Dominance relationships in captive male bare-tailed woolly opossum (Caluromys Philander, Marsupialia : Didelphidae)
2000
In this study, we test the hypothesis that body size is a key factor in determining
dominance relationships during agonistic encounters between captive males Caluromys
philander, and male-male competition was experimentally tested. Physiological and behavioural
parameters were investigated during 18 experimental trials including two males alone
(6), and two males with a female (12). A dominance-submission relationship exists even with
no female, although competition is stronger when a female is present. Dominance is based on
age and body mass in C. philander under experimental conditions. When dominance was
settled, dominance rank was clear cut and consistent during all the experimentation. Stable
dominance-subordination relationships may benefit both dominants and subordinates by
minimizing the incidence of serious wounds. Males show typical signs of social stress: both
body weight and hematocrit rate decrease, but subordinates are more stressed than dominants. Dominant males exhibit a lower decrease in hematocrit rate and a higher decrease in
testosterone concentration in blood. They display most of the "aggressive" behaviours, scan
more actively the experimental cages and engage in fewer aggressive interactions with
females in comparison with subordinate males
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