Intra-specific Variation in the Social Behavior of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus)
Non-human primates show an impressive behavioral diversity, both across and within species. However, the factors explaining intra-specific behavioral variation across groups and individuals are yet understudied. Here, we aimed to assess how group size and living conditions (i.e., captive, semi-free-...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.666166/full |
| _version_ | 1827955403551408128 |
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| author | Federica Amici Federica Amici Anja Widdig Anja Widdig Lorenzo von Fersen Alvaro Lopez Caicoya Alvaro Lopez Caicoya Bonaventura Majolo |
| author_facet | Federica Amici Federica Amici Anja Widdig Anja Widdig Lorenzo von Fersen Alvaro Lopez Caicoya Alvaro Lopez Caicoya Bonaventura Majolo |
| author_sort | Federica Amici |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Non-human primates show an impressive behavioral diversity, both across and within species. However, the factors explaining intra-specific behavioral variation across groups and individuals are yet understudied. Here, we aimed to assess how group size and living conditions (i.e., captive, semi-free-ranging, wild) are linked to behavioral variation in 5 groups of Barbary macaques (N=137 individuals). In each group, we collected observational data on the time individuals spent in social interactions and on the group dominance style, along with experimental data on social tolerance over food and neophobia. Our results showed that differences in group size predicted differences in the time spent in social interactions, with smaller groups spending a higher proportion of time in close spatial proximity, but a lower proportion of time grooming. Moreover, group size predicted variation in dominance style, with smaller groups being more despotic. Social tolerance was affected by both group size and living conditions, being higher in smaller groups and in groups living in less natural conditions. Finally, individual characteristics also explained variation in social tolerance and neophobia, with socially integrated individuals having higher access to food sources, and higher-ranking ones being more neophobic. Overall, our results support the view that intra-specific variation is a crucial aspect in primate social behavior and call for more comparative studies to better understand the sources of within-species variation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:46:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09a53daa7650457a8f9b4455662f58ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:46:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-09a53daa7650457a8f9b4455662f58ea2023-05-02T14:01:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-10-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.666166666166Intra-specific Variation in the Social Behavior of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus)Federica Amici0Federica Amici1Anja Widdig2Anja Widdig3Lorenzo von Fersen4Alvaro Lopez Caicoya5Alvaro Lopez Caicoya6Bonaventura Majolo7Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Research Group “Primate Behavioural Ecology”, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, GermanyFaculty of Life Science, Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, GermanyDepartment of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Research Group “Primate Behavioural Ecology”, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, GermanyFaculty of Life Science, Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, GermanyZoo Nuernberg, Nuernberg, GermanyDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainInstitute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainSchool of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United KingdomNon-human primates show an impressive behavioral diversity, both across and within species. However, the factors explaining intra-specific behavioral variation across groups and individuals are yet understudied. Here, we aimed to assess how group size and living conditions (i.e., captive, semi-free-ranging, wild) are linked to behavioral variation in 5 groups of Barbary macaques (N=137 individuals). In each group, we collected observational data on the time individuals spent in social interactions and on the group dominance style, along with experimental data on social tolerance over food and neophobia. Our results showed that differences in group size predicted differences in the time spent in social interactions, with smaller groups spending a higher proportion of time in close spatial proximity, but a lower proportion of time grooming. Moreover, group size predicted variation in dominance style, with smaller groups being more despotic. Social tolerance was affected by both group size and living conditions, being higher in smaller groups and in groups living in less natural conditions. Finally, individual characteristics also explained variation in social tolerance and neophobia, with socially integrated individuals having higher access to food sources, and higher-ranking ones being more neophobic. Overall, our results support the view that intra-specific variation is a crucial aspect in primate social behavior and call for more comparative studies to better understand the sources of within-species variation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.666166/fullintra-specific variationBarbary macaquesneophobiasocial integrationaccess to foodsocial behavior |
| spellingShingle | Federica Amici Federica Amici Anja Widdig Anja Widdig Lorenzo von Fersen Alvaro Lopez Caicoya Alvaro Lopez Caicoya Bonaventura Majolo Intra-specific Variation in the Social Behavior of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) Frontiers in Psychology intra-specific variation Barbary macaques neophobia social integration access to food social behavior |
| title | Intra-specific Variation in the Social Behavior of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) |
| title_full | Intra-specific Variation in the Social Behavior of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) |
| title_fullStr | Intra-specific Variation in the Social Behavior of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intra-specific Variation in the Social Behavior of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) |
| title_short | Intra-specific Variation in the Social Behavior of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) |
| title_sort | intra specific variation in the social behavior of barbary macaques macaca sylvanus |
| topic | intra-specific variation Barbary macaques neophobia social integration access to food social behavior |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.666166/full |
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