Fighting and Mating Between Groups in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal, the Banded Mongoose

Abstract

Many cooperatively breeding animals actively defend a territory containing resources such as food and shelter, which are essential for reproduction. Some observations, however, indicate that conflicts between groups are often triggered by the attempts of males or females, or both, to gain extra‐group copulations. We studied interactions between 12 groups of banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) in Uganda to test whether the frequency of inter‐group encounters was linked to the reproductive status of females, and conducted an experiment to examine the responses of individuals to mongooses from other groups. The rate at which focal groups fought with other groups was higher when its females were in estrous, suggesting that many fights take place over access to mates. Both males and estrous females were instrumental in instigating encounters with rival groups, and extra‐group copulation in the midst of a fight was observed on three occasions. We experimentally simulated encounters with foreign individuals by presenting each of six groups with cages containing a male and a female from a rival group. Subordinate males were the first to investigate these ‘intruders’, spent more time around the intruders' cages, and were more aggressive to the intruders than either dominant males or females. Subordinate males directed more attention and aggression towards the male intruder than the female intruder. We suggest that male banded mongooses actively seek extra‐group copulations in pursuit of paternity, while females may actively seek extra‐group copulations as a way of reducing inbreeding depression.

First- and second-order sociality determine survival and reproduction in cooperative cichlids

“…at the second level of social organization). Indeed, social relations and interactions between groups significantly affect the fitness of group members in many species [22][23][24][25]. To date, however, the existence of multi-level social organization and its implications for social evolution have been recognized primarily in species that do not breed in cooperative groups [26][27][28][29].…”

Mate-Guarding as a Male Reproductive Tactic in Propithecus verreauxi

“…One option for males to increase their reproductive success is to mate with extragroup females. For example, in banded mongooses, intergroup encounter rates increase when females are receptive as males may be actively seeking extragroup copulations in pursuit of paternity (Cant et al 2002). Mating with extragroup males is also a beneficial strategy for females as a means to confuse paternity and thus decrease the risk of infanticide if the group is taken over by a new male (van Schaik and Janson 2000).…”

Females do it better. Individual recognition experiments reveal sexual dimorphism in Lemur catta (Linnaeus 1758) olfactory motivation and territorial defence

“…By contrast, it is difficult to predict the outcome of the encounters between conspecifics of the opposite sex. In that case, additional factors, such as reproductive opportunities, may interact with territoriality and force animals to evaluate costs and benefits of a potential response (Cant et al, 2002). The relative amount of costs and benefits may be determined by the social and biological characteristics of the species (social and kin structure, male or female dominance, male or female philopatry, seasonal reproduction, group size) and by the particular social context during which the encounter takes place (number of animals engaging in the conflict, their ages and social status) (Krebs and Davies, 1991).…”