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The evolution of female copulation calls in primates: a review and a new model

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Abstract

Female copulation calls are mating-associated vocalizations that occur in some species of Old World monkeys and apes. We argue that copulation calls have two immediate functions: to encourage mating attempts by other males and to increase mate guarding by the consort male. We hypothesize that female copulation calls have evolved under the selective pressures of risk of infanticide and sperm competition. When male mate guarding is effective, copulation calls allow females to concentrate paternity in dominant males and benefit from their protection against the risk of infanticide. When mate guarding is ineffective, copulation calls may bring genetic benefits to females through facilitation of sperm competition. We present a quantitative model in which interspecific variation in females' promiscuity predicts their tendency to use copulation calls in conjunction with mating. The model predicts that in species with little female promiscuity, copulation calls should be rare and exhibited only in association with mating with dominant males. In species in which females are highly promiscuous, copulation calls should be frequent and unrelated to male dominance rank. The limited data available to test the model support its main predictions as well as the predicted relation between copulation calls and male dominance rank.

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Notes

  1. The values of B and k are set to 0.4 and 10, respectively. The setting of these parameters is somewhat intuitive and based on a previous model of male infanticide (van Schaik et al. 2004). Our current model predicts probabilities within acceptable limits for a wide range of these parameter values, therefore, the exact values of these parameters should not affect the main outcome of the model.

  2. The values of B′ and k′ are here set to 0.6 and 10, respectively (see previous footnote and van Schaik et al. 2004).

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by NIH grants R01-MH62577 and K02-MH63097. We thank Sagar Pandit and Stephen Pruett-Jones for helpful discussion and comments on this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Behavior Research Group, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Gauri R. Pradhan & Dario Maestripieri

  2. German Primate Center, Gottingen, 37077, Germany

    Antje Engelhardt

  3. Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich, 2057, Switzerland

    Carel P. van Schaik

  4. The University of Chicago, 5730 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Dario Maestripieri

Authors
  1. Gauri R. Pradhan
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  2. Antje Engelhardt
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  3. Carel P. van Schaik
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  4. Dario Maestripieri
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Correspondence to Dario Maestripieri.

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Communicated by A. Cockburn

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Pradhan, G.R., Engelhardt, A., van Schaik, C.P. et al. The evolution of female copulation calls in primates: a review and a new model. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 59, 333–343 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-005-0075-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-005-0075-y

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