Spotted hyaenas, Crocuta crocuta, live in social groups in which dominance relationships are organized along matrilineal lines and female dominance over males is the norm among adults. In this study the ontogeny of rank relationships between juveniles and adults was examined in a clan of free-living spotted hyaenas. Juveniles of both sexes were initially subordinate to all adult females, but at approximately 6 months of age they began to challenge adult females from matrilines of lower rank than their own. By 18 months of age, juvenile females and males dominated 76% and 50% of adult females from lower-ranking matrilines, respectively. Juveniles dominated immigrant males in 99% of aggressive interactions with them. Juvenile attacks against adults often occurred in coalitions, but as the size difference between juveniles and adults decreased, so did the relative frequency of coalitionary aggression compared with that of dyadic attacks. Whereas adult females resisted challenges from juveniles, immigrant males appeared to passively accept subordinate status relative to juveniles. Dispersal thus appeared to precipitate a dramatic decline in the social status of males. © 1993 Academic Press, Inc.

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dominance hyaena Aggression spotted hyaena