Group structure and kinship in beluga whale societies.

ABSTRACT: Evolutionary explanations for mammalian sociality typically center on inclusive-fitness benefits of associating and cooperating with close kin, or close maternal kin as in some whale societies, including killer and sperm whales. Their matrilineal structure has strongly influenced the thinking about social structure in less well-studied cetaceans, including beluga whales. In a cross-sectional study of group structure and kinship we found that belugas formed a limited number of distinct group types, consistently observed across populations and habitats. Certain behaviours were associated with group type, but group membership was often dynamic. MtDNA-microsatellite profiling combined with relatedness and network analysis revealed, contrary to predictions, that most social groupings were not p

SUBMITTER: O'Corry-Crowe G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7351962 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature