Recognition of interspecific familiar versus unfamiliar odours among bank voles and yellow-necked mice |
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Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Rafa???opuckiEmail author Przemys?aw?Szymroszczyk |
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Institution: | 1.Catholic University of Lublin,Lublin,Poland |
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Abstract: | Two experiments (laboratory and field-laboratory) were designed to determine whether individual bank volesClethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780) and yellow--necked miceApodemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834) could distinguish heterospecific odour cues from familiar and unfamiliar individuals. In the laboratory
experiment each male bank vole was familiarized for 24 h with odour (cotton wool impregnated with urine and faeces) of male
yellow-necked mice and yellow-necked mice were familiarized with odour of male bank voles. In the field-laboratory experiment
the individual bank voles and yellow-necked mice captured at the same point were considered familiar and transfered to the
laboratory. In laboratory, these individuals were tested in a box (for 5 h) affording them the choice between the odours of
familiar and unfamiliar heterospecific males. Bank voles discriminated between familiar and unfamiliar yellow--necked mouse
odours. Male yellow-necked mice seemed to have a similar ability to recognise odours of familiar bank voles. It is proposed
that interactions between these two species occur not only on the species level, but also on the level of individual. This
phenomenon (probably asymmetric) can play an important role in spatial orientation, and influence direct contacts between
individuals of these species. |
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