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Squib published In: Interaction Studies
Vol. 20:2 (2019) ► pp.362–374

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Short report

Copulation calls in wild Mueller’s gibbons (Hylobates muelleri)

A case study

 | Cognition and Behavior Joint Research Laboratory, RIKEN Brain Science Institute
 | Research and Development Division Yayasan Sabah Group
 | Cognition and Behavior Joint Research Laboratory, RIKEN Brain Science Institute | Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Published online: 7 October 2019
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/is.16018.ino
Abstract
Mating activity of a wild Mueller’s gibbon group (Hylobates muelleri) was observed in the Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the function of copulation calls in gibbons. The female emitted copulation calls at the time of intromission and pelvic thrusting. Copulation calls were composed of two notes and one of them was sung only while mating. Approximately half of copulation calls were sung near the range boundary. Mating with copulation calls sometimes occurred while singing. According to the model that female copulation calls have evolved under the selective pressures of risk of infanticide and sperm competition, copulation calls should be rare in species with little female promiscuity. As gibbons usually live in pair-living social organization and have a monogamous mating system, no vocal signals by female gibbons are considered to be needed. However, clear copulation calls were emitted by the female. It suggests that the relationship between paired gibbons is unstable. Copulation calls by the female Mueller’s gibbon may function to increase mate guarding and strengthen the pair bond.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Methods
    • Study area and animals
    • Behavioral data, sound recordings and analysis
  • Results
    • Mating activity
    • Copulation call
  • Discussion
  • Acknowledgments
  • References
References (21)
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Cited by one other publication

Inoue, Yoichi, Waidi Sinun & Kazuo Okanoya
2023. Non-aggressive inter-group interactions in wild Northern Gray gibbons (Hylobates funereus). acta ethologica 26:1 ► pp. 59 ff. DOI logo

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