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Driver‐barrier feeding behavior in bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ): New insights from a longitudinal study
Author(s) -
Gazda Stefanie K.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
marine mammal science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.723
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1748-7692
pISSN - 0824-0469
DOI - 10.1111/mms.12314
Subject(s) - boulevard , library science , citation , computer science , history , archaeology
Anderson and Franks (2001) defined a “division of labor” as occurring when individuals, working as a team to complete a task, perform different subtasks. A division of labor with role specialization, where individuals regularly assume different subtasks in a team task, is rare in noneusocial mammals. A possible case was described in wild dogs: the same individual selects and chases the prey, one or two dogs maintain a distance behind the leader to head off any prey that may escape, and others lag behind (Estes and Goddard 1967). The first definitive case of a division of labor with role specialization in noneusocial mammals was reported in the African lion (Panthera leo) (Stander 1992). Females in “center” roles waited for prey to move towards them while those in “wing” positions initiated an attack on the prey (Stander 1992). Hunting success was higher when lionesses occupied preferred stalking positions. Recently, Hurtado et al. (2013) described role specialization in mound-building mice: within a group of six mice, two individuals carried most of the materials for building. Additionally, these carrier mice specialized in the type of materials they carried and did not switch. Gazda et al. (2005) described an example of a division of labor with role specialization in a population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Cedar Keys, Florida. Two groups (the A group and B group) were part of this study. In each group, one dolphin herded or drove fish toward other dolphins that appeared to line up and form a barrier. The trapped fish leapt into the air where they were captured by “driver” and “barrier” dolphins. Individuals in each group were consistent in their roles as driver and barrier. Nondriving dolphins were defined as all group members within the 10 m chain rule (all individuals in the group must be within 10 m of another individual, Smolker et al. 1992) that did not drive. This included the barrier dolphins that were tightly bunched and raised their heads out of the water attempting to catch leaping fish, as well as any other dolphins in the group that did not drive or form the barrier. In the A, but not the B group, the driver captured more fish than