Pregnancy and copulatory behavior in random-bred house mice mated in postpartum estrus

Dewsbury, Donald A.

doi:10.3758/bf03336883

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Moreover, total copulation time and intervals between intromissions were shorter, and the number of intromissions was lower among female Norway rats during PPE than during cycling estrus (Gilbert et al 1980;Hedricks & McClintock 1985). In contrast, Dewsbury (1979a) found no differences between the copulatory behavior of females in the estrous phase of the estrous cycle and females during PPE in mice, Mus musculus. Similarly, no differences were found in roof rats, Rattus rattus except that PPE female roof rats received more intromissions in the first ejaculatory series than did females in cycling estrus (Bean & Estep 1981).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Female Meadow Voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Experience a Reduction in Copulatory Behavior During Postpartum Estrus

delBarco‐Trillo

Ferkin

2007

Ethology

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In many small mammalian species, females undergo postpartum estrus (PPE), mate, and become pregnant soon after delivering a litter. Mating during PPE implies a trade‐off between attending to the new litter and leaving that litter to mate. We tested the hypothesis that copulatory behavior is faster when a female mates during PPE than when it mates outside of PPE, during male‐induced estrus (MIE), a time when it is not lactating. We compared several variables of copulatory behavior in female meadow vole mating during both PPE and MIE. Females in PPE received significantly fewer intromissions, with shorter intervals between intromissions. Each ejaculatory series was also shorter for females in PPE. As a consequence, the total amount of time devoted to copulation was much shorter for females in PPE than for those in MIE. These data support the hypothesis that female meadow voles are able to reduce their copulatory behavior during PPE.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Female Meadow Voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Experience a Reduction in Copulatory Behavior During Postpartum Estrus

delBarco‐Trillo

Ferkin

2007

Ethology

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“…The observational nature of our data prevents us from identifying the causation of pregnancy failure. Nonetheless, if the substantial copulatory stimulation is required for pregnancy in mice (deCatanzaro, ; cf Dewsbury, ), pregnancy initiation might represent a potential additional incentive for males to maintain a high number of copulations and potentially for females to mate with more than one male. The ejaculation latency observed might reflect a male trade‐off between increasing copulatory stimulation and reducing ejaculatory delay.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The copulatory plug delays ejaculation by rival males and affects sperm competition outcome in house mice

Sutter

Lindholm

2016

J of Evolutionary Biology

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Females of many species mate with multiple males (polyandry), resulting in male–male competition extending to post‐copulation (sperm competition). Males adapt to such post‐copulatory sexual selection by altering features of their ejaculate that increase its competitiveness and/or by decreasing the risk of sperm competition through female manipulation or interference with rival male behaviour. At ejaculation, males of many species deposit copulatory plugs, which are commonly interpreted as a male adaptation to post‐copulatory competition and are thought to reduce or delay female remating. Here, we used a vertebrate model species, the house mouse, to study the consequences of copulatory plugs for post‐copulatory competition. We experimentally manipulated plugs after a female's first mating and investigated the consequences for rival male behaviour and paternity outcome. We found that even intact copulatory plugs were ineffective at preventing female remating, but that plugs influenced the rival male copulatory behaviour. Rivals facing intact copulatory plugs performed more but shorter copulations and ejaculated later than when the plug had been fully or partially removed. This suggests that the copulatory plug represents a considerable physical barrier to rival males. The paternity share of first males increased with a longer delay between the first and second males' ejaculations, indicative of fitness consequences of copulatory plugs. However, when males provided little copulatory stimulation, the incidence of pregnancy failure increased, representing a potential benefit of intense and repeated copulation besides plug removal. We discuss the potential mechanisms of how plugs influence sperm competition outcome and consequences for male copulatory behaviour.

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“…Adult male-type song production initiates at an age of approximately 55 days; therefore, exposure to the father's song may be more important for imprinting female preference during the pre-weaning period. One possibility of father's song exposure to female pups was the time that the mother was in postpartum estrus after delivery and the father and mother mice were sexually active [18] . We attempted to monitor ultrasound vocalizations in pairs of B6 and BALB mice for 3 weeks after pup delivery to obtain preliminary data.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developmental Social Environment Imprints Female Preference for Male Song in Mice

et al. 2014

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BackgroundSexual imprinting is important for kin recognition and for promoting outbreeding, and has been a driving force for evolution; however, little is known about sexual imprinting by auditory cues in mammals. Male mice emit song-like ultrasonic vocalizations that possess strain-specific characteristics.ObjectivesIn this study, we asked whether female mice imprint and prefer specific characteristics in male songs.Methods and FindingsWe used the two-choice test to determine the song preference of female C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. By assessing the time engaged in searching behavior towards songs played back to females, we found that female mice displayed an innate preference for the songs of males from different strains. Moreover, this song preference was regulated by female reproductive status and by male sexual cues such as the pheromone ESP1. Finally, we revealed that this preference was reversed by cross-fostering and disappeared under fatherless conditions, indicating that the behavior was learned by exposure to the father's song.ConclusionsOur results suggest that female mice can discriminate among male song characteristics and prefer songs of mice from strains that are different from their parents, and that these preferences are based on their early social experiences. This is the first study in mammals to demonstrate that male songs contribute to kin recognition and mate choice by females, thus helping to avoid inbreeding and to facilitate offspring heterozygosity.

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Pregnancy and copulatory behavior in random-bred house mice mated in postpartum estrus

Cited by 13 publications

References 17 publications

Female Meadow Voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Experience a Reduction in Copulatory Behavior During Postpartum Estrus

Female Meadow Voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Experience a Reduction in Copulatory Behavior During Postpartum Estrus

The copulatory plug delays ejaculation by rival males and affects sperm competition outcome in house mice

Developmental Social Environment Imprints Female Preference for Male Song in Mice

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