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Information content of female copulation calls in yellow baboons.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Semple, S; McComb, K; Alberts, S; Altmann, J
Published in: American journal of primatology
January 2002

In a wide variety of animal species, females produce vocalizations just before, during, or immediately after copulation. Observational and experimental evidence indicates that these copulation calls are sexually selected traits, functioning to promote competition between males for access to the calling female. In this paper, we present an acoustic analysis of variation in the form of copulation calls of female yellow baboons, Papio cynocephalus cynocephalus. In particular, we examine whether information about three factors-the calling female's reproductive state, the occurrence or absence of ejaculation, and the dominance rank of the mating male-is encoded in call structure and hence is potentially available to male receivers attending to the signal. Although several features of copulation calls were correlated with each of these factors, when all three were included in multiple regressions only reproductive state and rank of the mating male had independent effects on call form. These findings indicate that female copulation calls in this species signal information about the proximity to ovulation of the calling female and also the relative competitive strength of her mating partner.

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Published In

American journal of primatology

DOI

EISSN

1098-2345

ISSN

0275-2565

Publication Date

January 2002

Volume

56

Issue

1

Start / End Page

43 / 56

Related Subject Headings

  • Vocalization, Animal
  • Social Dominance
  • Selection, Genetic
  • Papio
  • Ovulation
  • Male
  • Female
  • Copulation
  • Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology
  • Animals
 

Citation

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Semple, S., McComb, K., Alberts, S., & Altmann, J. (2002). Information content of female copulation calls in yellow baboons. American Journal of Primatology, 56(1), 43–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.1062
Semple, Stuart, Karen McComb, Susan Alberts, and Jeanne Altmann. “Information content of female copulation calls in yellow baboons.American Journal of Primatology 56, no. 1 (January 2002): 43–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.1062.
Semple S, McComb K, Alberts S, Altmann J. Information content of female copulation calls in yellow baboons. American journal of primatology. 2002 Jan;56(1):43–56.
Semple, Stuart, et al. “Information content of female copulation calls in yellow baboons.American Journal of Primatology, vol. 56, no. 1, Jan. 2002, pp. 43–56. Epmc, doi:10.1002/ajp.1062.
Semple S, McComb K, Alberts S, Altmann J. Information content of female copulation calls in yellow baboons. American journal of primatology. 2002 Jan;56(1):43–56.
Journal cover image

Published In

American journal of primatology

DOI

EISSN

1098-2345

ISSN

0275-2565

Publication Date

January 2002

Volume

56

Issue

1

Start / End Page

43 / 56

Related Subject Headings

  • Vocalization, Animal
  • Social Dominance
  • Selection, Genetic
  • Papio
  • Ovulation
  • Male
  • Female
  • Copulation
  • Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology
  • Animals