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Bonobo Apes
The bonobo apes are primates whose similarity to human beings is at 98%, apart from this similarity, the apes have an advanced social life compared to other primates. Their mannerisms and attitudes towards each other are more tolerable and seem to interact better with each other. Sex/mating in bonobos is part and parcel of their social lives; they mate for different reasons such as reproduction, pleasure, and as a way to interact. The bonobos have one significant difference from other primates with regards to sex; they mate throughout the year even when it is not the mating season.
Apes Basics
Bonobo is one of the smallest species of the chimpanzee subspecies, it was discovered in 1929. Jane Goodall, a primatologist, ethologist and anthropologist has done extensive research on Bonobos which has provided valuable information on the most recent discovery of the primates. Goodwill has worked in Tanzania during the time it was a British protectorate and was and was known as Tanganyika; her work has shed light into the slight difference existing between Bonobos and human beings. From her work, there is comparison between bonobos to other primates as well as humans; there is a 98% similarity between them and human which makes them our closest cousins. Physically, bonobos are close to humans than chimpanzees but the most conspicuous aspect is their cool temperaments. Chimps are well known for their aggression and brutality which makes them dangerous to humans and other animals; however, the bonobo on the other hand are quite docile and less intimidating.
Content
Social Organization
In chimpanzees the males dominate the females, the young ones and all other aspects of the chimps live such as feeding, migrating, mating and protection. For the bonobos, the females dominate the social lives; this is primarily because the bonobos are sexual animals that equate pleasure to sexual activity (Waal, 1995). Close observations of the bonobos show sexual activity increases harmony in the society as there is increased food sharing after coitus. There is a similarity between chimpanzees and bonobos, they live in societies that consist of males, females, and young ones; the organization is based on the need for companionship. In bonobos, these societies are dominated by the females who clearly dictate and decide the direction of the group.
In chimps, there is a clear indication of male bonding as long as boundaries are not crossed; the boundaries are to protect the alpha male or the leader. In each family/group there is one male leader that takes charge and whose authority should not be challenged by the other males in the group (Block, 2014). In both the chimps and the bonobos child rearing and responsibility solely lies on the females, but on a closer observation, the young ones in the bonobos are tolerated by even the males. Conspicuously, in chimpanzees’ family the young ones stay out of the way of the males especially when displaying sexual interests on female. Interestingly, males from both the chimps and bonobos do not mate with close relatives once they mature.
Female Alliances
According to Potts & Hayden (2013), bonobos are quite social animals that have time for social activities such as grooming. Since their diet consists of very minimal proteins, they do not hunt but focus on eating fruits, leaves and roots; this gives them time to be social and engage with each other. The females for instance get involved in GG rubbing and grooming; this is a sort of a game where they rub their sexual organs while facing each other. The game is meant for pleasure and attracting males; however, the bonobos’ females mate with the males at any time of the year and not necessarily during the mating season.
The females generally hang about in groups in which the males have to beg and offer favors to enter. The favors in most instances are in form of food; to increase their chances of acceptance in the groups the males entice the females with sex. Sex is a form of a bargaining tool in the bonobos families; irrespective of showing so much interest in sex, the apes are quite relaxed while participating in the activity which indicates that its part of their social living. The relationship between the males and the mother is unique as they protect the young ones till they are of age; however, the relationship between the female and its male off-springs remains close until death. Special relations between females and their male off-springs are made possible by the fact there is low reproduction levels with a female giving birth after five or six years.
Sex, Love not War
Bonobos have multiple sex partners and have not yet developed the concept of monogamy like in humans; this is besides the fact that they have the ability of separating sex and ending up mating for other reasons apart from reproduction (Waal, 1995). While in the sexual act the bonobos exhibit pleasure similar to that of humans through facial expressions and groaning sounds which means they reach orgasms. Compared to chimps that mate strictly for reproduction purposes, the bonobos have developed the ability of enjoying sex which increases their harmonious relationships and female dominance.
There is a distinctive difference between the way bonobos and other chimpanzees and other animals mate. Apart from humans a majority of animals mate from behind; interestingly, the bonobos mate facing each other. Females entice the males into mating with them through licking the male sexual organs which is close to oral sex in humans; as earlier stated, the bonobos female is in interested in sex for various reasons. The first one is reproduction which comes naturally, secondly, they engage in sex when they are interested in something from the males such as food. The third reason is for simple interaction; they just have sex because it is pleasurable and its part of their social lives.
Summary
Social Primates
The most interesting aspect about the bonobos ape is the fact that the males are dominated by the females and their close similarity to humans. The apes love for sex is also an issue that became the topic of numerous studies. Since most animals only mate for reproduction purposes, bonobos are different as they have indicated the ability of having sex for other reasons. Bonobos social lives are intertwined with their sexual preferences which increase their peaceful and harmonious interactions.
Conclusion
Bonobos Apes
Discovered very recently in 1929, bonobos are apes with at least 98% similarity to human beings. The most distinctive aspect of the bonobos is their social lives and their ability of separating mating purposes. It is observed that the apes have sex for other reasons apart from reproduction improve their interactions and social lives. Compared to chimps bonobos are less violent with the young ones being tolerated by all members of the community even the males. In a majority of mammals male dominate the females through aggression or coercion; however, in bonobos the communities are dominated by the females. Female domination in bonobos is accepted with the males allowing the females to take the leading roles.
Bonobos Sex and Society
Biology
Microbes
Microbes are simple unicellular life forms that thrive without oxygen and get energy by scavenging what molecules they find.
Differences between prokaryotes and eukarysotes
- The most basic distinction is that eukaryotes possess a "true" nuclei carrying their DNA while genetic material of prokaryotes is not membrane-bound.
- Chloroplasts and mitochondria in eukaryotes carry out various metabolic processes obtained from endosymbiotic bacteria, whereas endosymbionts are not common in prokaryotes since same processes happen across the cell membrane.
- Many eukaryotes do not have cell walls whereas a different molecule known as peptidoglycan forms the cell walls prokaryotes.
- Eukaryotic cells are usually larger than Prokaryotes.
- Prokaryotes have one loop of firm chromosomal DNA that is accumulated in the nucleoid, whereas the DNA of eukaryotes is contained on tightly bounded chromosomes.
- Prokaryotes have higher growth and metabolic rates and thus a shorter generation when compared to eukaryotes. This is because Prokaryotes have large surface areas to volume ratio.
- The genomes of prokaryotes are compact compared to eukaryotes. This is because the genes of prokaryotes do not have introns and large noncoding regions between each one of them (Kanhere, 3170).
How endosymbiosis lead to the evolution of plants and animals
Endosymbiosis is the process that occurred millions of years ago when a prehistoric microbe swallowed the cyanobacteria. This process is said to be responsible for the early evolution of the eukaryotic cells and the origin of chloroplast and mitochondrion. This microbe, which is the ancestor of the plant cells acquired its internal photosynthesis factory during this process. Cyanobacteria, in turn, became chloroplasts, the organelles that are responsible for photosynthesis (Timmis et al., 125).
Oxygen Revolution
The Oxygen revolution also referred to as the ‘’The Great Oxygenation Event” is the event that leads to the release of molecular oxygen into the atmosphere and aquatic environments. It happened about, 2.3 billion years ago when a mass extinction occurred due to photosynthesis. But this event also paved way for the existence of large organisms on earth. It is the reason behind the invention by organisms of "modern", oxygenic photosynthesis by cyanobacteria ("How a Single-celled Organism Almost Wiped out Life on Earth - Anusuya Willis").
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
Biology
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