Male bonobo mating strategies target female fertile windows despite noisy ovulatory signals during sexual swelling.

ABSTRACT: In most mammals, female sexual receptivity (estrus) closely coincides with ovulation, providing males with precise fertility signals. However, in some anthropoid primates living in multi-male societies, females display extended receptivity along with exaggerated sexual swellings that probabilistically indicate ovulation. This raises the question about how males successfully time mating, particularly when ovulation is difficult to predict from such signals. To address this question in bonobos, we combined daily variation in swelling size, hormonal profiles, and male mating behaviors. By estimating day-specific ovulation probabilities relative to the onset and subsidence (detumescence) of maximal swelling, we also examined how male efforts correlate with female fertility. Our results reveale

SUBMITTER: Ryu H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12688130 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature