Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Methods of Pairing and Pair Maintenance of New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus Cuniculus) Via Behavioral Ethogram, Monitoring, and Interventions
Published on: March 16, 2018
Costs and benefits of multi-male associations in redfronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus)
Markus Port1, Rufus A Johnstone, Peter M Kappeler
1Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK. mp567@.cam.ac.uk
Abstract:
The evolution of group-living has fascinated but also puzzled researchers from the inception of behavioural ecology. We use a simple optimality approach to examine some of the costs and benefits of group-living in redfronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus). We show that dominant males profit from accepting subordinates within their groups, as the latter significantly decrease the likelihood that the group is taken over by intruders. This benefit is large enough to outweigh the costs of reproductive competition and may constitute the driving force behind the evolution of multi-male associations in this species.
Related Concept Videos
Mate Choice
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
Inclusive Fitness
Testing a Claim about Mean: Unknown Population SD
Estimating a population mean requires the samples to be approximately normally distributed. The data should be collected from the randomly selected samples having no sampling bias. There is no specific requirement for sample size. But if the sample size is less than 30, and we don't know the population standard deviation, a different approach is used; instead...
Social Exchange Theory
Relationship Formation

