Abstract
Behavior patterns during play, sexual role differentiation dependant on age, and mating behavior in squirrel monkeys living in laboratory groups are described.
While juveniles prefer mutual play (wrestling, contact play) adults or subadults most often use distinct roles at play; the male acts as the pursuer and the female flees but provokes his further pursuit. The male usually initiates the interaction by approaching, while the female determines what course it will follow (retreating or play or mating).
True copulatory behavior occurs in a rather stereotyped manner. A sequence of 10–25 mounts with rapid, followed by slow and intense pelvic thrusts, terminates with ejaculation. Mounts with or without rapid thrusts may occur during play, but long series of slow thrusts characterize mating behavior.
Between the mounts the female repeatedly displays genitals to the male and both partners purr to each other. An increase of urine washing and genital inspection may be observed but is not restricted to days when mating occurs. The influence of rank order among males on sexual behavior is discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altmann, S.A., 1959. Field observations in a howling monkey society.J. Mammal., 40: 317–330.
Beischer, D.E. &D.E. Furry, 1964.Saimiri sciureus as an experimental animal.Anat. Rec., 148(4): 615–624.
Bowden, D., Winter, P., &D.W. Ploog, 1967. Pregnancy and delivery behavior in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) and other primates.Folia primat., 5: 1–42.
Carpenter, C.R., 1934. Behavior and social relations of howling monkeys.Comp. psychol. Monograph, 10: 1–168.
——, 1935. Behavior of the red spider monkey in Panama.J. Mammal., 16(3): 171–180.
——, 1942. Sexual behavior of free ranging rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).J. comp. Psychol., 33: 113–162.
Castell, R. & H. Krohn, in preparation. Die Bedeutung des Rückenwälzens der Totenkopfaffen für die individuelle Körperpflege und die Dominanz im sozialen Verband.
——, 1967. Über das sogenannte Urinmarkieren von Totenkopfaffen (Saimiri sciureus) in Abhängigkeit von umweltbedingten und emotionalen Faktoren.Folia primat., 6: 170–176.
——, 1967. Zum Sozialverhalten der Totenkopfaffen (Saimiri sciureus): Auseinandersetzung zwischen zwei Kolonien.Z. Tierpsycychol., 24(5): 625–641.
Chance, M.R.A., 1956. Social structure of a colony ofMacaca mulatta.Brit. J. Animal Behav., 4: 1–12.
Clewe, T.H., 1966. Mating of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) in captivity.Amer. Soc. Zool., 6: 343–344.
Cooper, R.W., pers. commun.
Denniston, R.H., 1964. Notes on the vaginal cornification cycle of captive squirrel monkeys.J. Mammal., 45: 471.
Hall, K.R.L. &I. DeVore, 1965. Baboon social behavior. In:Primate Behavior, Field Studies in Monkeys and Apes,I. DeVore (ed.) New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Hill, W.C.O., 1962. Reproduction in the squirrel monkey,Saimiri sciurea.Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 138: 671–672.
Hopf, S., in press. Notes on pregnancy, delivery, and infant survival in captive squirrel monkeys.Primates, 8(4).
Leyhausen, P., 1956. Das Verhalten der Katzen.Hdb. Zool., 8 (Mammalia).
Marler, P., 1965. Communication in monkeys and apes. In:Primate Behavior, Field Studies in Monkeys and Apes,I. DeVore (ed.) New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Maurus, M., J. Mitra, &D. Ploog, 1965. Cerebral representation of the clitoris in ovariectomized squirrel monkeys.Exp. Neurol., 13: 283–288.
Ploog, D.W., 1963. Vergleichende quantitative Verhaltensstudien an zwei Totenkopfaffenkolonien.Z. Morph. Anthrop., 53(1–2): 92–108.
——, 1967. The behavior of squirrel monkeys as revealed by sociometry, bioacoustics, and brain stimulation. In:Social Communication among Primates,S.A. Altmann (ed) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
——, 1963. Studies on social and sexual behavior of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus).Folia primat., 1: 29–66.
——, 1967. Ontogenese des Verhaltens von Totenkopfaffen (Saimiri sciureus).Psychol. Forsch., 31: 1–41.
Rosenblum, L.A., I. Nathan, J. Nelson, &I.C. Kaufman, 1967. Vaginal cornification cycles in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciurea).Folia primat., 6: 83–91.
Tokuda, K., 1961–62. Sexual behavior in the Japanese monkey troop.Primates, 3(2): 1–40.
Winter, P., D.W. Ploog, &J. Latta, 1966. Vocal repertoire of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus), its analysis and significance.Exp. Brain Res., 1(4): 359–384.
——, 1966. Social organisation and communication of squirrel monkeys in captivity. In:Progress in Primatology,D. Starck,R. Schneider,H.J. Kuhn (eds.) Stuttgart: Fischer.
Wiswell, O.B., ref. afterR.W. Cooper 1966.Zool. Soc. of S. Diego, 4th Annual Report.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Latta, J., Hopf, S. & Ploog, D. Observation on mating behavior and sexual play in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). Primates 8, 229–245 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01731039
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01731039