Social structure of pilot whales revealed by analytical DNA profiling

Amos, B.; Schlötterer, C.; Tautz, D.

doi:10.1126/science.8480176

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Social structure of pilot whales revealed by analytical DNA profiling

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Amos, B., Schlötterer, C., & Tautz, D. (1993). Social structure of pilot whales revealed by analytical DNA profiling. Science, 260(5108), 670-672. doi:10.1126/science.8480176.

Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-0010-0F07-E

Abstract

Long-finned pilot whales swim in large, extremely cohesive social groups known as pods. Molecular typing revealed that pod members form a single extended family. Mature males neither disperse from nor mate within their natal pods, a situation unusual for mammals. Such behavior could be explained in terms of inclusive fitness benefits gained by adult males helping the large number of female relatives with which they swim.