为检验根田鼠对不同亲属关系异性成体尿气味的识别能力,通过一雄两雌配对实验建立实验种群,从而产生同胞、父系半同胞和陌生个体。在行为选择箱中记录了雌、雄根田鼠对亲属系数分别为0、0.25和0.5异性尿气味的行为响应模式。结果如下:雌性根田鼠对3种不同亲属关系雄鼠气味的接近潜伏期的差异达到极显著水平(P〈0.01),嗅闻时间的差异也达到显著水平(P〈0.05),而嗅闻频次和反标记的差异均未达到显著水平(P〉0.05)。雄性根田鼠对3种不同亲属关系雌鼠气味的接近潜伏期和嗅闻时间的差异都未达到显著水平(P〉0.05)。对不同亲属关系的气味嗅闻频次和反标记的比较分析表明,三者间的差异也未达到显著水平(P〉0.05)。因此,雌性根田鼠能够识别不同亲属关系异性气味并对不同气味表现出不同的行为响应模式;而雄鼠不能识别3种气味并对其表现出类似的行为模式。
To test the perceptual abilities of root voles ( Microtus oeconomus ) to recognize their opposite-sex relatives, behavioral response patterns were recorded in a behavioral choice case. The urine odors from different kinships, which relationships were 0, 0. 25, and 0. 5 respectively, were used as odorants. The results indicated ; Female root voles showed evident differences to the 3 kinds of odors. There were significant differences in approach latency and sniff time among different stimuli. The differences in sniff frequency and countermarks among different stimuli were non-significant. Male root voles showed no bias to the 3 kinds of odors. There were non-significant differences in approach latency and sniff time among different stimuli. The differences in sniff frequency and countermarks among different stimuli also were non-significant either. In conclusions, female root voles can discriminate urine odors from different kinship opposite-sex individuals but males cannot.