Primate social and mating systems - 21 Flashcards
Key terms
Social organisation = how animal interact with and space themselves in relation to other individuals of the sae species. Mating system = describes the way that individuals obtain and bond with mates (the number of mating partners that individual males and females obtain is a key issue).
What are different types of mating systems?
Solitary (e.g. orangutans, sexes live apart, come together for mating) Monogamous family units (e.g. gibbons, long term pair bond, male and female jointly defend territory using elaborate song), Polyandry (several males bonded to one female e.g. saddle-backed tamarins, male parental care, extra male helps carry young). Most common is polygny (multiple females per male e.g. baboons& barbary macaques.
What are the characteristics of primate social groups?
Complex social organisation and variety of long-term social relationships. Non-human primates have complex social groups.
What are features of primate groups?
Dominance hierarchies e.g. in barbary macaques. Fights are costly. Direct combat is avoided using visual and vocal signals. Appeasment & reconciliation after fights is achieved through grooming and vocal signals. Evolutionary increases in vocal repetoire size among non-human primates associated with evolutionary increases in group size and extent of social bonding.
What is maternal rank and dominance?
Most common for female primates to inherit the dominance rank immediately below their mother in reverse age order. In chimpanzees dominant mothers have dominant sons. Rank may depend on forming alliances with other individuals e.g. gorillas form alliances with relatives.
What is a Fission-Fusion society?
Chimps - live in communities (around 60 individuals). Group members gather in unstable temporary groups. Adult males form coalitions. High association rates between particular adult females. In aggressive interactions between different communities elaborate strategies evident - numerical assessment, patrols. Sophisticated ‘collaborative’ hunts with hunters performing complementary roles directed toward the same prey. Make and use tools: 46% of all tools are manufactured by chimps before use (e.g. modification in length and shape).
Where is culture evident in chimpanzees?
Tool use occurs in all studied populations of chimps but the size and nature of the tool varies between populations = cultural variation. Transmission of behaviour occurs through social learning. Cultural variation evident in contexts of tool-use, grooming, courtship.
