Embracing in a Wild Group of Yakushima Macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui) as an Example of Social Customs

摘要: Recently, some primatologists have begun studying social customs, which had been neglected in research despite their importance to human culture. We observed embracing behaviors 64 times during 543.8 hours of focal animal sampling, targeting adult females a wild group Japanese macaques Yakushima, Japan, and compared the results with those Kinkazan. Embracing occurred immediately after spontaneous pause allogrooming, aggressions, approach between dyads frequently exchanging antagonistic interactions, all are considered be stressful conditions. Yakushima may, therefore, serve reduce stress; this may also case Despite functional similarity, forms slightly different from First, not only ventro-ventral embraces, but ventro-lateral ventro-dorsal embraces were found Yakushima. Second, kneading another’s fur by rhythmically opening closing palm i...