The social structure of Golfo Dulce bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and the influence of behavioural state.

ABSTRACT: Ecological factors such as habitat and food availability affect the social structure of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.). Here, we describe the social structure of bottlenose dolphins (T. truncatus) in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica, a semi-enclosed, fjord-like tropical embayment resembling a pelagic system. We also examine behaviour-linked social strategies by comparing social structure relative to behavioural state: feeding versus non-feeding. We analysed 333 sightings over 210 days from boat-based surveys. Despite the uniqueness of the area, the 47 analysed adults had a social structure similar to other populations: a well-differentiated fission-fusion society with sex-specific patterns of associations and aggression. These results indicate that differences in social structure

SUBMITTER: Moreno K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5108934 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature