			Home About us Contact

Scent Marks (scent + mark)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Male and Female Meadow Voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Differ in Their Responses to Heterospecific/Conspecific Over-Marks

ETHOLOGY, Issue 9 2010
Christian T. Vlautin
Voles use runways, paths, and trails that may also be used by rabbits and mink. These shared areas could contain the scent marks of conspecifics and heterospecifics. Thus, it is likely that the scent marks of heterospecifics may overlap or be overlapped by those of voles, forming over-marks. Much is known about how voles respond to over-marks of two different conspecifics. However, we do not know how they would respond to an opposite-sex conspecific whose scent marks are in an over-mark with the scent marks of predator or the scent marks of a non-predator heterospecifics. We tested the hypothesis that meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, differ in their response to the scent mark of the opposite-sex conspecific if the scent mark was overlapped by that of a mink, a vole predator, or rabbit, a vole non-predator. We found that female but not male voles showed a preference for the scent marks of the opposite-sex conspecifics that were part of the mink-vole over-mark when compared to those of opposite-sex conspecifics that were not part of the over-mark. This preference by female voles was independent of whether the male vole was the top-scent donor or bottom-scent donor of the over-mark. Male and female voles showed no preference between the scent marks of the opposite-sex conspecifics whose marks were part of or not part of the rabbit-vole over-mark. Sex differences in the manner that meadow voles respond to rabbit-vole and mink-vole over-marks are discussed. [source]

Meadow Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and Prairie Voles (M. ochrogaster) Differ in Their Responses to Over-Marks from Opposite- and Same-Sex Conspecifics

ETHOLOGY, Issue 11 2000
Raymond L. Woodward Jr
Over-marking occurs when one individual deposits its scent mark on the scent mark of a conspecific. Previous studies have shown that meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and prairie voles (M. ochrogaster) that were exposed to an over-mark of two same-sex conspecifics, later responded similarly to the top-scent mark but differed in their response to the bottom-scent mark. In the present study, we examined the responses of meadow voles and prairie voles to same-sex and mixed-sex over-marks to ascertain whether their responses reflect the different tactics which males and females in promiscuous (meadow voles) and monogamous (prairie voles) species use to attract opposite-sex conspecifics and to compete with same-sex conspecifics. Males and females of both species spent more time investigating the mark of the top-scent donor than that of the bottom-scent donor of an over-mark. Meadow voles exposed to a mixed-sex over-mark spent more time investigating the mark of the opposite-sex conspecific independently of whether it was from the top- or bottom-scent donor. In contrast, prairie voles spent more time investigating the mark of the opposite-sex donor if it was from the top-scent donor. These results suggest that: (i) over-marking serves a competitive function; (ii) the scent marks of individuals attract multiple mates in promiscuous species such as the meadow vole; and (iii) the scent marks of individuals establish and maintain pair bonds between familiar opposite-sex conspecifics in monogamous species such as the prairie vole. [source]

Male and Female Meadow Voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Differ in Their Responses to Heterospecific/Conspecific Over-Marks

Detection of the Sexual Identity of Conspecifics through Volatile Chemical Signals in a Territorial Salamander

ETHOLOGY, Issue 3 2007
Benjamin J. Dantzer
Territorial red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) have been shown to use nonvolatile chemical signals in both territorial defense and to convey a variety of information to conspecifics. We investigated whether or not red-backed salamanders could determine the sexual identity of conspecifics through volatile chemical signals, and we explored their use in the context of territorial defense. We exposed male and female red-backed salamanders to four experimental treatments (i.e. filter papers that had been scent marked by male or female conspecifics for 1 and 5 d) and two control treatments (i.e. unscented filter papers for 1 and 5 d tests). The focal salamanders were prevented from physically accessing the scent marked filter papers and, presumably, some of the substrate scent marks had volatile components that were detected and interpreted by the focal salamanders. Both male and female red-backed salamanders spent significantly more time in threat displays when they were exposed to volatile chemical signals from same-sex conspecifics than they did toward similar signals from opposite-sex conspecifics. A similar statistical pattern was observed for the amount of chemosensory sampling exhibited by focal red-backed salamanders. From these results, we infer that red-backed salamanders can determine the sexual identity of conspecifics through volatile chemical signals, some of which may be used in territorial defense. Further, such airborne pheromones may influence the spatial organization of salamander territories on the forest floor. [source]

Scent Marking in Female Prairie Voles: a Test of Alternative Hypotheses

ETHOLOGY, Issue 6 2002
Jerry O. Wolff
We conducted three experiments with females in different stages of reproductive condition to test alternative hypotheses for the function of scent marking in female prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster. The three reproductive categories were isolated females prior to sexual stimulation (anoestrous), sexually stimulated (oestrous) and lactating. Females in different reproductive condition were given the opportunity to scent mark clean unmarked substrate or areas that had previously been marked by adult females or adult males. The numbers of scent marks deposited by females did not differ statistically for females in different reproductive condition. However, there was a trend for anoestrous females to mark the most, oestrous females less, and lactating females the least. The lack of scent marking by lactating females might be to reduce conspicuousness to conspecifics or predators. Oestrous females tended to mark the most in the area marked previously by males, although the difference was not statistically significant. Our results provide some support for a mate-attraction hypothesis and a territorial-defense hypothesis, but were most consistent with a self-advertisement hypothesis. Over marking was uncommon and did not differ by experiment or sex of previous donor. Our results suggest that the number and placement of scent marks by females are highly variable and function primarily to convey individual identity. [source]

Meadow Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and Prairie Voles (M. ochrogaster) Differ in Their Responses to Over-Marks from Opposite- and Same-Sex Conspecifics

Honest olfactory ornamentation in a female-dominant primate

JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 7 2010
M. BOULET
Abstract Sexual selection theory predicts that potential mates or competitors signal their quality to conspecifics. Whereas evidence of honest visual or vocal signals in males abounds, evidence of honest signalling via scent or by females is scarce. We previously showed that scent marks in male lemurs seasonally encode information about individual heterozygosity , a reliable predictor of immunocompetence and survivorship. As female lemurs dominate males, compete over resources, and produce sexually differentiated scent marks that likely evolved via direct selection, here we tested whether females also advertise genetic quality via olfactory cues. During the breeding season specifically, individual heterozygosity correlated negatively with the diversity of fatty acids (FAs) expressed in labial secretions and positively with the diversity of heavy FA esters. As odour,gene relationships predictive of health and survivorship emerged during a period critical to mate choice and female competition, we posit that genital scent marks function as honest olfactory ornaments in females. [source]

Multimodal signaling in wild Lemur catta: Economic design and territorial function of urine marking

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2009
Elisabetta Palagi
Abstract Urine marking has been neglected in prosimian primates. Captive studies showed that the Malagasy prosimian Lemur catta scent marks with urine, as well as via specialized depositions. L. catta urine mark, a multimodal signal, differs from simple urination in terms of different design features, including tail configuration: the tail is held up during marking (UT-up) and down during urination (UT-down). We explore economy and function of UT-up in the female dominant L. catta. We collected 240 h of observations on one group at Berenty (south Madagascar) during the nonmating period via all occurrences sampling. We gathered behavioral bouts/contexts (marking, traveling, feeding, resting, and fights) and recorded 191 UT-ups and 79 UT-downs. Via Global Positioning System we established the location of the places frequented i) by extragroup individuals and ii) by group members, in this case recording also behavioral context and time spent in each place. We found that L. catta UT-up is not an artifact of captivity. Moreover, UT-up in the nonmating period plays a role in territorial defense, which is mostly performed by females in L. catta society. Female UT-ups were the most investigated and UT-ups were performed/investigated more by females. Finally, signal use is parsimonious, in that urine is economically placed where and when detection probability by competitors is higher. UT-ups were performed in places most frequented by extragroup individuals and in presence of extragroup competitors (nonrandom topography and timing). In conclusion, we suggest that UT-up is an economical signal with a primarily territorial function. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Sex, age, and family differences in the chemical composition of owl monkey (Aotus nancymaae) subcaudal scent secretions

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2008
Edith A. MacDonald
Abstract Numerous behavioral studies have shown that animals use olfactory cues as inbreeding avoidance or kin avoidance mechanisms, implying that scent is unique to families. However, few studies have analyzed the chemical profile of a scent and ascertained the messages that are conveyed in scent secretions. Owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae) are socially monogamous primates that utilize scent when interacting with foreign conspecifics. This suggests there is a difference in the chemical composition of scent marks. We chemically analyzed sub-caudal gland samples from three families of captive owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae). Samples were analyzed by capillary GC-MS and relative retention time and fragment pattern was compared with known standards. Gland samples were high in large plant-based shikikate metabolites and fatty ketones; alcohols, acids, and acetates were virtually absent. Gender, age, and family could be reliably classified using discriminant analysis (92.9, 100, and 100%, respectively). Female scent profiles were greater in concentration of aromatic plant metabolites, possibly the result of a different diet or physiological differences in female metabolism as compared to male. Offspring of adult age still living in their natal group showed a less complex chemical profile than their parents. Finally, each family had its own unique and complex chemical profile. The presence of family scent may play a role in mediating social interactions. Am. J. Primatol. 70:12,18, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Anogenital gland secretions of Lemur catta and Propithecus verreauxi coquereli: A preliminary chemical examination

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2004
R.A. Hayes
Abstract Although prosimians are greatly olfaction-oriented, little is known about the specifics of how they use scent to communicate. In this preliminary study we attempted to delineate intra- and interspecific differences among the anogenital gland secretions of two lemur species (Lemur catta and Propithecus verreauxi coquereli) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicate that the two species are discernible through scent. Furthermore, we were able to identify reproductive status using this technique. The anogenital secretions of the different sexes in L. catta, though perhaps not P. v. coquereli, are chemically distinguishable. Given this information, it appears that at least some lemur species can use scent marks to determine species, sex, and reproductive status. Am J Primatol 63:49,62, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]