Grooming and Social Cohesion in Patas Monkeys and Other Guenons

Abstract

Patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) and vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) are phylogenetically closely allied with the forest guenons. Their ecologies‚ how- ever‚ have been regarded as setting them apart from their forest-living relatives. In addition to ecological differences‚ the social organization of vervet monkeys differs from those of most forest guenons in that they have relatively rigid matrilineally based dominance hierarchies (Gouzoules and Gouzoules‚ 1986). Over the last two decades‚ several field studies of patas monkeys‚ and more detailed information on a few forest guenons‚ have shown that in many respects‚ patas monkeys closely resemble their guenon relatives in patterns of female- female social relations (Rowell et al.‚ 1991; Chism‚ 1999a‚ 2000; Cords‚ 2000; Carlson and Isbell‚ in prep.). For example‚ a feature of social organization common to patas monkeys and most of the guenons is that females have less rigidly hierarchical dominance relationships than those of most other cercopithecines‚ notably baboons‚ macaques‚ and vervet monkeys (Rowell and Olson‚ 1983; Isbell and Pruetz‚ 1998; Chism‚ 2000; Cords‚ 2000).