A pair choice test to identify female mating pattern in relation to ovulation in long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis)
To better understand female mating strategies, male influence over females should be limited. We therefore conducted a pair choice test where female long-tailed macaques controlled access to males in order to identify how female behaviour and the ovarian cycle affect choice and number of mates. Six females and four males participated. Twice a day, females were presented with two males and allowed two choices. Females mated with multiple males in all ovarian cycle phases. They apportioned choices and copulations evenly across males and did not prefer dominant males. This contrasts with mating in the wild, where dominant males monopolize copulations.
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Female mammals may exert choice for mates directly by mating selectively. Alternatively, females can mate promiscuously allowing sperm competition and/or cryptic female choice to operate. As primate sexual behaviour is likely a compromise between conflicting male and female interests, it may be important to examine female mating behaviour independently from male influence to better understand female mating strategies. To identify how female behaviour and ovarian cycle phase influence the choice and number of mates in female long-tailed macaques, we conducted a pair choice test where females had complete control over access to males. Six females and four males participated. Females were presented with a different pair of males twice a day. Each male was in an adjacent chamber. Females could enter freely and were allowed two entries per male-pair. Entry and subsequent copulation with a male was defined as a choice with mating. Each male was seen every day; the males within a pair alternated in a fixed order. The female's mating pattern was related to the menstrual cycle stage and timing of ovulation as determined from faecal progestogen profiles. Females chose and mated with males promiscuously in all periods of their menstrual cycle (pre-fertile, fertile and post-fertile). Overall, females apportioned choices with mating and number of copulations evenly across males. In general, female preferences were not based on male dominance rank. Further investigation is needed to better understand the nature of mating preferences and the adaptive significance of promiscuity in female primates.
Volume: August 2005, Volume 70, Issue 2