عنوان

The function of female mate choice in the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus abelii)

Number

TLpq304423247

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

The function of female mate choice in the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus abelii)

General Material Designation

[Thesis]

First Statement of Responsibility

E. A. Fox

Subsequent Statement of Responsibility

C. P. v. Schaik

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Duke University

Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.

1998

Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item

252

Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree

Ph.D.

Body granting the degree

Duke University

Text preceding or following the note

1998

Text of Note

This study investigated the function of female mate choice in the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus abelii). Wild orangutans were studied for 24 months at the Suaq Balimbing Research Station, Sumatra, Indonesia. Over 9,000 hours of observational data were collected from a study population of 42 habituated individuals. All age-sex classes (except infants) were observed to copulate (n = 204, plus 7 attempts). Urine was collected from females and analyzed for P4 and total estrogens using radioenzyme assay. Ranging data were plotted manually in the field and transcribed digitally prior to analysis. Copulations were classified as either forced, unresisted, or female proceptive. An examination of patterns of female resistance over time revealed that individualized relationships did not exist between adult females and subadult males. Females also did not use male aggression to assess mate quality; rather, female resistance represented honest negative mate choice. Females suffered energetic costs as a result of male harassment. In addition, hormonal data indicated that females may have risked insemination as a result of forced copulations. Therefore, forced copulations in orangutans met the definition of sexual coercion. During consortships with the resident adult male, the rate of forced copulations did not decline relative to other types of copulations by subadult males. However, the rate of successful attempts did decline. This decline was due to interference by the resident adult male, which was frequently instigated by the harassed female. As such, adult males protected females from harassment, but females obtained this harassment only by exploiting male-male competition to their own advantage.

Biological sciences

Indonesia

Mate choice

Pongo pygmaeus

Sexual selection

Social sciences

C. P. v. Schaik

E. A. Fox

Electronic name

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y