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A wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin adopts a socially and genetically distant neonate.


ABSTRACT: Alloparental behaviour and adoption have been reported in many mammals and birds. Such behaviours are energetically costly, and their causes and functions remain unclear. We observed the adoption behaviour of a wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) near Mikura Island, Japan. A calf was seen with its mother on six observation days. Following the mother's death, the calf was observed with a sub-adult female on all 18 observation days from May to September 2012. On three days, the calf was observed swimming with this female in the suckling position and milk was seen leaking from the female's mammary slit. A five-year dataset revealed no significant social or kin relationships between the biological mother and allomother, indicating that kinship and social relationships did not play an important role in the observed adoption.

SUBMITTER: Sakai M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4822121 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin adopts a socially and genetically distant neonate.

Sakai Mai M   Kita Yuki F YF   Kogi Kazunobu K   Shinohara Masanori M   Morisaka Tadamichi T   Shiina Takashi T   Inoue-Murayama Miho M  

Scientific reports 20160406


Alloparental behaviour and adoption have been reported in many mammals and birds. Such behaviours are energetically costly, and their causes and functions remain unclear. We observed the adoption behaviour of a wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) near Mikura Island, Japan. A calf was seen with its mother on six observation days. Following the mother's death, the calf was observed with a sub-adult female on all 18 observation days from May to September 2012. On three days, the  ...[more]

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