10.5061/DRYAD.D8P5G
Snyder-Mackler, Noah
Duke University
Alberts, Susan C.
Institute of Primate Research
Duke University
Bergman, Thore J.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Data from: The socio-genetics of a complex society: female gelada
relatedness patterns mirror association patterns in a multi-level society.
Dryad
dataset
2014
Theropithecus gelada
2014-11-04T17:14:02Z
2014-11-04T17:14:02Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12987
74304 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Multilevel societies with fission–fusion dynamics—arguably the most
complex animal societies—are defined by two or more nested levels of
organization. The core of these societies are modular social units that
regularly fission and fuse with one another. Despite convergent evolution
in disparate taxa, we know strikingly little about how such societies form
and how fitness benefits operate. Understanding the kinship structure of
complex societies could inform us about the origins of the social
structure as well as about the potential for individuals in these
societies to accrue indirect fitness benefits. Here, we combined genetic
and behavioural data on geladas (Theropithecus gelada), an Old World
Monkey, to complete the most comprehensive socio-genetic analysis of a
multilevel society to date. In geladas, individuals in the core social
‘units’, associate at different frequencies to form ‘teams’, ‘bands’ and,
the largest aggregations, ‘communities’. Units were composed of closely
related females, and females remained with their close kin during
permanent fissions of units. Interestingly, female–female relatedness also
significantly predicted between-unit, between-team and between-band
association patterns, while male–male relatedness did not. Thus, it is
likely that the socio-genetic structure of gelada society results from
females maintaining associations with their female relatives during
successive unit fissions—possibly in an attempt to balance the direct and
indirect fitness benefits of group living. Overall, the persistence of
associations among related females across generations appears to drive the
formation of higher levels of gelada society, suggesting that females seek
kin for inclusive fitness benefits at multiple levels of gelada society
Genetic and demographic dataExcel spreadsheet with genotypes, demographic
data, and association indices for all study animals and units.data for
dryad.xlsx
Simien Mountains
Ethiopia