Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 8.3. Mauritian macaques nearest neighbors n=3048
F/I
F
I
J
M
SAM
F/I
31.78*
17.76
1.4
40.19*
7.48
1.40
F
3.01
20.43
2.76
41.60*
30.20*
1.75
I
0.00
12.50
25.00*
37.50*
12.50
12.50
J
1.68
16.21*
0.76
68.96*
10.70
1.68
M
5.39
40.60*
0.69
27.27*
22.27
3.16
SAM
0.00
22.22*
0.00
44.44*
13.89
19.44
* Higher than predicted by chance.
Social organization - interactions within groups
Patterns of social interaction among different sexes and age classes of individ-
ual Mauritian long-tailed macaques can be seen in nearest neighbor and groom-
ing data. Besides juveniles who stay close to all classes of individuals, mothers
with infants remain near one another, and adult females without infants are
most frequently seen close to adult males ( Table 8.3 ). However, 70 percent of
mutual grooming occurs among females or females and juveniles ( Table 8.4 ).
These patterns reflect the matrilineal core of groups in long-tailed macaques,
which have been referred to as “mother clubs” (Fady, 1969 ).
This type of social organization is characteristic of Macaca fascicularis .
As found elsewhere, Mauritian groups are organized around matrilines, with
mothers, daughters, and sisters maintaining close social ties (van Schaik and
van Noordwijk, 1988 ; Jamieson, 1998 ; de Ruiter and Geffen, 1998 ). There
is a dominance order among females. Males migrate, both from their natal
group and after they reach adulthood (Wheatley, 1982 ; Jamieson, 1998 ; van
Noordwijk and van Schaik, 2001 , Sussman, personal observation). Males
are dominant to females at the individual level but groups of closely related
females can have some level of dominance over males (matrilines create inter-
esting dynamics in a group). In the groups that we studied there was one dom-
inant or two codominant males at any particular time.
The role of dominant male changed hands a number of times in both study
groups and these changes correlated with both migration and aggressive encoun-
ters. However, the individual taking over the dominant position could not be
predicted by his previous status or behavior. For example, in south group, two
males, Patch and Gorilla, were codominant at the beginning of the study and for
many months. These two males had very different personalities. Patch was very
social and interacted with adult females and younger animals, often groom-
ing and playing with juveniles. Gorilla was much less social and had a more
 
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