Preliminary Study Of Social Learning In The Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys(Rhinopithecus Roxellana)

Social learning is an important foundation of animal culture transmission.In different social systems,animal exhibits different social learning processes.Golden snub-nosed monkey exhibits multi-level society,the process of social learning in golden snub-nosed monkey remains unknown.The study of social learning ability in golden snub-nosed monkey contributes to the understanding of distinct social learning ability in snub-nosed monkeys' multi-level societies.From Jun.2012 to Jan.2015,we used artificial fruit test method to conduct preliminary study of social learning ability of golden snub-nosed monkey in Shennongjia National Nature Reserve,Hubei,China.We conducted study as training phrase and testing phrase.In training phrase,we selected three adult females which belonged to three different one-male,multi-females units(OMU)as demonstrators with 101 bouts including 1503 minutes.In testing phase,we tested 22 individuals in five OMUs in 77 bouts including 1356 minutes.We also recorded the ability of 22 individuals in five OMUs after the performance of traits of demonstrators.Result shows that(1)individual was effected by demonstrator(p ?0.001);(2)after demonstrators perform a trait,individuals acquire the trait in artificial fruit test.(in demonstrators level,pull demonstrator groups vs control groups,p = 0.002;pull demonstrator groups vs push demonstrator groups,p = 0.000;pull demonstrator groups vs control groups,p = 0.718).Multi-factor GLM analysis shows that;(3)After acquisition of a trait,golden snub-nosed monkey can keep this trait for 505 days without any trial.The trait would not change(p = 0.1174).Our work shows that golden snub-nosed monkey have ability to solve "artificial fruit" and they learn new skill from demonstrators.Before demonstrators move to other OMUs,skills only transmit in their OMU.Golden snub-nosed monkey can keep the trait stable for a long time.