Abstract
Data from 16 0.1-ha field enclosures containing populations of wild house mice (Mus domesticus) were used to test two sets of questions. Do mice respond differentially to odors from dominant and subordinate males in live traps? Do dominant and subordinate males respond differentially to odors in live traps from other mice? A trap was considered odorized if it had captured a mouse during the previous week, during which there were always two trapping nights. Dominant and subordinate males did not differ with respect to the time they were alive in the enclosures, the frequency of capture, or home range size. Overall, mice were more attracted to the odor of dominant males compared to subordinate males. This difference was due primarily to the attraction of estrous and juvenile females to the traps odorized by dominant males. Dominant males were more likely to be captured in traps odorized by estrous females than in traps odorized by juvenile males or females, nonestrous females, or pregnant/lactating females. Subordinate males were caught more frequently in traps odorized by dominant males than were other dominant males. Conversely, dominant males were captured more frequently in traps odorized by subordinate males than were other subordinate males. Rates of capture of self-odor were higher for subordinate than for dominant males. The results may be explained by a combination of factors related to the social and reproduction systems of house mice.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
BOONSTRA, R., and KREBS, C. J. 1976. The effect of odour on trap response in Microtus townsendii. J. Zool. London 180:467–476.
BOWERS, J. M., and ALEXANDER, B. K. 1967. Mice: Individual recognition by olfactory cues. Science 158:1208–1210.
BRONSON, F. H., and MARSDEN, H. M. 1964. Male-induced synchrony of estrus in deermice. Gen. Endocrinol. 4:634–637.
DALY, M., WILSON, M. J., and BEHRENDS, P. 1980. Factors affecting rodents' responses to odours of strangers encountered in the field: Experiments with odour-baited traps. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 6:323–329.
D'AMATO, F. R. 1988. Effects of male social status on reproductive success and on behavior in mice (Mus musculus). J. Comp. Psychol. 102:146–151.
DESJARDINS, C., MARUNIAK, J. A., and BRONSON, F. H. 1973. Social rank in the house mouse: Differentiation revealed by ultraviolet visualization of urinary marking patterns. Science 182:939–941.
DOTY, R. L. 1972. Odor preferences of female Peromyscus maniculatus bairdi for male mouse odors of P. m. bairdi and P. leucopus noveboracensis as a function of the estrous cycle. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 81:191–197.
DRICKAMER, L. C. 1984. Captures of two species of Peromyscus at live traps baited with male and female odors. J. Mammal. 65:699–702.
DRICKAMER, L. C. 1986. Puberty-influencing chemosignals in mice: Ecological and evolutionary considerations, pp. 441–455, in D. Duvall, D. Müller-Schwarze, and R. M. Silverstein (eds.). Chemical Signals in Vertebrates IV. Plenum Press, New York.
DRICKAMER, L. C. 1989a. Odor preferences of wild stock female house mice (Mus domesticus) tested at three ages using urine and other cues from conspecific males and females. J. Chem. Ecol. 15:1971–1987.
DRICKAMER, L. C. 1989b. Patterns of deposition of urine containing chemosignals that affect puberty and reproduction by wild stock male and female house mice (Mus domesticus). J. Chem. Ecol. 15:1407–1421.
DRICKAMER, L. C. 1992. Oestrous female house mice discriminate dominant from subordinate males and sons of dominant from sons of subordinate males by odour cues. Anim. Behav. 43:868–870.
DRICKAMER, L. C. 1995. Odors in traps: does most recent occupant influence capture rates for house mice? J. Chem. Ecol. 21:541–555.
DRICKAMER, L. C., and MIKESIC, D. G. 1990. Urinary chemosignals, reproduction, and population size for house mice (Mus domesticus) living in field enclosures. J. Chem. Ecol. 16:2955–2968.
DRICKAMER, L. C., MIKESIC, D. G., and SHAFFER, K. S. 1992. Use of odor baits in traps to test reactions to intra-and interspecific chemical cues in house mice living in outdoor enclosures. J. Chem. Ecol. 18:2223–2250.
FERGUSON, B., FUENTES, S. M., SAWREY, D. K., and DEWSBURY, D. A. 1986. Male preferences for unmated versus mated females in two species of voles (Microtus ochrogaster and M. montanus). J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 100:243–247.
FERKIN, M. H., and JOHNSTON, R. E. 1995. Meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) use multiple sources of scent for sex recognition. Anim. Behav. 39:37–44.
GALEF, B. G., JR., and CLARK, M. M. 1971. Social factors in the poison avoidance and feeding behavior of wild and domesticated rat pups. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 75:341–357.
GALEF, B. G., JR., and STEIN, M. 1985. Demonstrator influence on observer diet preference: Analyses of critical social interactions and olfactory signals. Anim. Learn. Behav. 13:31–38.
GURNELL, J., and LITTLE, J. 1992. The influence of trap residual odour on catching woodland rodents. Anim. Behav. 43:623–632.
HESKE, E. J. 1987. Responses of a population of California voles, Microtus californicus, to odor-baited traps. J. Mammal. 68:64–72.
HURST, J. L. 1987. The functions of urine marking in a free-living population of house mice, Mus domesticus Rutty. Anim. Behav. 35:1433–1442.
HURST, J. L. 1990a. The network of olfactory communication operating in populations of wild house mice, pp. 401–414, in D. W. McDonald, D. Müller-Schwarze, and S. Natynczuk (eds.). Chemical Signals in Vertebrates V. Oxford University Press, Oxford, England.
HURST, J. L. 1990b. Urine marking in populations of wild house mice Mus domesticus Rutty. I. Communication between males. Anim. Behav. 40:209–222.
HURST, J. L. 1990c. Urine marking in populations of wild house mice Mus domesticus Rutty. II. Communication between females. Anim. Behav. 40:223–232.
HURST, J. L. 1990d. Urine marking in population of wild house mice Mus domesticus Rutty. III. Communication between the sexes. Anim. Behav. 40:233–243.
KIMELMAN, B. R., and LUBOW, R. E. 1974. The inhibitory effect of pre-exposed olfactory cues on intermale aggression in mice. Physiol. Behav. 12:919–922.
KING, J. A. 1983. Seasonal dispersal in a semi-natural population of Peromyscus maniculatus. Can. J. Zool. 61:2740–2750.
LENINCTON, S. 1983. Social preferences for partners carrying “good genes” in wild house mice. Anim. Behav. 31:325–333.
LENINGTON, S. 1988. Analysis of a genetic recognition system in wild house mice. Behav. Genet. 18:549–564.
LENINGTON, S. 1991. The t-complex: A story of genes, behavior, and populations. Adv. Stud. Behav. 20:51–86.
MAZDZER, E., CAPONE, M. R., and DRICKAMER, L. C. 1976. Conspecific odors and trappability of deermice (Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis). J. Mammal. 57:607–609.
MIKESIC, D. G., and DRICKAMER, L. C. 1992. Factors affecting home range size in house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) living in outdoor enclosures. Am. Midl. Nat. 127:31–40.
MOHR, O. O. 1947. Table of equivalent populations of North American small mammals. Am. Midl. Nat. 37:223–249.
MONTGOMERY, W. I. 1987. The application of capture-mark-recapture methods to the enumeration of small mammal populations. Symp. Zool. Soc. London 58:25–57.
MOSSMAN, C. A., and DRICKAMER, L. C. 1996. Odor preferences of female house mice (Mus domesticus) in seminatural enclosures. J. Comp. Psychol. 110:131–138.
OAKESHOTT, J. G. 1974. Social dominance, aggressiveness and mating success among male house mice (Mus musculus). Oecologia 15:143–158.
ROWE, F. P., and REDFERN, R. 1969. Aggressive behaviour in related and unrelated wild house mice (Mus musculus L.) Ann. appl. Biol. 64:425–431.
STODDART, D. M. 1982. Does trap odor influence estimation of population size of the short-tailed vole, Microtus agrestis. J. Anim. Ecol. 51:375–386.
VANDENBERGH, J. G. 1969. Male odor accelerates female sexual maturation in mice. Endocrinology 84:658–660.
VANDENBERGH, J. G. 1983. Pheromonal regulation of puberty. In J. G. Vandenbergh (ed.). Pheromones and Mammalian Reproduction. Academic Press, New York.
VANDENBERGH, J. G., and COPPOLA, D. M. 1986. The physiology and ecology of puberty modulation by primer pheromones. Adv. Stud. Behav. 16:71–108.
WOLFF, J. O., and JOHNSON, M. F. 1979. Scent marking in taiga voles. J. Mammal. 60:400–403.
ZAR, J. H. 1996. Biostatistical Analysis, 3rd ed. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Drickamer, L.C. Responses to Odors of Dominant and Subordinate House Mice (Mus domesticus) in Live Traps and Responses to Odors in Live Traps by Dominant and Subordinate Males. J Chem Ecol 23, 2493–2506 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000006662.93635.25
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000006662.93635.25