PRIMATE SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND DOMINANCE

SOCIAL SYSTEMSAlthough group structure may vary quite

a bit among different Primate species, all Primates rely on group structure. Why do Primates live in groups?

• To avoid being eaten by predators.• More opportunities to mate• More help finding/collecting food resources• Better learning/teaching happens within

groups

PRIMATE GROUP ORGANIZATION Solitary foragers: Single adult individual or

mother-child pair dispersed throughout home range.

Some Prosimians and Orangutans are solitary foragers.

MONOGAMOUS Monogamous (pair bonded): Groups

that consist of male-female pair and their offspring.

Species who are monogamous include Gibbons and Siamangs.

POLYANDROUS Polyandrous: Groups that consist of one

female, two or more males and their offspring.

Species who are polyandrous are some Tamarins.

UNI-MALE (HAREMS) Uni-male (harems): Groups that consist

of one male, multiple females and their offspring.

Species who are uni-male are some monkeys and gorillas.

MULTI-MALE/MULTI-FEMALE Multi-male/Multi-female: Groups which

consist of multiple male and females and their offspring.

Species who live in mult-male/multi-female social system.

DOMINANCE Dominance is beneficial in the following

ways:1. Better mating opportunities which lead

to more offspring.2. Better access to food resources.3. Access to best sleeping sites.

MALE DOMINANCE It’s more common for males to be

dominant in Primates. A few reasons for this are:

1. Males are usually bigger and stronger than females. 2. Males are usually more aggressive and competitive. 3. Males are better at gaining support of the group.

Species who have a male dominant hierarchy are Chimpanzees and Capuchins.

FEMALE DOMINANCE Female dominance isn’t as common as male

dominance in Primates. Most times, females are able to dominate males by uniting as a group. One exception is the Ringtailed Lemur. Males are submissive without aggression from a group of females. In many instances where females dominate, they inherit their status at birth from their mother. In female dominated socieities, males usually leave the group around a certain age in order to prevent inbreeding. Ringtailed Lemur

Bonobo Chimpanzee