Social interactions of the striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius (Mammalia: Rodentia: Muridae) (original) (raw)
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Journal of Ethology, 2007
The social interactions between Apodemus agrarius and A. flavicollis, and their behavioral responses to conspecific and heterospecific odors, were studied in male-male and female-female interspecific dyadic encounters, and an attraction-avoidance test was used in order to clarify the behavioral mechanisms which control their relationships in wild populations. The experiments were carried out at the beginning and at the end of the breeding season -in spring and in autumn. In spring the aggressiveness was higher than in autumn. Males of both species showed attraction to conspecific odors from the opposite sex, while the females were indifferent. In autumn both males and females displayed attraction to conspecific odors from the same sex. However, mice of both species showed avoidance to heterospecific odors from the same and the opposite sex in spring, and indifference to heterospecific odors from the same and the opposite sex in autumn. Based on these findings, it could be assumed that the patterns of social interactions and responses to conspecific and heterospecific odors undergo seasonal changes in their life cycle. Probably the avoidance response to heterospecific odors could serve as a spacing mechanism to avoid aggressive encounters between A. agrarius and A. flavicollis in syntopic habitats during the breeding period.
Aggression and commensalism in house mouse: a comparative study across Europe and the near east
Aggressive Behavior, 2005
Species specific differences of house mouse social behavior compared to its closest relatives (aboriginal species Mus macedonicus, Mus spicilegus, and Mus spretus) have recently been suggested. However, substantial variation of behavioral traits between mouse populations has been also evidenced. Agonistic behavior of laboratory-born house mice from five commensal populations (Mus musculus musculus: central Czech Republic, Mus musculus domesticus: Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and natural Mus m. musculus/domesticus hybrids from the Czech part of the hybrid zone) and five non-commensal populations of M. m. domesticus (C. Syria, E. Syria, Jordan, Iran, Libya) was studied. Dyadic interactions in a neutral cage were performed and the effects of sex and population on time spent by agonistic behavior evaluated. In all studied populations, the male-male interactions were more agonistic than the female-female ones. Male-male behavior gradually increased from the least agonistic population of M. m. musculus from Central Europe to the Near East populations of M. m. domesticus exhibiting the highest scores of agonistic behavior. Between-population differences were even stronger when female-female encounters were considered. While females of commensal populations belonging to both M. m. musculus and M. m. domesticus were tolerant of each other, those coming from non-commensal populations of M. m. domesticus were highly agonistic, reaching even the level of aggression between the females of some aboriginal mouse species. This phenomenon may be attributed to increased competition for food in non-commensal populations when compared to commensal ones supplied by superabundant resources. Social behavior of house mice, therefore, appears to be pliable rather than rigid and species specific. It can be changed rapidly according to ecological needs and such adaptability allows house mice to colonize various habitats.
Acta ethologica, 2003
The social relationships of Mus spicilegus were studied in intraspecific cage groups for a month during the reproductive period to clarify the role of intraspecific aggressiveness in shaping social structure and in reproduction. The mound-building mice were captured from a wild population in northern Bulgaria. A total of 13 groups, 5 male, 4 female, and 4 male-female groups, were tested. Each group consisted of five unfamiliar adults. The experiments were carried out in 100100-cm glass cages. The patterns of behaviour and the dominantsubordinate structure within each group were investigated. A dominance index for every individual in the group was calculated. During the period of establishment of the hierarchical structure in the groups a high level of aggressiveness was registered among individuals. About half of the subdominants and subordinates were found dead, with or without obvious marks of injury. Male-male interactions were more aggressive compared to these of females. Dominant-subordinate relationships between individuals of the same sex were observed in the mixed groups. A link between dominance rank and reproduction was established. The dominant male and the dominant female formed a pair and started to breed. Based on these findings it can be assumed that the aggressiveness of M. spicilegus is an adaptation to its life in the fields, where dominance is likely to be an essential factor in individual reproductive success. It is likely that the successful rearing of offspring in natural populations, which are exposed to strong biotic and abiotic impact, necessitates the existence of monogamous relationships.
Geometry of social relationships in the Old World wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus
Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2002
Pilot studies in England by Stopka and Macdonald revealed that allogrooming in the Old World wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, is a commodity that males can trade for reproductive benefits with females. This study, which used a combination of field study and observations in experimental enclosures, revealed that specific experimental conditions such as group-size and sex-ratio manipulations have a significant effect on the pattern of allogrooming exchanged between individuals. Furthermore, females from the Czech population were more likely to associate with each other as revealed by the clustering of activity centers of females (i.e., as opposed to almost exclusive ranges in English populations), and also by the higher intensity of allogrooming exchanged between females (i.e., virtually lacking in the previous experiment with English mice). Therefore, geographic variation and specific social conditions seem to be important driving factors for allogrooming behavior. Together with changes in overall grooming patterns, allogrooming between males and females remained invariably asymmetrical over all four experimental groups (i.e., two conditions for each sex) in that males provided more allogrooming to females than they received from them.
Development of the Social Behavior of Two Mice Species With Contrasting Social Systems
Aggressive Behavior, 2012
The house mouse (Mus musculus) and the mound-building mouse (M. spicilegus) differ in their mating and social systems. The M. musculus is polygynous and females tend to breed cooperatively while M. spicilegus is known to be monogamous and famous for its unique cooperative behavior; the communal overwintering. Mus spicilegus is considered as a highly aggressive species in the genus Mus. In the present study, we attempted to analyze the development of aggressive and sociable behavior in these species and to discover how familiarity with the target moderates the development of sociable and aggressive behaviors and moderates the differences between the species. Dyadic social interaction tests in neutral cages were performed on 21-, 60-, and 120-day-old mice of both genders and both species. Each individual was tested against a sibling and an unfamiliar individual at all three ages. Our results showed that the development of aggressive and sociable behavior with age differed between the species and sexes; however, familiarity with the other mouse moderated the effect of species on aggression. At 21 days, both genders of M. spicilegus were more aggressive against strangers than siblings. This became true of both species at 60 days. When facing a stranger, both sexes of M. spicilegus were more aggressive than M. musculus at 120 days. However, when facing a sibling, neither gender of M. spicilegus was more agonistic than M. musculus, indicating that either kinship or early social experiences elicit tolerance.
Varying levels of female promiscuity in four Apodemus mice species
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2008
Sexual selection in most vertebrates is based on the evolution of fitness optimization strategies such as multiple-male mating (MMM). Several ecological correlates of MMM have been identified in bird and fish populations; however, only few studies have documented the effects of environmental change on promiscuity in mammals. In this study, the 127 pregnant females from four central European and ecologically diverse species of field mice (genus Apodemus) were studied to assess the role of ecological factors that may have shaped the evolution of particular mating systems. MMM was found in all analyzed species: in Apodemus uralensis and Apodemus flavicollis, up to two males could be identified as the fathers of a particular litter, while three males sired 9.1% of analyzed litters of Apodemus sylvaticus and 20.6% of Apodemus agrarius. Furthermore, there were obvious differences between species in relative testes size and the proportion of multiple sired litters during those seasons when the opportunity for multiple mating was high. The species with the smallest testes and the least promiscuous was A. uralensis (only 43.5% of multiple sired litters), while the species with the biggest testes and the most promiscuous was A. agrarius (69.2%). MMM was significantly associated with higher litter size in A. flavicollis, and the probability of MMM strongly increased with season in A. agrarius and with abundance in A. uralensis. These results indicate that ecological factors are associated with MMM rates in Apodemus field mice and more research is needed to fully understand the evolution of mating strategies at different levels of biological resolution.
Acta Theriologica, 1979
Synurbization processes in a population of Apodemus agrarius. II. Habitats of the striped field mouse in town. Acta theriol., 24, 30: 405-415 [With 2 Tables & 5 Figs.] Trapping of Apodemus agrarius (Pallas, 1771) was carried out in 78 urban green areas of Warsaw during the period from 1976-1978. It as known that the species is not only the commonest, but also the most widely spread in town, of all the urban rodent community, occurring in 55% of the study areas. By means of a 0-10 point scale, proposed here, all the areas were classified in respect of 5 criteria: size of area, size of complex in which the area is included, distance from town boundaries, shelters and »quietness«. It was found that the most important factor for A. agrarius in urban green areas is a sufficient amount of shelters; and the »distance« is the least important one, since the rodents also occur in the city district. The habitat requirements of A. agrarius in town are discussed. [Res. Inst. Environ. Develop.