Abstract
In an effort to study a biologically important behavioral pattern in different naturally occurring populations of the same species, the copulatory behavior ofPeromyscus polionotus from South Carolina and from Santa Rosa Island, Florida, was compared with that ofP. polionotus from the Ocala National Forest, Florida. Twelve male and 16 female South Carolina mice received 71 tests, and five male and three female Santa Rosa mice received 18 tests. The basic pattern was identical across all three samples, being characterized by no lock, no intravaginal thrusting, multiple intromissions, and multiple ejaculations. Prolonged intromissions followed organized ejaculatory series. Quantitative differences among samples were found for several measures. Intromission Frequency appears particularly susceptible to local variation. Between-population differences in copulatory behavior appear to be of a quantitative rather than a qualitative nature.
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Dewsbury, D.A., Lovecky, D.V. Copulatory behavior of old-field mice (Peromyscus polionotus) from different natural populations. Behav Genet 4, 347–355 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01066155
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01066155