The role of dominance and intrafamilial bonding in the avoidance of close inbreeding

Abstract

The patterns of stumptail macaque heterosexual mounts recorded at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center Field Station demonstrate that consanguineous matings are avoided under conditions of restricted migration. The frequencies of both son/mother and maternal half-sibling mounts were found to be significantly lower than expected by chance. Contrary to earlier reports which suggest that maternal dominance inhibits mounting attempts by male offspring, intradyadic dominance is not a significant factor in the inhibition of mating between close kin. Close matrilineal association is regarded as the proximate mechanism for kin recognition. This behavioral aversion may function to promote migration in most mammalian species, and it may underlie the nearly universal avoidance of incest among human groups.