Striped mouse

Striped mouse

Striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio) on the cover of the August edition of Behaviour

Striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio) on the cover of the August edition of Behaviour
My photo and the accompanying paper (see List of publications) were published in this issue.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Summary: Brandt & Macdonald (2011)

It is presently thought that "familiarity" can be used as a proxy of quality, as familiarity of potential mating partners can influence mate choice. Social rodent species tend to favour mating with unfamiliar males, while solitary species show a preference for familiar males. Brandt & Macdonald (2011) investigated the role of familiarity in female mate choice in the harvest mouse Micromys minutus, using a two-stage controlled choice experiment. When females were presented only with olfactory cues, they showed no preference for familiar or unfamiliar males. However, when females were presented with live males, oestrus females they showed a clear preference for familiar males, while dioestrus females favoured unfamiliar males. Brandt & Macdonald (2011) also found that male weight affected female response, with oestrus females favouring familiar males that were heavier. In contrast, dioestrus females reduced their preference for unfamiliar males if they were heavier than familiar males. This study provides support for the hypothesis that female harvest mice favour familiar males as mates. Brandt & Macdonald (2011) also note that male size and female reproductive state can influence female preferences.

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