Partner choice in genito-genital rubbing among female bonobos (Pan paniscus) is highly dependent on physical proximity.

Abstract

Sociosexual interactions of non-human primates have multiple functions, and information on partner choice could help us to determine the major purpose of these behaviors. Female bonobos (Pan paniscus) frequently engage in genito-genital (GG) rubbing, which is categorized as a sociosexual behavior. The functions of GG rubbing may vary across allopatric bonobo populations, especially in relation to its use in social bonding. Thus, we aimed to examine the use of GG rubbing in the formation and maintenance of social bonds by examining partner choice in this context in the habituated bonobo population at Wamba, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We examined the effect of female age (and correlated dominance rank) on the proportion of solicited GG rubbing, and the effects of age difference, proximity index, and grooming index on the successful GG rubbing occurrences. Our results showed that female age significantly affected the proportion of solicited GG rubbing, indicating that older and higher-ranking females solicited this activity more frequently. Individuals of female-female dyads who were close in age and dominance rank frequently engaged in GG rubbing. The more the females in a dyad were in physical proximity, the more they engaged in GG rubbing. No correlation was observed between grooming and GG rubbing. These results indicate that partner choice in GG rubbing is highly dependent on physical proximity, and suggest that characteristics of female gregariousness might be important with respect to this choice among bonobos.