Kotenkova E., Ambarian
A., Voznesenskaia A., Voznesenskaya
V. The role of behavior interactions and chemical cues in reproductive
isolation of closely related Mus species//XXIX
International Ethological conference/ Abstracts.
THE
ROLE OF BEHAVIOR INTERACTIONS AND CHEMICAL CUES IN REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION OF
CLOSELY RELATED Mus
SPECIES.
Kotenkova E., Ambarian A., Voznessenskaya A., Voznessenskaya V.
kotenkova_elena@mail.ru
The Mus musculus s.lato species group includes closely related taxa in different stages of divergence: sympatric species (Mus musculus – M. spicilegus; M. domesticus – M. macedonicus; M. domesticus – M. spretus); parapatric taxa which hybridise in zones of their contact (M. musculus – M. domesticus – M. castaneus) and
allopatric species (M. spicilegus – M. macedonicus;
M. spicilegus – M. sprertus).
As a result the Mus musculus species
group has served as an excellent model group in studies of microevolution (Sage
et al. 1993). In laboratory conditions three series of experiments were conducted. In
first experiment patterns of
behavior in mice were investigated in short-term (30 min) and long-term (1.5
hour) dyadic encounters in neutral territory by means of Observer Video-Pro –
professional system for collection, analysis and presentation of behavioral
data from video. Males and estrous females of M.musculus, M. spicilegus and individuals from
population of Trans-Caucasus (presumably natural hybrids from complex hybrid
zone) were observed in all possible variants of encounters. Males and females
demonstrated aggressive and sexual behavior. The factor analysis has revealed
the dependence of different forms of social interactions between potential
sexual partners upon three factors: taxonomic position of female, taxonomic
position of male and version of matching. Behavior of female is one of the main
factors that influenced on social interactions. In second experiment preference of con- and heterospecific
urine odours in a two-choice and four-choice situations and responses to these odours
in “habituation-dishabituation” test were
investigated. In all tests Individuals of sympatric (M. musculus, M. spicilegus) and allopatric
(M.macedonicus – M. spicilegus) species distinguish between the urine odours of
con- and heterospecifics. Both males and females investigated conspecific urine
odours more than heterospecific odours in two-choice tests and prefered the arms of experimental chamber with urine odours
of conspecifics in four-choice tests. We recorded c-fos expression in main olfactory bulb (MOB) and in
accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) in males in response to stimulation with urine
from oestrus either con- or heterospecific. M.musculus, M. spicilegus
and M. domesticus males showed clear elevated s-fos expression in both MOB and AOB in response to
stimulation with urine from conspecific oestous female. M. spicilegus
males responded with elevated c-fos expression only
in MOD to stimulation with urine from estrous female. In M.musculus and M. domesticus
males also we did not observed c-fos expression
in AOB in response to stimulation with estrous female urine from M. spicilegus. The
data obtained support the hypothesis that behavioral interactions and chemical
cues can play role in reproductive isolation of closely related Mus species. Supporeted
by RFBR 04-04-48412 .