雌性根田鼠断奶后对亲本尿气味的记忆

为研究亲子分开后雌性根田鼠对亲本气味的记忆持续时间,分别在未分开(20日龄)、分开10d(30日龄)、20d(40日龄)、30d(50日龄)、40d(60日龄)时,以新鲜尿作气味源,在行为观察箱中记录雌性根田鼠对不同气味源的行为响应模式,结果表明(1)未分开时,雌鼠遭遇父本气味时自我修饰的频次极显著高于陌生雄鼠气味,在分开10d时,雌鼠接近父本气味的频次显著多于接近陌生雄鼠气味的频次,其对前者反标记显著少于后者;(2)分开20d后,雌鼠对父本和陌生雄鼠气味的行为响应无明显差异;(3)未分窝时,雌性根田鼠幼仔对母本和陌生雌鼠气味的行为响应无差异;(4)分开10—40d时,雌性根田鼠对母本和陌生雌鼠气味表现出不同的行为响应模式。以上结果表明,在亲子分开10d时,雌鼠仍能识别父本和陌生雄鼠的气味;分开20d后,雌鼠不再能够识别父本和陌生雄鼠的气味;在亲子分开40d时,雌鼠仍能识别母本和陌生雌鼠的气味。因此,雌鼠对父本气味的嗅觉记忆时间可以持续到亲子分开10—20d之间;而对母本气味的嗅觉记忆时间则可以持续到亲子分开40d以上。

Retention of Parental Urine Odour of Postweaning Female Root Vole

To research the retention of parental odours of female root voles (Microtus oeconomus), the behavioural responses to urine from parents were recorded 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 days after weaning (20, 30, 40, 50, 60 days of age respectively). The results showed that: (1) The frequency of self-grooming in the presence of paternal or a strange male's odour was significantly different when subjects were 20 days of age. The frequency of approach to paternal odour was higher than to a stranger's odour. In addition, the counter-mark frequency for paternal odours was less than for strange odours when subjects were 30 days of age. (2) There was no difference between the behavioural responses to paternal and strange odours when subjects were 40 days of age. (3) There was no difference between the behavioural responses to maternal and strange odours when subjects were 20 days of age. (4) Females showed different behavioural patterns to maternal and strange odours 10-40 d after weaning. In conclusion, the retention of paternal odour can continue until 10-20 d after weaning, and maternal odour can continue until 40 d after weaning.