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Assessment of Sexual Behavior of Male Mice
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Why do female mice mate with multiple males?

Kerstin E Thonhauser1, Shirley Raveh, Attila Hettyey

  • 1Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria.

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
|November 26, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Female house mice commonly engage in multi-male mating (MMM) when choosing mates. This behavior is linked to avoiding infanticide and assessing male quality, potentially increasing litter size under certain conditions.

Keywords:
Infanticide avoidanceMale qualityMultiple matingPolyandryScent markingSexual conflict

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Reproductive Strategies
  • Mammalian Reproduction

Background:

  • Multi-male mating (MMM) is observed in many female species, but its adaptive significance remains debated.
  • Understanding the drivers of MMM in species with female choice is crucial for evolutionary biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if female house mice (Mus musculus musculus) engage in MMM when given mate choice without male coercion.
  • To determine if females increase MMM in response to perceived male territorial intrusion.
  • To explore the influence of male characteristics and interactions on female MMM.

Main Methods:

  • 32 female house mice were housed in enclosures allowing choice between two neighboring males.
  • Territorial intrusion was manipulated using scent-marked tiles.
  • Paternity analyses were conducted on 57 litters to determine multiple paternity rates.

Main Results:

  • 46% of litters were multiply sired, confirming frequent multiple paternity with female choice.
  • Multiple paternity was higher with virgin males (suggesting infanticide avoidance) and when male scent-marking differences were minimal (indicating quality assessment).
  • Intrusion did not increase multiple paternity, but it was associated with increased litter size.

Conclusions:

  • Female house mice utilize MMM for mate choice, potentially to avoid infanticide and select higher-quality males.
  • The adaptive benefits of MMM, such as increased litter size, may depend on male-male interactions and environmental factors.