Sexual harassment and female gregariousness in the South American sea lion, Otaria flavescens.

摘要: Most colonial pinnipeds form extreme clusters of breeding females that cannot be entirely explained by the distribution sites for reproduction. Avoidance male harassment has been postulated as an important determinant reproductive aggregation in this group mammals. Female gregariousness can reduce resident males two mechanisms; directly 'dilution effect' or indirectly because defend large female groups are less harassing. In order to investigate relationship between and relation size groups, we analysed behaviour dominant their a colony Otaria flavescens. Females received due dilution effects defended interacted frequently with than small groups.