Postconflict Conciliation within One-Male Breeding Units in Sichuan Snub-Nosed Monkeys in the Qinling Mountains, China

Abstract

This study analyzed conflict and postconflict (PC) conciliation between males and females within one-male breeding units in Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in the Qinling Mountains, China. The PC matched-control and time rule methods were used to collect and analyze data recorded from September 2013 to June 2014. The conciliatory tendency among individuals following conflict was 82.07%, and affiliation occurred within a few minutes after the conflict, which was not significantly different between mating and nonmating seasons. The PC conciliation scenarios were different from those reported from captivity. Lumbar hold and grooming were the most common expressions in reconciliation. In addition, bystander affiliation was uniquely found, which may be associated with the more terrestrial locomotion of R. roxellana, compared with other colobines.

Male social rank and food competition in a primate multi‐level society

“…High‐ranking males clearly benefit directly from increased access to foods during winter when there is limited food availability. Additionally, males may benefit directly if increased access to food during winter results in the adult females of their OMU being more likely to give support to the OMU male during and/or after agnostic interactions with other OMU males (sensu Fashing, 2001; Zhao et al, 2013, 2015). Importantly, males can also benefit indirectly via at least two not necessarily mutually independent mechanisms.…”

“…Moreover, these trends may be context dependent. For instance, females may be more likely to groom males that have just been involved in a fight with another OMU or an AMU male but further work is needed to clarify if this occurs and how social rank may play a role (see Zhang, Zhao, & Li, 2010; Zhao et al, 2015).…”

Sichuan Snub-Nosed Monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) Consume Cicadas in the Qinling Mountains, China

“…However, provisioning enables us to observe the monkeys at very close range (from 0.5 to 50 m) and allows us to identify all band members and record highly ephemeral behaviours such as the rapid capture of insects. The monkeys were divided into age/sex classes following previous research [Zhang et al, 2006;Zhao et al, 2015]: adult males (more than 7 years old), adult females (more than 5 years old), subadult males (5-7 years old), subadult females (3-4 years old), juveniles and infants. Folia Primatol 2016;87:11-16 DOI: 10.1159/000443733 The study troop consisted of 6 one-male units (52-67 individuals) and 1 associated all-male unit (5-14 individuals) during the 24-month study period.…”