Dominance style predicts differences in food retrieval strategies.

ABSTRACT: In several species, rank predicts access to food, and subordinates may need specific behavioural strategies to get a share of resources. This may be especially important in despotic species, where resources are strongly biased in favour of dominants and subordinates may more strongly rely on specific tactics to maximize food intake. Here, we compared three macaque species with an experimental set-up reproducing feeding competition contest. Following our predictions, more tolerant species mostly retrieved food in the presence of others and were less dependent on specific tactics. Contrarily, subordinates in more despotic species more likely collected food (1) when dominants could not see food or (2) were attacking others, (3) while "dissimulating", or (4) "storing food". Our study reveals t

SUBMITTER: Gomez-Melara JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7851400 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature