INTRASEXUAL SOCIAL-BEHAVIOR OF FEMALE APENNINE CHAMOIS RUPICAPRA-PYRENAICA-ORNATA (NEUMANN 1899)

Seventeen behaviour patterns used in female-female interactions were a nalysed for both their frequencies and temporal relationships in Apenn ine chamois. Withdrawing and the Approach built up, respectively, 38.4 and 21.3% of all activities. All other behaviour patterns showed much smaller frequencies (< 8%). A close relationship was found between Ap proach, Lipcurl, Head down, Side Display and Stare: all aggressive pat terns. Butt, Chase, Hook and Rush proved to be associated, confirming their intensive bellicose quality. The communicative function of femal e Lipcurl has been confirmed as an aggressive ritualised behaviour, pe rhaps of ''male mimicry'', with elements of submissive behaviour. Low- stretch, Reactive Urination and Withdrawing grouped together as submis sive patterns. Intrasexual female behavioural sequences appeared much more predictable than those of males, which is probably related to the different gregariousness patterns of the two sexes.