The Meaning of Nepotism
Sherman PW. 1980. The Meaning of Nepotism. The American Naturalist. 116(4):604-606
This document looks at the frequency of alarm calls of resident, reproductive female Belding's ground squirrels with living adult female relatives. The results of this study led me to suggest that alarm calls in this species represent nepotism because they are manifestations of 'favoritism shown nephews and other relatives'. In Belding's ground squirrels alarm calls to terrestrial predators warn kin; thus they are expressions of nepotism. This study took place at Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park, CA.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Sherman, Paul
- Units
- YOSE
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Belding's ground squirrel (Spermophilus beldingi), kinship, nepotism