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Ultrashort-range, high-frequency communication by female mice shapes social interactions
M R Warren1, R S Clein1, M S Spurrier1
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.
Scientific Reports
|February 16, 2020
Summary
Female mice use ultrasonic vocalizations for ultrashort-range communication, modulating their calls based on social partners. These signals influence mouse social behavior, but females do not react to male calls.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Bioacoustics
- Neuroethology
Background:
- Acoustic signals are crucial for regulating social behavior in animals.
- Mice produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) during social interactions.
- Identifying the source of individual USVs in social settings has been challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how female USVs influence social behavior in mice.
- To determine if female USV production is modulated by the sex of the social partner.
- To examine behavioral responses to male- and female-emitted USVs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an eight-channel microphone array system for precise USV source identification.
- Recorded 30-minute unrestrained social interactions between female mice and either male or female conspecifics.
- Analyzed vocalization timing, context, and subsequent behavioral changes (e.g., acceleration).
Main Results:
- Female USV emission timing and context differed based on the social partner (male vs. female).
- Females in same-sex pairs vocalized closer to their partner and later in the interaction period.
- Neither sex showed immediate movement changes in response to male USVs, but both sexes responded to female USVs context-dependently.
Conclusions:
- Female USVs function as ultrashort-range communication signals.
- These signals play a significant role in shaping mouse social behavior.
- Context-dependent modulation of behavior following female USVs highlights their communicative importance.
