Observations of flipper rubbing in mother–calf pairs of captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) suggest a body-surface care function

Bottlenose dolphins perform flipper rubbing in which they rub their partners with their pectoral fins. Considered similar to social grooming in primates, which have social and hygienic functions, flipper rubbing has been suggested to possess certain social functions. However, there are no reports ba...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of ethology Vol. 40; no. 3; pp. 257 - 264
Main Authors Sakai, Mai, Katsumata, Hiroshi, Kohshima, Shiro
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Tokyo Springer Japan 01.09.2022
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Animal behavior
Animal Ecology
Behavioral Sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cetacea
Dolphins & porpoises
Evolutionary Biology
Fins
Grooming
Hygiene
Life Sciences
Mother-offspring interactions
Tursiops truncatus
Zoology
Odontocetes
Social behavior
Social grooming
Body cleaning
Allogrooming
Social contact
Tactile contact
Hygienic function
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Summary:Bottlenose dolphins perform flipper rubbing in which they rub their partners with their pectoral fins. Considered similar to social grooming in primates, which have social and hygienic functions, flipper rubbing has been suggested to possess certain social functions. However, there are no reports based on quantitative data to support a hygienic function of this behavior. In this study, flipper rubbing and self-rubbing were observed in a group of three captive mother–calf dolphin pairs. In 19.2% of the observed 806 flipper-to-body rubbings and 54% of the 276 self-rubbings, dead skin was shed from the rubbed body part. There was a significant negative correlation between the number of flipper-to-body rubbing episodes the subjects received and their performance of self-rubbing. These results suggest that a function of flipper rubbing is to maintain and care for the body surface. In all mother–calf pairs, the mother rubbed her calf significantly more often than the calf rubbed the mother. Furthermore, each mother became a rubber significantly more often when their own offspring was their rubbing partner than when the partner was any other individual. These findings suggest that flipper rubbing is a mother-to-calf caring behavior.
ISSN:0289-0771
1439-5444
DOI:10.1007/s10164-022-00754-1