PATERNITY DISCRIMINATION AND INTERGROUP RELATIONSHIPS OF CHIMPANZEES AT BOSSOU

A small group of wild chimpanzees at Bossou, southeastern Guinea, is s emi-isolated, occupying a home-range which is several kilometers from those of other groups. The group has had only one adult male since 198 5, raising the probability of inbreeding. Direct observation suggests that this male was the father of all infants born in the group since 1 985. In 1991 individually identified samples of food wadges, hair, and feces were collected from most of the group members. These samples we re analyzed using GT dinucleotide repeat polymorphisms to determine fa milial relationships. The genetic analysis revealed that the resident adult male was the probable father of only three out of the four infan ts analyzed. It is suspected that an adult male from a neighboring gro up was the father of the fourth infant, born in late 1986 or early 198 7.