Ethology Research, Animal Science Department, Biomedical Primate Research Center, Rijswijk, The Netherlands.
Am J Primatol. 2012 Mar;74(3):217-28. doi: 10.1002/ajp.21988.
Males and females have different sexual interests and subsequently may show conflicting sexual strategies. While dominant males try to monopolize females, promiscuity benefits females and subordinate males. One way to escape monopolization by dominant males is to copulate in their absence. We tested this inhibitory effect of males on the sexual behavior of their group members in captive group-living Rhesus macaques. Copulations between females and nonalpha males almost exclusively took place when the alpha male was out of sight. Furthermore, the inhibiting effect was not unique for the alpha male. An upcoming nonalpha male also inhibited copulations of its group members, and three other nonalpha males inhibited female copulation solicitations. Females adjusted their behavior to the presence of bystander males, as they initiated and accepted initiations more often in absence than in presence of bystander males. Although not significant, in males, a similar pattern was found. The observed reduction in mating behavior in presence of bystander males is in accordance with an "audience effect," in which the behavior is modulated in relation to the presence or absence of third parties. This audience effect may serve as an important mechanism to reduce (aggressive) interruptions of subordinate male copulations.
男性和女性有不同的性兴趣，因此可能表现出冲突的性策略。虽然占优势的雄性试图垄断雌性，但滥交对雌性和从属雄性有利。逃避占优势雄性垄断的一种方法是在它们不在场的时候交配。我们在圈养的恒河猴群体中测试了雄性对其群体成员性行为的这种抑制作用。当优势雄性看不见时，雌性与非优势雄性之间的交配几乎完全发生。此外，这种抑制作用并不是优势雄性所特有的。即将到来的非优势雄性也抑制了其群体成员的交配，而另外三只非优势雄性则抑制了雌性的交配请求。雌性根据旁观者雄性的存在调整自己的行为，因为它们在旁观者雄性不在场时比在场时更频繁地发起和接受发起。虽然不显著，但在雄性中也发现了类似的模式。在旁观者雄性在场时，交配行为的减少符合“观众效应”，即行为根据第三方的存在或不存在而进行调节。这种观众效应可能是减少（攻击性）从属雄性交配中断的重要机制。
