Verhalten einer Gruppe von Dianameerkatzen im Frankfurter Zoo

For drawing phylogenetic conclusions we need a solid knowledge of those basic behavioural traits, which can be observed in many subgroups of primates and which do not seem to be influenced by environment. Details can be observed better in captivity than in the wild.Therefore, for the first time the behaviour ofC. diana was studied in detail during 300 hours (distributed over 21/2 months) in the Zoo at Frankfurt. The group comprised an adult male, two adult females, a two year old female youngster and a baby which was borne during the period of observation.An almost complete inventary of behavioural elements was collected, including comfort behaviour, intake of food, resting and sleeping, diurnal rhythm, postures in sitting, preference of places in the cage, ways of locomotion, play, vocalisation, reaction of disturbances, aggression and submission.The meaning of the individual elements with regard to rank order and structure of the group was checked.The male is strictly dominant.One of the two adult females occupies a position nearly as high as the male. The other female had a similarly high rank position until about one year ago. Now she is very often the addressee of threatening of the others and she displays only submissive gestures.The rank of the two year old youngster is not clearly discernable.Another study on a closely related guenon species will appear soon.