, Rakotonirina TE, Wright PC. 2021. Exploratory analysis identifies arthropod consumption in 10 lemur species using DNA metabarcoding. Am J Primatol 83:e23256. doi: 10.1002/ajp.23256
*indicates undergraduate/ graduate student or former field assistant
Advising and Teaching
Undergraduate Courses
ANT120 Introduction to Biological Anthropology
ANT220 Controversies in Human Biology and Behavior
EBH404 Evolution of Parenting
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