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Proximity and grooming patterns reveal opposite-sex bonding in Rwenzori Angolan colobus monkeys (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii)

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Abstract

Close proximity and social grooming are important bonding mechanisms in primates. These behaviors show the social structure of a species and many studies have found positive correlations between the degree of kinship and grooming and proximity. We used 1 year of data collected via instantaneous scan sampling on a large “supertroop” of Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii at Lake Nabugabo, Uganda, to examine partner preferences for grooming and nearest neighbors in each age-sex class. Little is known about this species, so we based our hypotheses on congeners. Of the five species of black-and-white colobus, data on sex-biased dispersal patterns are available for three (C. guereza, C. vellerosus, and C. polykomos), all of which show male-biased dispersal with occasional female dispersal. We thus predicted that female C. a. ruwenzorii would be more strongly bonded than males, showing greater proximity and grooming. We did not expect bonding between the sexes since congeners do not show this pattern. We found that among adult dyads, males and females were more likely to be found in loose proximity, and to groom, than would be expected given group composition. Conversely, both males and females had relatively weak same-sex relationships. Between the sexes, adult males had higher proximity and grooming indices with adult females without infants than with females with infants. These observations indicate that this subspecies is cross-bonded and that both sexes may disperse. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the social organization and social structure of C. a. ruwenzorii differ greatly from other black-and-white colobus species.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for this research was provided by the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). This research was done with permission from the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology. Research assistance was provided by Matovu Ponsiano, Katwere Livingstone, Ronald Matovu, Henry Kirabira, and Alex Wasswa. We are grateful for the special assistance of Dennis Twinomugisha, Colin Chapman, and Lauren Chapman.

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Correspondence to Julie A. Teichroeb.

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This study was entirely non-invasive, involving observation of wild animals. Research methods were approved by the Duke University Institution Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and University of Toronto’s Animal Care Committee.

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Arseneau-Robar, T.J.M., Joyce, M.M., Stead, S.M. et al. Proximity and grooming patterns reveal opposite-sex bonding in Rwenzori Angolan colobus monkeys (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii). Primates 59, 267–279 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-017-0643-6

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