Male reproductive skew is higher in bonobos than chimpanzees.

ABSTRACT: The two closest living relatives of humans, bonobos (Pan paniscus) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), share many traits that are common in humans but rare in other mammals, including societies with high fission-fusion dynamics, male philopatry, female dispersal and extensive social bonding among unrelated individuals [1]. The major difference between these two species is that male aggression is more frequent and intense in male-dominated chimpanzees than in bonobos, where the highest-ranking individuals are female [1]. One potential explanation is that because periods of female sexual receptivity and attractiveness are more extended in bonobos [2], males compete less intensely for each mating opportunity. This would reduce the strength of selection for traits that lead to success in direct

SUBMITTER: Surbeck M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5568700 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature