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Rogers FD, Peña CJ, Mallarino R. African striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) as a neurobehavioral model for male parental care. Horm Behav 2023; 152:105364. [PMID: 37087766 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Parental care is diversely demonstrated across the animal kingdom, such that active practitioners and repertoires of parental behavior vary dramatically between and within taxa. For mammals, maternal care is ubiquitous while paternal and alloparental care are rare. The African striped mouse, a rodent species in the family Muridae, demonstrates maternal, paternal, and alloparental care. Because socio-environmental factors can considerably influence the development of their social behavior, including that of paternal and alloparental care, African striped mice are considered socially flexible. Here, we highlight African striped mice as a new model for the neurobiological study of male parental care. We first provide essential background information on the species' natural ecological setting and reproductive behavior, as well as the species-relevant interaction between ecology and reproduction. We then introduce the nature of maternal, paternal, and alloparental care in the species. Lastly, we provide a review of existing developmental and neurobiological perspectives and highlight potential avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forrest Dylan Rogers
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Rd., Princeton, NJ 08544, United States of America; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, 119 Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Washington Rd., Princeton, NJ 08544, United States of America.
| | - Catherine Jensen Peña
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Rd., Princeton, NJ 08544, United States of America
| | - Ricardo Mallarino
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, 119 Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Washington Rd., Princeton, NJ 08544, United States of America
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2
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Alonzo SH, Stiver KA, Kindsvater HK, Marsh-Rollo SE, Nugent B, Kazancıoğlu E. Ejaculate Allocation and Sperm Characteristics Differ among Alternative Male Types in a Species of Fish with Cooperation and Competition among Unrelated Males. Cells 2021; 10:cells10102612. [PMID: 34685591 PMCID: PMC8533787 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection arising from sperm competition has driven the evolution of immense variation in ejaculate allocation and sperm characteristics not only among species, but also among males within a species. One question that has received little attention is how cooperation among males affects these patterns. Here we ask how male alternative reproductive types differ in testes size, ejaculate production, and sperm morphology in the ocellated wrasse, a marine fish in which unrelated males cooperate and compete during reproduction. Nesting males build nests, court females and provide care. Sneaker males only “sneak” spawn, while satellite males sneak, but also help by chasing away sneakers. We found that satellite males have larger absolute testes than either sneakers or nesting males, despite their cooperative role. Nesting males invested relatively less in testes than either sneakers or satellites. Though sneakers produced smaller ejaculates than either satellite or nesting males, we found no difference among male types in either sperm cell concentration or sperm number, implying sneakers may produce less seminal fluid. Sperm tail length did not differ significantly among male types, but sneaker sperm cells had significantly larger heads than either satellite or nesting male sperm, consistent with past research showing sneakers produce slower sperm. Our results highlight that social interactions among males can influence sperm and ejaculate production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne H. Alonzo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-831-502-7706
| | - Kelly A. Stiver
- Department of Psychology, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515, USA;
| | - Holly K. Kindsvater
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA;
| | - Susan E. Marsh-Rollo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada;
| | - Bridget Nugent
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06515, USA;
| | - Erem Kazancıoğlu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06515, USA;
- Protenus, Inc., 1629 Thames St., Baltimore, MD 21231, USA;
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3
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Chen Q, Holt WV. Extracellular vesicles in the male reproductive tract of the softshell turtle. Reprod Fertil Dev 2021; 33:519-529. [PMID: 33715768 DOI: 10.1071/rd20214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous group of cell-derived membranous structures comprising exosomes and microvesicles that originate from the endosomal system or are shed from the plasma membrane respectively. As mediators of cell communication, EVs are present in biological fluids and are involved in many physiological and pathological processes. The role of EVs has been extensively investigated in the mammalian male reproductive tract, but the characteristics and identification of EVs in reptiles are still largely unknown. In this review we focus our attention on EVs and their distribution in the male reproductive tract of the Chinese softshell turtle Pelodiscus sinensis , mainly discussing the potential roles of EVs in intercellular communication during different phases of the reproductive process. In softshell turtles, Sertoli-germ cell communication via multivesicular bodies can serve as a source of EVs during spermatogenesis, and these EVs interact with epithelia of the ductuli efferentes and the principal cells of the epididymal epithelium. These EVs are involved in sperm maturation, transport and storage. EVs are also shed by telocytes, which contact and exchange information with other, as well as distant interstitial cells. Overall, EVs play an indispensable role in the normal reproductive function of P. sinensis and can be used as an excellent biomarker for understanding male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiusheng Chen
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210095, China; and Corresponding author
| | - William V Holt
- Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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Sex differences in adult lifespan and aging rates of mortality across wild mammals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:8546-8553. [PMID: 32205429 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911999117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In human populations, women consistently outlive men, which suggests profound biological foundations for sex differences in survival. Quantifying whether such sex differences are also pervasive in wild mammals is a crucial challenge in both evolutionary biology and biogerontology. Here, we compile demographic data from 134 mammal populations, encompassing 101 species, to show that the female's median lifespan is on average 18.6% longer than that of conspecific males, whereas in humans the female advantage is on average 7.8%. On the contrary, we do not find any consistent sex differences in aging rates. In addition, sex differences in median adult lifespan and aging rates are both highly variable across species. Our analyses suggest that the magnitude of sex differences in mammalian mortality patterns is likely shaped by local environmental conditions in interaction with the sex-specific costs of sexual selection.
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5
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Trade-offs between reproduction and health in free-ranging African striped mice. J Comp Physiol B 2017; 187:625-637. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-016-1054-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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6
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Hill DL, Pillay N, Schradin C. Alternative reproductive tactics in female striped mice: heavier females are more likely to breed solitarily than communally. J Anim Ecol 2015; 84:1497-508. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Davina L. Hill
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand; Private Bag 3 Wits 2050 Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand; Private Bag 3 Wits 2050 Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Carsten Schradin
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand; Private Bag 3 Wits 2050 Johannesburg South Africa
- IPHC-DEPE; Université de Strasbourg; 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg France
- CNRS; UMR7178; 67087 Strasbourg France
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7
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van Baaren J, Dufour CMS, Pierre JS, Martel V, Louâpre P. Evolution of life-history traits and mating strategy in males: a case study on two populations of aDrosophilaparasitoid. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joan van Baaren
- University of Rennes 1; UMR CNRS 6553 EcoBio; Avenue du Général Leclerc Campus de Beaulieu 35042 Rennes Cedex France
| | - Claire M.-S. Dufour
- University of Rennes 1; UMR CNRS 6553 EcoBio; Avenue du Général Leclerc Campus de Beaulieu 35042 Rennes Cedex France
| | - Jean-Sébastien Pierre
- University of Rennes 1; UMR CNRS 6553 EcoBio; Avenue du Général Leclerc Campus de Beaulieu 35042 Rennes Cedex France
| | - Véronique Martel
- University of Rennes 1; UMR CNRS 6553 EcoBio; Avenue du Général Leclerc Campus de Beaulieu 35042 Rennes Cedex France
| | - Philippe Louâpre
- University of Rennes 1; UMR CNRS 6553 EcoBio; Avenue du Général Leclerc Campus de Beaulieu 35042 Rennes Cedex France
- Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté; UMR CNRS 6282 Biogeosciences; 6 Bd Gabriel 21000 Dijon France
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Oldfield RG, Harris RM, Hofmann HA. Integrating resource defence theory with a neural nonapeptide pathway to explain territory-based mating systems. Front Zool 2015; 12 Suppl 1:S16. [PMID: 26813803 PMCID: PMC4722349 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-12-s1-s16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The ultimate-level factors that drive the evolution of mating systems have been well studied, but an evolutionarily conserved neural mechanism involved in shaping behaviour and social organization across species has remained elusive. Here, we review studies that have investigated the role of neural arginine vasopressin (AVP), vasotocin (AVT), and their receptor V1a in mediating variation in territorial behaviour. First, we discuss how aggression and territoriality are a function of population density in an inverted-U relationship according to resource defence theory, and how territoriality influences some mating systems. Next, we find that neural AVP, AVT, and V1a expression, especially in one particular neural circuit involving the lateral septum of the forebrain, are associated with territorial behaviour in males of diverse species, most likely due to their role in enhancing social cognition. Then we review studies that examined multiple species and find that neural AVP, AVT, and V1a expression is associated with territory size in mammals and fishes. Because territoriality plays an important role in shaping mating systems in many species, we present the idea that neural AVP, AVT, and V1a expression that is selected to mediate territory size may also influence the evolution of different mating systems. Future research that interprets proximate-level neuro-molecular mechanisms in the context of ultimate-level ecological theory may provide deep insight into the brain-behaviour relationships that underlie the diversity of social organization and mating systems seen across the animal kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald G Oldfield
- Texas Research Institute for Environmental Studies, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341 USA; Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 USA; Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Rayna M Harris
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA; Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Hans A Hofmann
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA; Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA; Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
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9
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Hill DL, Pillay N, Schradin C. Alternative reproductive tactics in female striped mice: Solitary breeders have lower corticosterone levels than communal breeders. Horm Behav 2015; 71:1-9. [PMID: 25828632 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Revised: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs), where members of the same sex and population show distinct reproductive phenotypes governed by decision-rules, have been well-documented in males of many species, but are less well understood in females. The relative plasticity hypothesis (RPH) predicts that switches between plastic ARTs are mediated by changes in steroid hormones. This has received much support in males, but little is known about the endocrine control of female ARTs. Here, using a free-living population of African striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) over five breeding seasons, we tested whether females following different tactics differed in corticosterone and testosterone levels, as reported for male striped mice using ARTs, and in progesterone and oestrogen, which are important in female reproduction. Female striped mice employ three ARTs: communal breeders give birth in a shared nest and provide alloparental care, returners leave the group temporarily to give birth, and solitary breeders leave to give birth and do not return. We expected communal breeders and returners to have higher corticosterone, owing to the social stress of group-living, and lower testosterone than solitary breeders, which must defend territories alone. Solitary breeders had lower corticosterone than returners and communal breeders, as predicted, but testosterone and progesterone did not differ between ARTs. Oestrogen levels were higher in returners (measured before leaving the group) than in communal and solitary breeders, consistent with a modulatory role. Our study demonstrates hormonal differences between females following (or about to follow) different tactics, and provides the first support for the RPH in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davina L Hill
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Carsten Schradin
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa; Université de Strasbourg, IPHC-DEPE, 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France; Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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10
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Nel K, Rimbach R, Pillay N. Dietary protein influences the life-history characteristics across generations in the African striped mouseRhabdomys. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 323:97-108. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Revised: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kerith Nel
- School of Animal; Plant & Environmental Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Rebecca Rimbach
- School of Animal; Plant & Environmental Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal; Plant & Environmental Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg South Africa
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11
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Belloni V, Sorci G, Paccagnini E, Guerreiro R, Bellenger J, Faivre B. Disrupting immune regulation incurs transient costs in male reproductive function. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84606. [PMID: 24400103 PMCID: PMC3882243 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immune protection against pathogenic organisms has been shown to incur costs. Previous studies investigating the cost of immunity have mostly focused on the metabolic requirements of immune maintenance and activation. In addition to these metabolic costs, the immune system can induce damage to the host if the immune response is mis-targeted or over-expressed. Given its non-specific nature, an over-expressed inflammatory response is often associated with substantial damage for the host. Here, we investigated the cost of an over-expressed inflammatory response in the reproductive function of male mice. Methodology/Principal Findings We experimentally blocked the receptors of an anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) in male mice exposed to a mild inflammatory challenge, with each treatment having an appropriate control group. The experiment was conducted on two age classes, young (3 month old) and old (15 month old) mice, to assess any age-related difference in the cost of a disrupted immune regulation. We found that the concomitant exposure to an inflammatory insult and the blockade of IL-10 induced a reduction in testis mass, compared to the three other groups. The frequency of abnormal sperm morphology was also higher in the group of mice exposed to the inflammatory challenge but did not depend on the blockade of the IL-10. Conclusions Our results provide evidence that immune regulation confers protection against the risk of inflammation-induced infertility during infection. They also suggest that disruption of the effectors involved in the regulation of the inflammatory response can have serious fitness consequences even under mild inflammatory insult and benign environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Belloni
- Biogéosciences, CNRS UMR 6282, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
- Department Tropical Medicine, University of Tulane, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Gabriele Sorci
- Biogéosciences, CNRS UMR 6282, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | | | - Romain Guerreiro
- Biogéosciences, CNRS UMR 6282, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Jérôme Bellenger
- Lipides Nutrition Cancer, INSERM UMR 866, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Bruno Faivre
- Biogéosciences, CNRS UMR 6282, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
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Abstract
The evolution of cooperation in animal and human societies is associated with mechanisms to suppress individual selfishness. In insect societies, queens and workers enforce cooperation by "policing" selfish reproduction by workers. Insect policing typically takes the form of damage limitation after individuals have carried out selfish acts (such as laying eggs). In contrast, human policing is based on the use of threats that deter individuals from acting selfishly in the first place, minimizing the need for damage limitation. Policing by threat could in principle be used to enforce reproductive suppression in animal societies, but testing this idea requires an experimental approach to simulate reproductive transgression and provoke out-of-equilibrium behavior. We carried out an experiment of this kind on a wild population of cooperatively breeding banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) in Uganda. In this species, each group contains multiple female breeders that give birth to a communal litter, usually on the same day. In a 7-y experiment we used contraceptive injections to manipulate the distribution of maternity within groups, triggering hidden threats of infanticide. Our data suggest that older, socially dominant females use the threat of infanticide to deter selfish reproduction by younger females, but that females can escape the threat of infanticide by synchronizing birth to the same day as older females. Our study shows that reproduction in animal societies can be profoundly influenced by threats that remain hidden until they are triggered experimentally. Coercion may thus extend well beyond the systems in which acts of infanticide are common.
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13
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Hoogland JL. Why do female prairie dogs copulate with more than one male?—Insights from long-term research. J Mammal 2013. [DOI: 10.1644/12-mamm-a-291.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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14
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Extinction or Survival? Behavioral Flexibility in Response to Environmental Change in the African Striped Mouse Rhabdomys. SUSTAINABILITY 2013. [DOI: 10.3390/su5010163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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15
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Differences in social behaviour between group-living and solitary African striped mice, Rhabdomys pumilio. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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16
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The development of exploratory behaviour in the african striped mouse rhabdomys reflects a gene × environment compromise. Behav Genet 2012; 42:845-56. [PMID: 22976549 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-012-9555-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2012] [Accepted: 07/18/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Behaviour results from the interaction of an individual's genotype with prevailing environmental conditions, resulting in local adaptation to specific habitats. We investigated the development of exploratory behaviour in two closely-related species of African striped mice from the semi-arid Succulent Karoo (Rhabdomys pumilio) and moist grassland (R. dilectus chakae) localities. Irrespective of sex, R. pumilio displayed greater exploratory behaviour (open field) and greater use of the open arms of a modified plus maze, and thus were less anxious and bolder than R. d. chakae. When pups were cross-fostered between species, fostered individuals of both species showed an intermediate behavioural pattern between their foster and biological siblings: fostered R. pumilio explored more than their foster siblings but less than their biological siblings, whereas fostered R. d. chakae explored more than their biological siblings, but less than their foster siblings. Our study is one of the first to address how the underlying genotype and early postnatal experience interact to influence the expression of exploratory behaviour and personality. In particular, we showed that, in striped mice, the early postnatal environment shapes the anxiety responses and concomitant exploratory behaviour, but the genotype apparently modulates the phenotype and constrains the limit of behavioural flexibility.
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Chesh AS, Mabry KE, Keane B, Noe DA, Solomon NG. Are body mass and parasite load related to social partnerships and mating inMicrotus ochrogaster? J Mammal 2012. [DOI: 10.1644/10-mamm-a-399.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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SCHRADIN CARSTEN, LINDHOLM ANNAK, JOHANNESEN JES, SCHOEPF IVANA, YUEN CHIHANG, KÖNIG BARBARA, PILLAY NEVILLE. Social flexibility and social evolution in mammals: a case study of the African striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio). Mol Ecol 2011; 21:541-53. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05256.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Hodge SJ, Bell MBV, Cant MA. Reproductive competition and the evolution of extreme birth synchrony in a cooperative mammal. Biol Lett 2010; 7:54-6. [PMID: 20685697 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproductive events in animal societies often show a high degree of temporal clustering, but the evolutionary causes of this synchronization are poorly understood. Here, we suggest that selection to avoid the negative effects of competition with other females has given rise to a remarkable degree of birth synchrony in the communal-breeding banded mongoose (Mungos mungo). Within banded mongoose groups, births are highly synchronous, with 64 per cent of females giving birth on exactly the same night. Our results indicate that this extreme synchrony arises because offspring suffer an increased risk of infanticide if their mother gives birth before other females, but suffer in competition with older littermates if their mother gives birth after them. These findings highlight the important influence that reproductive competition can have for the evolution of reproductive synchrony.
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Affiliation(s)
- S J Hodge
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK.
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Schradin C, König B, Pillay N. Reproductive competition favours solitary living while ecological constraints impose group-living in African striped mice. J Anim Ecol 2010; 79:515-21. [PMID: 20059610 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2009.01651.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
1. Social groups typically form due to delayed dispersal of adult offspring when no opportunities for independent breeding exist, or the costs of dispersal are higher than the costs of remaining philopatric. Ecological constraints are thought to be a main reason for group-living in animals. 2. Reproductive competition within groups can induce high costs of philopatry, and is thought to be a main reason for solitary living. 3. Experimental manipulation of reproductive competition is difficult. One solution is to compare sociality between periods with and without reproductive competition. 4. Here, we show empirically in a 8-year field study that striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) of both sexes were group-living during the breeding season when population density (PD) was high but solitary living when PD was low, supporting the ecological constraints model. 5. After the breeding season, in the absence of reproductive competition, the positive correlation between PD and percentage of group-living striped mice was absent. Almost all striped mice were group-living even under very low population densities. This supports the reproductive competition model. 6. Ambient temperature, food availability and predation pressure, did not influence sociality. 7. In captivity, the costs of reproductive competition in communal groups include female infanticide and aggression between females. 8. We conclude that group-living is favoured by constraints imposed through habitat saturation and by its benefits (improved thermoregulation by huddling, group-territoriality and predator avoidance), and that reproductive competition is a major force favouring solitary living in striped mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Schradin
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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21
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Schradin C, Schmohl G, Rödel HG, Schoepf I, Treffler SM, Brenner J, Bleeker M, Schubert M, König B, Pillay N. Female home range size is regulated by resource distribution and intraspecific competition: a long-term field study. Anim Behav 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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