Hormonal and sensory control of scent-marking in the desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida lepida).

Abstract

In experiment 1, the marking behavior of adult male and female woodrats was tested in a neutral environment. Males showed higher levels of ventral rubbing than females; the reverse was true for the body-rolling response. In experiment 2, the influence of testosterone propionate and estradiol-17.beta. on scent-marking in female and male gonadectomized experimental animals was investigated. Animals were given a series of marking tests prior to and during social encounters with conspecifics. Ventral rubbing was under androgenic control and body rolling was partially under estrogenic control. In both sexes, high-dominance status and circulating testosterone were necessary for the occurrence of ventral rubbing during social encounters. In experiment 3, the ventral rubbing of males in the cages of conspecifics was observed before and after social encounters with these animals. Before social encounters males showed higher levels of rubbing to conspecific odors than to neutral odors, or to their own odors. After social encounters males increased their ventral rubbing in cages of females but not in cages of males. In experiment 4, males preferred to ventral rub in areas soiled with the odor of other males rather than those soiled by females, but preferred to roll in areas soiled by females. Estrogen-primed females preferred to roll in areas soiled by males over those previously soiled by females.