Conspecific recognition

Soffie, M. and Lamberty, Y. (1988). Scopolamine effects on juvenile conspecific recognition in rats possible interaction with olfactory sensitivity. BehavioralProcesses 17,181-190. 

Chemical signals are crucially important in the social behavior of mammals, and they mediate parental and conspecific recognition, as well as sexual, aggressive, and territorial behaviors (Johnston 1990). Bioassays to assess the role of the... 

Olfaction is of primary importance for social recognition in mammals, including mice. Thus mice use odors to distinguish sex, social or reproductive status of conspecifics (Brennan and Zufall 2006 Brown 1979). In addition, odors have been shown to facilitate the display of sexual behavior (e.g. Thompson and Edwards 1972) and to induce neuroendocrine responses (e.g. pregnancy block in female mice Brennan and Keverne 1997). 

Successful reproductive behavior relies on the ability to identify and approach appropriate mating partners within the environment. Critically, mate recognition requires identifying species and sex characteristics of possible mates. As in many mammalian species, rodents use odor cues as the primary mechanism for mate recognition (Johnston 1983). Thus, sexually mature rodents typically display strong behavioral preferences for conspecific odors from opposite-sex individuals compared to odors from the same-sex or heterospecific individuals (Johnston 1983). 

Through conspecific chemical recognition, Liolaemus are able to recognize the sex of the sender, and both conspecific and self-recognition are modulated by sea-... 

Fig. 34.1 Self-recognition in three Liolaemus species. Data of L lemniscatus in conspecific and control treatments come from Labra and Niemeyer (2004)...

The role of chemosignals in the maintenance of species isolation is supported by observations that the species L. jamesi, L. bellii, and L. lemniscatus, are able to discriminate between conspecifics and congeneric individuals (Labra et al. 2001 unpublished data). Moreover, these species do not discriminate between sympatric and allopatric congeneric species. In sympatry, the recognition of an individual as a non-conspecific reduces the possibility of hybridization among congeneric species. 

Alberts, A. C. and Werner, D. I. (1993) Chemical recognition of unfamiliar conspecifics by green iguanas functional significance of different signals components. Anim. Behav. 46, 197-199. 

In minnows, taste is not sufficient for predator recognition. Anosmic fathead minnows, P. pmmelas, did not show the flight reaction to the odor of northern pike, Esox lucius (Chivers and Smith, 1993). Naive European minnows, Phoxinus phoxinus, do not exhibit a fright reaction when first exposed to a predator odor, such as that of pike, E. lucius. They develop a conditioned fright response only after experiencing the predator odor in dangerous circumstances, such as when accompanied by schreckstoff (alarm pheromone) of conspecifics. Responses to the odor of non-piscivorous fishes such as tilapia, Tilapia mariae, can also be conditioned in this fashion but the responses are much weaker (Magurran, 1989). 

Kelley, M. M. (1988). Chemosensory recognition of conspecifics by striped bass juveniles. Pacific Science 42,123-124. 

Ovaska, K. (1988). Recognition of conspecific odors by the western red-backed salamander, CanadianjournalofZoology 66,1293-1296. 

---