Olfaction and Reproduction in Ungulates

Grau, Gerald A.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-221250-5.50016-4

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…In forest-living deer and antelope the use of signposting is the norm (Walther 1984), and behaviour modifying the environment where the signal is placed has been reported for some species, where males prepare the marking site on vegetation by trimming off excess vegetative material (Gosling 1972;Kitchen and Bromley 1974;Grau 1976). Some forest-living birds also modify the environment to allow for a better performance of the courtship display or better perception of the visual signal by the recipients [e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Habitat modification when scent marking: shrub clearance by roe deer bucks

Carranza

Mateos-Quesada

2001

Oecologia

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Marking activities in many ungulate species involve some aggression directed towards the vegetation which usually affects the understorey layer. Roe deer bucks (Capreolus capreolus) usually defend mating territories within the forest, where they mark the vegetation and the ground by using chemical signals which are typically associated with the visual ones used. Here we describe the presence of roe-made clearings of about 2700 m average size which contained a clump of marks. Roe bucks affected the vegetation mainly by means of fraying and scratching with antlers around the stem of bushes, and defoliation by leaf-biting. The analysis of these activities suggests that their evolution may have been moulded by the effect of shrub clearing. Defoliation affecting more than 50% of leaves was only found within clearings. Also, fraying affected the whole perimeter of the stem and hence desiccated the bushes at higher rates within the clearings than outside. We found only one cleared area per male range, selectively located in a concave land formation. Producing a clump of scent marks within the mating territory may reduce the costs of scent marking, improve the effectiveness of scent guarding and fits well with the hypothesis of reliable scent matching by recipients. The concave shape of the clump, coupled with the cleared vegetation, may improve the perception of visual signals allowing for the location of scents. It is proposed that selection may favour the modification of the habitat as a component of roe deer marking behaviour, via its benefits in improving the broadcasting of visual signals associated with chemical ones.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Habitat modification when scent marking: shrub clearance by roe deer bucks

Carranza

Mateos-Quesada

2001

Oecologia

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“…Chase and guard were the behaviors more frequently observed. Grau [ 35 ] (cited by [ 16 ]) speculated that chase may be necessary to synchronize courtship with mating. Although similar guards have been reported in other cervid species [ 1 , 2 , 31 ], they were not described by Verdier [ 16 ] probably because of the difficulties of identifying animals, and thus the knowledge that the same male had stayed for long times in several periods near the same female.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) courtship and mating behavior

Morales-Piñeyrúa

Ungerfeld

2012

Acta Vet Scand

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BackgroundPampas deer, Ozotoceros bezoarticus (Linnaeus 1758), is a South American grazing deer categorized as "near threatened". However, knowledge about pampas deer behavior including courtship and mating is scarce and incomplete. The aim of this study was to characterize the courtship and mating behavior of the pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus), an endangered species from South America.MethodsWe performed focal observations of 5 males allocated at the Estación de Cría de Fauna Autóctona Cerro Pan de Azúcar, Uruguay, 4 times a day from 5 to 20 minutes each time on a daily basis from February to May. During that period we recorded all courtship and mating behaviors, as well as quantified the frequency of the specific behaviors shown. As mating were rarely observed, we recorded that behavior when it was observed in the context of other studies performed in the same population during the following 2 years.ResultsDuring the observation period we recorded 928 courtships and 5 mating periods. In addition, we recorded 10 more matings performed during other studies, totaling 15. The duration of each mating calculated from the 15 recordings was 3.9 ± 0.4 s, and the total period of female receptivity (from first to last mating acceptance) was 8.2 ± 1.1 min. Main observed courtship behaviors in males were “chase” and “ostentation”, while the most observed close to mating were “chinning”, “raised head” and “anogenital sniffing”. The most observed behaviors in females during the mating period were “vulva exhibition” and “move away”.ConclusionThis is the first detailed report in pampas deer mating behavior. Estrus lasted only 8 min accepting only 3 short copulations per estrus. However, female behavior during courtship can be characterized as highly proceptive.

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“…In each case, the amount of urine released is small relative to the volume of the bladder, allowing the animal to distribute its signal over several signposts. Many other species also practice urinary scent-marking, including wild felids and canids (Henry, 1980;Kleiman, 1966;Mech & Peters, 1977;Schaller, 1967), ungulates (Grau, 1976), primates (Epple, 1974), and rodents (Bronson, 1976;Brown, 1975;Price, 1975).…”

Section: Types Of Odors and Specialized Behaviors That Mammals Use Tomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some wild canids rub the roof of their lairs with a gland located just above the base of their tail (Ewer, 1968). Some lagomorphs, marsupials, and ungulates wipe facial or cephalic glands on grasses, bushes, tree boughs, and each other (Grau, 1976;Mykytowycz, 1968;Schaller, 1967;Schultze-Westrum, 1969). Marmosets scent-mark branches with glands near the genitalia (Epple, 1970(Epple, , 1980.…”

Section: Types Of Odors and Specialized Behaviors That Mammals Use Tomentioning

confidence: 99%

Hormonal Influences on Territorial Marking Behavior

Yahr

1983

Hormones and Aggressive Behavior

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Olfaction and Reproduction in Ungulates

Cited by 10 publications

References 69 publications

Habitat modification when scent marking: shrub clearance by roe deer bucks

Habitat modification when scent marking: shrub clearance by roe deer bucks

Pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) courtship and mating behavior

Hormonal Influences on Territorial Marking Behavior

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