The functions of the “Greeting Ceremony” among male mantled howlers (Alouatta palliata) on Agaltepec Island, Mexico

Abstract Nonhuman primates use greeting behaviors as nonaggressive communicatory signals in multiple social contexts. Adult male mantled howlers ( Alouatta palliata ) perform a ritual greeting that has been associated with bond‐strengthening functions. The aim of this study is to explore the greeting patterns of male howlers living on Agaltepec Island, Mexico. Specifically, we analyzed the relationships between greetings and several individual, relational, and contextual variables, such as the expression of affiliation and agonism, dominance rank, age, kinship relationships, spatial organization, activity patterns, and subgrouping patterns. Greetings were more frequent between males with closer dominance ranks. Among those dyads that greeted at least once, dominant males initiated greetings more frequently than less‐dominant males. On the other hand, more greetings were observed when one of the participants had recently returned to a subgroup and during locomotion. On the basis of these results, we propose that on Agaltepec greetings are a conflict management mechanism used between males of similar ranks. The fission–fusion social system of this group of howlers allows males with conflicting interests to remain separated, and greetings may reduce tension during fusion events. Am. J. Primatol. 70:621–628, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.