학술논문

Aggression and Reconciliation in Two Captive Groups of Lemur catta
Document Type
Academic Journal
Source
International Journal of Primatology. Apr 01, 2005 26(2):279-294
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
0164-0291
Abstract
Kappeler excluded the presence of reconciliation in a free-ranging group of Lemur catta, but a recent study on the same group indicated reconciliation, though with a very long PC duration. We collected data on 2 captive groups of ring-tailed lemurs at the Pistoia Zoo (Italy) in order to shed light on conflict resolution in the species. We investigated the influence of seasonality and of a targeted aggression episode on the occurrence of reconciliation. We collected 164 PC-MC pairs for the A group and 141 for the B group. We performed all analyses at the dyadic level via randomization procedures. Despite the targeting episode, we found no difference in the levels of aggression between the 2 groups. In contrast, just before the onset of the targeting episode, B showed significantly lower rates of affinitive behaviors versus A. Reconciliation occurred in A, whereas it was absent in B. Therefore, we suggest that in B, with the decrease of baseline affinitive interactions associated with the beginning of the targeting episode, the function of postconflict reunions probably stopped working. On the whole, we found that contrasting results were probably related to different seasonal and social conditions (A: breeding/pregnancy season, characterized by higher tolerance rates; B: birth season, characterized by lower tolerance rates). Accordingly, reconciliation should be monitored throughout the different seasonal phases.