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- Title
TEMPORARY FISSIONS IN A GROUP OF LION-TAILED MACAQUES Macaca silenus IN THE WESTERN GHATS, INDIA.
- Authors
Erinjery, Joseph J.; Kavana, T. S.; Singh, Mridula; Singh, Mewa
- Abstract
Group living primates sometimes split into smaller subgroups for varying periods and merge again. Intragroup competition for food appears to be one of the main reasons for such temporary splits. We here report 11 instances of temporary fissions in a group of Lion-tailed Macaques Macaca silenus in the Western Ghats of India. More group splits occurred in the dry season than in the wet season. The frequency of fissions was higher in the mornings than in the afternoons. The subgroup that initiated the group fission was always smaller than the main subgroup, defined as the subgroup with the alpha male. The average duration of the splits was 133.6 minutes. The second subgroup travelled greater distances during fission events than the main subgroup. We infer that M. silenus, especially larger groups, form fission-fusion social groups, especially when resources are scarce.
- Subjects
WESTERN Ghats (India); MACAQUES; SOCIAL groups
- Publication
Asian Primates Journal, 2022, Vol 10, Issue 1, p2
- ISSN
1979-1631
- Publication type
Article