Daoudi-Simison Sophia, Lee Phyllis, Buchanan-Smith Hannah M
School of Psychology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DR, UK.
Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Nov 22;14(23):3360. doi: 10.3390/ani14233360.
Mixed-species groups have been recorded in various primates, including tufted capuchin and squirrel monkeys. Measures of their 'groupness' are typically based on factors such as group stability, social interactions, proximity, or behavioural coordination. Social network analysis has become a useful tool for quantifying relationships among group-living individuals. Here, we apply social network analysis to two captive mixed-species groups of tufted capuchins and squirrel monkeys housed at the Living Links to Human Evolution Research Centre, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo, UK. We conducted 183 h of focal observations (three hours per individual, excluding co-observations) and calculated association rates using a simple index ratio. Permutation -tests were used to assess differences in the overall mixed-species network and network metrics according to species. While the two species exhibited some level of association, they formed separate clusters in the mixed-species networks; however, the East group had more balanced group sizes and showed some signs of closer inter-specific social ties compared to the West group. Our data indicate that, in captivity at least, while these groups co-exist in a small, shared space, they do not form cohesive mixed-species groups. We suggest caution in the assumption of mixed-species groups based on shared space only.
在包括簇绒卷尾猴和松鼠猴在内的各种灵长类动物中都记录到了混合物种群体。衡量它们“群体特性”的指标通常基于群体稳定性、社会互动、亲近程度或行为协调性等因素。社会网络分析已成为量化群居个体之间关系的有用工具。在这里，我们将社会网络分析应用于英国爱丁堡动物园苏格兰皇家动物学会人类进化研究中心生活链接处饲养的两个圈养混合物种群体的簇绒卷尾猴和松鼠猴。我们进行了183小时的焦点观察（每个个体3小时，不包括共同观察），并使用简单的指数比率计算关联率。采用置换检验来评估整个混合物种网络和根据物种划分的网络指标的差异。虽然这两个物种表现出一定程度的关联，但它们在混合物种网络中形成了单独的集群；然而，与西部群体相比，东部群体的群体规模更为均衡，并且显示出一些种间社会联系更紧密的迹象。我们的数据表明，至少在圈养环境中，虽然这些群体在一个小的共享空间中共存，但它们并没有形成紧密的混合物种群体。我们建议仅基于共享空间就假设存在混合物种群体时要谨慎。
