Post-copulatory Groom

Overview and Meaning

Post-copulatory grooming is a maintenance behavior motivated by the sexual behaviors that occur prior to the act. Post-copulatory grooming occurs at the end of the sexual behaviors sequence.

Description

After a male has completed copulation through ejaculation, he will cease to mount his mate. He will then perform a post-copulatory groom, the cleaning of his penis.

Post-copulatory grooming can be distinguished from other grooming behaviors by focus only on the genital area and the proceeding sexual behaviors.

Classification

Sexual Behaviors

Contexts

Reproduction

Variants

None