Successive aggression: another pattern of polyadic aggressive interactions in a captive group of japanese macaques

Several patterns of polyadic aggressive interactions have been previously reported. Here, we describe another pattern of polyadic interactions in a captive group of Japanese macaques ( Macaca fuscata fuscata ) that we designate as “successive aggression”. We defined successive aggression as aggression by the original actor toward a second recipient within a very short time interval after the initial aggression toward the first recipient. We compared the patterns and characteristics of successive aggression to those of redirection. Among 2,698 recorded aggressive interactions, 80 involved successive aggressions and 75 were classified as redirections. Females, especially adult females, performed and received more successive aggression, whereas males, especially adult males, performed and received more redirection. Successive aggression often occurred when the first recipient exhibited counter‐aggression. Successive aggression was then directed toward an individual related to the first recipient, such as the mother, offspring or sibling. The targets of redirection were not relatives of the first aggressor in most cases, but were clearly subordinate individuals. The dominance relationships among the aggressor, the first recipient and the second recipients were usually non‐linear for successive aggression, but were linear for most cases of redirection. These results suggest that monkeys can anticipate possible opponents who may intervene in ongoing aggressive interactions and suppress them, even though they are not yet hostile toward these individuals. Successive aggression may function to establish and maintain dominance relationships among matrilineal groups through repeated confirmations. Am. J. Primatol. 70:349–355, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.