Familiarity and social relationships in degus (Octodon degus).

ABSTRACT: Degus (Octodon degus) are a highly gregarious species of caviomorph rodent native to South America. Kinship does not appear to play a role in degu social structure, and alloparenting is often observed between unrelated females. We hypothesize that female degus readily establish new, cooperative peer relationships. Here we examined changes in dyadic behavior as individuals became more familiar, testing the prediction that interactions between female strangers would quickly resemble those of cagemates. Adult degus underwent a several week series of 20 minute "reunion" social exposures, interleaving reunions with initial strangers and, as a control, familiar cagemates. Males showed initially higher levels of interaction with strangers that converged with cagemate levels over experience

SUBMITTER: Thatcher A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11412554 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature