Homosexual Courtship in Young Wild Capuchin Monkeys: A Case Study

In primates, many species exhibit same-sex sexual behaviors (SSB), defined as “genital contact or genital manipulation between same-sex individuals.” Several sociosexual functions have been proposed, including proceptivity enhancement, receptivity reduction, dominance assertion, practice for heteros...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of sexual behavior 2023-08, Vol.52 (6), p.2303-2315
Main Authors: Delval, Irene, Fernández-Bolaños, Marcelo, Visalberghi, Elisabetta, Izar, Patrícia, Valentova, Jaroslava Varella
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal cognition
Animal reproduction
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Cognitive ability
Females
Heterosexuality
Males
Monkeys & apes
Original Paper
Primates
Psychology
Public Health
Sexual Behavior
Social Sciences
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Summary:In primates, many species exhibit same-sex sexual behaviors (SSB), defined as “genital contact or genital manipulation between same-sex individuals.” Several sociosexual functions have been proposed, including proceptivity enhancement, receptivity reduction, dominance assertion, practice for heterosexual copulation, tension regulation, reconciliation, and alliance formation. Capuchin monkeys are known for their rich and flexible sexual behavioral repertoire and elaborated courtships. At present, the few reports of SSB in capuchin monkeys (genera Sapajus and Cebus ) focused on mounting. Here, we describe the case observed in a population of wild yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys ( Sapajus xanthosternos ) in which two young males, aged 5–6 years and 19 months, performed a 15-min uninterrupted sequence of courtship behaviors and mounting. Comparing with a previously established ethogram of 20 behaviors typical for heterosexual behavior of tufted capuchins, we show that these males performed 16 of them. Thus, SSBs are already present in the repertoire of young individuals and the practice may serve to create or strengthen bonds. Although same-sex mounting and genital inspection are common in capuchins’ play and other social interactions, the almost entire array of courtship behaviors has never been observed in youngsters. Additionally, this example supports the notion that primate (homo)sexual behavior is not limited to genitalia and copulation, since the observed courtship included diverse behaviors different from genital contact. Thus, we propose a broader definition of sexual behavior.
ISSN:0004-0002
1573-2800
1573-2800
DOI:10.1007/s10508-023-02632-4