The evolution of primate societies /

Nonhuman primates present a wide variety of social behaviors and ecological responses, and summarizing these requires a broad range of authors. This five-part volume builds on the success of Primate Societies, edited by Barbara Smuts and colleagues (CH, Oct'87) but is not just a revised edition. It reflects the exponential increase in the number of relevant publications since the first work appeared. Forty-four specialist contributors review this research in 32 chapters. Part 1 surveys modern primates in terms of systematics, biogeography, life history, ecology, and social organization, providing baseline information that is reorganized topically in the remaining sections. Part 2 examines responses to ecological pressures (e.g., food and predation) as well as the development of sociality and its relationship to the genetic structure of populations. Aspects of reproduction, such as mate choice, parenting, infanticide, reproductive strategy, and performance by sex, are addressed in part 3. An exploration of social structure, especially cooperation and adaptive explanations, follows in part 4. The last section examines primate cognitive abilities, including relationships with communication and social learning. The final chapter of each section specifically looks at how humans compare to their primate relatives, making this book required reading for anthropologists as well as for primatologists. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners. E. Delson CUNY Herbert H. Lehman College