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Matrilineal overthrows in rhesus monkey groups

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Abstract

Between January 1976 and February 1983, there were four overthrows of the highest-ranking matriline in a group of rhesus monkeys. The overthrows were the result of members of multiple mainlines jointly attacking the adult female and adolescent members of the ranking matrilines. In three cases, the next-ranking matriline assumed highest position, while the surviving members of the deposed matrilines fell to the bottom of the hierarchy. Dominance relationships among other group members remained stable. High-ranking adult males vigorously defended the victims, but their efforts were ineffective. Unlike other members of the matrilines, adolescent males were not cohesive with their relatives during the overthrows and did not defend them. These young males were attacked by some adult and adolescent males. These incidents demonstrate the aggressive potential of females and underscore the importance of baboon and macaque females as the enduring and stable core of their social organization. The lack of effective participation by adult males demonstrates the independent functioning of this female core. These overthrows were similar in structure to incidents reported for other captive rhesus colonies and feral baboons, but no explanatory hypothesis posed accounts for all the data. Overthrows may be examples of opportunistic female behavior producing rapid changes in the normally stable female dominance system. Even if such events are rare, the deaths and reproductive failures within deposed matrilines may drastically affect inclusive fitness, counteracting the reproductive advantages of several years of dominance for a matriline.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

    Carolyn L. Ehardt

  2. The Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

    Carolyn L. Ehardt & Irwin S. Bernstein

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 30602, Athens, Georgia

    Irwin S. Bernstein

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  1. Carolyn L. Ehardt
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  2. Irwin S. Bernstein
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Ehardt, C.L., Bernstein, I.S. Matrilineal overthrows in rhesus monkey groups. Int J Primatol 7, 157–181 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02692316

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