Scientists have long been captivated by same-sex behavior in the animal kingdom. Recently published research in the journal Nature Communications shed light on this and found surprising insights on its occurrence, evolution, and potential benefits. Over 1,500 animal species, ranging from insects to mammals, have demonstrated some form of same-sex sexual behavior. This behavior is especially common in nonhuman primates, with over 50 species commonly expressing it.
The study looked into the evolutionary origins of same-sex sexual behavior and discovered that it is more common in sociable species. This suggested that it originated as a means of establishing and maintaining positive social interactions within animal groupings.
“An across-species statistical association [was found] between same-sex sexual behavior and social behavior for males and for females, and with intrasexual aggression for males,” study author and behavioral ecology researcher at Estación Experimental de Zonas Aridas (EEZA-CSIC) in Spain, Jose M. Gómez, told Newsweek. This could imply that same-sex sexual behavior is an adaptation to deal with male-on-male hostility.
The Benefits of Same-Sex Behavior
According to reports, approximately 250 mammal species benefit from same-sex sexual behavior. According to Vincent Savolainen, an organismic biology professor, it can assist the building of coalitions among individuals, raising their prestige within a group.
This, in turn, increases their access to possible partners and improves reproductive success. According to the study, same-sex behavior does not impede opposite-sex reproduction and so does not limit the number of offspring produced by a population.
“We started with more than 1,000 species, but we were removing species from the analyses according to some methodological criteria,” Gomez said.
“Same-sex sexual behavior appears to be equally frequent in both sexes in mammals, as female same-sex sexual behavior has been recorded in 163 species and male same-sex sexual behavior in 199 species.”
While most animals demonstrate bisexual behavior, rigid homosexuality is mostly observed in humans and domestic rams, according to Vincent Savolainen, a professor of organismic biology at Imperial College London.
Many people alternate between same-sex and opposite-sex contacts. “The definition of same-sex sexual behavior in nonhuman animals is different from how this sexual behavior is considered in human beings. For this reason, the conclusions obtained in our work have just a limited application to humans,” Gomez said. (Xanax)