Females Pay Attention to Female Secondary Sexual Color: An Experimental Study in Macaca mulatta (original) (raw)

Researchers have long considered the color of female sexual skin to play a role in attracting or inciting competition among males, or both; however, females may also use color in intrasexual communication. To assess this possibility, we examined whether variation in same-sex sexual skin color is salient to female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). We exposed adult females to computerized images of conspecific female faces and hindquarters manipulated for color (red vs. non-red), within the natural range of color variation. Females visually attended more to both reddened faces and hindquarters over the non-red counterparts. We conclude that female color might be biologically meaningful to other females.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The experiments comply with the current laws of Puerto Rico and the United States. The IACUC of the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus approved the investigation (Protocol 6810103). A grant awarded to M. S. Gerald by The Leakey Foundation and under NIH, NCRR grant CM-5-P40RR003640-13 awarded to the Caribbean Primate Research Center and awards from the University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus supported the investigation. We thank Dr. Janis Gonzalez, Dr. Mario Rodriguez, and the caretaking staff of the Sabana Seca Field Station, particularly Milton Martínez, whose logistical support allowed us to complete our experiments successfully, and Professor David Perrett for providing equipment access.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Cayo Santiago, Caribbean Primate Research Center, Punta Santiago, PR, 00741, USA
   Melissa S. Gerald & Corri Waitt
2. Caribean Primate Research Center, Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, USA
   Melissa S. Gerald, Corri Waitt & Edmundo Kraiselburd
3. Department of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, USA
   Melissa S. Gerald, Corri Waitt & Edmundo Kraiselburd
4. Scottish Primate Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, U.K
   Corri Waitt
5. School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, U.K
   Anthony C. Little

Authors

1. Melissa S. Gerald
2. Corri Waitt
3. Anthony C. Little
4. Edmundo Kraiselburd

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Correspondence toMelissa S. Gerald.

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Gerald, M.S., Waitt, C., Little, A.C. et al. Females Pay Attention to Female Secondary Sexual Color: An Experimental Study in Macaca mulatta .Int J Primatol 28, 1–7 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-006-9110-8

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• Published: 25 January 2007
• Issue date: February 2007
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-006-9110-8

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