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Burridge SD, Schlupp I, Makowicz AM. Male attention allocation depends on social context. Behav Processes 2023; 209:104878. [PMID: 37116668 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Allocation of attention, typically a limited capacity, is a mechanism used to filter large amounts of information and determine what stimuli are most relevant at a particular moment. In dynamic social environments as found in almost all species, including humans, multiple individuals may play a pivotal role in any given interaction where a male's attention may be divided between a rival, a current mate, and/or future potential mates. Although clearly important, the role of the social environment on attention in animals is not well understood. Here, we investigated impacts of the social environment on attention allocation using male sailfin mollies, Poecilia latipinna, which are a part of a sexual-unisexual mating system with the Amazon molly, Poecilia formosa. We asked: 1) Does the species of female influence the amount of attention a male allocates to her? And 2) Is a male's attention towards his mate influenced by different social partners? We show that males perceive a larger male as a more relevant stimulus to pay attention to compared to a smaller male, and a conspecific female (either a partner or audience) as a more relevant stimulus compared to a heterospecific female. Our results show that differential allocation of attention is dependent upon multiple components of the social environment in which an individual interacts. Understanding what qualities of rival males or potential mates provide enough meaning to males to cause a shift in attention away from a mating opportunity is essential to understanding the influence of the social environment in sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby D Burridge
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Ingo Schlupp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Amber M Makowicz
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306.
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2
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Spezie G, Torti V, Bonadonna G, De Gregorio C, Valente D, Giacoma C, Gamba M. Evidence for acoustic discrimination in lemurs: a playback study on wild indris (Indri indri). Curr Zool 2022; 69:41-49. [PMID: 36974154 PMCID: PMC10039182 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Indris (Indri indri) are group-living lemurs which occupy stable territories over several years and perform remarkable long-distance vocal displays. Vocal exchanges between long-term territory neighbours may contribute to assessing reciprocal resource holding potentials, thus adaptively reducing the costs of territorial defence by limiting aggressive escalation. Previous work showed that indris' songs show distinctive acoustic features at individual and group level. However, the possibility that indris use such cues for individual or group-level recognition has never been investigated experimentally. We conducted a playback experiment to test whether indris discriminate between familiar and non-familiar songs. Our rationale lies in the hypothesis of the dear enemy phenomenon, which predicts that territorial animals will show reduced aggression levels towards familiar neighbours compared to novel rivals. We played back stimulus recordings to wild indris from their territory boundaries and examined their responses in terms of vocal and behavioural indicators of willingness to engage in a fight. In line with our predictions, focal animals responded more rapidly and approached more often the speaker in response to playback stimuli of non-familiar individuals than to stimuli of neighbouring groups. These results indicate that indris can discriminate between different classes of intruders based on distinctive acoustic features of their song choruses. We suggest that increased aggression directed towards unfamiliar intruders may be explained by higher threat levels associated with dispersal and group formation dynamics. We further discuss the relevance of these findings in a strepsirrhine primate model for comparative studies of vocal communication and sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Spezie
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Valeria Torti
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, School of Nature Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Giovanna Bonadonna
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, School of Nature Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara De Gregorio
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, School of Nature Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Daria Valente
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, School of Nature Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Giacoma
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, School of Nature Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, School of Nature Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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3
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Kin bias and male pair-bond status shape male-male relationships in a multilevel primate society. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02960-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMale-male social relationships in group-living mammals vary from fierce competition to the formation of opportunistic coalitions or the development of long-lasting bonds. We investigated male-male relationships in Guinea baboons (Papio papio), a species characterized by male-male tolerance and affiliation. Guinea baboons live in a multi-level society, with units of one reproductively active “primary” male, 1–6 females, and offspring at the core level. Together with “bachelor” males, several units form a party, and 2–3 parties constitute a gang. We aimed to clarify to which degree male relationship patterns varied with relatedness and pair-bond status, i.e., whether males had primary or bachelor status. Data were collected from 24 males in two parties of Guinea baboons near Simenti in the Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal. Males maintained differentiated and equitable affiliative relationships (“strong bonds”) with other males that were stable over a 4-year period, irrespective of their pair-bond status. Remarkably, most bachelor males maintained strong bonds with multiple primary males, indicating that bachelor males play an important role in the cohesion of the parties. A clear male dominance hierarchy could not be established due to the high degree of uncertainty in individual rank scores, yet bachelor males were more likely to be found at the low end of the dominance hierarchy. Average relatedness was significantly higher between strongly bonded males, suggesting that kin biases contribute to the social preferences of males. Long-term data will be needed to test how male bonds affect male tenure and ultimately reproductive success.Significance statementMales living in social groups may employ different strategies to increase their reproductive success, from fierce fighting to opportunistic alliance formation or the development of long-term bonds. To shed light on the factors that shape male strategies, we investigated male-male social relationships in the multilevel society of Guinea baboons (Papio papio) where “primary” males are associated with a small number of females and their offspring in “units” while other males are “bachelors.” Strong bonds occurred among and between primary and bachelor males and strongly bonded males were, on average, more closely related. Bachelor males typically had multiple bond partners and thus play an important role in the fabric of Guinea baboon societies. Across primate species, neither dispersal patterns nor social organization clearly map onto the presence of strong bonds in males, suggesting multiple routes to the evolution of male bonds.
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Maeda T, Ochi S, Ringhofer M, Sosa S, Sueur C, Hirata S, Yamamoto S. Aerial drone observations identified a multilevel society in feral horses. Sci Rep 2021; 11:71. [PMID: 33420148 PMCID: PMC7794487 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79790-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of non-human multilevel societies can give us insights into how group-level relationships function and are maintained in a social system, but their mechanisms are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to apply spatial association data obtained from drones to verify the presence of a multilevel structure in a feral horse society. We took aerial photos of individuals that appeared in pre-fixed areas and collected positional data. The threshold distance of the association was defined based on the distribution pattern of the inter-individual distance. The association rates of individuals showed bimodality, suggesting the presence of small social organizations or "units". Inter-unit distances were significantly smaller than those in randomly replaced data, which showed that units associate to form a higher-level social organization or "herd". Moreover, this herd had a structure where large mixed-sex units were more likely to occupy the center than small mixed-sex units and all-male-units, which were instead on the periphery. These three pieces of evidence regarding the existence of units, unit association, and stable positioning among units strongly indicated a multilevel structure in horse society. The present study contributes to understanding the functions and mechanisms of multilevel societies through comparisons with other social indices and models as well as cross-species comparisons in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamao Maeda
- Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Sakiho Ochi
- Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Monamie Ringhofer
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Yoshida Ushinomiya-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Sebastian Sosa
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Satoshi Hirata
- Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Yoshida Ushinomiya-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan.
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5
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Fischer J, Wegdell F, Trede F, Dal Pesco F, Hammerschmidt K. Vocal convergence in a multi-level primate society: insights into the evolution of vocal learning. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202531. [PMID: 33323082 PMCID: PMC7779498 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent to which nonhuman primate vocalizations are amenable to modification through experience is relevant for understanding the substrate from which human speech evolved. We examined the vocal behaviour of Guinea baboons, Papio papio, ranging in the Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. Guinea baboons live in a multi-level society, with units nested within parties nested within gangs. We investigated whether the acoustic structure of grunts of 27 male baboons of two gangs varied with party/gang membership and genetic relatedness. Males in this species are philopatric, resulting in increased male relatedness within gangs and parties. Grunts of males that were members of the same social levels were more similar than those of males in different social levels (N = 351 dyads for comparison within and between gangs, and N = 169 dyads within and between parties), but the effect sizes were small. Yet, acoustic similarity did not correlate with genetic relatedness, suggesting that higher amounts of social interactions rather than genetic relatedness promote the observed vocal convergence. We consider this convergence a result of sensory-motor integration and suggest this to be an implicit form of vocal learning shared with humans, in contrast to the goal-directed and intentional explicit form of vocal learning unique to human speech acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franziska Wegdell
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franziska Trede
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Federica Dal Pesco
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
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6
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Grueter CC, Qi X, Zinner D, Bergman T, Li M, Xiang Z, Zhu P, Migliano AB, Miller A, Krützen M, Fischer J, Rubenstein DI, Vidya TNC, Li B, Cantor M, Swedell L. Multilevel Organisation of Animal Sociality. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:834-847. [PMID: 32473744 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Multilevel societies (MLSs), stable nuclear social units within a larger collective encompassing multiple nested social levels, occur in several mammalian lineages. Their architectural complexity and size impose specific demands on their members requiring adaptive solutions in multiple domains. The functional significance of MLSs lies in their members being equipped to reap the benefits of multiple group sizes. Here, we propose a unifying terminology and operational definition of MLS. To identify new avenues for integrative research, we synthesise current literature on the selective pressures underlying the evolution of MLSs and their implications for cognition, intersexual conflict, and sexual selection. Mapping the drivers and consequences of MLS provides a reference point for the social evolution of many taxa, including our own species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C Grueter
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - Xiaoguang Qi
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, College of Life Sciences, Xi'an, 710069, China.
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus for Primate Cognition, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thore Bergman
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ming Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Zuofu Xiang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Pingfen Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | | | - Alex Miller
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Michael Krützen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniel I Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - T N C Vidya
- Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Jakkur, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Baoguo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, College of Life Sciences, Xi'an, 710069, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Maurício Cantor
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, 78464, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78464, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78464, Germany; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88048-970, Brazil; Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Pontal do Paraná, 83255-000, Brazil; School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
| | - Larissa Swedell
- Department of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367-1597, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 11367, USA; Anthropology, Biology and Psychology Programs, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
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7
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Fischer J, Higham JP, Alberts SC, Barrett L, Beehner JC, Bergman TJ, Carter AJ, Collins A, Elton S, Fagot J, Ferreira da Silva MJ, Hammerschmidt K, Henzi P, Jolly CJ, Knauf S, Kopp GH, Rogers J, Roos C, Ross C, Seyfarth RM, Silk J, Snyder-Mackler N, Staedele V, Swedell L, Wilson ML, Zinner D. Insights into the evolution of social systems and species from baboon studies. eLife 2019; 8:e50989. [PMID: 31711570 PMCID: PMC6850771 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Baboons, members of the genus Papio, comprise six closely related species distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa and southwest Arabia. The species exhibit more ecological flexibility and a wider range of social systems than many other primates. This article summarizes our current knowledge of the natural history of baboons and highlights directions for future research. We suggest that baboons can serve as a valuable model for complex evolutionary processes, such as speciation and hybridization. The evolution of baboons has been heavily shaped by climatic changes and population expansion and fragmentation in the African savanna environment, similar to the processes that acted during human evolution. With accumulating long-term data, and new data from previously understudied species, baboons are ideally suited for investigating the links between sociality, health, longevity and reproductive success. To achieve these aims, we propose a closer integration of studies at the proximate level, including functional genomics, with behavioral and ecological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Department of Primate CognitionGeorg-August-University of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus for Primate CognitionGöttingenGermany
| | - James P Higham
- Department of AnthropologyNew York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of BiologyDuke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Institute of Primate ResearchNairobiKenya
| | - Louise Barrett
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of LethbridgeLethbridgeCanada
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research UnitUniversity of South AfricaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Jacinta C Beehner
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Thore J Bergman
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Alecia J Carter
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHEMontpellierFrance
| | - Anthony Collins
- Gombe Stream Research CentreJane Goodall InstituteKigomaUnited Republic of Tanzania
| | - Sarah Elton
- Department of AnthropologyDurham UniversityDurhamUnited Kingdom
| | - Joël Fagot
- Aix Marseille UniversitéMarseilleFrance
- Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueMontpellierFrance
| | - Maria Joana Ferreira da Silva
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of BiosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUnited Kingdom
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoPortoPortugal
- Centro de Administração e Políticas Públicas, School of Social and PoliticalSciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
| | - Peter Henzi
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research UnitUniversity of South AfricaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Clifford J Jolly
- Department of AnthropologyNew York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary PrimatologyNew YorkUnited States
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infection Biology UnitGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Division of Microbiology and Animal HygieneGeorg-August-UniversityGöttingenGermany
| | - Gisela H Kopp
- ZukunftskollegUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Department of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective BehaviourUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Department of MigrationMax Planck Institute for Animal BehaviourKonstanzGermany
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing CenterHoustonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Human GeneticsBaylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of PrimatesGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Primate Genetics LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
| | - Caroline Ross
- Department of Life SciencesRoehampton UniversityLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Robert M Seyfarth
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Joan Silk
- School of Human Evolution and Social ChangeArizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
- Institute for Human OriginsArizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Center for Studies in Demography and EcologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- National Primate Research CenteUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Veronika Staedele
- Department of BiologyDuke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Larissa Swedell
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary PrimatologyNew YorkUnited States
- Department of AnthropologyQueens College, City University of New YorkNew YorkUnited States
- Department of ArchaeologyUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Michael L Wilson
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Institute on the EnvironmentUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulUnited States
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus for Primate CognitionGöttingenGermany
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8
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Deng K, Liu W, Wang DH. Relatedness and spatial distance modulate intergroup interactions: experimental evidence from a social rodent. Curr Zool 2019; 65:527-534. [PMID: 31616483 PMCID: PMC6784511 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Kin selection theory predicts that individuals should generally behave less aggressively or more amicably towards relatives than nonkin. However, how individuals treat conspecifics depends on genetic relatedness but also on the ecological context, which influences the benefits and costs of their interactions. In this study, we used microsatellite DNA markers and behavioral tests to examine the influence of kinship and proximity on the social behavior of Mongolian gerbils Meriones unguiculatus living in different social groups, and whether these effects varied with sex and season. We recorded the duration of 4 behavioral categories (investigative, neutral, amicable, and agonistic) during a 10-min pairwise test. We found that genetic relatedness had significant effects on the duration of investigative, neutral, and amicable behavior, but not on agonistic behavior. We also found significant interaction effects of relatedness and distance between burrow systems (i.e., spatial distance) on investigative, neutral, and amicable behavior, which suggests that the effects of kinship on social behavior were restricted by spatial proximity. The interaction effect between sex and relatedness on amicable behavior showed that male gerbils became more intimate with individuals of the same sex that had higher pairwise relatedness than females. Furthermore, both male and female gerbils enhanced their aggression during the food-hoarding season, but the intensity of these changes was significantly higher in females. Overall, our results suggest that the effects of kinship and spatial proximity on social behavior exhibit sexual or seasonal patterns, thereby implying ecological context-dependent responses to out-group individuals in Mongolian gerbils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - De-Hua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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9
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Faraut L, Fischer J. How life in a tolerant society affects the attention to social information in baboons. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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10
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Fan P, Liu R, Grueter CC, Li F, Wu F, Huang T, Yao H, Liu D, Liu X. Individuality in coo calls of adult male golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) living in a multilevel society. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:71-79. [PMID: 30460512 PMCID: PMC6326966 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-1222-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Vocal individuality is a prerequisite for individual recognition, especially when visual and chemical cues are not available or effective. Vocalizations encoding information of individual identity have been reported in many social animals and should be particularly adaptive for species living in large and complexly organized societies. Here, we examined the individuality in coo calls of adult male golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) living in a large and multilevel society. Coo calls are one of the most frequently occurring call types in R. roxellana and likely serve as the signals for contact maintenance or advertisement in various contexts including group movement, foraging, and resting. From April to October 2016, April to July 2017, and September to October 2017, we recorded a total of 721 coo calls from six adult males in a provisioned, free-ranging group and one adult male in captivity in Shennongjia National Park, China. We selected 162 high-quality recordings to extract 14 acoustic parameters based on the source-filter theory. Results showed that each of all parameters significantly differed among individuals, while pairwise comparisons failed to detect any parameter that was different between all pairs. Furthermore, a discriminant function analysis indicated that the correct assignment rate was 80.2% (cross-validation: 67.3%), greater than expected by chance (14.3%). In conclusion, we found evidence that coo calls of adult male R. roxellana allowed the reliable accuracy of individual discrimination complementarily enhanced by multiple acoustic parameters. The results of our study point to the selective pressures acting on individual discrimination via vocal signals in a highly gregarious forest-living primate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penglai Fan
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Ruoshuang Liu
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Cyril C Grueter
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6001, Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6001, Australia
| | - Fang Li
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Feng Wu
- Shennongjia National Park, Shennongjia, 442421, Hubei, China
| | - Tianpeng Huang
- Shennongjia National Park, Shennongjia, 442421, Hubei, China
| | - Hui Yao
- Shennongjia National Park, Shennongjia, 442421, Hubei, China
| | - Dingzhen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Xuecong Liu
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Dal Pesco F, Fischer J. Greetings in male Guinea baboons and the function of rituals in complex social groups. J Hum Evol 2018; 125:87-98. [PMID: 30502900 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Revised: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ritualized greetings, defined as exchanges of non-aggressive signals, are common among males living in multi-male groups and are thought to balance the trade-offs of male co-residence. While ritualized greetings are widespread in the animal kingdom, the behavioral repertoire described in the genus Papio is exceptional, as it involves potentially harmful behaviors such as genital fondling. Although greetings are one of the most striking male social interactions in baboons, their function is still disputed. We investigated the function of male-male ritualized greeting behavior in wild Guinea baboons. This species lives in multilevel societies where several 'units' comprising a primary male, females with young, and occasionally a secondary male form a 'party', and two to three parties form a gang. Adult males maintain affiliative relationships with preferred male partners whom they support in coalitions, regardless of kinship. We examined the social behavior of 24 adolescent and adult males (∼900 h focal observations) in the Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal, to test whether greetings reflect relationship quality or function to buffer tension. Greetings were ten times more frequent than aggression and twice as frequent as affiliation. Neither dyadic aggression nor tense context predicted greeting rate, discounting the buffering hypothesis. Greetings occurred almost exclusively between males of the same party, even when other parties were around. Within parties, spatially tolerant partners greeted more frequently but dyads did not greet due to proximity prior to the greeting. Although affiliation did not predict overall greeting rate, intense and potentially costly greetings were more likely between males with stronger affiliative relationships. Greetings in Guinea baboons appear to signal commitment among party members, test relationships among spatially tolerant partners, and accentuate relationship strength among highly affiliated males. Although ritualized baboon greetings lack the symbolic component of human rituals, they appear to serve similar functions, specifically to strengthen in-group affiliation and promote cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Dal Pesco
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany; Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany; Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Cronin KA, Jacobson SL, Bonnie KE, Hopper LM. Studying primate cognition in a social setting to improve validity and welfare: a literature review highlighting successful approaches. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3649. [PMID: 28791199 PMCID: PMC5545107 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studying animal cognition in a social setting is associated with practical and statistical challenges. However, conducting cognitive research without disturbing species-typical social groups can increase ecological validity, minimize distress, and improve animal welfare. Here, we review the existing literature on cognitive research run with primates in a social setting in order to determine how widespread such testing is and highlight approaches that may guide future research planning. SURVEY METHODOLOGY Using Google Scholar to search the terms "primate" "cognition" "experiment" and "social group," we conducted a systematic literature search covering 16 years (2000-2015 inclusive). We then conducted two supplemental searches within each journal that contained a publication meeting our criteria in the original search, using the terms "primate" and "playback" in one search and the terms "primate" "cognition" and "social group" in the second. The results were used to assess how frequently nonhuman primate cognition has been studied in a social setting (>3 individuals), to gain perspective on the species and topics that have been studied, and to extract successful approaches for social testing. RESULTS Our search revealed 248 unique publications in 43 journals encompassing 71 species. The absolute number of publications has increased over years, suggesting viable strategies for studying cognition in social settings. While a wide range of species were studied they were not equally represented, with 19% of the publications reporting data for chimpanzees. Field sites were the most common environment for experiments run in social groups of primates, accounting for more than half of the results. Approaches to mitigating the practical and statistical challenges were identified. DISCUSSION This analysis has revealed that the study of primate cognition in a social setting is increasing and taking place across a range of environments. This literature review calls attention to examples that may provide valuable models for researchers wishing to overcome potential practical and statistical challenges to studying cognition in a social setting, ultimately increasing validity and improving the welfare of the primates we study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A. Cronin
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Sarah L. Jacobson
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Kristin E. Bonnie
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, Beloit College, Beloit, WI, United States of America
| | - Lydia M. Hopper
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United States of America
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Fischer J, Kopp GH, Dal Pesco F, Goffe A, Hammerschmidt K, Kalbitzer U, Klapproth M, Maciej P, Ndao I, Patzelt A, Zinner D. Charting the neglected West: The social system of Guinea baboons. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 162 Suppl 63:15-31. [PMID: 28105722 PMCID: PMC6586040 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Primate social systems are remarkably diverse, and thus play a central role in understanding social evolution, including the biological origin of human societies. Although baboons have been prominently featured in this context, historically little was known about the westernmost member of the genus, the Guinea baboon (Papio papio). MATERIAL AND METHODS Here, we summarize the findings from the first years of observations at the field site CRP Simenti in the Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. RESULTS Guinea baboons reveal a nested multi-level social organization, with reproductive units comprising one "primary" male, one to several females, young, and occasionally "secondary" males at the base of the society. Three to five units form "parties," which team up with other parties to form a "gang." Different gangs have largely overlapping home ranges and agonistic interactions between different parties or gangs are rare. Some but not all strongly socially bonded males are highly related, and population genetic and behavioral evidence indicate female-biased dispersal. Females play an important role in intersexual bond formation and maintenance, and female tenure length varies between a few weeks to several years. DISCUSSION While the social organization resembles that of hamadryas baboons (P. hamadryas), the social structure differs considerably, specifically in terms of low male aggressiveness and female freedom. Despite substantial differences in social organization and social structure, the acoustic structure of Guinea baboon vocalizations does not differ substantially from that of other baboon taxa. With its multi-level organization, stable bonds between males and females, as well as a high-degree of male-male cooperation and tolerance, Guinea baboons constitute an intriguing model for reconstructing human social evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate CenterGöttingenGermany
| | - Gisela H. Kopp
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate CenterGöttingenGermany,Department of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany,Department of Migration and Immuno‐EcologyMax‐Planck‐Institute for OrnithologyRadolfzellGermany
| | | | - Adeelia Goffe
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate CenterGöttingenGermany
| | | | - Urs Kalbitzer
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate CenterGöttingenGermany,Department of Anthropology and ArchaeologyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryCanada
| | | | - Peter Maciej
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate CenterGöttingenGermany
| | - Ibrahima Ndao
- Direction de Park National de Niokolo KobaTambacoundaSenegal
| | - Annika Patzelt
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate CenterGöttingenGermany
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate CenterGöttingenGermany
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Sex differences in inhibitory control in socially-housed baboons (Papio papio). Behav Brain Res 2016; 312:231-7. [PMID: 27321783 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory control is an important component of executive function. An emerging literature in humans suggests that inhibitory control is sexually dimorphic and modulated by sex steroids, but evidence for such a link in nonhuman animals is scarce. In this study, we examined the effects of menstrual cycle and biological sex on response inhibition, as measured by a Stop-Signal task, in the baboon (Papio papio). The monkeys (n=13) were socially-housed, with voluntary access to multiple touchscreen computerized stations. The task required monkeys to inhibit prepotent responses (touching a target, "Go" trials) following the appearance of a visual stop signal on 25% of the trials ("Stop" trials). The cognitive data, consisting of computerized records of the monkeys' performance on the Stop-Signal task over a year of testing, were matched to records of female sexual swellings. Same-day menstrual and cognitive data were available for 5 females, aged 5-18 years. These data were compared to those of 8 males (5-14 years old) performing the Stop-Signal task over the same time period. Contrary to our hypothesis, performance on the task was not significantly affected by the phase (ovulatory vs. luteal) of the cycle in females. However, males were slower than females on Go trials and were less efficient in inhibiting responses on Stop trials. Slower responses in males were indicative of a speed-accuracy trade-off, as overall accuracy was also better in males than in females. Analyses of trial history indicated that males did not speed as much as females following a successful Go trial, but did not differ from females in post-error slowing or post-inhibiting responses. Overall, the data show that biological sex modulates Stop-Signal performance in the baboon, with males exhibiting slower response execution overall, less efficient inhibition, but greater accuracy than females. This pattern of sex differences may reflect motivational sex differences in which males emphasize accuracy rather than speed. Interestingly, these sex differences do not seem to vary as a function of ovarian hormones in females. Males' greater focus on accuracy is possibly due to enhanced sensitivity to reward mediated by testosterone levels.
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Goffe AS, Zinner D, Fischer J. Sex and friendship in a multilevel society: behavioural patterns and associations between female and male Guinea baboons. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016; 70:323-336. [PMID: 26900211 PMCID: PMC4748025 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-2050-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
One key question in social evolution is the identification of factors that promote the formation and maintenance of stable bonds between females and males beyond the mating context. Baboons lend themselves to examine this question, as they vary in social organisation and male-female association patterns. We report the results from the first systematic observations of individually identified wild female Guinea baboons. Guinea baboons live in a multilevel society with female-biased dispersal. Although several males could be found within 5 m of females, each female chiefly associated with one "primary" male at the 2 m distance. Social interactions occurred predominantly with the primary male, and female reproductive state had little influence on interaction patterns. The number of females per primary male varied from 1 to 4. During the 17-month study period, half of the females transferred between different males one or multiple times. A subset of females maintained weaker affiliative nonsexual relationships with other "secondary" males. Units composed of primary males with females, and occasional secondary males, apparently form the core of the Guinea baboon society. The social organisation and mating patterns of Guinea and hamadryas baboons may have a common evolutionary origin, despite notable differences in relationship quality. Specifically, Guinea baboon females appear to have greater leverage in their association patterns than hamadryas baboon females. Although we cannot yet explain the lack of overt male control over females, results generally support the notion that phylogenetic descent may play an important role in shaping social systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeelia S. Goffe
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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16
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Heymann EW, Ganzhorn JU. History of primate behavioural and ecological field research at the German Primate Center. Primate Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.5194/pb-2-73-2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract. This paper describes the background of the first behavioural and ecological field studies on primates conducted by German primatologists in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Field research by scientists from DPZ started in the middle 1980s at a time when this was not yet considered a major task for DPZ. Establishment of field research became possible due to recommendations from institutional and departmental evaluations and the formation of a working group "Ethology and Ecology", which was later transformed into a department in the 1990s. Since then, field research has gained momentum, and has become part of the research program of other DPZ departments. The DPZ is now unique, as it runs field sites in all major areas of primate distribution. The foresight and support of Hans-Jürg Kuhn during his period as scientific director was seminal and essential for the evolution of primate field research at DPZ.
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Kalbitzer U, Heistermann M, Cheney D, Seyfarth R, Fischer J. Social behavior and patterns of testosterone and glucocorticoid levels differ between male chacma and Guinea baboons. Horm Behav 2015; 75:100-10. [PMID: 26344413 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Revised: 08/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/30/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In multi-male, multi-female groups of mammals, males usually compete aggressively over access to females. However, species vary in the intensity of male contest competition, which has been linked to differences in testosterone and glucocorticoid profiles. Chacma (Papio ursinus) and Guinea (P. papio) baboons constitute an intriguing model to examine variation in male competition and male endocrine correlates, because of the differences in their social systems. Chacma baboons live in stable female-bonded groups with linear male dominance hierarchies and a high male mating skew, whereas Guinea baboons live in male-bonded, multi-level societies. We recorded male behavior and assayed testosterone (fT) and glucocorticoid metabolite (fGC) levels from fecal samples in one population of each species. Male chacma baboons were more frequently involved in agonistic interactions, and dominance relationships were more consistent than in Guinea baboons, where we could not detect linear hierarchies. Notably, male chacma baboons were also more aggressive towards females, indicating an overall higher aggressiveness in this species. In contrast, male Guinea baboons showed higher levels of affiliative interactions and spatial tolerance. High-ranking and consorting male chacma baboons showed elevated fGC levels and also tended to show elevated fT levels, but there was no effect of consortship in Guinea baboons. Agonism was not related to hormone levels in either species. Thus, predictors of fT and fGC levels in Guinea baboons seem to differ from chacma baboons. Our results support the view that different social systems create differential selection pressures for male aggression, reflected by different hormone profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urs Kalbitzer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dorothy Cheney
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert Seyfarth
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Kopp GH, Fischer J, Patzelt A, Roos C, Zinner D. Population genetic insights into the social organization of Guinea baboons (Papio papio): Evidence for female-biased dispersal. Am J Primatol 2015; 77:878-89. [PMID: 25864569 PMCID: PMC4654240 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2014] [Revised: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in philopatry and dispersal have important consequences on the genetic structure of populations, social groups, and social relationships within groups. Among mammals, male dispersal and female philopatry are most common and closely related taxa typically exhibit similar dispersal patterns. However, among four well-studied species of baboons, only hamadryas baboons exhibit female dispersal, thus differing from their congenerics, which show female philopatry and close-knit female social relationships. Until recently, knowledge of the Guinea baboon social system and dispersal pattern remained sparse. Previous observations suggested that the high degree of tolerance observed among male Guinea baboons could be due to kinship. This led us to hypothesize that this species exhibits male philopatry and female dispersal, conforming to the hamadryas pattern. We genotyped 165 individuals from five localities in the Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal, at 14 autosomal microsatellite loci and sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial hypervariable region I (HVRI) of 55 individuals. We found evidence for higher population structuring in males than in females, as expected if males are the more philopatric sex. A comparison of relatedness between male-male and female-female dyads within and among communities did not yield conclusive results. HVRI diversity within communities was high and did not differ between the sexes, also suggesting female gene flow. Our study is the first comprehensive analysis of the genetic population structure in Guinea baboons and provides evidence for female-biased dispersal in this species. In conjunction with their multilevel social organization, this finding parallels the observations for human hunter-gatherers and strengthens baboons as an intriguing model to elucidate the processes that shaped the highly cooperative societies of Homo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela H Kopp
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annika Patzelt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates and Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
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Patzelt A, Kopp GH, Ndao I, Kalbitzer U, Zinner D, Fischer J. Male tolerance and male-male bonds in a multilevel primate society. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:14740-5. [PMID: 25201960 PMCID: PMC4205614 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1405811111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Male relationships in most species of mammals generally are characterized by intense intrasexual competition, with little bonding among unrelated individuals. In contrast, human societies are characterized by high levels of cooperation and strong bonds among both related and unrelated males. The emergence of cooperative male-male relationships has been linked to the multilevel structure of traditional human societies. Based on an analysis of the patterns of spatial and social interaction in combination with genetic relatedness data of wild Guinea baboons (Papio papio), we show that this species exhibits a multilevel social organization in which males maintain strong bonds and are highly tolerant of each other. Several "units" of males with their associated females form "parties," which team up as "gangs." Several gangs of the same "community" use the same home range. Males formed strong bonds predominantly within parties; however, these bonds were not correlated with genetic relatedness. Agonistic interactions were relatively rare and were restricted to a few dyads. Although the social organization of Guinea baboons resembles that of hamadryas baboons, we found stronger male-male affiliation and more elaborate greeting rituals among male Guinea baboons and less aggression toward females. Thus, the social relationships of male Guinea baboons differ markedly from those of other members of the genus, adding valuable comparative data to test hypotheses regarding social evolution. We suggest that this species constitutes an intriguing model to study the predictors and fitness benefits of male bonds, thus contributing to a better understanding of the evolution of this important facet of human social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Patzelt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Courant Research Centre for the Evolution of Social Behaviour, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gisela H Kopp
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Courant Research Centre for the Evolution of Social Behaviour, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Center of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; and
| | - Ibrahima Ndao
- Headquarters of the Niokolo Koba National Park, BP 37, Tambacounda, Senegal
| | - Urs Kalbitzer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Courant Research Centre for the Evolution of Social Behaviour, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Courant Research Centre for the Evolution of Social Behaviour, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Courant Research Centre for the Evolution of Social Behaviour, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
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20
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Salmi R, Hammerschmidt K, Doran-Sheehy DM. Individual distinctiveness in call types of wild western female gorillas. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101940. [PMID: 25029238 PMCID: PMC4100815 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Individually distinct vocalizations play an important role in animal communication, allowing call recipients to respond differentially based on caller identity. However, which of the many calls in a species' repertoire should have more acoustic variability and be more recognizable is less apparent. One proposed hypothesis is that calls used over long distances should be more distinct because visual cues are not available to identify the caller. An alternative hypothesis proposes that close calls should be more recognizable because of their importance in social interactions. To examine which hypothesis garners more support, the acoustic variation and individual distinctiveness of eight call types of six wild western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) females were investigated. Acoustic recordings of gorilla calls were collected at the Mondika Research Center (Republic of Congo). Acoustic variability was high in all gorilla calls. Similar high inter-individual variation and potential for identity coding (PIC) was found for all call types. Discriminant function analyses confirmed that all call types were individually distinct (although for call types with lowest sample size - hum, grumble and scream - this result cannot be generalized), suggesting that neither the distance at which communication occurs nor the call social function alone can explain the evolution of identity signaling in western gorilla communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Salmi
- Department of Anthropology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Diane M. Doran-Sheehy
- Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
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Maciej P, Ndao I, Hammerschmidt K, Fischer J. Vocal communication in a complex multi-level society: constrained acoustic structure and flexible call usage in Guinea baboons. Front Zool 2013; 10:58. [PMID: 24059742 PMCID: PMC3849383 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-10-58] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To understand the evolution of acoustic communication in animals, it is important to distinguish between the structure and the usage of vocal signals, since both aspects are subject to different constraints. In terrestrial mammals, the structure of calls is largely innate, while individuals have a greater ability to actively initiate or withhold calls. In closely related taxa, one would therefore predict a higher flexibility in call usage compared to call structure. In the present study, we investigated the vocal repertoire of free living Guinea baboons (Papio papio) and examined the structure and usage of the animals' vocal signals. Guinea baboons live in a complex multi-level social organization and exhibit a largely tolerant and affiliative social style, contrary to most other baboon taxa. To classify the vocal repertoire of male and female Guinea baboons, cluster analyses were used and focal observations were conducted to assess the usage of vocal signals in the particular contexts. RESULTS In general, the vocal repertoire of Guinea baboons largely corresponded to the vocal repertoire other baboon taxa. The usage of calls, however, differed considerably from other baboon taxa and corresponded with the specific characteristics of the Guinea baboons' social behaviour. While Guinea baboons showed a diminished usage of contest and display vocalizations (a common pattern observed in chacma baboons), they frequently used vocal signals during affiliative and greeting interactions. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that the call structure of primates is largely unaffected by the species' social system (including grouping patterns and social interactions), while the usage of calls can be more flexibly adjusted, reflecting the quality of social interactions of the individuals. Our results support the view that the primary function of social signals is to regulate social interactions, and therefore the degree of competition and cooperation may be more important to explain variation in call usage than grouping patterns or group size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Maciej
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Courant Research Center “Evolution of Social Behaviour”, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Ibrahima Ndao
- Direction de Park National de Niokolo Koba, Tambacounda, Senegal
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Courant Research Center “Evolution of Social Behaviour”, Göttingen 37077, Germany
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Neumann C, Agil M, Widdig A, Engelhardt A. Personality of wild male crested macaques (Macaca nigra). PLoS One 2013; 8:e69383. [PMID: 23940517 PMCID: PMC3734184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal personalities, i.e. consistent differences in behavior across time and/or context, have received increased attention of behavioral biologists over the last years. Recent research shows that personalities represent traits on which natural and sexual selection work and which can have substantial fitness consequences. The aim of this study is to establish the personality structure of crested macaque (Macaca nigra) males as foundation for future studies on its adaptive value. We collected behavioral data through focal animal sampling and additionally conducted two sets of playback experiments. Results of a factor analysis on the behavioral data revealed a four factor structure with components we labeled Anxiety, Sociability, Connectedness and Aggressiveness. Results from the experiments revealed an additional and independent Boldness factor but the absence of Neophilia. Overall, this structure resembles other macaque and animal species with the exception of Connectedness, which might be a consequence of the species' tolerant social style. Our results thus not only form the basis for future studies on the adaptive value of personality in crested macaques but also contribute an important data point for investigating the evolution of personality structure from a comparative perspective by refining, for example, which personality factors characterized the last common ancestor of hominids and macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof Neumann
- Junior Research Group of Primate Sexual Selection, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.
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