Re‐Evaluating Primate Monogamy
Document Type
Article
Department or Administrative Unit
Anthropology and Museum Studies
Publication Date
12-1998
Abstract
Researchers propose hypotheses for the occurrence of monogamy as a social system in primates based on the assumption that there are a group of primates, including humans, which live exclusively in “nuclear families” and share a similar set of social behaviors. Examining the primates purported to be “monogamous” reveals that they cover a wide range of grouping types, mating patterns, taxonomic groups, and evolutionary grades. While there are a few primate species that do live in small, two‐adult groups and share a similar set of social behaviors, the vast majority of the supposed “monogamous” primates, including humans, do not.
Recommended Citation
Fuentes, A. (1998). Re-Evaluating Primate Monogamy. American Anthropologist, 100(4), 890–907. https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1998.100.4.890
Journal
American Anthropologist
Rights
Copyright © 1999, American Anthropological Association
Comments
This article was originally published in American Anthropologist. The full-text article from the publisher can be found here.
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