Effect of fluorescent powder marking of females on mate choice by male white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus).
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Matina C. Kalcounis-Rüppell, Professor (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Abstract: Although fluorescent powder marking is a well established and common marking technique used by small-mammal ecologists, few studies have commented on how it might affect behavior. Potential effects on behavior are particularly relevant in studies that use fluorescent powder marking as a method of quantifying mating behavior. We performed a laboratory experiment using white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) to test the null hypothesis that the presence of fluorescent powder has no significant effect on mate choice. We tested this hypothesis by establishing choice between a pair of females by a male and determining if the choice changed when one of the females was powdered. The presence of fluorescent powder on females did not alter mate choice by males after a choice had been established. Our results demonstrate that using fluorescent powder on females should not alter male mating activity.
Effect of fluorescent powder marking of females on mate choice by male white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus).
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Created on 1/1/2001
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Additional Information
- Publication
- American Midland Naturalist 146: 429-433
- Language: English
- Date: 2001
- Keywords
- Fluorescent powder marking, White-Footed Mice (Peromyscus leucopus), Mate selection