Many mammal species can distinguish between opposite-sex conspecifics that differ in a certain trait. In that coat coloration is associated with differences in physiological and behavioral traits, coat color may affec...Many mammal species can distinguish between opposite-sex conspecifics that differ in a certain trait. In that coat coloration is associated with differences in physiological and behavioral traits, coat color may affect the attractiveness of odor cues produced by conspecifics. Individuals may be able to respond preferentially to conspecifics with a particular coat color. In the present study, we test the hypothesis that scent marks of brown and blond voles differ in their attractiveness to male and fe- male conspecifics. Male voles and brown females did not discriminate between blond- and brown-coated opposite-sex con- specifics suggesting that they are neither selecting potential mates dissociatively nor associatively. However, blond females be- haved as if the scent marks of blond males were more attractive than were the scent marks of brown males. Our data suggest that blond females who are already conspicuous to predators, may select blond males as mates because they do not appreciably in- crease the risk of detection to predators, particularly avian predators. Moreover, because these conspicuous males have survived to mate they may have good genes that reflect their relatively higher quality展开更多
Mus cypriaeus is a recently discovered endemic species that evolved about half a million years ago on the Cyprus Is- land in an absence of most mammalian predators and competitors. As on other Mediterranean islands, t...Mus cypriaeus is a recently discovered endemic species that evolved about half a million years ago on the Cyprus Is- land in an absence of most mammalian predators and competitors. As on other Mediterranean islands, the faunal composition was dramatically changed by the invasion of commensal and domestic species following Holocene colonization by humans. We exa- mined the behavioral responses of the Cypriot mouse to the odors of these new competitors （black and Norway rat, house mouse and spiny-mouse） and predator （domestic cat） as well as controls （Herb-field mouse, guinea pig）. We compared them with those of mainland population of house mouse from Syria with different coexistence history. Surprisingly, the Cypriot mouse failed to avoid the odor of its current main competitor, the black rat. Moreover, the response patterns of both the Cypriot and Syrian house mice to the examined odor sources appeared fairly comparable. There was a clear tendency to prefer odors of other murids over unscented sawdust as well as to avoid the odor of a domestic cat. In conclusion, neither the long-term isolation from predators nor the recent strong competition with black rats affected mice eompetitory and antipredatory responses fundamentally [Current Zoology 61 （4）： 781-791, 2015].展开更多
文摘Many mammal species can distinguish between opposite-sex conspecifics that differ in a certain trait. In that coat coloration is associated with differences in physiological and behavioral traits, coat color may affect the attractiveness of odor cues produced by conspecifics. Individuals may be able to respond preferentially to conspecifics with a particular coat color. In the present study, we test the hypothesis that scent marks of brown and blond voles differ in their attractiveness to male and fe- male conspecifics. Male voles and brown females did not discriminate between blond- and brown-coated opposite-sex con- specifics suggesting that they are neither selecting potential mates dissociatively nor associatively. However, blond females be- haved as if the scent marks of blond males were more attractive than were the scent marks of brown males. Our data suggest that blond females who are already conspicuous to predators, may select blond males as mates because they do not appreciably in- crease the risk of detection to predators, particularly avian predators. Moreover, because these conspicuous males have survived to mate they may have good genes that reflect their relatively higher quality
文摘Mus cypriaeus is a recently discovered endemic species that evolved about half a million years ago on the Cyprus Is- land in an absence of most mammalian predators and competitors. As on other Mediterranean islands, the faunal composition was dramatically changed by the invasion of commensal and domestic species following Holocene colonization by humans. We exa- mined the behavioral responses of the Cypriot mouse to the odors of these new competitors （black and Norway rat, house mouse and spiny-mouse） and predator （domestic cat） as well as controls （Herb-field mouse, guinea pig）. We compared them with those of mainland population of house mouse from Syria with different coexistence history. Surprisingly, the Cypriot mouse failed to avoid the odor of its current main competitor, the black rat. Moreover, the response patterns of both the Cypriot and Syrian house mice to the examined odor sources appeared fairly comparable. There was a clear tendency to prefer odors of other murids over unscented sawdust as well as to avoid the odor of a domestic cat. In conclusion, neither the long-term isolation from predators nor the recent strong competition with black rats affected mice eompetitory and antipredatory responses fundamentally [Current Zoology 61 （4）： 781-791, 2015].
