Every scar has a story: age and sex-specific conflict rates in wild bottlenose dolphins

摘要: Social living brings competition over mates, relationships, and resources, which can translate to direct conflict. In dolphins, tooth rakes received from conspecifics are highly visible reliable indicators of New indicate recent conflicts while healed suggest older instances Here, we investigate the healing time conspecific in wild bottlenose create a demographic profile injury risk population, consider implications for age- sex-specific aggression. Using photographic scarring data Shark Bay Dolphin Research Project spanning 31 years (N = 269 rakes), was analyzed using subset sequential photographs same body part 1–12 years (N = 70 rakes). Ninety percent males 95% females were no longer within 400 days, with taking heal than females. full sample, examined age sex-effects on prevalence new rakes. A negative quadratic model best fitted rake patterns ages 0 13 positive linear regression 30. Both analyses revealed significant sex effects, where had more Age differences may be attributed life history events such as sexual maturity onset, male-male alliance formation, coercion. These results contribute our understanding relationship between social conflict strategies long-lived mammals. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: scars conflict, timing clarifies challenges faced during each stage. Based > 30 years longitudinal data, created identify Males females, but faster males. Juveniles greatest compared calves adults, suggesting greater exposure some level Differences aggression have regarding costs reproduction dolphins. To knowledge, study has rate across lifespan. Our methods applied other studies marine mammals, agonistic encounters difficult observe, wounds apparent.