Preferred Tempo and Tempo Matching in Bonobo Apes (Pan paniscus)

We conducted a preferred tempo experiment with bonobo apes (Pan paniscus). In this study a human experimenter performed a series of metronome matched tempi ranging from 160 to 280 bpm. Our results suggest that this bonobo prefers faster tempi (approximately 230 bpm), plays slower in response to slower tempi, and is capable of matching stimulus tempo in this form of social interaction. Implications for the evolution of rhythmic auditory communication are discussed.