Kangaroos at play: play behaviour in the Macropodoidea

Watson, Duncan M.

doi:10.1017/cbo9780511608575.005

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 0 publications

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“…I observed this form of play every time (23 occasions) that I watched a kangaroo or bettong group that contained young at foot. In older juveniles and in young adult males, sparring play that closely resembled, and graded imperceptibly into ®ghting, was also observed (also see Watson, 1998). In these two respects, play of macropods is similar to that of their eutherian counterparts, the ungulates.…”

Section: Macropodidae and Potoroidaementioning

confidence: 73%

“…Motor training is a catch-all term that implies any improvement in motor performance, by anatomical change, physiological change, or both, that occurs as a result of repeated motor activity. Much about the structure of play offers inferential support for the motor training hypothesis (Byers, 1984;Bekoff & Byers, 1985;Caro, 1988;Gomendio, 1988;Miller & Byers, 1998;Watson, 1998). Byers & Walker (1995) suggested that researchers should next attempt to discriminate among the several functional hypotheses embodied by the motor training hypothesis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The distribution of play behaviour among Australian marsupials

Byers

1999

Journal of Zoology

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The distribution of play behaviour among the Australian marsupial families was surveyed. The rate of play in each species observed was categorized on a three‐point scale: 1 – no play observed or reported; 2 – play rudimentary; 3 – play common. Common play occurred in the larger‐bodied Dasyuridae, in Myrmecobiius, in Vombatidae, and in all Macropodoidea. In all other marsupials, play was rudimentary or absent. Categorical rate of play was not correlated with body mass or with metabolic rate but was correlated with relative brain mass. The distribution of play in Australian marsupials supported the hypothesis that play acts to modify brain development.

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Section: Macropodidae and Potoroidaementioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The distribution of play behaviour among Australian marsupials

Byers

1999

Journal of Zoology

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“…Adapted with permission. Estimates for additional species are from Coulson (1989), Fadem and Corbett (1997), Hunsaker and Shupe (1977), Jarman (1991), McManus (1970), Miessner and Ganslosser (1985), Russell (1984), and Watson (1998). Various researchers (R. Goldingay, K. Handasyde, G. McKay, D. Lindenmayer, J. Seebeck, and P. Woolley) also provided us with unpublished observations that provided support for the play ratings used.…”

Section: Comparative Analysismentioning

confidence: 97%

Do big-brained animals play more? Comparative analyses of play and relative brain size in mammals.

Iwaniuk¹,

Nelson²,

Pellis³

2001

Journal of Comparative Psychology

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It has been hypothesized that play is more likely to be present in larger brained species. We tested this hypothesis in mammals using independent contrasts, a method that controls for phylogenetic relatedness. Comparisons across 15 orders revealed that the prevalence and complexity of play was significantly correlated with brain size, with larger brained orders having more playful species. Three orders, Rodentia, Marsupialia, and Primates, were used for within-order comparisons among species and, where possible, among families. The comparisons were not significant for rodents or primates, and those for marsupials yielded inconsistent results. Therefore, although a strong relationship is present at the highest taxonomic level of comparison, it diminishes or evaporates at lower level comparisons.

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“…They initiate play with pawing, head arching and kicking (Croft & Snaith, 1990;Watson, 1998). To maintain reciprocity and coordinate role reversal during the main body phase, both partners self-handicap their movements, e.g., lowering their kicking rates, to increase the opponents chances (Croft & Snaith, 1990).…”

Section: Red-necked Wallabies (Macropus Rufogriseus Banksianus) Selecmentioning

confidence: 99%