Universal behaviors as candidate traditions in wild spider monkeys.

ABSTRACT: Candidate traditions were documented across three communities of wild spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) using an a priori approach to identify behavioral variants and a statistical approach to examine differences in their proportional use. This methodology differs from previous studies of animal traditions, which used retrospective data and relied on the 'exclusion method' to identify candidate traditions. Our a priori approach increased the likelihood that behavior variants with equivalent functions were considered and our statistical approach enabled the proportional use of 'universal' behaviors, i.e., used across all communities, to be examined for the first time in any animal species as candidate traditions. Among universal behaviors we found 14 'community preferred' variants. After co

SUBMITTER: Santorelli CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3176216 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature