Scent gerbil

Fig. 7.10 Vomeronasalectomy effects on chemocommunication. (a) Inhibitory effect of VN-x on urine-induction of scent marking in male Gerbils frequency/5 min (from Probst, 1990).

Probst B. (1990). Female urinary chemosignals stimulate scent marking behaviour in male Mongolian Gerbils. In Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 5 (MacDonald D., Muller-Schwarze D. and Natynczuk S.E., eds.). University Press, Oxford, pp. 213-216. 

Thiesen D., Regnier F., Rice M., Goodwin M., et al. (1974). Identification of a ventral scent marking pheromone in the male Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). Science 184, 83-85. 

Ulibarri C. and Yahr R (1996). Effects of androgens and estrogens on sexual differentiation of sex behavior, scent marking and the sexually dimorphic area of the gerbil hypothalamus. Horn Behav 30, 107-130. 

Hormone implants can be used for long-term stimulation or suppression of odor production. Scent marking is stimulated by testosterone in gerbils and wolves (Asa etal., 1990). 

Special modified hair in the region of a scent gland can enhance its function. Such scent hairs have been termed osmetrichia (Miiller-Schwarze et ah, 1977 Fig. 3.12). They may be stiff bristles with surface chambers formed by their cuticular scales, as in the tarsal tuft of black-tailed deer (Fig. 3.12a), spoon or spatula like, as in the ventral gland of the Mongolian gerbil Meriories unguiculatus Fig. 3.12d), or a wick formed by a hollow medulla and vacuolated cortical... 

Idris, M. and Prakash, I. (1987). Scent marking activity in the Indian gerbil, Tatera indica, in relation to population density. AnimalBehaviourSS, 920-941. 

Prakash, J. and Idris, M. (1982). Scent marking by the female of the Indian gerbil, Tatera indica, from two distinct desert habitats during oestrus. Indian Journal ofExperimental Biology 20,915-916. 

Probst, B. and Lorenz, M. (1987). Increased scent marking in male Mongolian gerbils by urinaiy polypeptides of female conspecifics. Journal ofChemicalEcobgy 13,851-862. 

Social and Hormonal Influences on Scent Marking in Gerbils and Hamsters... 

Bury little bags with 1 g of seeds in soil of different depths. Use three treatments unscented seeds, seeds scented with safflower oil, and seeds with pine oil. Give small rodents such as mice, gerbils, or hamsters, a choice of scented and unscented batches. Is there evidence that they detect buried sees by smell Does the treatment affect the success rate in finding the hidden food At what soil depth do the animals detect the food ... 

Clark, M.M. Galef, B.G. 1994. A male gerbil s intrauterine position affects female response to his scent marks. Physiol Behav., 55, 1137-1139. 

Daly, M., 1977, Some experimental tests of the functional significance of scent marking by gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol., 91 1082. 

Thiessen, D. D., Blum, S. L., and Lindzey, G., 1969, A scent marking response associated with the ventral sebaceous gland of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus), Anim. Behav., 18 26. 

F.E. Regnier, M. Rice, M. Goodwin, N. Isaacks, and N. Lawson Identification of a Ventral Scent Marking Pheromone in the Male Mongolian Gerbil Meriones unguiculatus). Science 184, 83-85 (1974). 

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