Comparison of black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and domestic ferret (M. putorius furo) courtship activity

Because of the scarcity of the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and the amount of knowledge necessary for their conservation, surrogate research can play an important role in recovery. In this paper, we investigate surrogate behavioral research potential by comparing courtship behavior of the black-footed ferret to the congeneric domestic ferret (M. putorius furo). Ten female domestic ferrets were bred to five male domestic ferrets and eight female black-footed ferrets were bred to five black-footed ferret males. Courtship activities were defined, analyzed, and quantitatively compared between both groups. Lag sequential analysis of was used to prepare the behavioral matrices, and matrix cells were compared between groups with an equality of proportions test. Courtship patterns did not differ significantly between the two closely related species, and the domestic ferret would probably be an adequate surrogate for reproductive behavior research on the black-footed ferret.     

Positional behavior of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in northern Sumatra

Although the majority of extant primates are described as "quadrupedal," there is little information available from natural habitats on the locomotor and postural behavior of arboreal primate quadrupeds that are not specialized for leaping. To clarify varieties of quadrupedal movement, a quantitative field study of the positional behavior of a highly arboreal cercopithecine, Macaca fascicularis, was conducted in northern Sumatra. At least 70% of locomotion in travel, foraging, and feeding was movement along continuous substrates by quadrupedalism and vertical climbing. Another 14-25% of locomotion was across substrates by pronograde clambering and vertical clambering. The highest frequency of clambering occurred in foraging for insects, and on the average smaller substrates were used in clambering than during quadrupedal movement. All postural behavior during foraging and feeding was above-substrate, largely sitting. Locomotion across substrates requires grasping branches of diverse orientations, sometimes displaced away from the animal's body. The relatively low frequency of across-substrate locomotion appears consistent with published analyses of cercopithecoid postcranial morphology, indicating specialization for stability of limb joints and use of limbs in parasagittal movements, but confirmation of this association awaits interspecific comparisons that make the distinction between along- and across-substrate forms of locomotion. It is suggested that pronograde clambering as defined in this study was likely a positional mode of considerable importance in the repertoire of Proconsul africanus and is a plausible early stage in the evolution of later hominoid morphology and locomotor behavior.     

Vigilance during play in squirrel monkeys

Play by young squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) may put them and other troop members at risk for predation because youngsters are noisy, separated from adults, and not vigilant when at play. In a study using separated groups of adults and 1-year-old juveniles caged outdoors, we found that adult female squirrel monkeys become more vigilant during periods of spontaneous play among juveniles. This behavioral response could be obtained with auditory cues (play vocalizations) alone. Five times as much vigilance activity was directed toward an area from which threat or disturbance was likely to come as was directed toward the juveniles themselves. These results suggest both an adaptive, compensatory increase in adult vigilance during play and a function for play vocalizations. Additional functions for play vocalizations remain to be investigated.     

室内条件下云斑天牛成虫相遇行为反应

为了探索云斑天牛Batocera lineolata Chevrolat雌雄成虫的交配机制, 采用室内饲养观察和视频轨迹捕捉系统(EthoVision 3.1)自动记录分析相结合的方法, 对云斑天牛的两性相遇行为进行了研究。行为仪分析结果表明, 雌雌、 雄雄与雌雄相遇过程中, 雌雄在轨迹相交时间和净相对运动上显著长于雌雌和雄雄(P<0.05), 而在反应前时间上显著短于雌雌和雄雄相遇情况(P<0.05)。室内试验观察表明, 云斑天牛成虫相遇包括避让、 打斗和交配3种行为。雌雌相遇发生避让的频率最高为80.98%(P<0.05)。雄雄相遇发生避让的频率为78.03%, 显著高于发生打斗的频率21.96%(P<0.05); 雌、 雄成虫与正在交配的一对成虫相遇发生避让的频率显著高于另外3种行为［打斗(继续交配)、 打斗(结束交配)、 打斗(与后来者交配)］(P<0.05), 雌、 雄成虫发生避让、 打斗(继续交配)和打斗(结束交配)3种行为的发生频率存在性别差异(P<0.05); 当雄雄相遇中成虫是初次相遇时, 在发生打斗的频率上显著高于再次相遇(P<0.05), 成虫在雄雄相遇发生避让的频率上, 再次相遇显著高于初次相遇(P<0.05), 雌雄成虫初次相遇发生交配的频率显著高于再次相遇的频率(P<0.05)。云斑天牛成虫相遇行为的研究为研究云斑天牛召唤机制、 性信息素的生物合成及成虫繁殖行为学提供了依据。     

大沙鼠行为生态学研究现状

大沙鼠(Rhombomys opimus),属啮齿目(Rodentia)仓鼠科(Cricetidae)沙鼠亚科(Gerbillinae),广泛分布于中亚的哈萨克斯坦、伊朗、阿富汗、蒙古和中国等国,是沙鼠亚科中体型最大的鼠种,是中亚荒漠区的重要建群鼠种。大沙鼠为建立定居点而挖掘复杂的洞穴系统,生活在此洞穴系统内的一个家族通常由2~3代大沙鼠组成。大沙鼠采食梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)、柽柳(Tamarix chinensis)等植物,强烈影响荒漠植物的发育和外貌,以及荒漠生态系统的结构和功能。本文对大沙鼠栖息地、采食、储食、警戒、领域、社群、扩散以及昼间活动节律等行为的研究作以综述,分析了亟待深入研究的内容,以加深对该物种生物学特性的认识,并为有效控制该物种、维护荒漠生态系统稳定健康发展以及荒漠化防治提供基础数据。     

The role of central and peripheral cholecystokinin in mediating appetitive behaviors

Cholecystokinin (CCK) reduces total food consumption in mice, rats, pigs, sheep, monkeys and humans. Behaviors associated with an underlying state of satiety are reported after CCK administration. Reductions in exploration and social interactions by CCK are not due to true sedation or sleep, as measured by cortical EEG recordings. The satiety effects appear to be mediated by peripheral CCK receptors, through a feedback loop involving the vagus nerve. The conceptual link between the behavioral functions of CCK as a putative satiety signal and its established digestive functions are discussed.     

神农架川金丝猴投食群的母婴关系

灵长类动物母亲的育婴行为不仅对后代的存活起着关键作用,而且对婴猴的发育和成年后的社会交往有着重大影响,因此母-婴关系一直是灵长类学研究的热点之一。为了解川金丝猴的母-婴关系,探讨川金丝猴母-婴关系个体差异的影响因素,我们于2013年3月至2014年10月,以母-婴间相对距离表示照料强度,对神农架川金丝猴的母-婴照料关系以及母亲照料强度个体差异的影响因素进行了定量研究。结果表明：母亲照料行为强度、母亲对阿姨行为的容忍与婴猴年龄相关,限制行为与婴猴年龄不相关。身体接触与婴猴年龄不相关;腹部接触以及母-婴相对距离小于1 m与婴猴年龄呈负相关;相对距离1 m至5 m、相对距离5 m至10 m和相对距离大于10 m与婴猴年龄呈正相关;母亲对阿姨行为的拒绝与婴猴年龄呈负相关;母亲对婴猴的限制行为与年龄不相关。总的来说,即随着婴猴成长,母婴间距离越来越远,母亲也逐渐减少对婴猴的保护。母亲的生育经验、婴猴性别、婴猴出生先后和社会单元大小对神农架川金丝猴母婴关系没有显著影响,补食群丰富的食物资源和群内雌性友好的关系可能是导致本结果的原因。     

Sociosexual behavior of captive sichuan golden monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana)

The Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey, Rhinopithecus roxellana, is an endangered Colobine endemic to China. The social and reproductive behavior of this species are little known, and it has rarely been kept in captivity outside China. Results from observations of a captive golden monkey pair revealed some unusual details of sociosexual behavior. Both members of the pair mounted one other, and female mounting of the male occurred nearly as often as the reverse. Male mounts were always preceded by a stereotyped behavioral sequence that included distinct facial and vocal displays. Female mounts occurred in response to male solicitation (presenting). No evidence of ejaculation was observed in association with mounts, although mounts were only observed in a distinctly sexual context. Sexual behavior was associated with aggressive displays by one or both animals and with apparently proceptive behavior by the female. All sexual behaviors showed a peak near the end of the study, although the female was continually receptive throughout the 2-month study period.     

矮岩羊行为生态的初步研究

2006年8月,在四川巴塘县竹巴笼自然保护区对矮岩羊的行为生态进行了研究。共发现矮岩羊7个集群33只,集群平均大小为4.71±1.60只;矮岩羊在夏季9:00~10:00内主要用于卧息,占该段活动时间的76.72%;因子分析显示:矮岩羊对生境的利用具有选择性,影响矮岩羊生境选择行为的主要因子为草因子、灌木因子、坡度和活动基底特征。     

松墨天牛成虫交配与产卵行为的观察

观察了养虫笼中松墨天牛Monochamus alternatusHope的交配和产卵行为。描述了雌、雄虫在交配过程中的多种行为,雌、雄虫间的交配时间可持续23~540 min,平均约200 min;有重复交配现象,重复交配次数可达2~18次;每次交配持续时间为2~100 s。雌虫背负雄虫,边取食边产卵;也可脱离雄虫单独产卵。雌虫在寄主枝条上咬槽产卵,通常日产卵1~2粒,最多3粒。产卵期的长短和产卵量的多少取决于雌虫个体寿命的长短。     

寄生性天敌寄生行为及研究中应注意的若干问题

作为调节和利用寄生性天敌以控制害虫为害所需的重要基础信息之一,寄生性天敌的寄生行为已有70多年的研究历史。至今在这一领域的很多研究方面。包括寄生性天敌的寄主选择行为、寄主块离开行为、窝卵数以及行为的进化等都取得了很大的进展。本文主要对寄生性天敌的寄主选择行为及寄主块离开行为的最新研究成果进行综述。并就寄生性天敌寄生行为研究过程中经常遇到的一些问题进行讨论。     

樟巢螟成虫的求偶及交配行为

在光周期14 L∶〖KG-*2〗10 D、温度（27±1） ℃、相对湿度（60±10）%的室内条件下,研究了樟巢螟成虫的求偶及交配行为.结果表明：樟巢螟雌蛾在光期不求偶,进入暗期后少数个体开始求偶,暗期5 h求偶个体百分率明显增加,暗期6～7 h达求偶高峰期;不同日龄雌蛾的求偶率不同,以2～3日龄雌蛾较高,高峰期求偶率达70%以上;樟巢螟雌雄蛾的交配行为依时间顺序可分为求偶和交配2个过程;雌雄蛾间的交配主要发生在暗期5～9 h,交配高峰期在暗期6～7 h,与雌蛾的求偶高峰期一致;樟巢螟雌蛾一生只交配1次;雌雄比1∶1处理的雌蛾交配率显著低于雌雄比1:2处理,但前者的交配持续时间明显高于后者.     

Aggregation in quads but not pairs of rats exposed to cat odor or bright light

In many prey species aggregation of individuals is a defensive strategy commonly employed in response to predators and predator-related cues. However, very little work has explored this adaptive response in laboratory rats. It is known that individual rats show characteristic defensive responses to predator odors, such as hiding, avoidance, inhibition of foraging, feeding and reproduction, and risk assessment directed toward the odor source. However, whether these species-typical responses in individuals are altered in the presence of other conspecifics is yet to be characterized. The present study therefore examined the defensive response of groups of two rats (dyads) or four rats (quads) to two unconditioned stressors: bright ambient light and cat odor (a 2g ball of cat fur). The dyads and quads were formed from familiar cage mates and test sessions (20 min) occurred in a large open arena (1200 mm(2)) to which the rats had been extensively habituated under dark conditions. The results showed that when quads of rats were exposed to either cat odor or bright light in this arena, they showed characteristic increases in close social proximity, termed "huddling". A tight grouping of 3 (triplet) or 4 (quad) rats was commonly seen in response to cat fur, while triplets were more commonly seen in response to bright light. Interestingly there was no evidence for increased social proximity in dyads exposed to either stressor, only in quads. However, cat odor caused other signs of fear (such as decreased locomotor activity and increased defecation) in both quads and dyads. It is concluded that huddling is a rodent defensive strategy in rats when anxiogenic stimuli are encountered by larger groups of rats.     

Hazel grouse (Bonasa bonasia) pairs during the nonbreeding season: mutual benefits of a cooperative alliance

During the nonbreeding season (autumn and winter), hazel grouse(Bonasa bonasia) males and females associate as loosely boundpairs, not as strongly bound pairs as previously thought. Thesepairs could be considered cooperative alliances, with each membergaining both direct and indirect benefits. The most importantdirect benefit appeared to be mutual vigilance against predators.This benefit was found at two levels: at the level of arborealfeeding sites, two birds could forage faster and farther fromcover than single birds, and at the territory scale, the pairwas together more in dangerous habitats. By foraging fartherfrom cover, two birds could use about 23% more of the preferredfood trees and 9%–10% more of the food available withina territory than a single bird, partially mitigating the costof having two birds feeding on limited winter food in the samespace. Defending a common territory appeared to be a less importantdirect benefit of the alliance because the members of a pairdid not defend the same territory and often associated withneighboring birds of the opposite sex. A future benefit of thealliance was having breeding partners in the spring; this wasmost beneficial for males, as the sex ratio was male biased.Members of the pair were often apart. At arboreal feeding sites,this separation was perhaps because the most preferred trees,black alders (Alnns glutinosa) with the most staminate catkins,were located in areas with the most cover, where one bird maybe safer from predators than two. Members of pairs in more securehabitats were more often with extrapair birds of the oppositesex. This suggested a trade-off; birds in safe habitats mayhave visited potential breeding partners, but birds in dangeroushabitats may have had to remain together, foregoing this option,to increase their survival probability. This social organizationappeared to be an adaptation to surviving in a heterogeneoushabitat, with some of the winter food located in dense coverand some located in more open and dangerous situations.     

Affiliative interference in mounts in a group of Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana)

Affiliative interference in mounts was studied in a group of Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) living in semi-liberty. Over a 4-year period, 545 sexual and noncopulatory mounts accompanied by 367 instances of interference were recorded using behavior-dependent sampling. Interference by immature individuals was frequent and occurred mainly when the mother was the mountee. Interference by adult females was less common. Various behavior patterns were displayed in interference, mainly directed toward the mounter. Aggression by the latter was rare. However, interference occurred from further away with increasing age of the interfering individual. It is suggested that interference represents an attempt to be involved in interactions with influential individuals. Comparisons with other species support the hypothesis that the development of interference is related to species-typical social relationships and, in particular, that frequency and intensity of interference are determined by the tolerance of adult males.     

Effects of age at pairing on reproduction in captive California condors (Gymnogyps californianus)

The lack of breeding behavior seen in some pairs of adult California condors, Gymnogyps californianus, is of great concern for the captive breeding program. One possible cause for absent or delayed breeding in what are otherwise seemingly compatible animals is inbreeding avoidance behavior. To examine this possibility, housing and reproduction records were examined for all adult California condors. The influence of housing on reproduction of birds that had been exclusively paired for at least one full breeding season was examined with linear regression, and the age of females at the age of exclusive pairing was shown to have a significant influence on fertility, which increased with increased age at pairing. Behavioral data from adult pairs at the San Diego Wild Animal Park corroborated these findings, as mounts and copulations were observed at significantly lower frequencies in pairs that had been formed when the female was less than two years old. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Pre-retirement predator encounters alter the morning behavior of captive marmosets (Callithrix geoffroyi)

Limited data are available on the long-term effect an encounter with a predator has on its potential prey. Anecdotal reports from field research indicate that even unsuccessful attacks by predators on callitrichids have long-lasting effects. The subjects for this study were two groups of Geoffroy's marmosets (Callithrix geoffroyi) housed outside, off exhibit, at the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Before they retired in the evening, the marmosets were observed under one of three conditions: snake model, cloth control, and no-stimulus control. Data were collected the following morning for 1 hr after the animals emerged from the sleeping box. Compared to control conditions, exposure to the snake model before retirement the previous evening was associated with significantly more vigilance checks (i.e., inspecting the area where the stimulus was last seen), and a delay in beginning to forage on the ground. These results suggest that callitrichids use recent threatening experiences to guide their vigilance behavior 12 hr after the threat is detected, and that they adjust their early morning behavior in response to potential predatory threats.     

Affiliative and Aggressive Behavior in a Group of Female Somali Wild Ass (Equus africanus somalicus)

We observed a group of three young female Somali wild asses to develop an ethogram of social behavior in the first phase of a longer term study of social, sexual, and maternal/infant behavior. The most unexpected finding was the frequency and extent of aggressive interactions, which included Charge, Drive, Neck Wrestle, Head Butt, and Body Slam, behaviors previously reported only for males of other equid species. The overall frequency of aggressive behavior was higher than that of affiliative behavior (84±16.5 vs. 32±5.5, P=0.03), yet no injuries occurred. The dyadic directionality of aggressive behavior suggested a dominance hierarchy, a feature not previously reported for either wild ass or domestic donkeys. The aggression observed may be an accurate representation of the behavior of this species, or their relatively young ages, or their recent transfer from their natal group through quarantine and into a new enclosure may have heightened agonistic tendencies. Further studies will determine whether with time their aggressive behavior becomes more intense or dissipates with maturity. Zoo Biol 31:87;–97, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

亲缘关系与啮齿类动物的社会行为

在漫长的进化过程中 ,动物除了在形态结构、生理生化以及遗传等方面适应周围环境之外 ,也产生了与环境相适应的行为 ,其中种内个体社会联系的行为称为社会行为。由于自然选择提高了个体的生存价值和广义适合度 (ｉｎｃｌｕｓｉｖｅｆｉｔｎｅｓｓ) ,所以如果个体间亲缘程度不同 ,在自然选择的作用下必然会产生不同的结果。亲缘关系与社会行为的研究源于行为生态学 ,其中以Ｈａｍｉｌｔｏｎ[32 ] 提出的亲缘选择和广义适合度理论为代表 ,将亲缘关系和自然选择联系起来 ,扩展了达尔文自然选择理论的范围 ,较好地解释了利他行为 (ａｌｔｒｕｓ…