Variations in within-group inter-individual distances between birth- and non-birth seasons in wild female patas monkeys

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• 作者：Yasuyuki Muroyama
• 关键词：Group living ; Predation risk ; Cohesiveness ; Seasonal variations ; Newborn infants
• 刊名：Primates
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：January 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：58
• 期：1
• 页码：115-119
• 全文大小：
• 刊物类别：Biomedical and Life Sciences
• 刊物主题：Zoology; Animal Ecology; Behavioral Sciences; Evolutionary Biology;
• 出版者：Springer Japan
• ISSN：1610-7365
• 卷排序：58

文摘

Individual spatial positioning plays an important role in mediating the costs and benefits of group living, and thus shapes different aspects of animal social systems including group structure and cohesiveness. I aimed to quantify variation in individual spacing behavior and its correlates in a group of wild patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) living in north Cameroon. I collected data on inter-individual distances during group scans when following subject females. Individuals had longer inter-individual distances during the non-birth season than during the birth season. Dominance relationships had little effect on inter-individual distances between females during both the non-birth and birth seasons. The results suggest that group cohesion was higher during the birth season than the non-birth season. Thus I conclude that higher group cohesion during the birth season may reduce the predation risk of infants.