oestrus of female gerbils, Meriones unguiculatus, is indicated by locomotor activity and influenced by male presence

Title:

oestrus of female gerbils, Meriones unguiculatus, is indicated by locomotor activity and influenced by male presence
Rodens et spatium VII
Proceedings of an International Conference, České Budějovice, Czech Republic, July 10-14, 2000

Creator:

Weinandy, René, Hofmann, Sylvia, Gattermann, Rolf, Zima, Jan, Griffiths, Huw I., Burda, Hynek, and Sedláček, František

Identifier:

https://cdk.lib.cas.cz/client/handle/uuid:11a16b5d-eac5-a658-4ff8-6023d25a425d
uuid:11a16b5d-eac5-a658-4ff8-6023d25a425d

Subject:

locomotor activity, vasectomised males, oestrus cycle, and female aggression

Type:

article and TEXT

Description:

Mongolian gerbils are territorial and live in family groups with established, stable male-female pairs. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether locomotor activity indicates female receptivity, and to evaluate the impact of a male on the stability of the female sexual cycle. To prevent gravidity, males were sterilised by vasectomy. Nevertheless, they behaved like intact males, displayed copulatory behaviour, and had normal mean serum testosterone levels of 1.1±0.2 ng/ml. Oestrus caused modulations in the activity pattern and hence influenced locomotor activity; female receptivity was reflected by an advance in the onset of activity. Male presence led to prolonged and irregular oestrus cycles in females. Three pairs were stable and nearly no attacks occurred for nine months. However, in four pairs, females suddenly attacked males. Males displayed flight and appeasement behaviours, but two died within 24 hours, and two were severely injured and had to be separated. Two of these females were paired again to other vasectomised males, but killed their cagemates after 3.5 and 12.5 weeks, respectively. In total, six of nine pairs were disrupted by female aggression, four males were killed and two males were separated but presumably would have otherwise died. Females presumably detected male infertility by repeated unsuccessful matings without sperm transmission and/or by physical impairments due to repeated pseudopregnancy. As a result they no longer invested in pair bonds that would eventually diminish their reproductive fitness.

Language:

English

Rights:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Source:

Folia zoologica | 2002 Volume:51 | Number:Příloha1

Harvested from:

CDK

Metadata only:

false