Dominance style of female white-faced capuchins

International Journal of Primatology, 2008

Researchers have suggested that several types of agonistic and affiliative behavior covary as a set of species-specific traits, and have used the term dominance style to describe the covariation. We compared measures of dominance style between a group of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis) and a group of rhesus macaques (M. mulatta), though kinship information was unknown. Assamese and rhesus female-female dyads each showed a low proportion of counter aggression and a low conciliatory tendency, suggesting that they have despotic social relationships. They also showed a despotic pattern on several other types of agonistic and affiliative behavior, such as approach outcomes and grooming distributions, which is consistent with the covariation of dominance style traits. Assamese male-male dyads showed relatively high levels of reconciliation and counter aggression versus other macaque males portrayed in the literature, suggesting that Assamese males have a tolerant dominance style. Insofar as macaque dominance style depends on the behavior of females, we suggest that Assamese macaques, like rhesus macaques, have despotic social relationships, which contrasts with evidence of a strong correlation between phylogeny and dominance style in macaques. Further, our results indicate that strong male bonding and tolerant dominance relationships among males are independent of female dominance style. Lastly, some measures of agonistic behavior, such as rate of aggression or proportion of bites, are likely altered in competitive environments and thus are not useful indicators of dominance style.

Behaviour, 1997

Patterns of aggression and reconciliation were studied in three captive groups of monkeys belonging to different species: Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), crested macaques (M. nigra) and Guinea baboons (Papio papio). Consistent differences were found comparing same dyads of individuals in the three groups. Aggression was often followed by retaliation and reconciliation in the group of crested macaques, such responses occurred less frequently in the group of Japanese macaques, more variable results were found in the group of Guinea baboons. Aggressive manual contacts occurred more frequently in crested macaques than in the other two groups. Rates of biting did not differ consistently among groups but bites could induce bleeding in the group of Japanese macaques. The use of peaceful interventions in conflicts was common in crested macaques, rare in Guinea baboons and unobserved in Japanese macaques. Data from other studies indicate that the contrasts found between groups could be due to interspecific variation. The present results suggest that the covariation between conciliation rates, degree of symmetry in conflicts and level of intensity in aggression may stem from phylogenetic constraints.

2011

Abstract The form of animal social systems depends on the nature of agonistic and affiliative interactions. Social network theory provides tools for characterizing social structure that go beyond simple dyadic interactions and consider the group as a whole.

Animal Behaviour, 2007

Primates, 2021

Examining interactions among sympatric primate species can provide interesting information about competition, coopera- tion, and avoidance between those species. Those interactions can be neutral, positive, or negative for the species involved. Capuchin monkeys are medium-sized primates that can encounter both larger and smaller primates in their varied habitats. Gracile capuchins (Cebus) are reported to present different types of interactions with other primates. Interactions with howler monkeys frequently include physical aggression, while interactions with spider monkeys are mostly threats and chases. Moreover, interaction types are not consistent across populations. Among robust capuchins (Sapajus spp.), however, no reports have been published. Here we describe and classify encounters of Sapajus libidinosus and S. nigritus with Alouatta caraya, A. guariba, Brachyteles arachnoides, and Callithrix jacchus in three sites in the environments of Cerrado, Caatinga (savannah-like), and Atlantic forest, and compare the interaction patterns among sites and different group sizes. The latter is a factor that can influence the outcome, and we expected capuchins in larger groups to be more aggressive toward other primates. Our results of 8421 h of total contact with the capuchin groups show that, indeed, capuchins in sites with larger groups presented aggressive interactions with higher frequency. However, the other species’ body size also seems important as smaller primates apparently avoided capuchins, and interactions with the larger muriquis were mostly neutral for the capu- chin. Capuchins showed neutral or aggressive behaviors toward howler monkeys, with differences between the rainforest and savannah groups. We found that robust capuchins can present aggressive interactions even to primates larger than themselves and that aggressive behavior was the most common response in populations living in larger groups and drier environments.

Behaviour, 2013

Socioecology considers that the features of food sources affect female social relationships in groupliving species. Among primates, the tests of socioecological models are largely focused on Old World species and do not evaluate if the use of feeding tools affects the competitive regime over food and females' relations in wild populations. We studied female social relationships among a wild population of bearded capuchins monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) that use percussive tools (stones) to crack encased foods, in a semi-arid habitat in Brazil. Females fed mainly on clumped, high quality resources, indicating that the habitat provides a high quality diet year-round. Females experienced contest competition within and between-groups. As predicted by socioecological models, females' social relationships were characterized by philopatry, linear dominance hierarchies, coalitions, and tolerance in feeding bouts. Females spent a small proportion of their feeding time using tools. Nevertheless, tool sites generated high rates of contest competition and lower indices of tolerance among females. Although the social structure of our study population did not differ significantly from the pattern observed in wild populations of Sapajus that do not use tools, tool use increased within-group contest competition and apparently contributed to the linearity of the dominance hierarchies established among females. We predict that when tool use results in usurpable food resources, it will increase contest competition within group-living species.

Journal of Biosciences, 1992

The study reports the relationship between hierarchy, genetic relatedness and social interaction in captive Japanese macaques. Grooming and proximity were found to be positively related to both dominance rank and degrees of relatedness. Ranks also positively correlated with threats while no relationship was observed between genetic relationships and agonistic interactions. The removal of a-male tightened the male hierarchy while the female hierarchy became relatively loose. Affiliative behaviour became more correlated with ranks than degrees of genetic relatedness. In the absence of α-male, the next dominant male avoided involvement in either agonistic or afliliative interactions with reintroduced animals and group females.

Primates, 1992

A group of six unrelated female pigtail macaques, Macaca nemestrina, of the same age, was studied in captivity over a period of five years. The animals were observed under six different situations, following changes in the social composition of the group. The following social interactions were recorded: withdrawal, attack, threat, presentation, mount, and grooming. Although behavioural rates varied for each period, their distribution network was remarkably consistent. Each subject could be assigned a rank, which remained stable over the six periods. From an analysis of the number of dyads in which one of the two animal significantly performed both paired behaviours more than the other animal (external validity), behaviours clustered into two main groups: (1) attacks, threats, and withdrawals; and (2) mounts, presentations, and grooming. Quantitative methods were performed to standardize the degree in which linearity, stability, reciprocity, and idiosyncrasy of the interactions under study may account for social variability. When considering these properties, the behaviours clustered in the same two groups ("agonistic" and "affinitive"). A method to describe the dominance style of Macaca nernestrina was proposed, which can easily be replicated for comparisons with females of other primate species and in different conditions.

Current …, 2003

Ten researchers collaborated in a long-term study of social conventions in wild white-faced capuchin monkeys, involving examination of a 19,000-hour combined data set collected on 13 social groups at four study sites in Costa Rica over a 13-year period. Five behavior patterns qualified as social traditions, according to the study’s criteria: handsniffing, sucking of body parts, and three types of “games.” Some conventions were independently invented in virtually identical form at multiple sites. The extinction of several conventions was observed during the course of the study; it appears that they rarely last longer than ten years. It is hypothesized that the monkeys are using these group- or clique-specific social conventions to test the quality of their social relationships.

American Journal of Primatology, 2006

The ''social intelligence'' hypothesis proposes that intelligence evolved as a consequence of the need for behavioral maneuvering to deal with the complexities of social life. As a result, coalitions have received considerable attention. Here we present the patterns of coalitionary behavior observed in a semifree-ranging group of Cebus apella and explore the effects of kinship, spatial proximity, and rank. In contrast to descriptions of Old World monkeys and to some descriptions of capuchins, kinship did not influence the pattern of coalitionary behavior, although individuals tended to help those that remained in close proximity. Rank had the greatest influence on coalitions: those that interfered in conflicts (often the alpha) were higher ranking than both contestants and supported the most subordinate (younger) interactant. However, rank did not influence the coalitionary support when conflicts involved only adults. We found no evidence that individuals were making use of triadic knowledge, and most of the coalitions can best be described as protective interventions involving immatures. The overall low rate of coalitions may be due to a period of social stability. Am. J. Primatol. 68:765-776, 2006.

Current Anthropology, 2003

Ten researchers collaborated in a long-term study of social conventions in wild white-faced capuchin monkeys, involving examination of a 19,000-hour combined data set collected on 13 social groups at four study sites in Costa Rica over a 13-year period. Five behavior patterns qualified as social traditions, according to the study's criteria: handsniffing, sucking of body parts, and three types of "games." Some conventions were independently invented in virtually identical form at multiple sites. The extinction of several conventions was observed during the course of the study; it appears that they rarely last longer than ten years. It is hypothesized that the monkeys are using these group-or cliquespecific social conventions to test the quality of their social relationships.

Primates, 2003

During 12 years of observation, we have observed three confirmed and two inferred lethal coalitionary attacks on adult male white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) by members of two habituated social groups at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, Costa Rica. In one case, an alpha male was badly wounded and evicted from his group, and when later found by his former groupmates he was attacked by several of them and died less than 24 h later. In two other cases, lone extra-group males were mobbed by adult and immature males of a bisexual group. One victim's abdomen was torn open and he died less than 24 h later. A second victim was quite badly bitten but may have escaped. The fourth and fifth cases resulted from intergroup encounters. One victim lost the use of both arms but may have survived, whereas the other died of unknown causes within an hour of the attack. The observed death rate from coalitionary aggression at our site is approximately the same as that reported for eastern chimpanzees. Because at least three of the five observed incidents involved large coalitions attacking lone victims, they support the general hypothesis that imbalances of power contribute to intraspecific killing in primates. However, the occurrence of lethal coalitional attacks in a species lacking fission-fusion social organization poses a challenge to the more specific version of the imbalance-of-power hypothesis proposed by Manson and Wrangham in 1991 to explain chimpanzee and human intergroup aggression.

Animal Behaviour, 2015

contributed to variation in the affiliative and agonistic relationships of pairs of brown capuchin monkeys, Sapajus apella. Capuchins that were more similar in Neuroticism had higher affiliative relationship scores, while capuchins that were more similar in Sociability shared overall higherquality relationships (i.e. the difference between the dyad's affiliative and agonistic scores). These effects were independent of age, sex, kinship and rank, suggesting that certain aspects of the psychology of these animals may contribute uniquely to the quality of their social relationships.

American Journal of …, 2011

How non human primates interact with humans in a semiarid Brazilian habitat: an ethnoprimatological approach aiming to preserve cultural biodiversity in primates View project Divergent thinking and innovative tool manufacture in preschool children (Homo sapiens) and capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) View project Socioecological models assume that primates adapt their social behavior to ecological conditions, and predict that food availability and distribution, predation risk and risk of infanticide by males affect patterns of social organization, social structure and mating system of primates. However, adaptability and variation of social behavior may be constrained by conservative adaptations and by phylogenetic inertia. The comparative study of closely related species can help to identify the relative contribution of ecological and of genetic determinants to primate social systems. We compared ecological features and social behavior of two species of the genus Sapajus, S. nigritus in Carlos Botelho State Park, an area of Atlantic Forest in São Paulo state, and S. libidinosus in Fazenda Boa Vista, a semi-arid habitat in Piauí state, Brazil. S. libidinosus perceived higher predation risk and fed on clumped, high quality, and usurpable resources (fruits) all year round, whereas S. nigritus perceived lower predation risk and relied on evenly distributed, low-quality food sources (leaves) during periods of fruit shortage. As predicted by socioecology models, S. libidinosus females were philopatric and established linear and stable dominance hierarchies, coalitions, and grooming relationships. S. nigritus females competed less often, and could transfer between groups, which might explain the lack of coalitions and grooming bonds among them. Both populations presented similar group size and composition and the same polygynous mating system. The species differed from each other in accordance with differences in the characteristics of their main food sources, as predicted by socioecological models, suggesting that phylogenetic inertia does not constrain social relationships established among female Sapajus. The similarity in mating systems indicates that this element of the social system is not affected by ecological variables and thus, is a more conservative behavioral feature of the genus Sapajus. Am. J. Primatol. 73:1-17, 2011.

Animal behaviour, 1997