Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Aggression and preputial gland of male mice affected by the presence of other males

  • Published:
Journal of Ethology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The level of aggressiveness and the weight of preputial gland and testis in male mice (Mus musculus) were influenced by housing condition, especially by the presence of cohabitant males. In this study, the relation between aggressiveness and the preputial gland and testis weight was studied for various housing conditions. The mouse individually housed in a cage that was linked to another cage containing another male separated by wire net was more aggressive than isolated or paired mice. The preputial gland weight also showed the same tendency, suggesting that the odor from other males promotes pituitary-gonadal activity in males, and that long-term cohabitance inhibits it.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alberts, J.R. & B.G. Galef 1971 Acute anosmia in the rat: a behavioral test of peripherally induced olfactory deficit.Physiol. Behav. 6: 619–621.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brain, P.F. & N.W. Nowell 1970 The effects of differential grouping on endocrine function of mature male albino mice.Physiol. Behav. 5: 907–910.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brain, P.F. & J.F. Goldsmith 1982 Involvement of various senses in responses to individual housing in laboratory albino mice 1. The olfactory sense.Boll. Zool. 49: 213–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brain, P.F., M.H. Homady & M. Mainardi 1983 Preputial glands, dominance and aggressiveness, in mice.Boll. Zool. 50: 173–187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronson, F.H. & B.E. Eletheriou 1965 Relative effects of fighting on bound and unbound corticosterone in mice.Proc. Soc. exp. Bid. Med. 118: 146–149.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bronson, F.H. & C. Desjardins 1971 Steroid hormones and aggressive behavior in mammals. In: B. E. Eleftheriou & J. P. Scott (eds.)Physiology of Aggression and Defeat pp. 43–63 Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronson, F.H. & H.M. Marsden 1973 The preputial gland as an indicator of social dominance in male mice.Behav. Biol. 9: 625–628.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cairns, R.B. & S.D. Scholz 1973 Fighting in mice: dyadic escalation and what is learned.J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 85(3): 540–550.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, D.A. 1974 Non-sensory involvement of the olfactory bulbs in the mediation of social behavior.Behav. Biol. 11: 287–302.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldsmith, J.F. & P.F. Brain 1978 Effect of prior housing conditions on adrenocortical and gonadal responses to differential housing in laboratory mice.J. Endocrinol. 77: 56–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsmith, J.F., P.F. Brain & D. Benton 1976 Effects of age at differential housing and the duration of individual housing/grouping on intermale fighting behavior and adrenocortical activity in TO strain mice.Aggressive Behav. 2: 307–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammour, H., J.F. Goldsmith & P. F. Brain 1982 Effects of sensory communication on development of “isolation induced” aggression in laboratory mice.Aggressive Behav. 8: 133–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi, S. 1986 Effects of a cohabitant on preputial gland weight of male mice.Physiol. Behav. 38: 299–300.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi, S. 1987 The effects of preputialectomy on aggression in male mice.Zool. Sci. 4: 551–555.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi, S. 1988 Male mice: social dominance influenced by strange male odors.Aggressive Behav. 15: 1–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi, S. 1993 Development and diversity of social structure in male mice.J. Ethol. 11: 77–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koyama, S. 1993 Isolation effect in mice (Mus musculus): (1) does it really induce aggression?J. Ethol. 11: 117–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leshner, A.I. 1975 Theoretical review. A model of hormones and agonistic behavior.Physiol. & Behav. 15: 225–235.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parmigiani, S., D. Mainardi & A. Pasquali 1981 A comparison of aggressiveness in dominant subordinate and isolated house mice. In: P. F. Brain & D. Benton (eds.)The biology of aggression, pp. 563–570 Sythoff & Noordhoff International Publishers, Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parmigiani, S. & P.F. Brain 1983 Effects of residence, aggressive experience and intruder familiarity on attack shown by male mice.Behav. Processes 8: 45–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, J.P. & E. Fredericson 1951 The causes of fighting in mice and rats.J. Physiol. Zool. 24: 273–309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sigg, E.B., C. Day & C. Colombo 1966 Endocrine factors in isolation-induced aggressiveness in rodents.Endocrinology 78: 679–684.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, 153, Tokyo, Japan

    Mao Tanabe & Takeji Kimura

Authors
  1. Mao Tanabe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Takeji Kimura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

About this article

Cite this article

Tanabe, M., Kimura, T. Aggression and preputial gland of male mice affected by the presence of other males. J. Ethol. 13, 63–68 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02352564

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02352564

Keywords

Search

Navigation