The adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous African ground squirrel.

<h4>Background</h4>Studies of animal mating systems increasingly emphasize female multiple mating and cryptic sexual selection, particularly sperm competition. Males under intense sperm competition may manipulate sperm quantity and quality through masturbation, which could waste sperm an...

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Autor principal:	Jane M Waterman
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2010
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/a607de288a474b35b27c418b90fe1d72
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:a607de288a474b35b27c418b90fe1d722021-11-18T07:03:53ZThe adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous African ground squirrel.1932-620310.1371/journal.pone.0013060https://doaj.org/article/a607de288a474b35b27c418b90fe1d722010-09-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/20927404/?tool=EBIhttps://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203<h4>Background</h4>Studies of animal mating systems increasingly emphasize female multiple mating and cryptic sexual selection, particularly sperm competition. Males under intense sperm competition may manipulate sperm quantity and quality through masturbation, which could waste sperm and decrease fertility. I examined the factors influencing masturbation by male Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris) in light of a number of functional hypotheses.<h4>Methodology</h4>Observational data on a marked population of squirrels were collected in east-central Namibia using scan and all-occurrences sampling.<h4>Findings</h4>Masturbation was far more frequent on days of female oestrus and mostly occurred after copulation. Masturbation rates were higher in dominant males, which copulate more, than in subordinates and increased with number of mates a female accepts.<h4>Conclusions</h4>These results suggest that masturbation in this species was not a response to sperm competition nor a sexual outlet by subordinates that did not copulate. Instead masturbation could function as a form of genital grooming. Female Cape ground squirrels mate with up to 10 males in a 3-hr oestrus, and by masturbating after copulation males could reduce the chance of infection. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can profoundly affect fertility, and their consequences for mating strategies need to be examined more fully.Jane M WatermanPublic Library of Science (PLoS)articleMedicineRScienceQENPLoS ONE, Vol 5, Iss 9 (2010)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Jane M Waterman The adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous African ground squirrel.
description	<h4>Background</h4>Studies of animal mating systems increasingly emphasize female multiple mating and cryptic sexual selection, particularly sperm competition. Males under intense sperm competition may manipulate sperm quantity and quality through masturbation, which could waste sperm and decrease fertility. I examined the factors influencing masturbation by male Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris) in light of a number of functional hypotheses.<h4>Methodology</h4>Observational data on a marked population of squirrels were collected in east-central Namibia using scan and all-occurrences sampling.<h4>Findings</h4>Masturbation was far more frequent on days of female oestrus and mostly occurred after copulation. Masturbation rates were higher in dominant males, which copulate more, than in subordinates and increased with number of mates a female accepts.<h4>Conclusions</h4>These results suggest that masturbation in this species was not a response to sperm competition nor a sexual outlet by subordinates that did not copulate. Instead masturbation could function as a form of genital grooming. Female Cape ground squirrels mate with up to 10 males in a 3-hr oestrus, and by masturbating after copulation males could reduce the chance of infection. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can profoundly affect fertility, and their consequences for mating strategies need to be examined more fully.
format	article
author	Jane M Waterman
author_facet	Jane M Waterman
author_sort	Jane M Waterman
title	The adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous African ground squirrel.
title_short	The adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous African ground squirrel.
title_full	The adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous African ground squirrel.
title_fullStr	The adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous African ground squirrel.
title_full_unstemmed	The adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous African ground squirrel.
title_sort	adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous african ground squirrel.
publisher	Public Library of Science (PLoS)
publishDate	2010
url	https://doaj.org/article/a607de288a474b35b27c418b90fe1d72
work_keys_str_mv	AT janemwaterman theadaptivefunctionofmasturbationinapromiscuousafricangroundsquirrel AT janemwaterman adaptivefunctionofmasturbationinapromiscuousafricangroundsquirrel
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The adaptive function of masturbation in a promiscuous African ground squirrel.

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