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Variability and stability in the rank relations of female Formosan macaques (Macaca cyclopis) at Mt. Longevity, Taiwan

Adult female Formosan macaques were observed to collect data on the
acquisition and stabilization of ranking, troop fission and to compare the female
ranking system and nepotistic hierarchy. Behavioral observations were recorded
from 1 October 2006 to 30 April 2008. Behavioral sampling methods included scan
sampling of macaque troop members, all occurrences sampling of adult females¡¦
affiliative behaviors, and focal animal sampling of aggressive behaviors. In addition,
demographic and ranking records were collected from 1998 until 2008.
When females attained four years of age, they gained adult female hierarchy,
and 88 % (n = 43) of them were middle or low ranking. Individual traits, ageing and
mother¡¦s relative rank have significant effects on the ranking of adult females who
were 5 to 11 years of age (P < 0.05), and the ranking of 47 % (n = 58) mothers were
close to their daughters. When females were 5 to 11 years of age, their relative ranks
had positive linear relationships to their mother¡¦s relative rank (P < 0.05). Maternal
hierarchy affected the ranking of reminders in troop C, and the dominance
matrilineal females stabilized high ranking. But, most subordinate matrilineal
females were middle or low ranking. The ranking of 86.4 % (n = 22) of females who
immigrated to branch troops was middle or low. Matrilineal members and the
ranking before troop fission had effects on the female ranking after troop fission.
The ranking of 59.4 % (n = 32) of mothers was higher than that of their daughter.
When females reached 9 years old or older while their mothers were alive, mean
relative rank of other matrilineal female and mother¡¦s relative rank had significant
effects on their ranking (P < 0.05). However, individual traits, mean relative rank of
other matrilineal female, ageing, and the number of adult daughters have significant
iv
effects on female ranking (P < 0.05). When females were 9 to 15 years of age, the
rank maintaining ratio of female with mature daughter was 0.82 (¡Ó 0.12), which is
significant higher than the ratio of female without mature daughter (P < 0.05). About
50 % (n = 18) of younger sisters outranked their older sisters. The ranking
relationships of sister dyads had positive linear relationships (P < 0.05). The
proximity index of mother and younger sister was significantly higher than the
proximity index of mother and older sister (P < 0.05), but that is independent of
whether females outrank their sister or not. Only 4 % (n = 423) female aggression
data were recorded that 13 supporters helped attackers to attack victims. The kin and
non-kin supporter were 46.1 % and 53.9 % respectively (n = 13). Maternal hierarchy
affected the adult female ranking and half of the females outranked their older sisters.
However, daughters could also outrank mothers. Therefore, female ranking system of
Formosan macaques follows a weakly nepotistic hierarchy.
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Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:NSYSU/oai:NSYSU:etd-0815108-172429
Date15 August 2008
CreatorsChung, Chia-wen
ContributorsHsiu Hui Su, G. Agoramoorthy, Minna J. Hsu, Michael Hin-Kiu Mok
PublisherNSYSU
Source SetsNSYSU Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive
LanguageCholon
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
Sourcehttp://etd.lib.nsysu.edu.tw/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0815108-172429
Rightsrestricted, Copyright information available at source archive

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