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Deferred benefits of dominance for natal males in a cooperative breeder, the Kalahari meerkat

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cam.issuedOnline2021-07-22
cam.orpheus.successTue Feb 01 19:02:21 GMT 2022 - Embargo updated
dc.contributor.authorClutton-Brock, Timothy
dc.contributor.authorSpence-Jones, Helen
dc.contributor.authorBrehm, AM
dc.contributor.authorCram, Dom
dc.contributor.authorGaynor, DAVID
dc.contributor.authorThorley, Jack
dc.contributor.authorManser, Marta
dc.contributor.orcidClutton-Brock, Timothy [0000-0001-8110-8969]
dc.contributor.orcidCram, Dominic [0000-0002-8790-8294]
dc.date.accessioned2021-11-25T11:49:57Z
dc.date.available2021-11-25T11:49:57Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractIn many cooperatively breeding mammals, an unrelated dominant pair monopolizes reproduction in the social group while subordinates help to raise their offspring. In Kalahari meerkats (Suricata suricatta), dominant males are usually immigrants while dominant females are natal animals that have not left the group where they were born. However, in around 20% of cases, a natal male acquires and holds the dominant position – despite being closely related to the dominant female. Natal dominant males seldom mate within their group (either with the dominant female or with subordinate females) and the benefits they accrue from acquiring and main- taining the dominant position are not obvious. Here, we describe the circumstances in which natal males acquire dominance and explore the possible benefits they gain by comparing the life history, growth and behavioural differences between natal dominants, natal subordinates and immigrant dominants in wild groups. We show that natal dominant males do not appear to obtain any survival, nutritional or reproductive benefits from their status while they remain in the natal group. How- ever, after dispersing from their natal group, they have a higher chance of acquir- ing dominant status in another breeding group, suggesting that acquiring dominance in their natal group has deferred direct fitness benefits for male meerkats.
dc.description.sponsorshipEuropean Research Council Horizon 2020
dc.identifier.doi10.17863/CAM.78587en
dc.identifier.eissn1469-7998
dc.identifier.issn0952-8369
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/331140
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherWiley
dc.publisher.urlhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12918
dc.rightsAll rights reserved
dc.rights.urihttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
dc.subjectnatal dominance
dc.subjectdelayed dispersal
dc.subjectmale philopatry
dc.subjectcooperative breeding
dc.subjectSuricata suricatta
dc.subjectfitness benefits
dc.titleDeferred benefits of dominance for natal males in a cooperative breeder, the Kalahari meerkat
dc.typeArticle
dcterms.dateAccepted2021-07-06
prism.endingPage245
prism.issueIdentifier3
prism.publicationNameJournal of Zoology
prism.startingPage236
prism.volume315
pubs.funder-project-idEuropean Research Council (294494)
pubs.funder-project-idEuropean Research Council (742808)
rioxxterms.licenseref.startdate2021-07-06
rioxxterms.licenseref.urihttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Review
rioxxterms.versionAM
rioxxterms.versionofrecord10.1111/jzo.12918

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