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Behavioral Ecology Vol. 13 No. 2: 160-162
© 2002 International Society for Behavioral Ecology

Colony defense in Damaraland mole-rats, Cryptomys damarensis

Rosie Cooney

Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK, and Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002 South Africa

Address correspondence to R. Cooney, WWF International Species Programme, WWF-UK, Panda House, Weyside Park, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1XR, UK. E-mail: rcooney{at}wwf.org.uk .

I examined defense against conspecific intruders in colonies of the Damaraland mole-rat. I introduced foreign animals to captive colonies and examined the effect of the sex and breeding status of the intruder on the sex and breeding status of those that defended. Intruding mole-rats were almost always attacked. Colony defense against intruders was carried out almost exclusively by dominant, reproductive individuals and was directed primarily toward individuals of the same sex. Nonbreeding, subordinate mole-rats participated only rarely. These results contrast sharply with colony defense in the related naked mole-rat and suggest that investment in defense activities in Damaraland mole-rats primarily reflects repulsion of potential competitors for breeding status. Subordinate mole-rats may lack incentive to participate in potentially costly defense, as they are unlikely to gain reproductive opportunities within the colony and probably gain fitness primarily through dispersing to breed.

Key words: cooperative breeding, Cryptomys damarensis, kin selection, mole-rats, sociality, territorial defense.


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