Über den Einfluß von Duftstoffen und Sekreten auf Verhalten und Entwicklung der Rötelmaus (Clethrionomys glareolus) und sympatrischer Arten

Abstract

Live traps, contaminated by secretions from either males or females of the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and untreated were set in triplets at trapping points in a forest garden near Munich from June until October 1986. Eighty-four rodents were trapped, 47 were red-backed voles. Significantly more rodents (38) were caught in the traps scented with male secretions, and only slightly more (26) in the traps containing female secretions than in the untreated traps(20).Apodemus spp. visited the “male” traps three times more than untreated traps. The male mice and voles particularly the sexually mature individuals significantly preferred the traps contaminated with male odour. Most reproductive females of theApodemus spp. were captured in the “male” traps. However, the immature rodents of both sexes were distributed more evenly among the three types of traps and showed no distinct preferences.

In the lab a male red-backed vole was put in an enclosure divided intwo two parts. The floor of one half was covered with wood shavings contaminated with secretions from conspecific males or females or from males ofA. sylvaticus, the other half contained the untreated material. The activities of the test animals in both sides were observed by means of a video recorder. All tested male voles significantly preferred the contaminated side, especially for activities like digging and grooming, excepted when it was contaminated by odour and secretions from a conspecific male.

Thirteen litters of red-backed voles were separated 20 days after birth. The males were caged singly and kept either on bedding material impregnated with secretions and odour from conspecific elder males or on untreated material. Growth and development of eighteen pairs were observed up to six weeks but no significant differences could be detected. However, the growth and development of all males born after August were delayed.

The results showed that odours and secretions had a strong influence upon behaviour of the red-backed vole and some sympatric species.

Zusammenfassung

In Fallen, die mit Sekreten und Duftstoffen der Waldmaus (A. sylvaticus) kontaminiert waren, wurden signifikant mehr Mäuse gefangen wie in nicht-kontaminierten Fallen. Im allgemeinen wurden die Fallen mit männlichen Duftstoffen bevorzugt. Auch im Labor hielten sich Rötelmäuse und Waldmäuse in einer zweigeteilten Arena vorzugsweise auf der kontaminierten Seite auf. Männliche Rötelmäuse vermieden jedoch eher die behandelte Seite, wenn sie mit Duftstoffen und Sekreten von männlichen Artgenossen kontaminiert war. Bei der Aufzucht von Wurfgeschwistern auf kontaminierter und nicht-kontaminierter Einstreu wurden keine signifikanten Unterschiede in der körperlichen und geschlechtlichen Entwicklung bei männlichen Rötelmäusen beobachtet.