Observations of infant conflict and avoidance in San Martin titi monkeys (Plecturocebus oenanthe). 2020

Shannon Hodges
Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA. shannon1283@gmail.com.

Conflict between caregivers and infants typically centers on disagreements over the amount and frequency of care provided. Prior research has identified many variables that impact patterns of mother-infant conflict. These include wide-ranging factors such as individual temperament, reproductive status, and availability of resources. By contrast, no studies have investigated the variables that influence father-infant conflict. To better understand the nature of caregiver-infant conflict in a species with obligate biparental care, I observed two groups of San Martin titi monkeys inhabiting disturbed secondary forest fragments in the San Martín region of Peru. Using instantaneous focal sampling of infants, I recorded physical conflict between infants and caregivers and instances of infant avoidance (leaving the infant) by adult males. I summarized data as the percentage of records in which these activities occurred for each focal day and report the estimates for caregivers. I further calculated mean percentages by month of infant age to assess the relative timing of infant conflict, for each group and age/sex class, and infant avoidance by males. Percentages of conflict and avoidance were markedly higher in the larger group living in a smaller habitat than in the other group. This pattern occurred across all age/sex classes. In both groups, the greatest amount of infant conflict occurred with siblings. I discuss the substantial variation in conflict and avoidance in relation to the various socioecological conditions that may have played a role. This study provides an in-depth description and exploration of parent-offspring and sibling conflict, which has not been examined previously in this species.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D005260 Female Females
D000374 Aggression Behavior which may be manifested by destructive and attacking action which is verbal or physical, by covert attitudes of hostility or by obstructionism. Aggressions
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001362 Avoidance Learning A response to a cue that is instrumental in avoiding a noxious experience. Aversion Behavior,Aversion Learning,Aversive Behavior,Aversive Learning,Avoidance Behavior,Aversion Behaviors,Aversive Behaviors,Avoidance Behaviors,Behavior, Aversion,Behavior, Aversive,Behavior, Avoidance,Behaviors, Aversion,Behaviors, Aversive,Behaviors, Avoidance,Learning, Aversion,Learning, Aversive,Learning, Avoidance
D053820 Pitheciidae A family of New World monkeys in the infraorder PLATYRRHINI consisting of two subfamilies: Callicebinae and Pitheciinae. Bearded Sakis,Cacajao,Callicebinae,Cheracebus,Chiropotes,Pithecia,Pitheciinae,Plecturocebus,Pithecinae,Bearded Saki,Saki, Bearded

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