The dynamics of male harem dominance in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at the South Shetland Islands

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Carlini, Alejandro R., Poljak, Sebastián, Daneri, Gustavo Adolfo, Márquez, María Elba Isabel, Negrete, Javier
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer
• Subjects: MIROUNGA LEONINA; SOUTHERN ELEPHAT SEALS; BREEDING CHRONOLOGY; BREEDING BIOLOGY; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1; 25 de Mayo; Argentina; Argentino; Gustavo; isla 25 de Mayo; King George Island; South Shetland Islands; Stranger Point; Dirección Nacional del Antártico; Elephant Seals; Instituto Antártico Argentino; Isla 25 de Mayo; Mirounga leonina; Southern Elephant Seals
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11336/244132

Breeding chronology, harem structure and changes in male harem dominance were studied at Stranger Point, Isla 25 de Mayo/King George Island, principally by extensive field census work during the 2003 breeding season. Males were individually identified and their size estimated by using a photogrammetric method. Peak female haul out for the population occurred on 31 October, when a total of 276 females were observed along 7 km of coastline, distributed in ten harems with a median size of 16 females. Overall sex ratio and harem sex ratio for the breeding population were 1:6.7 and 1:10.6, respectively. A total of 33 males were identified associated with harems. Male size conferred an advantage in terms of dominance hierarchy, since dominant males (4.91±0.15 m) were significantly longer than subordinate males (4.63±0.19 m). Harems were dominated by an average of 4.5 (range 2–7) different males during the breeding season. Elephant seals at Stranger Point breed in very low density aggregations. The main breeding events in this population occurred later than at other breeding sites, which agrees with previous observations in the area. Male movement among harems suggests that differences in mating success among males could be achieved through their different behaviours. Fil: Carlini, Alejandro R. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina Fil: Poljak, Sebastián. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Anatomía Comparada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Daneri, Gustavo Adolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología de Vertebrados. Sección de Mastozoología; Argentina Fil: Márquez, María Elba Isabel. Ministerio de Relaciones ...