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Sibships: Cooperation and competition among immature vervet monkeys

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Abstract

The relationships between siblings were compared with those between non-sibling peers amongst immature vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) in three free-ranging social groups. Using the frequency and context of friendly, supportive, aggressive, and competitive interactions, sibships were found to stand out as associative units characterized by high levels of grooming and support during aggression. Competition between siblings was related to contests over access to maternal care, especially grooming, which may have been important in the establishment of relative sibling dominance. Siblings who were close in age tended to interact more frequently than those who were distant in age, but few sex differences were found. The close and supportive nature of sibling relationships appeared to affect the social structure of the groups.

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Lee, P.C. Sibships: Cooperation and competition among immature vervet monkeys. Primates 28, 47–59 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02382182

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02382182

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