Overview of Sex as a Glue in Some Primate Societies
Sex and the Higher Primates
Before I get to the subject of this article, I would like to clarify which type of Primate I am referring to. Some high ranking members of some Christian churches are called Primates. I am not referring to these people. If you are expecting information about the sexual habits of the
Archbishops of Canterbury and York, or other reverend gentlemen of impeccable morals, I am sorry to disappoint you.
The primates I mean are the members group of animals including Lemurs, Tarsiers, Monkeys, Apes and Humans. I am taking the biased view point that Humans and Apes are the higher members of this group. As a Human or Ape (I prefer not to disclose my actual species) I feel I can be forgiven in considering the Humans and Apes higher than Monkeys or other Primates. I hope any Monkeys, Lemurs or Tarsiers reading this article will accept my biased viewpoint.
For differences between Apes and Monkeys, see: Apes and Monkeys
Sex is the main form of reproduction in animals and plants on Earth. Of course, some animals can also reproduce asexually. This includes Humans who sometimes reproduce by binary fission into two genetically identical individuals. (Armadillos do it much more.) But apart from this type of rare occurrence, reproduction in the higher primates is sexual.
However, especially in the higher Primates, sex is not just about reproduction and includes some variations that are unlikely to lead to reproduction, including sex between individuals of the same sex.
Some people claim that homosexual acts are confined to the Humans, but they have been observed in a wide variety of different species.
In Gorillas, the basic unit is an extended family headed by an older, silver back male. He has sex with all the mature females in the group. He tries to prevent the younger males having sex with the females. (Although he tries to prevent it, he is not always successful in this.) Sex in Gorillas is mainly about reproduction although it does play some part in keeping the group together. A silver back Gorilla is a large and extremely powerful animal, but generally has a small penis.
