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Ultrasonic vocalizations of female Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) in response to social partners

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Borner_et_al_15.09.15.pdf (357.0Kb)
Date
02/2016
Author
Börner, Annegret
Hjemdahl, Rebecca
Gotz, Thomas
Brown, Gillian Ruth
Keywords
Communication
Rodents
50kHz
Frequency modulated calls
QH301 Biology
RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
NDAS
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Abstract
In many species of animals, male vocalizations function to attract mating partners and coordinate sexual interactions. While male vocalizations have been well studied in several species, the function of female vocalizations in mating contexts is not fully understood. In Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus), both males and females produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) during sexual encounters with opposite-sex partners. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that female vocalizations play a role in sociosexual interactions by examining how rates of 50kHz USV production vary in relation to the sex and gonadal status of the partner, and by examining whether the proportion of frequency modulated (FM) and constant frequency calls differs between these categories of social partner. The results showed that females produced a higher total number of 50kHz USVs to intact males than castrated males, and produced similar numbers of calls to both categories of females. Females also produced a higher proportion of FM calls to male partners than to female partners, and spent more time in the vicinity of male than female partners, regardless of the partners’ gonadal status. Female USVs therefore potentially provide a measure of sexual motivation and may function to promote female mate choice in this species with multi-male mating and a high risk of infanticide.
Citation
Börner , A , Hjemdahl , R , Gotz , T & Brown , G R 2016 , ' Ultrasonic vocalizations of female Norway rats ( Rattus norvegicus ) in response to social partners ' , Journal of Comparative Psychology , vol. 130 , no. 1 , pp. 76-80 . https://doi.org/10.1037/com0000017
Publication
Journal of Comparative Psychology
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1037/com0000017
ISSN
0735-7036
Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2015, American Psychological Association. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/com0000017
Description
Funding was provided by School of Psychology & Neuroscience and Institute of Behavioural and Neural Sciences, University of St Andrews.
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  • University of St Andrews Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7555

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