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Short-term group fission processes in macaques: a social networking approach
C Sueur1, O Petit, J L Deneubourg
1Ethologie des Primates, Département d'Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS-Strasbourg University, 23 rue Becquerel, Strasbourg, France. cedric.sueur@c-strasbourg.fr
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|March 30, 2010
Summary
Social relationships, not just environment, drive group splits in macaques. Tolerant species use mimetism, while nepotistic ones favor kinship in subgroup choices.
Area of Science:
- Primate Social Behavior
- Behavioral Ecology
- Agent-Based Modeling
Background:
- Group living involves competition, potentially leading to subgroup formation or group fission.
- Fission-fusion dynamics are common, but the influence of social relationships on subgroup choice is understudied.
- Previous research often focused on environmental factors influencing primate subgrouping patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of social relationships in subgroup selection during group fission.
- To compare subgrouping mechanisms in two macaque species with different social styles.
- To understand how individual social connections influence collective decisions in primate groups.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an agent-based model to simulate group fission dynamics.
- Analyzed subgrouping patterns in semi-free-ranging Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) and rhesus macaques (M. mulatta).
- Differentiated between species-specific social styles, including tolerance and nepotism.
Main Results:
- Affiliative relationships were the primary drivers of subgrouping patterns.
- Species-specific social styles influenced the probability of individuals joining particular subgroups.
- Tonkean macaques exhibited 'anonymous mimetism,' while rhesus macaques showed kinship-influenced fission.
Conclusions:
- Social bonds, particularly affiliative ones, are crucial in primate fission-fusion dynamics.
- Species' social structures (e.g., tolerance vs. nepotism) shape the mechanisms of group fission.
- Fission-fusion societies may serve to mitigate social conflicts arising from competition.
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