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Individual foraging specializations in marine mammals: Culture and ecology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2001

Richard C. Connor
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Mass-Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA 02748 rconnor@umassd.edu

Abstract

Rendell and Whitehead argue persuasively that individual foraging specializations, if socially learned, are examples of cetacean culture. However, they discount ecological variation experienced by individuals within a population as a factor in such behavior. I suggest that ecological variation may play an important role in individual foraging specializations and describe several ecological parameters that may help us understand the high frequency of this interesting behavior in the marine habitat.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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