Temperament in rhesus, long-tailed, and pigtailed macaques varies by species and sex.

ABSTRACT: Temperament differs among individuals both within and between species. Evidence suggests that differences in temperament of group members may parallel differences in social behavior among groups or between species. Here, we compared temperament between three closely related species of monkey-rhesus (Macaca mulatta), long-tailed (M. fascicularis), and pigtailed (M. nemestrina) macaques-using cage-front behavioral observations of individually housed monkeys at a National Primate Research Center. Frequencies of 12 behaviors in 899 subjects were analyzed using a principal components analysis to identify temperament components. The analysis identified four components, which we interpreted as Sociability toward humans, Cautiousness, Aggressiveness, and Fearfulness. Species and sexes differed in

SUBMITTER: Sussman AF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3581757 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature