Spectrum of Sociality - mammals

Question 1

Mammals are united by _________________________________ and __________

Answer 1

• milk production by the mother
• hair/fur

Question 2

Mothers and offspring _____________________________ for some period of time for the purposes of milk feeding.

Answer 2

always form maternal-offspring groups

Question 3

“solitary” in arthropods are equivalent to what in mammals

Answer 3

the “subsocial” category for arthropods since at least one parent engaged in parental care in regarding mammals

Question 4

mammal society trends - roaming animals

Answer 4

Groupings of reproductive units are common for roaming animals

Question 5

mammal society trends - monogamy and polygyny

Answer 5

• monogamy is rare
• polygyny is common

Question 6

mammal society trends - larger mammal social groups

Answer 6

typical to see many mother-offspring units with few males

Question 7

mammal society trends - bonding

Answer 7

Bonding across generation is typically matrilineal

Question 8

mammal society trends - eusociality

Answer 8

exceptionally rare

Question 9

mammal society trends - hierarchal scaling compared to arthropods

Answer 9

Less of a hierarchical scaling of complexity than in arthropods, but still lots of repeated “convergent evolution” on distinct social structures

Question 10

define herd

Answer 10

Grouping of mother-offspring social units and other classes of individuals that display collective grouping behavior.

Question 11

herd benefits

Answer 11

Herd provides protection in numbers and collective defense

Question 12

herds do not have what

Answer 12

they don’t have:
- shared parental care.
- bias in female reproductive opportunities
- variability in the degree of bias in male reproductive opportunities

Question 13

define monogamy

Answer 13

A single female and male join to cooperate in parental care to rear at least one cohort of offspring

Question 14

monogamy - cooperation is limited to what

Answer 14

Cooperation typically limited to the breeding season and often only extended to the end of the weening period (end of milk from mother)

Question 15

In monogamy, it is the standard mammal mother offspring relationship, ______ the participation of the male.

Answer 15

plus

Question 16

rare cases in monogamy

Answer 16

In rare cases, the monogamy bond extends multiple breeding seasons and/or extends to prolonged offspring care, well beyond weening.

Question 17

define polygyny

Answer 17

The tendency for males to mate with two or more females, gaining some degree of reproductive bias and increased fitness relative to other males

Question 18

when is polygyny more often seen

Answer 18

less mobile mother-offspring aggregations

Question 19

In polygyny, male mating opportunities are often gained by _________________ that females observe and select from — Associated ___________________ for competition.

Answer 19

• male-male contests
• male-only traits

Question 20

define harem

Answer 20

A group of reproductive females guarded by a male, preventing mating with other males

Question 21

harems are polygyny with the addition _____________________________________ over some prolonged period of time.

Answer 21

of males defending access to females

Question 22

___________________ in harems are used to secure and protect ____________________ opportunities.

Answer 22

• Male-male contests
• long-term mating

Question 23

A byproduct of harems is a ______________________

Answer 23

surplus of males

Question 24

Younger males with future possibilities for winning a harem may persist in battles and form _____________ with other males to help usurp a harem.

Answer 24

coalitions

Question 25

Surplus males and usurpation attempts by coalitions create instability — _____________________________________

Answer 25

turnover dynamics for social structure

Question 26

bonding across generation is largely limited to more ___________________ that can recognize individuals and ______________________ with them

Answer 26

• intelligent mammals
• maintain relationships

Question 27

what is the result of bonding

Answer 27

persistent, multigenerational female group or male-female groups with a higher turnover of males that seek to monopolize reproductive opportunities.

Question 28

bonding is exemplified by the stability in _____________________ of lion prides, elephants, and ape species — __________________________, contrasting male dynamics

Answer 28

• female membership
• social mechanism for stability

Question 29

Naked mole rats are one of only two _____________________

Answer 29

eusocial mammal species

Question 30

naked mole rat - reproduction

Answer 30

Reproduction is monopolized by a single female (queen) and one to a few males

Question 31

naked mole rat - those that are not the female or the few males the female selects for reproduction are what

Answer 31

functionally sterile (workers).

Question 32

naked mole rat - what do the workers do

Answer 32

Workers forage in the tunnels for tubers and engage in offspring care

Question 33

When food is scarce, slime molds form a “social slug” with ____________________________ that seeks out new resources.

Answer 33

coordinated social foraging behavior

Question 34

Some slime molds become non-reproductive stalks, while other become dispersal-ready spores — ______________________________

Answer 34

a reproductive division of labor