Pair bonding in the wild mouse Mus spretus: inference on the mating system

The mating system of murids remains largely unknown, with controversial reports. Reevaluation of previous data reveals monogamous features in the Algerian mouse from the South of France, Mus spretus. To test this hypothesis, we performed dyadic encounters toward three kinds of opponents from the other sex (his/her own mate, a mouse from an unknown pair, and an isolated individual), and compared the results to those of a related acknowledgedly polygynous related species, the house mouse M. musculus domesticus. We expected more affiliative behaviours toward its mate from the M. spretus male, and a higher interest toward unknown females in the house mouse. Females should not exhibit striking differences toward their partner, contrary to their behaviour toward unknown males. Results showed the predicted behaviour for males as well as for females: more amicable, but also sexual, toward its mate for M. spretus male, the unknown protagonists eliciting the greatest social interest in the case of the house mouse.