Females influence male mouse ultrasonic courtship vocalizations
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1
Indiana University, United States
The laboratory mouse is an emerging model for context-dependent vocal signaling and reception. Mouse ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are produced primarily in social contexts, most intensely by males courting females. The presence of a female will trigger male calls, but these vocalizations can be induced by presentation of female urine; and female mice respond to these vocalizations with approach behavior. USVs are complex, occurring in distinct syllables that can be grouped into several types and are produced across species and strains of mice. Parameters of these syllables, such as duration and frequency (kHz) are unique to individuals, vary across development, and depend on social housing conditions. The behavioral significance of different syllable types, including the contexts in which different vocalizations are made, is not well-understood, nor is the response of female mice to different types of USVs. Here, we examined the influence of female presence and estrous state on male courtship USVs by allowing males to interact with females of different estrous states, and subsequently removing the females while continuing to record male USVs. We also collected USV and behavioral data from courtship interactions while females were tethered by a headstage (cannulation for another study). In these two experiments we explored relationships between vocalizations and other courtship behaviors, including correlating percent behavior per trial as well assessing temporal relationships between behaviors throughout trials. These experimental manipulations produced three main findings: 1) the frequency (kHz), bandwidth, and duration of syllables produced by males were influenced by the estrous phase of female partners, 2) syllable types changed when females were removed, and 3) vocal behavior was related to other courtship behaviors. These findings show that mouse ultrasonic vocalizations are sensitive to changes in female phase and presence, and provide support for the idea that courtship USVs have the potential to communicate information about the behavioral context of the male.
Keywords:
Courtship,
female state,
Mouse,
ultrsonic vocalization
Conference:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012.
Presentation Type:
Poster (but consider for student poster award)
Topic:
Communication
Citation:
Hanson
JL and
Hurley
LM
(2012). Females influence male mouse ultrasonic courtship vocalizations.
Conference Abstract:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00255
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Received:
30 Apr 2012;
Published Online:
07 Jul 2012.
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Correspondence:
Ms. Jessica L Hanson, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States, jeshanso@indiana.edu