A comparison of techniques for assessing dispersal behaviour in gundis: revealing dispersal patterns in the absence of observed dispersal behaviour.

摘要: Knowledge of the dispersal status group members is important to understanding how sociality may have evolved within a species. I assessed effectiveness four techniques for elucidating behaviour in rock-dwelling rodent (Ctenodactylus gundi) with small sizes (2–10 animals): genetic parentage assignment, haplotype data and kinship analyses, assignment testing, F-statistics. The first two methods provided greatest insight into gundi behaviour. Assignment testing F-statistics proved limited use fine-scale dispersal, but could detect large-scale patterns despite low sex-biased intensity (1.9 : 1) because moderate differentiation among groups (FST = 0.10). Findings are discussed light current theory. In general, plastic, seems be dependent on body weight (for males), composition, scale analysis (total events recorded population were almost twice immigration rate population). Most comprised single matriline one immigrant male. Immigrant rather than philopatric males bred females. Dispersal was male-biased, or philopatry occur by either sex. During drought, both sexes delayed cooperative social units formed. Whether such resulted directly from drought not remains unclear, however, since comparative information available nondrought years. Combining analyses substantial movement animals during prove useful other animals.