Multimodal Communication by Male Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in Sexual Contexts: A Descriptive Analysis

We analyzed continuously sampled focal and ad libitum data of male mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) observed in random order. Males resided in two groups in a Costa Rican tropical dry forest environment (riparian habitat group: 3 males, 15 females, 402 h observation; deciduous habitat group: 2 males, 8 females, 114 h observation). Samples were limited to sexual contexts, in particular, the 60-min periods before and after each copulation observed within each group for each male. Time samples for each male were distributed equally before and after their own copulations. Before statistical analyses were conducted, data were corrected for differences in time sampled for males within each group. Four types of multimodal signaling were resolved: (1) audiovisual, (2) olfactory-visual, (3) olfactory-visual-tactile and (4) tactile-gustatory. Olfactory and tactile signals were never observed in combination with auditory signals. Consistent with expectation for a Neotropical, arboreal species, audiovisual signals were the most frequently observed type of multimodal communication in both groups (riparian habitat group: n = 139; deciduous habitat group: n = 66). Our evidence strongly suggests that unimodal signals may be combined and recombined to form complex, multimodal signals. Subordinate males in each group were more likely than dominant males to emit audiovisual signals before their own copulations. Male dyads were compared to assess the relative rate of audiovisual signaling by one male before another male’s copulations. On average, the subordinate male of the riparian habitat group exhibited audiovisual signals at a higher rate before his own copulations compared to the rate of audiovisual signaling by his dominant challengers. The same comparisons are not significant for males in the deciduous habitat group. The pattern of male response that we report whereby subordinates emit some complex signals at a higher rate than dominants supports the ‘terminal investment hypothesis’ predicting that organisms should increase reproductive effort with age since, in mantled howlers, age correlates negatively with dominance rank. Additional, qualitative observations suggested that subordinates in both groups were most likely to obtain copulations when they increased rates of complex signaling and/or escalated interactions with their male challengers. Group differences were apparent, however, and we suggest factors that may account for these patterns. We assessed responses by female receivers of complex signals emitted by males in sexual contexts. In general, higher-ranking males are more attractive to females and are more successful at monopolizing them. Findings for other, less frequently displayed, multimodal signals (olfactory-visual, olfactory-visual-tactile and tactile-gustatory) are presented and discussed. We conclude with the suggestion that howlers may be a robust model for the investigation of complex signals in Neotropical primates, including research on functionally referential communication and context-dependent syntax.