Monday 29 August 2022 08:10 PM Male dolphins have 'wingmen' to help them court individual females, study shows trends now
It turns out that employing a 'wingman' to help you find a partner is not just reserved for Ocean nightclub - dolphins use the same technique in the deep blue itself!
Male bottlenose dolphins have been found to form tactical alliances with other males, who will then compete together against rival alliances for access to females.
A research team led by the University of Bristol studied the marine mammals and discovered that they build more alliances than any species other than humans.
They also found that different groups of allied dolphins will co-operate, allowing males to spend more time with the females they are pursuing, and resulting in the long-term benefit of reproductive success.
Co-lead author Dr Stephanie King said: 'Our work highlights that dolphin societies, as well as those of nonhuman primates, are valuable model systems for understanding human social and cognitive evolution.'
Male bottlenose dolphins have been found to form tactical alliances with other males, who will then compete together against rival alliances for access to females. Pictured are six allied males with a female consort
The researchers from the UK, USA and Switzerland observed 121 adult male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins at Shark Bay, Western Australia. Pictured are four male allies and a female
Humans make tactical partnerships within international trade, the military, the family unit and many other situations.
'Cooperation between allies is widespread in human societies and one of the hallmarks of our success,' said Dr King.
Our ability to do this was once thought to distinguish us from our chimpanzee ancestors, and was born from the evolution of pair bonds and men caring as parents.
However, a study, published today in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has revealed that shared childcare is not essential for team-building in nature.
Study co-lead author Professor Richard Connor, of the University of Massachusetts, said: 'Our results show that intergroup alliances can emerge without these features, from a social and mating system that is more chimpanzee like.'
