Sexual behavior in Hanuman Langur(Semnopithecus entellus: Primate) Female under captive conditions
C.B. Tiwary1, Nikendra Kumar2 and Ravindra Kumar3
1Department of Zoology, SMD College, MN Jalalpur, Gopalganj-841503 (India) 2&3Research Scholars, J.P. University, Chapra-841301 (India) E-mail Id : tiwary-cb@rediffmail.com
ABSTRACT
Human females, unlike most mammals are sexually active outside of fertile periods. This decoupling of sexual behavior from its conceptive function has a large impact on human social relationships. We examined one type of such mating, the mating that occurs during pregnancy or post-conceptive (PC) mating in Hanuman Langur (Semnopithecus entellus). We used near complete mating record for five females during gestation and observed that conditional PC mating synchronizing copulations to occur on days when other females mated, and refraining from mating for lengthy period when no other females mated. As pregnant females mated exclusively with the same male before and after conception, and mated in response to group female behavior. We conclude that gorillas used PC mating as a form of female competition, and not to confuse paternity or to obtain immediate benefits from the male, as suggested earlier. The male started copulation preferentially with females of high rank, rather than distinguishing between pregnant and cyclic females. Therefore PC mating appears to be a strategy by which high ranking pregnant females attempt to minimize male interest in other females. These findings indicate that female mating competition is more important than considered earlier, and may be a factor in the evolution of non-conceptive mating in humans.