Perineal swelling, intermenstrual cycle, and female sexual behavior in bonobos (Pan paniscus)

@article{Paoli2006PerinealSI,  title={Perineal swelling, intermenstrual cycle, and female sexual behavior in bonobos (Pan paniscus)},  author={Tommaso Paoli and Elisabetta Palagi and G. Tacconi and Silvana M. Borgognini Tarli},  journal={American Journal of Primatology},  year={2006},  volume={68},  url={https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:25823290}}
It is suggested that GG‐rubbing, which is generally the most frequent female sexual interaction, is a tool for social assessments among females and the attractivity of female sexual swellings for other individuals is attractive for both males and other females.

31 Citations

Prolonged maximal sexual swelling in wild bonobos facilitates affiliative interactions between females

The hypothesis that one function of prolonged maximal swelling in bonobos is to increase attractiveness to other females, thereby enhancing affiliative relationships between females in a male-philopatric social system is supported.

Female bonobos show social swelling by synchronizing their maximum swelling and increasing bonding

In bonobos MSP can be modulated by social factors and its synchronization, possibly underlying autonomic contagion, might have been positively selected during evolution in relation to the benefits females obtain in terms of intra-group cohesion.

Sexual swelling in bonobos: variations, ovulation predictability, and male responses

The results revealed that the low predictability of ovulation is best explained by inter- and intra-individual variation in the length of maximal swelling phase, rather than ovulation occurring randomly within that phase in bonobos.

A survey of bonobo (Pan paniscus) oral contraceptive pill use in North American zoos.

Survey results characterizing OCP use in bonobos housed in North American zoos indicate that OCPs are an effective and reversible contraceptive option for bonobos that can be used by zoos and sanctuaries to limit reproduction.

Sex and strife: post-conflict sexual contacts in bonobos

Reconciliation and reconciliation were both marked by significant increases in the occurrence of sexual behaviours, although consolation was also characterized by increases in non-sexual behaviours, such as embrace.

A composite menstrual cycle of captive orangutans, with associated hormonal and behavioral variability

The results suggest that matings are more common during the periovulatory period than outside of it, but do not support a consistent link between hormonal indices of fecundability and mating behaviors in these individuals.

Influence of feeding and short-term crowding on the sexual repertoire of captive bonobos (Pan paniscus)

It is suggested that during feeding bonobos may selectively use non-reproductive sex to reduce tension, and that during short-term crowding they may employ both grooming and non-procreative sexuality to avoid a potential raise in tension.

Sex and grooming as exchange commodities in female bonobos’ daily biological market

This study confirms BMT as a valid model to explain daily commodity exchanges as a function of the temporary value of traders, and underlines the importance of a day-by-day approach to unveil the presence of a biological market when the value of trader frequently changes.

The Structure of Bonobo Copulation Calls During Reproductive and Non-Reproductive Sex

The acoustic structure of copulation calls in bonobos is investigated, finding that calls produced during sexual interactions with male and female partners could not be reliably distinguished in terms of their acoustic structure, despite major differences in mating behaviour and social context.

63 References

Size of sexual swellings reflects ovarian function in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Examination of the between-cycle relationship between ovarian function, gauged via fecal steroid analysis, and absolute size of sexual swellings, yielded through photogrammetric methods suggests that swellings could convey information to competing males about the fecundability of a potential mate.

Use and function of genital contacts among female bonobos

It is suggested that genital contacts can be used to investigate both quality and dynamics of dyadic social relationships among female bonobos, and shown rank-related asymmetries in initiation and performance of genital contacts supporting the social status hypothesis.

Sexual swelling, receptivity, and grouping of wild pygmy chimpanzee females at Wamba, Zaïre

Although pregnant females and those with newborn infants were sexually inactive, females with infants older than 3 years copulated as frequently as those without dependent infants and copulation was mostly restricted to the maximum swelling phase.

Timing and probability of ovulation in relation to sex skin swelling in wild West African chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes verus

In wild chimpanzees perineal swelling indicates the probability of ovulation, but does not provide sufficient information to deduce its exact timing, and field workers should try to include hormonal analysis if information on timing of Ovulation is required for interpretation of observational data.

Female perineal swelling and its effects on male sexual arousal: An apparent sexual releaser in the chacma baboon (Papio ursinus)

By attaching a plastic reproduction of a fully swollen perineum to ovariectomized female chacma baboons, it has finally been demonstrated that the sexual swelling has an important function in the sexual communication of this species.

What Females Tell Males About Their Reproductive Status: Are Morphological and Behavioural Cues Reliable Signals of Ovulation in Bonobos (Pan paniscus)?

It is concluded that swellings in bonobos provide honest information on the probability of ovulation, but not its exact timing, and that therefore the ‘obvious ovulation’-hypothesis cannot explain the function of sexual swellingsIn bonobos.

Issues in Bonobo (Pan paniscus) Sexual Behavior

An understanding of the forms and functions of Van paniscus sexual behavior is best achieved through a comparison to Pan troglodytes, which shows increased female receptivity, variability in copulatory position, male or female initiation of sexual behavior, differential male and female preferences for copulatory positions, and association of food sharing and sexual behavior.

Loss of Oestrus and Concealed Ovulation in Human Evolution: The Case against the Sexual‐Selection Hypothesis

Analysis of the sexual behaviour of nonhuman primates and humans indicates that constant receptivity is not unique to humans and that human sexual behaviour is not independent of the phases of the menstrual cycle, assuming the existence of direct selection pressures on sexual behaviour in the Plio/Pleistocene evolution of the Homininae seems unjustified.
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