Ring-tailed Lemur

Ring-tailed lemurs demonstrate female dominance like spotted hyenas, but in a completely different primate lineage. Females dominate males absolutely through coalition enforcement—when any male challenges a female, other females immediately intervene. This coalition-enforced dominance creates categorical female superiority despite males being similar in size.

The dominance is unconditional. Females don't merely outrank males in specific contexts; they dominate in all contexts. Females feed first, displace males from any resource, and receive grooming rather than giving it. There are no exceptions or negotiations.

Kin-based female groups enable coalition formation. Unlike bonobos where unrelated females build coalitions, ring-tailed lemur females are typically relatives. The kin structure provides automatic coalition partners—you don't need to build alliances because they exist by family membership.

Males disperse and remain subordinate everywhere. A male can't escape female dominance by moving groups; he'll be subordinate in any group he joins. This unavoidable subordination may reduce male resistance—fighting the system is futile.

For organizations, ring-tailed lemurs demonstrate that coalition-enforced hierarchies can be categorical rather than contextual. When group enforcement is reliable, individual rank becomes fixed rather than negotiable.