Dear Colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to share the recent publication of our paper in Mammalian Biology: Delphine B. H. Chabanne, Michael Krützen, Hugh Finn, Simon J. Allen. (2022) Evidence of male alliance formation in a small dolphin community. Mammalian Biology. doi.org/10.1007/s42991-022-00295-7<https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-022-00295-7>. Abstract: The photo-identification of uniquely marked individuals has revealed much about mammalian behaviour and social structure in recent decades. In bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.), for example, the long-term tracking of individuals has unveiled considerable variation in social structure among populations and various spatio-temporal aspects of group formation. In this study, we investigated associations among individual males in a small community of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (T. aduncus) residing in an urbanized estuary in southwestern Australia. Given the relative proximity of our study area to other populations in which complex male alliances form for the purpose of mate acquisition, we used long-term photo-identification records and social analyses to assess whether such alliances also occur in smaller and more isolated settings. Our work revealed strong social bonds and long-term, non-random associations among individual males, suggesting the occurrence of male alliances. Behavioural observations of alliances interacting with potentially receptive adult females from the estuary community and from adjacent communities, and exhibiting sexual display behaviours near females, suggest that these alliances occur in a reproductive context. As the first formal analysis indicating the occurrence of male alliances outside Shark Bay along the vast western coastline of Australia, this study complements previous research and extends our understanding of the evolutionary and ecological processes that drive alliance formation A PDF copy can be viewed here: https://rdcu.be/cYGCj<https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Frdcu.be%2FcYGCj&data=05%7C01%7Cdelphine.chabanne%40murdoch.edu.au%7C34a52e83234c49bc58f308dabbb65a38%7Cc00d4c1bcf7b4e93b7c710113a9bc230%7C1%7C0%7C638028689125116999%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=kkbPKLB6UlIU%2F%2BXtPmMIqO%2FD8scnjRTC0RC29IUPjVs%3D&reserved=0>. Best regards, Delphine ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Delphine Chabanne PhD Research Fellow, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems Harry Butler Institute M +61 447 134 824 90 South St, Murdoch, WA 6150 murdoch.edu.au<https://www.murdoch.edu.au/> @DChabanne |ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8391-7505<https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8391-7505> [cid:image001.png@01D8F105.A8F55310] I acknowledge that Murdoch University is situated on the lands of the Whadjuk and Binjareb Noongar people. I pay my respect to their enduring and dynamic culture and the leadership of Noongar elders past and present. The boodjar (country) on which Murdoch University is located has for thousands of years, been a place of learning. We at Murdoch University are proud to continue this long tradition. CRICOS Provider Code: 00125J This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender. Please note that any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Murdoch University. Finally, the recipient should check this email and any associated files for the presence of viruses. Murdoch University accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email. Recent papers: Evidence of male alliance formation in a small dolphin community. 2022. Mammalian Biology. Doi: 10.1007/s42991-022-00295-7<https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42991-022-00295-7> Multi‑seasonal systematic camera‑trapping reveals fluctuating densities and high turnover rates of Carpathian lynx on the western edge of its native range<javascript:void(0)>. 2021. Scientific Reports 11, 9236. Doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-88348-8<https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88348-8> Inconsistency between socio-spatial and genetic structure in a coastal dolphin population. 2021. Frontiers in Marine Science 7:617540. Doi: 10.3389/fmars.2020.617540<https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.617540/full>
