Research Interests

My studies of free-ranging primates are focused on how behavioral, demographic, and ecological variables function to influence population structure. My research has largely been centered on a long-term study of the hybrid zone between olive and hamadryas baboons in the Awash National Park in Ethiopia (Papio hamadryas, s.l.). Our research focused on ascertaining the degree of hybridization in these animals, with a further goal of understanding the mechanisms of formation of the hybrid zone and the factors responsible for it changes over time. Our methods involve capture and biological sampling of over 1000 animals in 13 social groups, together with studies (typically conducted by my graduate students) of baboon behavior and ecology.  The scope of this project has extended to fields as diverse as genetics, morphology, and neurochemistry. I describe my research as broad spectrum, integrative, and collaborative.

My research also addresses the more general question of variation, distribution, adaptation and speciation within the genus Papio as a whole. Past fieldwork included studies of yellow baboons at Mikumi National Park in Tanzania and olive baboons in Kenya. Since 2004 I have been engaged in a collaborative project on Zambian baboons. Our initial work there centered on discovering the distribution and variation of Zambia’s three kinds of baboons (all of which are different from those we studied in Ethiopia). The Zambian baboons have never been studied, and one form, the Kinda baboon, seems to have unique developmental and behavioral characteristics.  We have surveyed much of the Luangwa and Kafue drainages and have recently been funded to conduct a three year study (2010-2013) on the Kinda baboon and its hybrid zone with grayfoot chacmas in the Kafue National Park.  Capture studies will begin there in 2011 and behavioral studies are already underway on the Kinda baboons in Kasanka National Park.

Selected Publications

Phillips-Conroy, J.E., C.J. Jolly and F.L. Brett. 1991 The characteristics of hamadryas-like males living in anubis baboon groups. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 86:353-368.

Phillips-Conroy, J.E. C.J. Jolly, P. Nystrom and H. Hemmalin. 1992 Migration in male hamadryas baboons of the Awash National Park, Ethiopia. In E.O. Smith and D. Sprague, eds., Dispersal and Migration in Nonhuman Primates. International Journal of Primatology 13:455-476.

Phillips-Conroy, J.E., C.J. Jolly, B. Petros, J.S. Allan, and R.C. Desrosiers. 1994 Longitudinal Study of Sivagm in the wild suggests a predominantly sexual mode of transmission. Journal of Medical Primatology 23:9-14.16:761-791.

C.J. Jolly, T. Woolley-Barker, S. Beyene, TR Disotell and J.E. Phillips-Conroy. 1997 Intergeneric hybrid baboons. International Journal of Primatology Vol 18: 597-627.

Phillips-Conroy, J.E. and Jolly, C.J. (1999)  Field primatology and biomedical research. Science 284: 49-50

T.J. Bergman, C.J. Jolly, and J.E. Phillips Conroy. (2000) Quantitative assessment of occlusal wear and age estimation in Ethiopian baboons. In Old World Monkeys, C.J. Jolly and P. Whitehead, eds., pp. 321-340. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Phillips-Conroy, J.E. C.J. Jolly (2004) Dispersal and Philopatry in the Awash Baboon Hybrid Zone in Jones, C and Schwibbe, M.(eds) Dispersal and Philopatry in Primates  PRIMATE REPORT (Special Issue) 68:27-52

Bergman TJ, Phillips-Conroy JE, Jolly CJ. (2007) Behavioral Variation and Reproductive Success of Male Baboons (Papio anubis x P. hamadryas) in a Hybrid Social Group.   American Journal of Primatology 69:1-19

Jolly, C.J , Phillips-Conroy, J.E., Fontenot Kaplan, J.R., and Mann, J.J.  (2008) Cerebrospinal fluid monoaminergic metabolites in wild anubis (Papio anubis) and hamadryas (P.hamadryas) baboons are concordant with taxon-specific behavioral ontogeny” International Journal of Primatology.29:1549-1566

Phillips-Conroy JE  and Jolly CJ (2009) Papio hamadryas kindae : the ‘kinda baboon’. Entry in “All the World’s Primates”  Rowe,N (ed)   in press

Jolly, C.J., Burrell, A.S., Phillips-Conroy,J.E., Bergey, C and Rogers, J. (2010) (in review) Kinda baboons (Papio kindae) and grayfoot chacma baboons (Papio ursinus griseipes) hybridize in the Kafue River valley, Zambia.  American Journal of Primatologists

Courses

Principles of Human anatomy and Development (L48 4581)
Human anatomy and development (L41 501)