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Poissenot K, Trouillet AC, Trives E, Moussu C, Chesneau D, Meunier M, Lattard V, Chorfa A, Saez F, Drevet J, Le Danvic C, Nagnan-Le Meillour P, Chamero P, Keller M. Sexual discrimination and attraction through scents in the water vole, Arvicola terrestris. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:431-441. [PMID: 37690081 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01671-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, especially rodents, social behaviours, such as parenting, territoriality or mate attraction, are largely based on olfactory communication through chemosignals. These behaviours are mediated by species-specific chemosignals, including small organic molecules and proteins that are secreted in the urine or in various fluids from exocrine glands. Chemosignal detection is mainly ensured by olfactory neurons in two specific sensory organs, the vomeronasal organ (VNO) and the main olfactory epithelium (MOE). This study aimed to characterise the olfactory communication in the fossorial ecotype of the water voles, Arvicola terrestris. We first measured the olfactory investigation of urine and lateral scent gland secretions from conspecifics. Our results showed that water voles can discriminate the sex of conspecifics based on the smell of urine, and that urinary male odour is attractive for female voles. Then, we demonstrated the ability of the VNO and MOE to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in water vole secretions using live-cell calcium imaging in dissociated cells. Finally, we evaluated the attractiveness of two mixtures of VOCs from urine or lateral scent glands in the field during a cyclical outbreak of vole populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Poissenot
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | | | - Elliott Trives
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Chantal Moussu
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Didier Chesneau
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Maxime Meunier
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | | | - Areski Chorfa
- GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Inserm, CRBC, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Fabrice Saez
- GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Inserm, CRBC, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Joël Drevet
- GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Inserm, CRBC, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | | | - Pablo Chamero
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Matthieu Keller
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France.
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Freeman AR, Ophir AG. Sex differences in social odor discrimination by southern giant pouched rats (
Cricetomys ansorgei
). Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Angela R. Freeman
- Department of Psychology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
- Department of Biological Sciences Salisbury University Salisbury Maryland USA
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Zheng DJ, Singh A, Phelps SM. Conservation and dimorphism in androgen receptor distribution in Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina). J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:2539-2557. [PMID: 33576501 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Because of their roles in courtship and intrasexual competition, sexual displays are often sexually dimorphic, but we know little about the mechanisms that produce such dimorphism. Among mammals, one example is the vocalization of Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina), which consists of a series of rapidly repeated, frequency-modulated notes. The rate and duration of songs is sexually dimorphic and androgen responsive. To understand the neuronal mechanisms underlying this sexual dimorphism, we map the sites of androgen sensitivity throughout the brain, focusing analysis along a pathway that spans from limbic structures to vocal motor regions. We find widespread expression of AR immunoreactivity (AR-ir) throughout limbic structures important for social behavior and vocalization, including the lateral septum, extended amygdala, preoptic area and hypothalamus. We also find extensive AR staining along previously documented vocal motor pathways, including the periaqueductal gray, parabrachial nucleus, and nucleus ambiguus, the last of which innervates intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Lastly, AR-ir is also evident in sensory areas such as the medial geniculate, inferior, and superior colliculi. A quantitative analysis revealed that males exhibited more AR-ir than females, a pattern that was most pronounced in the hypothalamus. Despite the elaboration of vocalization in singing mice, comparison with prior literature suggests that the broad pattern of AR-ir may be conserved across a wide range of rodents. Together these data identify brain nuclei well positioned to shape the sexually dimorphic vocalization of S. teguina and suggest that such androgen modulation of vocalization is evolutionary conserved among rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da-Jiang Zheng
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Aditi Singh
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Steven M Phelps
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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Muñoz-Romo M, Nielsen LT, Nassar JM, Kunz TH. Chemical Composition of the Substances from Dorsal Patches of Males of the CuraÇAoan Long-Nosed Bat,Leptonycteris curasoae(Phyllostomidae: Glossophaginae). ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2012. [DOI: 10.3161/150811012x654411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Pizzolon M, Giacomello E, Marri L, Marchini D, Pascoli F, Mazzoldi C, Rasotto MB. When fathers make the difference: efficacy of male sexually selected antimicrobial glands in enhancing fish hatching success. Funct Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2009.01608.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Campbell P, Reep RL, Stoll ML, Ophir AG, Phelps SM. Conservation and diversity of Foxp2 expression in muroid rodents: functional implications. J Comp Neurol 2009; 512:84-100. [PMID: 18972576 PMCID: PMC2677918 DOI: 10.1002/cne.21881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
FOXP2, the first gene causally linked to a human language disorder, is implicated in song acquisition, production, and perception in oscine songbirds, the evolution of speech and language in hominids, and the evolution of echolocation in bats. Despite the evident relevance of Foxp2 to vertebrate acoustic communication, a comprehensive description of neural expression patterns is currently lacking in mammals. Here we use immunocytochemistry to systematically describe the neural distribution of Foxp2 protein in four species of muroid rodents: Scotinomys teguina and S. xerampelinus ("singing mice"), the deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, and the lab mouse, Mus musculus. While expression patterns were generally highly conserved across brain regions, we identified subtle but consistent interspecific differences in Foxp2 distribution, most notably in the medial amygdala and nucleus accumbens, and in layer V cortex throughout the brain. Throughout the brain, Foxp2 was highly enriched in areas involved in modulation of fine motor output (striatum, mesolimbic dopamine circuit, olivocerebellar system) and in multimodal sensory processing and sensorimotor integration (thalamus, cortex). We propose a generalized model for Foxp2-modulated pathways in the adult brain including, but not limited to, fine motor production and auditory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polly Campbell
- Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA.
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