Anxiety and exploratory behavior in the African striped mouse, Rhabdomys, taxa are partially modified by the physical rearing environment

The Development of Anxiety and Exploration in Two Species of the African Striped Mouse Rhabdomys

Genes and the environment interact to produce complex, environmentally relevant behaviors. We tested whether the behavior of two sister species of striped mice originating from different habitats (semi-arid Rhabdomys pumilio and grassland R. bechuanae) are modulated by the early social rearing environment. We cross-fostered pups between the species, and at adulthood tested their exploratory behavior and anxiety in open field and novel object tests, and a plus maze. We expected that the early social rearing environment would alter the phenotype of both species. Regardless of treatment, R. bechuanae were more exploratory and slightly less anxious than R. pumilio. However, fostered individuals of both species showed no changes in exploratory and anxiety responses. Thus there may be a genetic influence on behavioral development, or the early rearing environments of R. pumilio and R. bechuanae are not sufficiently different to alter behavior.