Rank-biased access to females in periovulatory periods but comparable copulation rates across ranks in male bonobos at Wamba
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Objectives
Bonobos ( Pan paniscus ) are unique among non-human primates in that females exhibit prolonged sexual receptivity to males during the postpartum infertile stage. Although high synchrony in female sexual receptivity has been hypothesized to constrain dominant males’ monopolization of reproductive success, recent genetic studies indicate pronounced male reproductive skew in this species. We investigated how prolonged sexual receptivity in female bonobos affects male behavioral patterns.
Materials and Methods
Behavioral observations were conducted on a free-ranging bonobo group at Wamba in the Luo Scientific Reserve, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Periovulatory periods (POPs) were estimated from the timing of detumescence marking the end of the maximal swelling phase, following Ryu et al. (2022). For each male, we calculated the proportion of copulations with POP females. Using all-day focal follows targeting mature males, we tested for rank-related bias in their copulation rates and evaluated the effects of the party-level operational sex ratio (OSR; the ratio of mature males to sexually receptive females) on the focal male’s probability of copulation and intermale aggression.
Results
Higher-ranking males were more likely to copulate with POP females, yet males of all ranks engaged in copulation on most of focal observation days (twice per day, on average). Lower party-level OSR values increased the focal male’s probability of copulations while reducing intermale aggression.
Discussion
Prolonged sexual receptivity in female bonobos—yielding a pool of sexually receptive but non-POP females—may broaden male copulation opportunities beyond dominance rank and reduces intermale mating competition, even when POPs are detectable.
