SOCIO-ETHOGRAM OF ADULT MALES VERSUS BIOCHEMICAL-GENETIC VARIATION INASSESSING PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS OF THE CAPRINAE

To investigate phylogenetic relationships among 9 genera of the Caprin ae (Capra, Ammotragus, Hemitragus, Pseudois, Ovis, Rupicapra, Oreamnos , Nemorhaedus, Capricornis) behaviours involved in courtship and matin g, aggression, threat, dominance, submission, and marking of adult mal es were subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Based on all 32 characters and 96 character states investigated, phylogenetic patterns generally were in good agreement with biochemical-genetic data available. Disco rdance between phylogenetic trees constructed from behavioural and fro m biochemical-genetic traits as to the position of Ammotragus turned o ut to be associated with ethological functional categories. Behaviours involved in courtship and mating were identified as the most reliable ones for phylogenetic studies. Courtship displays function as isolati on mechanisms among closely related taxa. This is of paramount importa nce in those forms where secondary sexual characters such as horns are poorly differentiated while in highly evolved taxa size and shape of horns may also trigger readiness for mating in estrous females.