Data from: Not just females: the socio-ecology of social interactions between spider monkey males

Male-male relationships are mostly characterized by competition. However,
males also cooperate with one another if socio-ecological conditions are
suitable. Due to their male philopatry, need for cooperation in home range
defence and high degree of fission-fusion dynamics, spider monkeys provide
an opportunity to investigate how male-male interactions are associated
with socio-ecological factors, such as the presence of potentially
receptive females, the degree of food availability and the likelihood of
home range defence. We tested predictions about changes in social
interactions between wild spider monkey males in relation to these
factors. First, males did not change their interaction patterns when
potentially receptive females were in the subgroup compared to when they
were absent. Second, males tended to be less tolerant of one another when
feeding, but spent more time grooming, in contact and proximity with one
another when food availability was lower than when it was higher. Third,
males exchanged fewer embraces, spent less time grooming, in proximity and
in contact with one another, and spent more time vigilant at the home
range boundary area than at other locations. Our findings contribute to
the understanding of social flexibility and the importance of considering
males in socio-ecological models of any group-living species.