Male-female and female-female mounting in Japanese macaques: a comparative study of posture and movement. 2006

Paul L Vasey, and Afra Foroud, and Nadine Duckworth, and Stefani D Kovacovsky
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1K 3M4, Canada. paul.vasey@uleth.ca

Mounting is generally considered to be a male-typical behavior. Female Japanese macaques, in certain populations, are unusual, in that they routinely mount other females. In this study, we examined to what extent female Japanese macaques mount same-sex partners in a male-typical manner. We compared the mount postures males and females adopt and their rate of pelvic thrusting. In addition, we employed a modified form of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) to compare patterns of pelvic movement during mounts. LMA is a universal language for movement that describes quantitative features of movement, such as changes in the relation of the body segments, as well as qualitative features, such as the style of movements. Our results indicate that female Japanese macaques do not mount in a male-typical manner. Females exhibited a much greater variety of mount postures than did males. Some of the most common types of mount postures employed by females were never exhibited by males. Females performed fewer pelvic thrusts per mount than males, but they executed more pelvic movements per mount, as well as, greater variety and complexity of movement. In addition, the qualitative style of pelvic mounting that females employed differed, in general, from that of males. We argue that these sex differences in mounting can be explained by the fact that both sexes sought sexual reward via genital stimulation during mounting, but they did so in different ways owing to the constraints imposed by their genital architecture. This study raises the larger question as to what constitutes a male-typical or female-typical behavior.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008251 Macaca A genus of the subfamily CERCOPITHECINAE, family CERCOPITHECIDAE, consisting of 16 species inhabiting forests of Africa, Asia, and the islands of Borneo, Philippines, and Celebes. Ape, Barbary,Ape, Black,Ape, Celebes,Barbary Ape,Black Ape,Celebes Ape,Macaque,Apes, Barbary,Apes, Black,Apes, Celebes,Barbary Apes,Black Apes,Celebes Apes,Macacas,Macaques
D008297 Male Males
D010152 Pair Bond In animals, the social relationship established between a male and female for reproduction. It may include raising of young. Bond, Pair,Bonds, Pair,Pair Bonds
D011187 Posture The position or physical attitude of the body. Postures
D003307 Copulation Sexual union of a male and a female in non-human species. Copulations
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012726 Sexual Behavior, Animal Sexual activities of animals. Mating Behavior, Animal,Sex Behavior, Animal,Animal Mating Behavior,Animal Mating Behaviors,Animal Sex Behavior,Animal Sex Behaviors,Animal Sexual Behavior,Animal Sexual Behaviors,Mating Behaviors, Animal,Sex Behaviors, Animal,Sexual Behaviors, Animal

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