Lesbilicious - the web’s tastiest lesbian magazine

Homosexual behaviour is a near-universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom, according to a new report from the University of California, Riverside.

The findings demolish theories that same-sex behaviour is ‘unnatural’ and a learnt human lifestyle.

Some species of animals, such as bonobo monkeys, dolphins and penguins, are already well known for exhibiting same-sex behaviour. However, the new review of existing research indicates that same-sex behaviour is found in most species.

Scientists believe that some same-sex pairings have significant impacts on the evolutionary success of the species.

Female Laysan Albatrosses, for example, form same-sex pairs and rear young together. “Same-sex behaviour in this species may not be aberrant, but instead can arise as an alternative reproductive strategy,” explained Nathan Bailey one of the authors of the review paper and a postdoctoral researcher.

Despite the ubiquity of homosexual behaviour in the animal kingdom, Bailey and his team warn that researchers may be calling what could be different phenomena by the same name.

“For example, male fruit flies may court other males because they are lacking a gene that enables them to discriminate between the sexes.

“But that is very different from male bottlenose dolphins, who engage in same-sex interactions to facilitate group bonding, or female Laysan Albatross that can remain pair-bonded for life and cooperatively rear young.”

The review found that although many studies are performed in the context of understanding the evolutionary origins of same-sex sexual behaviour, almost none have considered its evolutionary consequences.

“Same-sex behaviours - courtship, mounting or parenting - are traits that may have been shaped by natural selection, a basic mechanism of evolution that occurs over successive generations,” said Bailey.

“But our review of studies also suggests that these same-sex behaviours might act as selective forces in and of themselves.”

A selective force, which is a sudden or gradual stress placed on a population, affects the reproductive success of individuals in the population.

“But like any other behaviour that doesn’t lead directly to reproduction - such as aggression or altruism - same-sex behaviour can have evolutionary consequences that are just now beginning to be considered,” added Bailey.

Posted in: Health, Sex & Relationships |