A new case of fish-eating in Japanese macaques: implications for social constraints on the diffusion of feeding innovation.

Full Abstract

This is the first detailed report of social factors affecting fish-eating in Japanese macaques under natural circumstances. We video-recorded a complete event of fish eating, involving a new fish food species for the monkeys on Koshima island. Following the discovery of a large beached sea bass by a peripheral male, we observed a total of 16 individuals feeding on the fish in turns, and interacting around it. The rank order of access to the fish was mainly explained by the spatial position of group members, whereas dominance determined how long the fish was monopolized. Although limited, the tolerated presence of close-bystanders while feeding was affected by kinship and affiliation. Genealogic data suggested that fish-eating behavior was well maintained in terms of maternal lineages. This report should contribute to a better understanding of how social features may constrain the long-term diffusion of feeding innovations in free-ranging primate groups.

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Author information

Author/s: Leca, Jean-Baptiste (JB); Gunst, Noëlle (N); Watanabe, Kunio (K); Huffman, Michael A (MA);

Affiliation: Equipe d'Ethologie des Primates, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curier, Department Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Strasbourg, France. jbtleca(-atsign-)yahoo.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: American journal of primatology (Am J Primatol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Jul; vol 69 (issue 7) : pp 821-8

Dates: Created 2007/06/05; Completed 2007/08/29;

PMID: 17253616, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Female
Fishes
Macaca - physiology
Male
Social Dominance

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