Dominance bank voles

Rozenfeld, F. M. Rasmont, R. 1991. Odor cue recognition by dominant bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus. Anim. Behav, 41, 839—850. 

Hoffmeyer, I. 1982. Responses of female bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus) to dominant versus subordinate conspecific males and to urine odors from dominant versus subordinate males. Behav. Neural Biol., 36, 178-188. 

Patterns of scent marking with urine by bank voles are distinctly different between dominant and subordinate males (Desjardins et al. 1973 Rozenfeld et al. 1987). Dominant males leave fine-tract urine marks especially in locations where conspecifics are likely to encounter them. Subordinate animals, on the other hand urinate in large puddles, usually in locations away from dominate individuals (Rozenfeld Rasmont 1991). Home and Ylonen (1996) used this criteria to assess dominance between male pairs in an arena (60 x 40 x 34 cm) longitudinally divided by a wire mesh partition. Brown craft paper, placed on the arena floor, changed color on contact with urine, which made urination marks and puddles easy to detect. 

Home, T.J. H. Ylonen. 1996. Female bank voles prefer dominant males but what if there is no choice Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 38 401-405. 

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