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Experimental Investigations of Hunting Behavior in the Mountain Voles Alticola strelzowi and Alticola Tuvinicus (Rodentia, Cricetidae)

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Abstract

In laboratory experiments, purposeful inter-relations with moving insects in the “predator–prey” manner have been revealed and described in two species of herbivorous mountain voles: the Tuva vole and the flat-headed vole. The patterns of the hunting behavior are similar in these species. The appearance of the full hunting stereotype in mountain voles does not require preliminary experience and does not improve, which indicates its innate nature. Unlike the rodent species studied earlier, mountain voles demonstrate “storing” behavioral patterns when operating with live prey. According to the characteristics of the interactions with prey, mountain voles are among the most successful and effective hunters for moving insects. Regarding the hunting tactics and the manners of their manipulations with prey, mountain voles are similar to the most “predatory” of omnivorous hamsters, Eversmann’s hamsters, but differ from them in an optional manifestation of the hunting stereotype. The frequency of occurrence of the stereotype and the success of hunting in mountain voles are twice as high as in the previously studied herbivorous narrow-head vole. Characteristics of a hunting behavior so unexpected in herbivorous rodents were revealed in mountain voles for the first time. The expansion of the diet due to the hunt for insects can be attributed to dwelling in arid places with a deficit of plant food resources.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Russian Federal Property Fund (project nos. 18-34-00119, 17-04-00269, and 17-04-00702) and the Fundamental Scientific Research Programs of State Academies of Sciences for 2013–2020, no. VI.51.1.10 (AAAAA16-116121410120-0 and AAAA-A16-116121410119-4).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 630091, Novosibirsk, Russia

    S. N. Panteleeva, J. V. Levenets, A. A. Novikovskaya, Zh. I. Reznikova, N. V. Lopatina & Yu. N. Litvinov

  2. Novosibirsk State University, 630090, Novosibirsk, Russia

    S. N. Panteleeva & Zh. I. Reznikova

Authors
  1. S. N. Panteleeva
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  2. J. V. Levenets
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  3. A. A. Novikovskaya
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  4. Zh. I. Reznikova
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  5. N. V. Lopatina
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  6. Yu. N. Litvinov
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Correspondence to S. N. Panteleeva.

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Conflict of interest. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Statement on the welfare of animals. All experiments were carried out in compliance with the rules for conducting scientific research using experimental animals, which were approved by an order of the Presidium of the Soviet Academy of Sciences of April 2, 1980, 12000-no. 496 and an order of the Soviet Ministry of Higher Education of September 13, 1984, no. 22.

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Translated by L.A. Solovyova

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Panteleeva, S.N., Levenets, J.V., Novikovskaya, A.A. et al. Experimental Investigations of Hunting Behavior in the Mountain Voles Alticola strelzowi and Alticola Tuvinicus (Rodentia, Cricetidae). Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 47, 1059–1065 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359020080099

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359020080099

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