Early patterns of social interaction, including fighting while nursing, social grooming, and social play, were analyzed in a litter of mountain lion kittens to determine if interactive patterns formed during nursing persist into subsequent social stages (i.e., social grooming and social play). The data suggest that the nursing order established by mountain lion kittens has an important role in early social development by initially directing interactive patterns among littermates.
and Summary
Sexual differences in play have been reported for a variety of mammalian species, the majority of which arc polygynous and sexually dimorphic in size. These observed sex diflerences in play have been interpreted by the physical training hypothesis as having evolved to train young differentially for adult roles. This study examined sex differences in play behaviour of a polygynous, but isomorphic, ungulate — the scimitar‐horned oryx (Oryx dammah).
8 calves were studied in captivity at the National Zoological Park's Conservation and Research Center. Mate calves initiated more bouts of social play and used more components of contact and dominance during play than did ♀♀. Age was an important factor in play partner choice, but sex and genetic relatedness were not. Mixed sex play was common, and the duration of play between ♂♂ and ♀♀ was longer than that between ♀♀. The results supported the physical training hypothesis, but suggested that size dimorphism between the sexes was also important in the ontogeny of sex differences in play.
Zusammenfassung
Von verschiedenen Tieren werden geschlechtsspezifische Spiele beschrieben. Die meisten dieser Tiere sind polygyn und sexuell dimorph. Das führte zu der Hypothese, diese Spiele dienten dam, die Jungen auf ihre verschiedenen Erwachsenen‐Rollen vorzubereiten. Hier werden Spiele einer polygynen aber monomorphen Antilope, Oryx dammah, auf geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede untersucht.
8 Junge (4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀) wurden in Gefangenschaft beobachtet. Männliche Kälber begannen signifikant mehr Spiele und verwendeten mehr Kontakt– und Dominanzelemente als weibliche. Spielpartner wurden nach dem Alter ausgewählt, aber nicht nach Geschlecht oder Verwandtschaft. Gemischtes Spielen war üblich und dauerte länger als Spielen allein zwischen weiblichen Kälbern.
Größendimorphismus der Geschlechter scheint wichtig für die Entwick‐lung geschlechtsspezifischer Unterschiede beim Spielen.
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