Research overview: relatedness and the genetic structure of lion prides

The kin structure of lion prides, with related females and coalitions of often-related males, underlies the cooperative behaviors that define the species. This overview surveys genetic studies of relatedness within and between prides, how female philopatry and male coalition formation create patterns of kinship, and how these patterns support communal cub rearing and joint defense. It reviews how relatedness influences reproductive skew, cooperation, and inbreeding avoidance. The review connects pride genetic structure to dispersal, paternity, and the evolution of lion sociality. Understanding relatedness and pride structure clarifies how the genetic architecture of lion groups arises from their reproductive and dispersal behavior and how it shapes the cooperation central to lion life.