Conspecific recognition and mating in stone marten Martes foina

Abstract

Conspecific recognition and mating in stone marten Martes foinaThierry LODE Lodé T. 1991. Conspecific recognition and mating in stone marten Martes foina. Acta theriol. 36: 275 -283.The study of the mating of the stone marten Martes foina (Erxleben, 1777) revealed the importance of behavioural modifications which favour the intraspecific tolerance. The precopulatory activities affected the whole mode of communication. The frequencies of the male's olfactory investigation of the female's anogenital region and the male's abdominal scent marking increased at this time. Other signals like a particular muted vocalization, the cluck, or those which interested the general sensitivity like body contact facilitated the female's receptivity and the synchronization of behaviours. The male kept on the female with a neck bite which was similar to the newborn transport behaviour of the female. The male's obstinacy to obtain a positive response from the female seemed to determine successful mating.

Some observations on the mating behaviour of captive American pine martens Martes americana

“…All observed copulations occurred between 07.10 and 11.00 h. The durations of two of these copulations were accurately recorded and were 5 and 14.5 min, respectively. This represents a copulatory act of much shorter duration than previously described for pine martens (Strickland et al 1982, Strickland andDouglas 1987), stone martens (Lode 1991) and mustelids in general, but longer than the copulatory acts of free-ranging pine martens described by Henry and Raphael (1989). Conditions of confinement may have contributed to these dif ferences among studies.…”

“…The call appeared to be lower in pitch and of longer duration than the nervous chuckle used by martens when frightened. This vocalization is probably the "love call" identified for pine martens by Adams (1962) and Strickland et al (1982) and may be analogous to the "muted cluck" described by Lode (1991) for stone martens. Lode (1991) suggested that this vocalization may function to reduce conspecific ag gression in order to facilitate copulation.…”

“…This vocalization is probably the "love call" identified for pine martens by Adams (1962) and Strickland et al (1982) and may be analogous to the "muted cluck" described by Lode (1991) for stone martens. Lode (1991) suggested that this vocalization may function to reduce conspecific ag gression in order to facilitate copulation. In the present study, the throaty chuckle was also used by females with young after the animals were disturbed by the weighing of kits.…”

“…When intromission was apparently successful, copulation was marked by periodic shudders of the male's body lasting several seconds and occurring at 10 to 20 sec intervals. This characteristic was not described by Lode (1991) for stone martens and may be distinct to pine martens. During copulation, the pair moved slowly around the floor of the pen with the male emitting muted growls and the female emitting occasional muted screams.…”

“…Individual markings lasted only a few seconds as animals passed over poles, logs and feeders. In contrast, stone martens were observed to scent mark the ground for periods lasting a few minutes (Lode 1991).…”