Female bonobos use copulation calls as social signals
Zanna Clay, Simone Pika, Thibaud Gruber & Klaus Zuberbühler
| Résumé |
During mating events, females of many primate species produce loud
and distinct vocalizations known as 'copulation calls'. The
adaptive significance of these signals is considered to be in
promoting the caller's direct reproductive success. Here, we
investigated copulation calling in bonobos (Pan paniscus), a
species in which females produce these vocalizations during sexual
interactions with partners of both sexes. Females were more likely
to call when mating with males than with females. We also observed
a positive relationship between the likelihood of calling and
partner rank, regardless of partner sex. Sexual activity generally
increased with swelling size (an indicator of reproductive state)
and, during their peak swelling, females called more with male than
with female partners. Female bonobos are unusual among the non-human
primates in terms of their heightened socio-sexuality. Our results
suggest that in this species, copulation calls have undergone an
evolutionary transition from a purely reproductive to a more
general social function, reflecting the intrinsic evolutionary
links between vocal behaviour and social cognition. |
| Citation | Clay, Z., Pika, S., Gruber, T., & Zuberbühler, K. (2011). Female bonobos use copulation calls as social signals. Biology Letters, 7(4), 513-516. |
| Type | Article de périodique (Anglais) |
| Date de publication | 2011 |
| Nom du périodique | Biology Letters |
| Volume | 7 |
| Numéro | 4 |
| Pages | 513-516 |