The social pattern of macaca fascicularis in coalition support and grooming.

Abstract

The occurrence and association between coalition support and grooming in long-tailed macaques were explained via reciprocal altruism and kin selection in this paper. Rowwise matrix correlation were used in all analysis. Reciprocal altruism was found to be the main factor in the exchange of support at the group level, in males and in females. It was also the main factor in grooming reciprocity in females. Nepotism in female adults accounted for the association between grooming and coalition support. Coalition support in males was not dependent on kin. Also, there was no observation of males grooming other males. Hence, reciprocal altruism and kin selection could account for social behaviour in female adults but not in male adolescents and adults.