化学通讯介导对中缅树鼩个体识别的影响

Effects of Chemical Communication Mediations on Individual Recognition in Tupaia belangeri

为了探究尿液、粪便及胸腺分泌物对中缅树鼩个体识别的影响,通过Y-迷宫对中缅树鼩尿液、粪便和胸腺分泌物三种气味源的选择频次进行了统计分析。结果表明:用三种气味源与对照作为刺激源时,中缅树鼩均显著选择尿液和胸腺分泌物(P<0.05);在习惯性实验中中缅树鼩对同性尿液和胸腺分泌物的选择频次持续下降,对陌生个体尿液和胸腺分泌物的选择频次显著增加(P<0.05);尿液、胸腺分泌物在雌雄中缅树鼩个体识别的影响表现出明显差异,中缅树鼩对尿液和胸腺分泌物的选择频次均显著多于对照组(P<0.01),而且雄性胸腺分泌物较雌性更受关注(P<0.05),但雌性尿液比雄性更受关注(P<0.05)。以上所有结果说明,中缅树鼩的尿液和胸腺分泌物中包含个体信息并用以识别个体,这两种气味源中所包含的化学信号对中缅树鼩个体间的交流极为重要,而粪便可能仅为单纯的排泄生理。

In order to investigate the influence of urine, dung and thymus secretions on individual recognition of Tupaia belangeri, statistical analysis was conducted on the frequency of selection of three odor sources(urine, dung and thymus) of Tupaia belangeri by Y-maze. The results showed that when the three odor sources as the stimuli compared with controls, Tupaia belangeri investigated urine and thymus secretions significantly(P<0.05);during the habitual experiment, the frequency of selection of urine and thymus secretions of the same sex in Tupaia belangeri decreased continuously, while the frequency of selection of urine and thymus secretions of strange individuals increased significantly(P<0.05);urine and thymus secretions showed significant differences in chemical communication between sexes, Tupaia belangeri investigated both urine and thymus secretions more than that of controls(P<0.01), and males thymus secretions get more attention than females(P<0.05), but females urine get more attention than males urine(P<0.05). All the above results indicate that urine and thymus secretions in Tupaia belangeri contained individual information and were used to identify the individuals, and chemical signals contained in these two odors were extremely important for communication between Tupaia belangeri individuals, while the dung may only be purely excretory physiology.