Amazing stuff! The study seems to confirm that homosexual behavior is much more common among different species than previously known.
However, what does homosexual behavior among animals really mean? It might be quite different from that of homosexuality among humans. For example what is the sexual attraction between same sex animals?
"Homosexual behavior in primates has a deep evolutionary basis and is more likely to occur in species that live in harsh environments, are hunted by predators or live in more complex societies ...
Males or females of the same sex mounting or otherwise stimulating each other have been documented across the animal kingdom.
More than 1,500 different species have been observed engaging in same-sex sexual behavior, with some of the earliest reports dating back to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle.
But this relatively common behavior was long dismissed by the scientific community as a "Darwinian paradox." ...
More recently, scientists have shown that this behavior can in part be inherited from an animal's parents—and can provide an evolutionary advantage.
"Diversity of sexual behavior is very common in nature, among species and in animal societies—it is as important as caring for offspring, fighting off predators or foraging for food," ...
collected data on 491 non-human primate species.
They identified same-sex sexual behavior in 59 species, including lemurs, great apes and monkeys across the Americas, Africa and Asia.
That the behavior was so widespread indicates it has a "deep evolutionary root," the study said. ...
They found that the behavior was more common in species that lived in harsh environments with limited access to food, such as barbary macaques.
It was also more common in species more likely to be hunted by predators—vervet monkeys, for example, have to avoid all sorts of big cats and snakes in Africa. ..."
"... They found that SSB was more likely in species living in drier climates, with scarce food resources or under greater pressure from predators. Species with noticeable differences between males and females, longer lifespans, or complex social lives were also more likely to engage in SSB.
The findings suggest that same-sex sexual behaviour may play a role in navigating social dynamics, forming alliances, and maintaining cohesion within groups. ..."
From the abstract:
"Same-sex sexual behaviour (SSB) is widespread across animal species; however, its evolutionary origins and ecological underpinnings remain poorly understood.
In social animals, SSB is probably shaped by both genetic and environmental factors. For instance, a recent study in rhesus macaques indicates that while SSB is partially heritable and genetically based, it is also strongly influenced by environmental and social conditions.
Here we compiled species-level data on 491 non-human primate species, documenting SSB occurrence and prevalence in 59 species, and examined its associations with 15 environmental, life history and social traits using phylogenetic regression and structural equation modelling.
SSB occurrence was more likely in species inhabiting drier environments with increased food scarcity and predation pressure, in species with greater size dimorphism and longer lifespans and in those with more complex social structures and hierarchies.
Structural equation modelling further indicated that environmental and life history traits influence SSB mainly indirectly, whereas social complexity directly promotes its occurrence.
Together, these findings highlight SSB as a context-dependent behaviour shaped by interactions among ecological, life history and social factors, offering insights into the sexual diversity and social evolution of primates."
New research explores ecological and social roots of same-sex sexual behaviour in primates (original news release) "A comprehensive new study of primates reveals that same-sex sexual behaviour (SSB) is widespread and influenced by a combination of environmental and social factors."
Male chimpanzees exhibiting same-sex sexual behaviour in Kibale Forest, Uganda.
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