Sexual adaptation: is femaleâmale mounting a supernormal courtship display in Japanese macaques?
In: BehaviourSearch for other papers by Noëlle Gunst in
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School of Natural and Engineering Sciences National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India
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Abstract
We analysed heterosexual consortships in a free-ranging group of Japanese macaques in which adult females routinely perform female-to-male mounting (FMM). We tested whether FMM is more efficient (i.e., a âsupernormal courtshipâ behavioural pattern) than species-typical female-to-male sexual solicitations (FMSS) at prompting subsequent male-to-female mounts (MFM). In a context of high female-female competition for male mates, we found that (1) FMM functioned to focus the male consort partnerâs attention as efficiently as FMSS and prevented him from moving away, and (2) FMM was more efficient than species-typical FMSS at expediting MFM (i.e., the most fitness-enhancing sexual behaviour of a mating sequence). We concluded that FMM could be considered a supernormal courtship behavioural pattern in adult female Japanese macaques. This population-specific sexual adaptation may result from a combination of favourable socio-demographic conditions. This study has implications for the evolutionary history of non-conceptive mounting patterns in Japanese macaques and non-conceptive sexuality in humans.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
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Sexual adaptation: is femaleâmale mounting a supernormal courtship display in Japanese macaques?
In: BehaviourSearch for other papers by Noëlle Gunst in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
School of Natural and Engineering Sciences National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India
Search for other papers by Jean-Baptiste Leca in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Paul L. Vasey in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
We analysed heterosexual consortships in a free-ranging group of Japanese macaques in which adult females routinely perform female-to-male mounting (FMM). We tested whether FMM is more efficient (i.e., a âsupernormal courtshipâ behavioural pattern) than species-typical female-to-male sexual solicitations (FMSS) at prompting subsequent male-to-female mounts (MFM). In a context of high female-female competition for male mates, we found that (1) FMM functioned to focus the male consort partnerâs attention as efficiently as FMSS and prevented him from moving away, and (2) FMM was more efficient than species-typical FMSS at expediting MFM (i.e., the most fitness-enhancing sexual behaviour of a mating sequence). We concluded that FMM could be considered a supernormal courtship behavioural pattern in adult female Japanese macaques. This population-specific sexual adaptation may result from a combination of favourable socio-demographic conditions. This study has implications for the evolutionary history of non-conceptive mounting patterns in Japanese macaques and non-conceptive sexuality in humans.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1415 | 179 | 34 |
| Full Text Views | 71 | 6 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 115 | 14 | 0 |
