There have been many studies that have demonstrated deviations from the traditional wisdom that females should be choosy and coy, while males should be ardent and promiscuous. Woolly monkeys are a particularly strange and puzzling exception, however.
Both males and females of this species chatter their teeth as a sexual solicitation, however we have seen females employ this gesture far more frequently. In addition to teeth chattering, females will follow males around grooming them and sometimes grabbing at them (including rather pointedly tugging on their testicles). Sexual solicitations by females are not uncommon in the Primate order, but female woolly monkeys are relentless. Additionally, they solicit everyone; this even includes larger juvenile males.
Males in comparison rarely pursue females and can barely be bothered to mate at all. Often they will ignore sexual solicitations, even turning their backs on females. We've seen males run from soliciting females, including one male who was being pursued by a total of three teeth chattering females and resorted to jumping into a tree full of thorns to escape. On other occasions males have just curled up and gone to sleep.
When matings do occur (i.e. when males can be coaxed into it) pairs are often harassed by other group members. Unsurprisingly infants and juveniles are intrigued and sometimes bothered by the spectacle. In contrast, we've never seen males try to break up a mating, or even show any interest in what's going on. By far the weirdest part, however, is the reaction by adult females. Females often approach mating pairs and frequently break up matings by shaking branches or jumping on the pair.
Both males and females of this species chatter their teeth as a sexual solicitation, however we have seen females employ this gesture far more frequently. In addition to teeth chattering, females will follow males around grooming them and sometimes grabbing at them (including rather pointedly tugging on their testicles). Sexual solicitations by females are not uncommon in the Primate order, but female woolly monkeys are relentless. Additionally, they solicit everyone; this even includes larger juvenile males.
Males in comparison rarely pursue females and can barely be bothered to mate at all. Often they will ignore sexual solicitations, even turning their backs on females. We've seen males run from soliciting females, including one male who was being pursued by a total of three teeth chattering females and resorted to jumping into a tree full of thorns to escape. On other occasions males have just curled up and gone to sleep.
When matings do occur (i.e. when males can be coaxed into it) pairs are often harassed by other group members. Unsurprisingly infants and juveniles are intrigued and sometimes bothered by the spectacle. In contrast, we've never seen males try to break up a mating, or even show any interest in what's going on. By far the weirdest part, however, is the reaction by adult females. Females often approach mating pairs and frequently break up matings by shaking branches or jumping on the pair.