Over 1,500 species of animals display some degree of same-sex sexual behaviour: Study

Same-sex behaviour in animal kingdom has long intrigued scientists. Recent research published in the journal Nature Communications has shed light on this and revealed intriguing insights into its prevalence, evolution, and potential advantages.Over 1,500 species of animals, ranging from insects to mammals, have displayed some degree of same-sex sexual behaviour. This behaviour is particularly prominent among non-human primates, with over 50 species frequently exhibiting these behaviours.

The study delved into the evolutionary origins of same-sex sexual behaviour, uncovering that it is more likely to be observed in social species.

This suggested that it may have evolved as a mechanism to establish and maintain positive social relationships within animal groups.

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"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, JoseM. Gómez, told Newsweek.

This could mean that same-sex sexual behaviour might serve as an adaptation to manage male-to-male aggression.

Advantages of same-sex behaviour

Same-sex sexual behaviour reportedly offers numerous advantages in over 250 mammal species. Vincent Savolainen, a professor of organismic biology, explainedthat it can facilitate the formation of coalitions among individuals, elevating their status within a group.

This, in turn, grants them greater access to potential mates and enhances reproductive success.

Surprisingly, same-sex behaviour does not hinder opposite-sex reproduction and, therefore, does not limit the number of offspring produced by a population, as per the study.

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"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 behaviour appears to be equally frequent in both sexes in mammals, as female same-sex sexual behaviour has been recorded in 163 species and male same-sex sexual behaviour in 199 species."

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While most animals exhibit bisexual patterns of behaviour, strict homosexuality is predominantly observed in humans and domestic rams, Vincent Savolainen, a professor of organismic biology at Imperial College London reportedly told Newsweek.

Many tend to switch between same-sex and opposite-sex interactions."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.

(With inputs from agencies)

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