1
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Chereskin E, Allen SJ, Connor RC, Krützen M, King SL. In pop pursuit: social bond strength predicts vocal synchrony during cooperative mate guarding in bottlenose dolphins. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230194. [PMID: 38768196 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Vocal communication is an emblematic feature of group-living animals, used to share information and strengthen social bonds. Vocalizations are also used to coordinate group-level behaviours in many taxa, but little is known of the factors that may influence vocal behaviour during cooperative acts. Allied male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) use the 'pop' vocalization as a coercive signal when working together to herd single oestrous females. Using long-term association and acoustic data, we examined the influence of social and non-social factors on pop use by allied male dolphins in this context. Neither pop rate nor pop bout duration were influenced by any of the factors examined. However, allied males with stronger social bonds engaged in higher rates of vocal synchrony; whereby they actively matched the timing of their pop production. Hence, social bond strength influenced pop use in a cooperative context, suggesting dual functions of pop use: to induce the female to remain close, and to promote social bond maintenance and cooperation among males. This article is part of the theme issue 'The power of sound: unravelling how acoustic communication shapes group dynamics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Chereskin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Simon J Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich , Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Crawley WA 6009, Australia
| | - Richard C Connor
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth , North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
- Institute of Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University , North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Michael Krützen
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich , Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Crawley WA 6009, Australia
| | - Stephanie L King
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Crawley WA 6009, Australia
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2
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Briefer EF, Xie B, Engesser S, Sueur C, Freeberg TM, Brask JB. The power of sound: unravelling how acoustic communication shapes group dynamics. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230182. [PMID: 38768200 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Acoustic signalling is a key mode of communication owing to its instantaneousness and rapid turnover, its saliency and flexibility and its ability to function strategically in both short- and long-range contexts. Acoustic communication is closely intertwined with both collective behaviour and social network structure, as it can facilitate the coordination of collective decisions and behaviour, and play an important role in establishing, maintaining and modifying social relationships. These research topics have each been studied separately and represent three well-established research areas. Yet, despite the close connection of acoustic communication with collective behaviour and social networks in natural systems, only few studies have focused on their interaction. The aim of this theme issue is therefore to build a foundation for understanding how acoustic communication is linked to collective behaviour, on the one hand, and social network structure on the other, in non-human animals. Through the building of such a foundation, our hope is that new questions in new avenues of research will arise. Understanding the links between acoustic communication and social behaviour seems crucial for gaining a comprehensive understanding of sociality and social evolution. This article is part of the theme issue 'The power of sound: unravelling how acoustic communication shapes group dynamics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie F Briefer
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology & Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Bing Xie
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology & Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Sabrina Engesser
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology & Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Cedric Sueur
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7178 , Strasbourg 67087, France
| | - Todd M Freeberg
- Department of Psychology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Josefine Bohr Brask
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology & Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
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3
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Holmes KG, Krützen M, Ridley AR, Allen SJ, Connor RC, Gerber L, Flaherty Stamm C, King SL. Juvenile social play predicts adult reproductive success in male bottlenose dolphins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2305948121. [PMID: 38857400 PMCID: PMC11194510 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305948121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
For over a century, the evolution of animal play has sparked scientific curiosity. The prevalence of social play in juvenile mammals suggests that play is a beneficial behavior, potentially contributing to individual fitness. Yet evidence from wild animals supporting the long-hypothesized link between juvenile social play, adult behavior, and fitness remains limited. In Western Australia, adult male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) form multilevel alliances that are crucial for their reproductive success. A key adult mating behavior involves allied males using joint action to herd individual females. Juveniles of both sexes invest significant time in play that resembles adult herding-taking turns in mature male (actor) and female (receiver) roles. Using a 32-y dataset of individual-level association patterns, paternity success, and behavioral observations, we show that juvenile males with stronger social bonds are significantly more likely to engage in joint action when play-herding in actor roles. Juvenile males also monopolized the actor role and produced an adult male herding vocalization ("pops") when playing with females. Notably, males who spent more time playing in the actor role as juveniles achieved more paternities as adults. These findings not only reveal that play behavior provides male dolphins with mating skill practice years before they sexually mature but also demonstrate in a wild animal population that juvenile social play predicts adult reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn G. Holmes
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
| | - Michael Krützen
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich8057, Switzerland
| | - Amanda R. Ridley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
| | - Simon J. Allen
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich8057, Switzerland
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Richard C. Connor
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA02747
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute of Environment, Florida International University, North Miami, FL33181
| | - Livia Gerber
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich8057, Switzerland
- Australian National Wildlife Collection, National Research Collections Australia, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT2601, Australia
| | | | - Stephanie L. King
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
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4
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Friedman WR, Krützen M, King SL, Allen SJ, Gerber L, Wittwer S, Connor RC. Inter-group alliance dynamics in Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). Anim Cogn 2023; 26:1601-1612. [PMID: 37391478 PMCID: PMC10442264 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01804-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
The social intelligence hypothesis holds that complex social relationships are the major selective force underlying the evolution of large brain size and intelligence. Complex social relationships are exemplified by coalitions and alliances that are mediated by affiliative behavior, resulting in differentiated but shifting relationships. Male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia, form three alliance levels or 'orders', primarily among non-relatives. Strategic alliance formation has been documented within both first- and second-order alliances and between second-order alliances ('third-order alliances'), revealing that the formation of strategic inter-group alliances is not limited to humans. Here we conducted a fine-scale study on 22 adult males over a 6-year period to determine if third-order alliance relationships are differentiated, and mediated by affiliative interactions. We found third-order alliance relationships were strongly differentiated, with key individuals playing a disproportionate role in maintaining alliances. Nonetheless, affiliative interactions occurred broadly between third-order allies, indicating males maintain bonds with third-order allies of varying strength. We also documented a shift in relationships and formation of a new third-order alliance. These findings further our understanding of dolphin alliance dynamics and provide evidence that strategic alliance formation is found in all three alliance levels, a phenomenon with no peer among non-human animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney R Friedman
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, 95064, USA.
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, 92093, USA.
| | - Michael Krützen
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie L King
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Simon J Allen
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Livia Gerber
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Australian National Wildlife Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Samuel Wittwer
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard C Connor
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA.
- Institute of Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, 33181, USA.
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5
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Sayigh LS, El Haddad N, Tyack PL, Janik VM, Wells RS, Jensen FH. Bottlenose dolphin mothers modify signature whistles in the presence of their own calves. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2300262120. [PMID: 37364108 PMCID: PMC10318978 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2300262120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Human caregivers interacting with children typically modify their speech in ways that promote attention, bonding, and language acquisition. Although this "motherese," or child-directed communication (CDC), occurs in a variety of human cultures, evidence among nonhuman species is very rare. We looked for its occurrence in a nonhuman mammalian species with long-term mother-offspring bonds that is capable of vocal production learning, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Dolphin signature whistles provide a unique opportunity to test for CDC in nonhuman animals, because we are able to quantify changes in the same vocalizations produced in the presence or absence of calves. We analyzed recordings made during brief catch-and-release events of wild bottlenose dolphins in waters near Sarasota Bay, Florida, United States, and found that females produced signature whistles with significantly higher maximum frequencies and wider frequency ranges when they were recorded with their own dependent calves vs. not with them. These differences align with the higher fundamental frequencies and wider pitch ranges seen in human CDC. Our results provide evidence in a nonhuman mammal for changes in the same vocalizations when produced in the presence vs. absence of offspring, and thus strongly support convergent evolution of motherese, or CDC, in bottlenose dolphins. CDC may function to enhance attention, bonding, and vocal learning in dolphin calves, as it does in human children. Our data add to the growing body of evidence that dolphins provide a powerful animal model for studying the evolution of vocal learning and language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laela S. Sayigh
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth, MA02543
- Hampshire College, Amherst, MA01002
| | - Nicole El Haddad
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth, MA02543
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano20126, Italy
| | - Peter L. Tyack
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth, MA02543
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
| | - Vincent M. Janik
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
| | - Randall S. Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL34236
| | - Frants H. Jensen
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth, MA02543
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde4000, Denmark
- Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY13244
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6
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Chabanne DBH, Krützen M, Finn H, Allen SJ. Evidence of male alliance formation in a small dolphin community. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00295-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe photo-identification of uniquely marked individuals has revealed much about mammalian behaviour and social structure in recent decades. In bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.), for example, the long-term tracking of individuals has unveiled considerable variation in social structure among populations and various spatio-temporal aspects of group formation. In this study, we investigated associations among individual males in a small community of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (T. aduncus) residing in an urbanized estuary in southwestern Australia. Given the relative proximity of our study area to other populations in which complex male alliances form for the purpose of mate acquisition, we used long-term photo-identification records and social analyses to assess whether such alliances also occur in smaller and more isolated settings. Our work revealed strong social bonds and long-term, non-random associations among individual males, suggesting the occurrence of male alliances. Behavioural observations of alliances interacting with potentially receptive adult females from the estuary community and from adjacent communities, and exhibiting sexual display behaviours near females, suggest that these alliances occur in a reproductive context. As the first formal analysis indicating the occurrence of male alliances outside Shark Bay along the vast western coastline of Australia, this study complements previous research and extends our understanding of the evolutionary and ecological processes that drive alliance formation.
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7
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Ritter F. Marine mammal conservation in the 21st century: A plea for a paradigm shift towards mindful conservation. ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2022; 93:3-21. [PMID: 36435593 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Marine mammals are regarded in high esteem by the general public, and are recognized as flagship species for conservation, while at the same time they suffer from anthropogenic impacts on a global scale, and often in extreme ways. It seems there is a huge discrepancy between how we humans think about our fellow creatures in the sea, and how we behave to impact and/or conserve them. Here, I examine why the purely scientific and thus intellectual approach to marine mammal conservation has had limited success over the past decades. While there are some obvious success stories in cetacean conservation, the situation today is, for many species and populations, more dire than it has ever been. The idea of 'we need to know more'-a credo of the scientific community-often is politically misrepresented to postpone necessary conservation decisions. To adapt our path towards more profound and, importantly, more effective marine conservation, as conservationists we need to go deeper and change the narrative of separation, i.e., the concept of humans being set apart from the rest of nature. Instead, there is a need to create a narrative of connectedness, i.e., the consciousness of humans being an integral part of the planetary system. Rather than telling horror stories about the plight of marine mammals, conservationists also need to trigger positive emotions about them in ourselves. More holistic aspects of conservation need to be incorporated in our future efforts, including the fuller integration of traditional knowledge and indigenous wisdom, recognizing ecosystem functions of marine life and protecting the processes they sustain, respecting 'holiness' of nature while focusing on the animals' individuality, personhood and the cultural identity of distinct communities. Effective marine mammal conservation will be possible only on the basis of a profound change of our own values and a fundamental change of the societal system we are living in.
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8
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Selection levels on vocal individuality: strategic use or byproduct. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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9
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Parameterizing animal sounds and motion with animal-attached tags to study acoustic communication. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03154-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Stemming from the traditional use of field observers to score states and events, the study of animal behaviour often relies on analyses of discrete behavioural categories. Many studies of acoustic communication record sequences of animal sounds, classify vocalizations, and then examine how call categories are used relative to behavioural states and events. However, acoustic parameters can also convey information independent of call type, offering complementary study approaches to call classifications. Animal-attached tags can continuously sample high-resolution behavioural data on sounds and movements, which enables testing how acoustic parameters of signals relate to parameters of animal motion. Here, we present this approach through case studies on wild common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Using data from sound-and-movement recording tags deployed in Sarasota (FL), we parameterized dolphin vocalizations and motion to investigate how senders and receivers modified movement parameters (including vectorial dynamic body acceleration, “VeDBA”, a proxy for activity intensity) as a function of signal parameters. We show that (1) VeDBA of one female during consortships had a negative relationship with centroid frequency of male calls, matching predictions about agonistic interactions based on motivation-structural rules; (2) VeDBA of four males had a positive relationship with modulation rate of their pulsed vocalizations, confirming predictions that click-repetition rate of these calls increases with agonism intensity. Tags offer opportunities to study animal behaviour through analyses of continuously sampled quantitative parameters, which can complement traditional methods and facilitate research replication. Our case studies illustrate the value of this approach to investigate communicative roles of acoustic parameter changes.
Significance statement
Studies of animal behaviour have traditionally relied on classification of behavioural patterns and analyses of discrete behavioural categories. Today, technologies such as animal-attached tags enable novel approaches, facilitating the use of quantitative metrics to characterize behaviour. In the field of acoustic communication, researchers typically classify vocalizations and examine usage of call categories. Through case studies of bottlenose dolphin social interactions, we present here a novel tag-based complementary approach. We used high-resolution tag data to parameterize dolphin sounds and motion, and we applied continuously sampled parameters to examine how individual dolphins responded to conspecifics’ signals and moved while producing sounds. Activity intensity of senders and receivers changed with specific call parameters, matching our predictions and illustrating the value of our approach to test communicative roles of acoustic parameter changes. Parametric approaches can complement traditional methods for animal behaviour and facilitate research replication.
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10
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Allied male dolphins use vocal exchanges to "bond at a distance". Curr Biol 2022; 32:1657-1663.e4. [PMID: 35334229 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Vocal interactions are intrinsic features of social groups and can play a pivotal role in social bonding.1,2 Dunbar's social bonding hypothesis posits that vocal exchanges evolved to "groom at a distance" when social groups became too large or complex for individuals to devote time to physical bonding activities.1,3 Tests of this hypothesis in non-human primates, however, suggest that vocal exchanges occur between more strongly bonded individuals that engage in higher grooming rates4-7 and thus do not provide evidence for replacement of physical bonding. Here, we combine data on social bond strength, whistle exchange frequency, and affiliative contact behavior rates to test this hypothesis in wild male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, who form multi-level alliances that cooperate over access to females.8-10 We show that, although whistle exchanges are more likely to occur within the core alliance, they occur more frequently between those males that share weaker social bonds, i.e., between core allies that spend less time together, while the opposite occurs for affiliative physical contact behavior. This suggests that vocal exchanges function as a low-cost mechanism for male dolphins that spend less time in close proximity and engage in fewer affiliative contact behaviors to reinforce and maintain their valuable alliance relationships. Our findings provide new evidence outside of the primate lineage that vocal exchanges serve a bonding function and reveal that, as the social bonding hypothesis originally suggested, vocal exchanges can function as a replacement of physical bonding activities for individuals to maintain their important social relationships.
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11
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Cooperation-based concept formation in male bottlenose dolphins. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2373. [PMID: 33888703 PMCID: PMC8062458 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22668-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In Shark Bay, Western Australia, male bottlenose dolphins form a complex nested alliance hierarchy. At the first level, pairs or trios of unrelated males cooperate to herd individual females. Multiple first-order alliances cooperate in teams (second-order alliances) in the pursuit and defence of females, and multiple teams also work together (third-order alliances). Yet it remains unknown how dolphins classify these nested alliance relationships. We use 30 years of behavioural data combined with 40 contemporary sound playback experiments to 14 allied males, recording responses with drone-mounted video and a hydrophone array. We show that males form a first-person social concept of cooperative team membership at the second-order alliance level, independently of first-order alliance history and current relationship strength across all three alliance levels. Such associative concepts develop through experience and likely played an important role in the cooperative behaviour of early humans. These results provide evidence that cooperation-based concepts are not unique to humans, occurring in other animal societies with extensive cooperation between non-kin.
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12
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Gerber L, Wittwer S, Allen SJ, Holmes KG, King SL, Sherwin WB, Wild S, Willems EP, Connor RC, Krützen M. Cooperative partner choice in multi-level male dolphin alliances. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6901. [PMID: 33767258 PMCID: PMC7994371 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85583-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigations into cooperative partner choice should consider both potential and realised partners, allowing for the comparison of traits across all those available. Male bottlenose dolphins form persisting multi-level alliances. Second-order alliances of 4–14 males are the core social unit, within which 2–3 males form first-order alliances to sequester females during consortships. We compared social bond strength, relatedness and age similarity of potential and realised partners of individual males in two age periods: (i) adolescence, when second-order alliances are formed from all available associates, and (ii) adulthood, when first-order allies are selected from within second-order alliances. Social bond strength during adolescence predicted second-order alliance membership in adulthood. Moreover, males preferred same-aged or older males as second-order allies. Within second-order alliances, non-mating season social bond strength predicted first-order partner preferences during mating season consortships. Relatedness did not influence partner choice on either alliance level. There is thus a striking resemblance between male dolphins, chimpanzees and humans, where closely bonded non-relatives engage in higher-level, polyadic cooperative acts. To that end, our study extends the scope of taxa in which social bonds rather than kinship explain cooperation, providing the first evidence that such traits might have evolved independently in marine and terrestrial realms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Gerber
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Samuel Wittwer
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Simon J Allen
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.,School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Kathryn G Holmes
- School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Stephanie L King
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.,School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - William B Sherwin
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Sonja Wild
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.,Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Erik P Willems
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard C Connor
- Biology Department, UMASS Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA
| | - Michael Krützen
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
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13
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Barker AJ, Koch U, Lewin GR, Pyott SJ. Hearing and Vocalizations in the Naked Mole-Rat. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:157-195. [PMID: 34424516 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Since their discovery, naked mole-rats have been speaking to us. Early field studies noted their extensive vocalizations, and scientists who are fortunate enough to spend time with these creatures in the laboratory setting cannot help but notice their constant peeping, chirruping and grunting (Hill et al., Proc Zool Soc Lond 128:455-514, 1957). Yet, few dwell on the function of these chirps and peeps, being instead drawn to the many other extraordinary aspects of naked mole-rat physiology detailed throughout this book. Still, no biology is complete without a description of how an organism communicates. While the field of naked mole-rat bioacoustics and acoustic communication has been largely silent for many years, we highlight recent progress in understanding how and what Heterocephalus glaber hears and which vocalizations it uses. These efforts are essential for a complete understanding of naked mole-rat cooperation, society and even culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Barker
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Max-von-Laue-Straße 4, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ursula Koch
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gary R Lewin
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sonja J Pyott
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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14
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Integrating Genetic, Environmental, and Social Networks to Reveal Transmission Pathways of a Dolphin Foraging Innovation. Curr Biol 2020; 30:3024-3030.e4. [PMID: 32589911 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cultural behavior, which is transmitted among conspecifics through social learning [1], is found across various taxa [2-6]. Vertical social transmission from parent to offspring [7] is thought to be adaptive because of the parental generation being more skilled than maturing individuals. It is found throughout the animal kingdom, particularly in species with prolonged parental care, e.g., [8, 9]. Social learning can also occur among members of the same generation [4, 10, 11] or between older, non-parental individuals and younger generations [7] via horizontal or oblique transmission, respectively. Extensive work on primate culture has shown that horizontal transmission of foraging behavior is biased toward species with broad cultural repertoires [12] and those with increased levels of social tolerance [13, 14], such as great apes. Vertical social transmission has been established as the primary transmission mechanism of foraging behaviors in the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) population of Shark Bay, Western Australia [6, 9, 15, 16]. Here, we investigated the spread of another foraging strategy, "shelling" [17], whereby some dolphins in this population feed on prey trapped inside large marine gastropod shells. Using a multi-network version of "network-based diffusion analysis" (NBDA), we show that shelling behavior spreads primarily through non-vertical social transmission. By statistically accounting for both environmental and genetic influences, our findings thus represent the first evidence of non-vertical transmission of a foraging tactic in toothed whales. This research suggests there are multiple transmission pathways of foraging behaviors in dolphins, highlighting the similarities between cetaceans and great apes in the nature of the transmission of cultural behaviors. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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15
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Microbial transmission in animal social networks and the social microbiome. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:1020-1035. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-1220-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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16
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Grueter CC, Qi X, Zinner D, Bergman T, Li M, Xiang Z, Zhu P, Migliano AB, Miller A, Krützen M, Fischer J, Rubenstein DI, Vidya TNC, Li B, Cantor M, Swedell L. Multilevel Organisation of Animal Sociality. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:834-847. [PMID: 32473744 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Multilevel societies (MLSs), stable nuclear social units within a larger collective encompassing multiple nested social levels, occur in several mammalian lineages. Their architectural complexity and size impose specific demands on their members requiring adaptive solutions in multiple domains. The functional significance of MLSs lies in their members being equipped to reap the benefits of multiple group sizes. Here, we propose a unifying terminology and operational definition of MLS. To identify new avenues for integrative research, we synthesise current literature on the selective pressures underlying the evolution of MLSs and their implications for cognition, intersexual conflict, and sexual selection. Mapping the drivers and consequences of MLS provides a reference point for the social evolution of many taxa, including our own species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C Grueter
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - Xiaoguang Qi
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, College of Life Sciences, Xi'an, 710069, China.
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus for Primate Cognition, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thore Bergman
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ming Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Zuofu Xiang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Pingfen Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | | | - Alex Miller
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Michael Krützen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniel I Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - T N C Vidya
- Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Jakkur, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Baoguo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, College of Life Sciences, Xi'an, 710069, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Maurício Cantor
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, 78464, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78464, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78464, Germany; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88048-970, Brazil; Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Pontal do Paraná, 83255-000, Brazil; School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
| | - Larissa Swedell
- Department of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367-1597, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 11367, USA; Anthropology, Biology and Psychology Programs, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
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17
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Five members of a mixed-sex group of bottlenose dolphins share a stereotyped whistle contour in addition to maintaining their individually distinctive signature whistles. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233658. [PMID: 32442214 PMCID: PMC7244121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Most commonly, animal communication systems are driven by shared call repertoires, with some individual distinctiveness encoded as a byproduct of voice cues. We provide evidence that bottlenose dolphins produce both individually distinctive whistles, and a shared whistle type. A stereotyped whistle contour (termed the group whistle) is shared by five bottlenose dolphins that have lived, worked, and traveled together for at least 21 years. These five dolphins are members of a group of eight dolphins that work as a specialized team for the Navy Marine Mammal Program. Each dolphin is routinely recorded during periods when an individual is isolated from the others in above ground pools as part of their routine training. Each of the eight dolphins has an individually distinctive signature whistle. In addition, at least five of these dolphins share a distinct non-signature whistle type. This shared whistle contour was produced an average of 22.4% +/- 9.0% of the time during periods in which individuals were isolated. During these isolations the signature whistle was produced an average of 42.9% +/- 11.9% of the time. This is consistent with decades of signature whistle research. A group of 10 naïve observers rated the similarity of the different whistle contours. The observers rated the group whistle contour produced by all five dolphins as highly similar (P < 0.01). Their ratings further showed that the signature whistles of the five dolphins were very different (P < 0.01). These findings were further supported by discriminant function analyses. That said, the shared whistle contours still exhibited individual differences which may allow conspecifics to identify the producer even when a whistle contour is shared among multiple dolphins. This is the first in-depth analysis of a non-signature whistle type shared among multiple conspecifics.
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Moore BL, Connor RC, Allen SJ, Krützen M, King SL. Acoustic coordination by allied male dolphins in a cooperative context. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192944. [PMID: 32228413 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Synchronous displays are hallmarks of many animal societies, ranging from the pulsing flashes of fireflies, to military marching in humans. Such displays are known to facilitate mate attraction or signal relationship quality. Across many taxa, synchronous male displays appear to be driven by competition, while synchronous displays in humans are thought to be unique in that they serve a cooperative function. Indeed, it is well established that human synchrony promotes cooperative endeavours and increases success in joint action tasks. We examine another system in which synchrony is tightly linked to cooperative behaviour. Male bottlenose dolphins form long-lasting, multi-level, cooperative alliances in which they engage in coordinated efforts to coerce single oestrus females. Previous work has revealed the importance of motor synchrony in dolphin alliance behaviour. Here, we demonstrate that allied dolphins also engage in acoustic coordination whereby males will actively match the tempo and, in some cases, synchronize the production of their threat vocalization when coercing females. This finding demonstrates that male dolphins are capable of acoustic coordination in a cooperative context and, moreover, suggests that both motor and acoustic coordination are features of coalitionary behaviour that are not limited to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronte L Moore
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Richard C Connor
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, USA
| | - Simon J Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK.,Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Krützen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie L King
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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Gerber L, Connor RC, King SL, Allen SJ, Wittwer S, Bizzozzero MR, Friedman WR, Kalberer S, Sherwin WB, Wild S, Willems EP, Krützen M. Affiliation history and age similarity predict alliance formation in adult male bottlenose dolphins. Behav Ecol 2020; 31:361-370. [PMID: 32210525 PMCID: PMC7083095 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Male alliances are an intriguing phenomenon in the context of reproduction since, in most taxa, males compete over an indivisible resource, female fertilization. Adult male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Shark Bay, Western Australia, form long-term, multilevel alliances to sequester estrus females. These alliances are therefore critical to male reproductive success. Yet, the long-term processes leading to the formation of such complex social bonds are still poorly understood. To identify the criteria by which male dolphins form social bonds with other males, we adopted a long-term approach by investigating the ontogeny of alliance formation. We followed the individual careers of 59 males for 14 years while they transitioned from adolescence (8-14 years of age) to adulthood (15-21 years old). Analyzing their genetic relationships and social associations in both age groups, we found that the vast majority of social bonds present in adolescence persisted through time. Male associations in early life predict alliance partners as adults. Kinship patterns explained associations during adolescence but not during adulthood. Instead, adult males associated with males of similar age. Our findings suggest that social bonds among peers, rather than kinship, play a central role in the development of adult male polyadic cooperation in dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Gerber
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Genetics Group, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Stephanie L King
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Simon J Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Samuel Wittwer
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Genetics Group, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Manuela R Bizzozzero
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Genetics Group, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Whitney R Friedman
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - William B Sherwin
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sonja Wild
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Lab, Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Erik P Willems
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Genetics Group, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Krützen
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Genetics Group, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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20
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King SL, Allen SJ, Krützen M, Connor RC. Vocal behaviour of allied male dolphins during cooperative mate guarding. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:991-1000. [PMID: 31317352 PMCID: PMC6834747 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01290-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Coercive mate guarding, where males use aggression to control female movements, is a form of sexual coercion which functions to constrain female mate choice. Non-human primates, for example, herd females to keep them away from competing males, but male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) also herd females to keep them close to their alliance partners. Indeed, pairs and trios of male dolphins work together to sequester single estrus females and defend them from competing alliances. Yet how males facilitate such coordination remains unknown. Here, we investigate the vocal behaviour of allied male bottlenose dolphins during the herding of individual females, examining how the production of whistles and ‘pops’ (a threat vocalisation) varied with behavioural state and inter-animal distances. Allied males produced both whistles and pops significantly more often and at higher rates during social interactions, though they differed in function. Whistle rates increased significantly when new individuals joined the consorting group, consistent with previous work showing that whistles are part of a greeting sequence for this species. Whistle matching also appeared to play a role in within-alliance coordination. Pop vocalisations increased significantly when the nearest male to the female changed, likely inducing the female to remain close as the males coordinate a guard switch. Building upon prior research examining female movements in response to pops, we show that males approach the female and current guard whilst popping, leading to a guard switch. Our results provide new insights into the use of vocal signals during cooperative mate guarding between allied male dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L King
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
| | - Simon J Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Michael Krützen
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, CH, Switzerland
| | - Richard C Connor
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA
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21
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Bizzozzero MR, Allen SJ, Gerber L, Wild S, King SL, Connor RC, Friedman WR, Wittwer S, Krützen M. Tool use and social homophily among male bottlenose dolphins. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190898. [PMID: 31185859 PMCID: PMC6571475 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Homophilous behaviour plays a central role in the formation of human friendships. Individuals form social ties with others that show similar phenotypic traits, independently of relatedness. Evidence of such homophily can be found in bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops aduncus) in Shark Bay, Western Australia, where females that use marine sponges as foraging tools often associate with other females that use sponges. 'Sponging' is a socially learned, time-consuming behaviour, transmitted from mother to calf. Previous research illustrated a strong female bias in adopting this technique. The lower propensity for males to engage in sponging may be due to its incompatibility with adult male-specific behaviours, particularly the formation of multi-level alliances. However, the link between sponging and male behaviour has never been formally tested. Here, we show that male spongers associated significantly more often with other male spongers irrespective of their level of relatedness. Male spongers spent significantly more time foraging, and less time resting and travelling, than did male non-spongers. Interestingly, we found no difference in time spent socializing. Our study provides novel insights into the relationship between tool use and activity budgets of male dolphins, and indicates social homophily in the second-order alliance composition of tool-using bottlenose dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. R. Bizzozzero
- Evolutionary Genetics Groups, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - S. J. Allen
- Evolutionary Genetics Groups, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - L. Gerber
- Evolutionary Genetics Groups, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - S. Wild
- Evolutionary Genetics Groups, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - S. L. King
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - R. C. Connor
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
| | - W. R. Friedman
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - S. Wittwer
- Evolutionary Genetics Groups, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M. Krützen
- Evolutionary Genetics Groups, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Early vocal ontogeny in a polytocous mammal: no evidence of social learning among sibling piglets, Sus scrofa. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Jaakkola K, Guarino E, Donegan K, King SL. Bottlenose dolphins can understand their partner's role in a cooperative task. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.0948. [PMID: 30232161 PMCID: PMC6170804 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, a number of studies have examined whether various non-human animals understand their partner's role in cooperative situations. Yet the relatively tolerant timing requirements of these tasks make it theoretically possible for animals to succeed by using simple behavioural strategies rather than by jointly intended coordination. Here we investigated whether bottlenose dolphins could understand a cooperative partner's role by testing whether they could learn a button-pressing task requiring precise behavioural synchronization. Specifically, members of cooperative dyads were required to swim across a lagoon and each press their own underwater button simultaneously (within a 1 s time window), whether sent together or with a delay between partners of 1–20 s. We found that dolphins were able to work together with extreme precision even when they had to wait for their partner, and that their coordination improved over the course of the study, with the time between button presses in the latter trials averaging 370 ms. These findings show that bottlenose dolphins can learn to understand their partner's role in a cooperative situation, and suggest that the behavioural synchronization evident in wild dolphins' synchronous movement and coordinated alliance displays may be a generalized cognitive ability that can also be used to solve novel cooperative tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Jaakkola
- Dolphin Research Center, 58901 Overseas Highway, Grassy Key, FL 33050, USA
| | - Emily Guarino
- Dolphin Research Center, 58901 Overseas Highway, Grassy Key, FL 33050, USA
| | - Katy Donegan
- Dolphin Research Center, 58901 Overseas Highway, Grassy Key, FL 33050, USA
| | - Stephanie L King
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia
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