The lunch line: hyena social organization If a hyena has more social support, it is more likely to win an antagonistic social challenge. Instead, an “extrinsic factor,” social support, was found to be more predictive of a hyena’s dominance in a one-on-one interaction.
However, a new study of hyena social behaviors suggests that these characteristics, termed “intrinsic factors,” are not responsible for female hyena’s social dominance. Given their pseudopenis, more aggressive behavior, and larger size, it was no surprise to researchers that female hyenas dominate clans.
Instead of a separate vagina and urethra, the elongated clitoris contains a single urogenital canal used to pee, have sex, and bear offspring. Female hyenas have a clitoris that is so large and elongated that it looks like a penis. It’s not a Freudian complex, but rather a nickname for a body part. Though female hyenas are not significantly larger than males, their slightly larger size and increased aggression has previously been theorized to explain why they dominate the social order.Īlso, female spotted hyenas have a pseudopenis. At the top of the pecking order are female hyenas. Hyenas in clans, like eighth graders in middle school, are sorted into complex social hierarchies.
Spotted hyenas are highly social animals, forming large groups called clans, which range from 6 to over 100 members. If you’ve ever backed down from an argument with a popular kid, you might relate to a male spotted hyena.
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