DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS OF SNIFFING BEHAVIOR IN male laboratory MICE in conditions of SOCIAL COMPETITION

Abstract

Sniffing behavior plays a significant role for communication and maintenance of the ethological structure of population. We studied the number of nose-nasal and nose-anogenital sniffing in male mice of inbred strains PT and CBA/Lac housed in genetically heterogeneous pairs during puberty and later (from 41 to 70 days of life). Male mice of the CBA/Lac strain show a higher number of nose-anogenital and nose-nasal sniffing in comparison with males of the PT strain. Throughout the period of stable social hierarchy we observed a transient increase in the number of sniffing behaviors in dominants and subordinates of the CBA/Lac strain but not in PT. In conclusion, the study revealed a significant influence of genotype and social rank on developmental patterns of sniffing behaviour in laboratory male mice

Keywords

social dominance / sniffing behavior / inbred mice strains sexual maturation

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Kleshchev M.A., Osadchuk L.V.