MALE SOCIAL ORGANISATION AND DOMINANCE HIERARCHY IN MALE BANDS OF HANUMAN LANGUR, SEMNOPITHECUS ENTELLUS AROUND JODHPUR, INDIA.

摘要

Some 931-dominance interactions were recorded from 33 individually identified males (31 adults and 2 juveniles) of three focal male bands in Hanuman langur around Jodhpur and their rank order ascertained. The maximum episodes (74,3%) relate to the displacement of these 26.7% were on food procurement, 48.4% for the possession of estrous females and 24.9% concern other interactions such as displacing for better place, or just show the hierarchy to subordinates. Dominance determinates like chasing and fights among males when interacting with bisexual troop (10%), sexual acts like harassment of the male during copulation (11.5%) and whoop calls (4.1%) by dominant males were recorded. There were 49 reversal (52%) and most of them (91%) were observed whenmales were either resting or not engaged in any apparent activity. A clear-cut functional dominance status in the male bands around Jodhpur was observed. Shifting of ranks and reversals were also observed among ranking males. As a rule, a most dominantmale (alpha) or rarely a beta male of the male band becomes the resident as and when required. The vacant position of alpha or beta males is occupied by the next ranking male of male band and this pattern of filling and elevation in the ranks goes on. The ousted resident males from bisexual troops fall in rank on their rejoining into male band when they are replaced. Similarly, the old males fall in their rank of their own. The investigation suggest that dominance hierarchy is probably the most important component of social cohesion and social regulation in langurs as in all other non-human and human primates.