Using a hypothesis-driven and integrative framework, Sociobiology of Caviomorph Rodents establishes parallels and differences between caviomorph rodents and other animal models to provide a comprehensive understanding of caviomorph rodent social systems. Including epigenetic, neuroendocrine and developmental mechanisms of social behaviour, it identifies the fitness costs and benefits of social living in present-day caviomorph rodent populations as well as quantified evolutionary patterns or trends. The book includes:
- Distribution and ecological diversification of caviomorph rodents
- Diversity of social behaviour in caviomorph rodents
- Comparative neurobiology and genetics of mammalian social behaviour
- Mechanisms of social communication
- Causes and evolution of group-living
- Cooperation in caviomorphs
- Fitness consequences of social systems
This book will appeal to researchers and students of biology endocrinology and neurobiology, behavioural ecology and evolutionary appeal to social scientists and psychologists interested in the to social behaviour.
Acknowledgments ix
Notes on contributors xi
Introduction xv
1 The caviomorph rodents: distribution and ecological diversification 1
Ricardo A. Ojeda, Agustina A. Ojeda and Agustina Novillo
2 Diversity of social behavior in caviomorph rodents 28
Christine R. Maher and Joseph R. Burger
3 Comparative neurobiology and genetics of mammalian social behavior 59
Annaliese Beery, Yasmin Kamal, Raúl Sobrero and Loren D. Hayes
4 Developmental underpinnings of social behavior 91
Valentina Colonnello, Ruth C. Newberry and Jaak Panksepp
5 Dispersal in caviomorph rodents 119
Eileen A. Lacey
6 Mechanisms of social communication in caviomorph rodents 147
Gabriel Francescoli, Selene Nogueira and Cristian Schleich
7 Causes and evolution of group-living 173
Luis A. Ebensperger and Loren D. Hayes
8 Rodent sociality: a comparison between caviomorphs and other rodent model systems 201
Nancy G. Solomon and Brian Keane
9 Cooperation in caviomorphs 228
Rodrigo A. Vásquez
10 Caviomorphs as models for the evolution of mating systems in mammals 253
Emilio A. Herrera
11 Parent-offspring and sibling-sibling interactions in caviomorph rodents: a search for elusive patterns 273
Zuleyma Tang-Martínez and Elizabeth R. Congdon
12 Fitness consequences of social systems 306
Loren D. Hayes and Luis A. Ebensperger
13 An integrative view of caviomorph social behavior 326
Luis A. Ebensperger and Loren D. Hayes
Glossary 356
Index 371