Misidentification by wild rabbits,Oryctolagus cuniculus, of group members carrying the odor of foreign inguinal gland secretion

Abstract

The experiments described in this paper are part of a series designed to clarify the behavioral function of the odor of the secretion from the inguinal glands of rabbits,Oryctolagus cuniculus. Results are presented of tests carried out on 48 mixed-sex groups consisting of 162 adult wild-type rabbits, 48 males and 114 females. The subordinate females of the groups were smeared with various odorous materials and the reactions of their pen-mates towards them recorded. Eight sources of natural rabbit odors and a commercial perfume were used in 198 tests. A high proportion (60%) of the subordinate females smeared with the inguinal gland secretions from unfamiliar males were attacked, mainly by the males, which were generally the most dominant individuals within the groups. The paper also presents statistical analyses of behavioral data collected during two earlier related experiments with single-sex groups involving 258 rabbits in 300 tests which have not previously been evaluated. The results throughout the whole study indicate clearly that the odor of the inguinal gland secretion of rabbits carries information which affects the acceptance of individuals by their companions in organized groups. Other sources of unfamiliar rabbit odor did not influence the attitude of groupmates toward the individuals smeared with them, or if they did, their effects were only marginal.