The Behavior of Communicating: An Analysis of the 22 kHz Call of Rats (<i>Rattus Norvegicus</i>)

Adler, Norman T.; Anisko, Joseph J.

doi:10.1093/icb/19.2.493

Cited by 44 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…This finding is consistent with previously mentioned research demonstrating a facilitation of darting activity in estrous females exposed to copulatory 50-kHz vocalizations (Mclntosh et al, 1978;Thomas et al, 1981). In addition, there was a significant decrease in solicitation behavior following ejaculation in each of the three conditions; that is, regardless of the presence (I-I condition) or the absence (D-D condition) of postejaculatory 22-kHz vocalizations (Adler & Anisko, 1979;Barfield & Geyer, 1972), the females exhibited fewer darts/minute following ejaculation.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Male-produced ultrasonic vocalizations and mating patterns in female rats.

Thomas

Howard²,

Barfield³

1982

Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

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The influence of male-produced 50-kHz vocalizations on mating behavior and choice of partner in estrous female rats was investigated. In the first two experiments, estrous females were given a mating-choice test; two tethered males, one of which was devocalized, were used as incentives. Darting was directed toward the vocalizing male more frequently than toward the muted test partner, but ultrasonic vocalizations had no influence on visit rate or on the amount of time that the females spent with each male. When two intact or two muted males were used as stimulus objects, the females' solicitation behavior was more evenly distributed between the two males. In a third experiment, estrous females were given a mating-choice test between two muted males; tape-recorded 50-kHz vocalizations or tape hiss was transmitted from a speaker located behind one of the males. Females spent equal amounts of time with the tethered males in both the vocalization and tape-hiss conditions; however, females directed more darting toward the males that were tethered in front of the speaker transmitting the ultrasonic vocalizations than toward the other muted tethered males. These findings demonstrate that the principal function of the male-produced ultrasounds is to facilitate and orient the solicitation behavior of the estrous female during mating. The vocalizations have little demonstrable effect in attracting the female to the immediate physical proximity of the male.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Male-produced ultrasonic vocalizations and mating patterns in female rats.

Thomas

Howard²,

Barfield³

1982

Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

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“…The shorter ERLs and ESLs found in the present experiment with females paired with control-operated males might reflect a general increase of proceptive behavior in the estrous female that has been exposed to 50-kHz copulatory vocalizations rather than the presence or absence of 22-kHz calls during the refractory period. Adler and Anisko (1979) reported no difference in the latency of a female to approach and/or solicit a male during the postejaculatory interval in which the male exhibited 22-kHz vocalizations or remained silent in an ad lib (non-tether) testing situation in a large seminatural environment. Since the males were not devocalized in the Adler and Anisko experiment, the females probably were exposed to 50-kHz copulatory vocalizations during the preejaculatory period regardless of whether the male exhibited the 22-kHz vocalizations during the refractory period.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Effect of devocalization of the male on mating behavior in rats.

Thomas

Talalas²,

Barfield³

1981

Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

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The effects of devocalization of male rats on the copulatory behavior of male and female rats were investigated. No differences in any measure of masculine copulatory performance were found between vocalizing and muted males; however, estrous females mated with vocalizing males exhibited more frequent darting behavior than females mated with muted males. Females paired with vocalizing males in a tether apparatus exhibited more patterns of proceptive behavior per unit of time than did females paired with devocalized males, although the temporal distribution of this behavior, with respect to mounts by males, was unchanged. Conversely, patterns of receptive behavior were unaffected by devocalization of the male.Ultrasonic vocalization is characteristic of many rodent species and is produced in a variety of social situations (for reviews, see Nyby & Whitney, 1978;Sales & Pye, 1974). Given that rodents can hear ultrasounds (Brown & Pye, 1975), it is reasonable to propose that these stimuli might serve a communicative function. In particular, ultrasonic vocalizations appear to play an important role in the initiation and execution of copulatory behavior in rats; for example, Sales (1972) observed that ultrasonic vocalizations occurred prior to any physical contact between rats in a mating situation. Male-produced 50-kHz ultrasounds are most likely to occur in the presence of an awake, sexually receptive female , and they are more likely to be emitted by male rats that exhibit a high degree of sexual readiness . It was suggested by Geyer,

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“…In rats, calls are similarly reported during male confrontation (Sales 1972). These vocalisations are produced mainly by the intruder animal Thomas et al 1983) and it was suggested that these calls were emitted to inhibit the aggressive behaviour of the resident male (Lehman and Adams 1977;Adler and Anisko 1979). In mice, prefighting "V" calls did not prevent aggression, as all pairs began to fight within the first minute of confrontation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectrographic analysis of the ultrasonic vocalisations of adult male and female BALB/c mice

Gourbal¹,

Barthélemy

Petit

et al. 2004

Naturwissenschaften

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In this study, a spectrographic analysis was designed to improve the description of the shape, the modulations, the rate, length and frequencies of BALB/c mouse calls in different behavioural situations. Male and female calls emitted during investigation of cages with clean bedding, soiled with male or female bedding, and during same-sex encounters, were recorded and described. BALB/c male mice uttered different types of vocalisations both when investigating counterpart odour cues and when interacting with same-sex counterparts. BALB/c female mice vocalised solely during same-sex counterpart encounters and it appeared that calls were uttered mainly by the resident females. Male and female mice present a complex array of calls, which seem to be linked to particular behavioural situations. Further studies using this technology may help to improve our understanding of the role of vocal communication in natural rodent populations.

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The Behavior of Communicating: An Analysis of the 22 kHz Call of Rats (Rattus Norvegicus)

Cited by 44 publications

References 33 publications

Male-produced ultrasonic vocalizations and mating patterns in female rats.

Male-produced ultrasonic vocalizations and mating patterns in female rats.

Effect of devocalization of the male on mating behavior in rats.

Spectrographic analysis of the ultrasonic vocalisations of adult male and female BALB/c mice

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