SOCIAL COMMUNICATION AMONG CAPTIVE STUMP-TAILED MACAQUES (MACACA ARCTOIDES)

I compared the frequency of occurrence, contextual usage, and meaning of some of the most prominent gestural signal in stump-tailed macaques . I recorded the occurrence of 15 visual and tactile behavior patterns in a multimale multifemale captive group of stump-tailed macaques wit h the behavior sampling method in 100 hr of observation and analyzed t he data via factor analysis and analysis of variance. The hindquarter presentation was the most frequent gesture. It was displayed by subord inates to appease dominants even in the absence of impending risk of a ggression. Bared-teeth, lip-smack, teeth-chatter, and present-arm are submissive signals as well, but they differ from the presentation and from one another in their contextual usage. Nonthrusting mount, hip-to uch, hip-clasp, and genital manipulation are directed down the hierarc hy and appear to reflect dominance, reassurance, protection, or bondin g. Mock-bite is a ritualized aggressive behavior pattern, often used t o resolve uncertain dominance relationships. Ventroventral embrace occ urs as a female bonding pattern. Overall, most gestural signal in stum p-tailed macaques relate to dominance and submission and, to a lesser extent social bonding.