PRIMATE SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND DOMINANCE
SOCIAL SYSTEMS
Although group structure may vary quite a bit
among different Primate species, all Primates
rely on group structure. Why do Primates live in
groups?
• To avoid being eaten by predators.
•
•
•
More opportunities to mate
More help finding/collecting food resources
Better learning/teaching happens within groups
PRIMATE GROUP ORGANIZATION


Solitary foragers: Single adult individual or motherchild pair dispersed throughout home range.
Some Prosimians and Orangutans are solitary foragers.
MONOGAMOUS


Monogamous (pair bonded): Groups that
consist of male-female pair and their offspring.
Species who are monogamous include Gibbons and Siamangs.
POLYANDROUS


Polyandrous: Groups that consist of one
female, two or more males and their offspring.
Species who are polyandrous are some Tamarins.
UNI-MALE (HAREMS)


Uni-male (harems): Groups that consist of one
male, multiple females and their offspring.
Species who are uni-male are some monkeys and gorillas.
MULTI-MALE/MULTI-FEMALE


Multi-male/Multi-female: Groups which consist
of multiple male and females and their
offspring.
Species who live in mult-male/multi-female social system.
DOMINANCE
Dominance is beneficial in the following ways:
1. Better mating opportunities which lead to
more offspring.
2. Better access to food resources.
3. Access to best sleeping sites.

MALE DOMINANCE

1.
2.
3.
It’s more common for males to be dominant in
Primates. A few reasons for this are:
Males are usually bigger and stronger than females.
Males are usually more aggressive and competitive.
Males are better at gaining support of the group.
Species who have a male dominant hierarchy are Chimpanzees
and Capuchins.
FEMALE DOMINANCE

Female dominance isn’t as common as male dominance in
Primates. Most times, females are able to dominate males by
uniting as a group. One exception is the Ringtailed Lemur.
Males are submissive without aggression from a group of
females. In many instances where females dominate, they
inherit their status at birth from their mother. In female
dominated socieities, males usually leave the group around a
certain age in order to prevent inbreeding.
Ringtailed Lemur
Bonobo Chimpanzee