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BEHAVIOURAL DEVELOPMENT ON OLFACTORY COMMUNICATION OF BRANDT'S VOLE (MICROTUS BRANDTI)-THE COLONY ODOR DISCRIMINATION OF PUPS

ZHANG Li, FANG Jirning ,SUN Ruyong   

  • Online:2006-06-27 Published:2008-07-07

布氏田鼠嗅觉通讯的行为发育--幼体对群体气味的辨别

张立, 房继明, 孙儒泳   

  1. 北京师范大学生物学系

Abstract: The olfaction behavioral development and the ability of colony odour discrimination of Brandt’s vole pups were studied during their weaning period 5th - 30th day after birth) . Substrates from own and alien nest were given in a wood made Y-maze as two colony odour sources. Pups preferred the odour from their own colony but avoided that from novel group and it showed significant difference only after the postnatal day 24; the frequency of walking across the substrate of alien colony was much less than walking across the substrate of own colony. Male pups showed more frequency of sniffing while less of digging than females. During the experimental period, the behavior of jumping was increased with the growth of pups. The results demonstrated that the pups of Brandt’s vole have the capability of colony odour discrimination. It was also suggested that avoiding novel colony odours would directly affect the survival of pups at the beginning of their first excursion.

Key words: Olfactory communication, Colony odor discrimination, Behavioral development, Brandt's vole

摘要: 对15-30日龄的布氏田鼠幼体对不同群体气味的行为反应进行了研究,探讨了幼体的嗅觉通讯行为发育过程及其对群体气味的识别能力。幼体对自身群体气味的探究行为明显多于对陌生群体的探究,但这种差异仅在24日龄以后才表现出显著性;幼体通常避开陌生群体的巢垫物而更多地从自身群体巢垫物上跨过;对陌生群体气味的嗅闻频次上雄性幼体明显高于雌体,而雌体的挖掘行为显著多于雄体。随着日龄的增加,幼体对群体气味的嗅闻行为无明显变化,而对巢垫物的挖掘行为显著增多;在实验过程中的逃逸行为—跳跃,随日龄的增加而显著增多。说明布氏田鼠幼体具有对群体气味的辨别能力;对陌生群体气味的回避可能是幼体在断乳后出巢期间防御危险的行为适应。

关键词: 嗅觉通讯, 群体气味辨别, 行为发育, 布氏田鼠