Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Olfactory Responses of Neotropical Short-Tailed Singing Mice, Scotinomys teguina, to Odors of the Mid-Ventral Sebaceous Gland: Discrimination of Conspecifics, Gender, and Female Reproductive Condition

  • Published:
Journal of Chemical Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined the olfactory communication of the Neotropical short-tailed singing mouse, Scotinomys teguina, by investigating whether S. teguina responded to odors produced by the mid-ventral sebaceous gland of conspecifics. Females spent significantly more time investigating male odor than an odorless stimulus or a female odor. Males spent significantly more time investigating female odor than an odorless stimulus, but not that of a male odor. This latter result does not seem to be explained by differences in age or sexual experience of test subjects, but may be influenced by reproductive condition of the female odor donor. Male S. teguina spent significantly more time (1) investigating and (2) in total proximity to odors of estrous than non-estrous females. Males spent more time (1) investigating and (2) in total proximity to odors of males than non-estrous females. Finally, given the choice between odor of males vs proestrous females, males showed no preference. Thus, the mid-ventral gland in S. teguina seems to convey information about conspecifics, sex, and female reproductive condition. Male odor, compared with proestrous female odor, is equally interesting to males, suggesting that the gland also plays an important role in male–male communication. Sexual dimorphism in the size of the gland and in the amount of secretion produced by the gland may be related to either male–male competition or female choice.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bakker, J., Ophemert, J. V., and Slob, A. K. 1996. Sexual differentiation of odor and partner preference in the rat. Physiol. Behav. 60:489–494.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blaustein, A. R. 1981. Sexual selection and mammalian olfaction. Am Nat 117:1006–1010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blondel, D. V. 2006. Social organization of a species of Singing Mouse, Scotinomys xerampelinus. MSc Thesis. University of Florida.

  • Brown, R. E. 1985. The rodents II: suborder Myomorpha, Social Odours in Mammals. pp. 345–457, in R. E. Brown, and D. W. MacDonald (eds.). Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R. E., and Macdonald, D. W. 1985. Social Odours in Mammals. Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drickamer, L. C., and Brown, P. L. 1998. Age-related changes in odor preferences by house mice living in seminatural enclosures. J. Chem. Ecol 24:1745–1755.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duvall, D., Müller-Schwarze, D., and Silverstein, R. M. 1986. Chemical Signals in Vertebrates. Plenum Press, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Englemann, M., Wotjak, C. T., and Landgraf, R. 1995. Social discrimination procedure: an alternative method to investigate juvenile recognition abilities in rats. Physiol. Behav 58:315–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferkin, M. H. 1999. Attractiveness of opposite-sex odor and responses to it vary with age and sex in meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus). J. Chem. Ecol 25:757–769.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferkin, M. H., and Johnston, R. E. 1995. Meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, use multiple sources of scent for sex recognition. Anim. Behav 49:37–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-V. 2006. Olfactory responses of Neotropical singing mice (Scotinomys teguina) to the odors of the mid-ventral sebaceous gland. MSc. Thesis. University of Missouri-St. Louis.

  • Flood, P. 1985. Sources of significant smells: the skin and other organs, Social Odours in Mammals. pp. 19–36, in R. E. Brown, and D. W. MacDonald (eds.). Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gavish, L., Carter, C. S., and Getz, L. L. 1983. Male-female interactions in prairie voles. Anim. Behav 31:511–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gottreich, A., Zuri, I., Barel, S., Hammer, I., and Terkel, J. 2000. Urinary levels in the male blind mole rat (Spalax ehrenbergi) affect female preference. Physiol. Behav 69:309–315.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Halpin, Z. T. 1980. Individual odors and individual recognition: Review and commentary. Biol. Behav 5:233–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpin, Z. T. 1986. Individual odors among mammals: Origins and functions. Adv. Study Behav 16:39–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hooper, E. T., and Carleton, M. 1976. Reproduction, growth and development in two contiguously allopatric rodent species, genus Scotinomys. Misc. Public. Mus. Zool., Univ. Michigan 151:1–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurst, J. L. 1990a. Urine marking in populations of wild house mice (Mus domesticus Rutty). I. Communication between males. Anim. Behav. 40:209–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurst, J. L. 1990b. Urine marking in populations of wild house mice (Mus domesticus Rutty). II. Communication between females. Anim. Behav. 40:223–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurst, J. L. 1990c. Urine marking in populations of wild house mice (Mus domesticus Rutty). III. Communication between the sexes. Anim. Behav. 40:233–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurst, J. L., Hayden, L., Kingston, M., Luck, R., and Sorensen, K. 1994. Response of the aboriginal house mouse, Mus spretus Lataste, to tunnels odoured by conspecifics. Anim. Behav. 48:1219–1229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • InStat, GraphPad Software Inc. 1998. Version 3.0. San Diego, CA, USA. http://www.graphpad.com.

  • Jannett, F. J. Jr. 1981. Scent mediation of intraspecific, interspecific, and intergeneric agonistic behavior among sympatric species of voles (Microtinae). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol 8:293–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JMP, SAS Institute Inc. 1989–1997. Version 3.2.1. Cary, NC, USA. http://www.jmp.com.

  • Johnston, R. E. 1983. Chemical signals and reproductive behavior, Pheromones and Reproduction in Mammals. pp. 3–33, in J. G. Vandenberg (ed.). Academic Press, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, R. E. 1985. Communication, The Hamster. Reproduction and Behavior. pp. 121–154, in H. I. Siegel (ed.). The Plenum Press, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, R. E. 2003. Chemical communication in rodents: From pheromones to individual recognition. J. Mammal. 84:1141–1162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, R. E., and Jernigan, P. 1994. Golden hamsters recognize individuals, not just individual scents. Anim. Behav 48:129–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kavaliers, M., and Colwell, D. D. 1995. Odors of parasitized males induced aversive responses in female mice. Anim. Behav 50:1161–1169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kavaliers, M., Choleris, E., Agmo, A., and Pfaff, D. W. 2004. Olfactory-mediated parasite recognition and avoidance: linking genes to behavior. Horm. Behav. 46:272–283.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kleiman, D. G. 1977. Monogamy in mammals. Quart. Rev. Biol 52:36–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleiman, D. G. and Eisenberg, J. F. 1983. Part III Mechanisms of communication, pp. 147–149, in J. F. Eisenberg and D. G. Kleiman (eds.). Advances in the Study of Mammalian Behavior. Am. Soc. Mammal. Spec. Public. 7:1–751.

  • Koyama, S. 2004. Primer effects by conspecific odors in house mice: a new perspective in the study of primer effects on reproductive activities. Horm. Behav 46:303–310.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Künzl, C., Kaiser, S., Meier, E., and Sachser, N. 2003. Is a wild mammal kept and reared in captivity still a wild animal? Horm. Behav 43:187–196.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mateo, J. M. 2003. Kin recognition ground squirrels and other rodents. J. Mammal. 84:1163–1181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mateo, J. M. 2006. The nature and representation of individual recognition cues in Belding’s ground squirrels. Anim. Behav. 71:141–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller-Schwarze, D. 1983. Scent glands in mammals and their functions, pp. 150–185, in J. F. Eisenberg and D. G. Kleiman (eds.). Advances in the Study of Mammalian Behavior. Am. Soc. Mammal. Spec. Public. 7:1–751.

  • Nelson, R. J. 2000. An Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman, K. S., and Halpin, Z. T. 1988. Individual odors and mate recognition in the prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster. Anim. Behav 36:1779–1787.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petrulis, A., Peng, M., and Johnston, R. E. 1999. Effects of vomeronasal organ removal on individual odor discrimination, sex-odor preference, and scent marking by female hamsters. Physiol. Behav 66:73–83.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Portillo, W., and Paredes, R. G. 2004. Sexual incentive motivation, olfactory preference and activation of the vomeronasal projection pathway by sexually relevant cues in non-copulating and naïve males. Horm. Behav 46:330–340.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quay, W. B., and Tomich, P. Q. 1963. A specialized midventral sebaceous glandular area in Rattus exulans. J. Mammal 44:537–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothblat, L. A., and Kromer, L. F. 1991. Object recognition memory in the rat: the role of the hippocampus. Behav. Brain Res 42:25–32.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawrey, D. K., and Dewsbury, D. A. 1994. Conspecific odor preferences in montane voles (Microtus montanus): Effects of sexual experience. Physiol. Behav 56:339–344.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, N. G., and Rumbaugh, T. 1997. Odor preferences of weanling and mature male and female pine voles. J. Chem. Ecol 23:2133–2142.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, N. G., Ferkin, M. H., and O’boyle, R. 1999. Do pine voles (Microtus pinetorum) use numerous types of olfactory cues to discriminate gender? J. Chem. Ecol 25:2147–2159.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stoddart, D. M. 1986. The comparative responses of mice and voles to conspecific and heterospecific odors in the field - A lesson in social behavior, Chemical Signals in Vertebrates. pp. 533–540, in D. Duvall, D. Müller-Schwarze, and R. M. Silverstein (eds.). Plenum Press, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang-Martinez, Z. 2001. The mechanisms of kin discrimination and the evolution of kin recognition in vertebrates: a critical re-evaluation. Behav. Process 53:21–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang-Martínez, Z., Mueller, L. L., and Taylor, G. T. 1993. Individual odors and mating success in the golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. Anim. Behav 45:1141–1151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, G. T., egan, D., and Haller, J. 1983. Sexual experience, androgens and female choice of a mate in laboratory rats. J. Endocrinol 96:43–52.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • White, P. J., Fisher, R. B., and Meunier, G. F. 1986. Female discrimination of male dominance by urine odor cues in hamsters. Physiol. Behav 37:273–277.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao, K., Kondo, Y., and Sakuma, Y. 2004. Sex-specific effects of gonadal steroids on conspecific odor preference in rat. Horm. Behav 46:356–361.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zala, S. M., Potts, W. K., and Penn, D. J. 2004. Scent-marking displays provide honest signals of health and infection. Behav. Ecol 15:338–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zenuto, R. R., Fanjul, M. S., and Busch, C. 2004. Use of chemical communication by the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum (Tuco-tuco) during the breeding season. J. Chem. Ecol 30:2111–2126.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Alex Ophir, Dimitri Blondel, Polly Campbell, and Molly Phillips (University of Florida, Gainesville); Jacqueline Miller (University of Toronto); George Taylor, Stan Braude, Beth Congdon, Danielle Lee, and Matt Ogburn (University of Missouri-St. Louis); and the anonymous reviewers for helpful comments. This research was supported by a Grant in Aid from the American Society of Mammalogists.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA

    Marcela Fernández-Vargas & Zuleyma Tang-Martínez

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Steven M. Phelps

Authors
  1. Marcela Fernández-Vargas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zuleyma Tang-Martínez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Steven M. Phelps
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marcela Fernández-Vargas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fernández-Vargas, M., Tang-Martínez, Z. & Phelps, S.M. Olfactory Responses of Neotropical Short-Tailed Singing Mice, Scotinomys teguina, to Odors of the Mid-Ventral Sebaceous Gland: Discrimination of Conspecifics, Gender, and Female Reproductive Condition. J Chem Ecol 34, 429–437 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-008-9428-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-008-9428-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation