Communication among hamsters by high-frequency acoustic signals: II. Determinants of calling by females and males.

Abstract

Basal rates of high-frequency vocalization by estrous female hamsters exceeded those typical of nonestrous females. Even higher rates of calling by estrous females were provoked by male odors (male shavings or anesthetized males). This suggests that cues which normally indicate a male's proximity can increase the rate of high-frequency calls by an estrous female. These findings are consistent with a view of female "ultrasounds" as sexual advertisements which indicate the locations, sexual receptivity, and relative passivity of estrous females to nearby male conspecifics. Male hamsters also produced ultrasounds at rates that seemed to depend on the availability of potential mates. Brief exposure to an awake female stimulated male calling; however, estrous females provoked higher call rates than did nonestrous females. Exposure to anesthetized females also increased the rate of male calling, which suggests that the stimulation of male calling by awake females depends in part on female odors. These results suggest that both male and female ultrasounds are parts of a communication system that facilitates reproduction by helping to coordinate social behavior with endocrine state.

Vocal behaviour during aggressive encounters between Siberian hamsters, Phodopus sungorus

“…In contrast, other hamster species and more distantly related rodents do vocalize to conspecific odours. For example, Syrian hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus, and house mice, Mus musculus domesticus, vocalize upon exposure to opposite-sex cues (Floody, Pfaff, & Lewis, 1977;Nyby et al, 1981). The necessity of another Siberian hamster's physical presence for eliciting vocal behaviour suggests that the vocalizations we documented are likely involved in mediating direct social interactions between same-sex hamsters.…”

Acoustic signals of a solitary subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum (Rodentia: Ctenomyidae): physical characteristics and behavioural correlates

“…Similar vocalizations were recorded in C. pearsoni during male-female sexual encounters, and a sexual function was also proposed for these calls (Francescoli 1999). It has also been shown that female hamsters emitted ultrasound vocalizations during heterosexual encounters and these calls seemed to indicate sexual receptivity of the vocalizing females (Floody et al 1977). More studies, including direct assessment of females' reproductive state, are needed to test the hypothesis about functions of C. talarum female mating vocalizations.…”

Olfactory and vomeronasal system participation in male hamsters' attraction to female vaginal secretions

“…Receptive female hamsters provide many potentially important stimuli to males in addition to vaginal odors [16]. In mating tests these cues might attract and direct the males' investigatory behavior and thereby help to achieve close contact between animals.…”