Motivational systems of agonistic behavior in muroid rodents: A comparative review and neural model

Abstract

The data on agonistic behavior of muroid rodents that have been obtained from field observations and laboratory experiments are reviewed and compared in terms of a hypothetical model of the neural organization of these behaviors. The neural model has been presented elsewhere and is used here only as a way to organize the data. The data are organized in terms of four hypothetical motivational systems: Offense, defense, submission, and patrol/marking. The various behaviors are considered as motor patterns and are compared and analyzed in terms of the proposed motivating, releasing, and directing stimuli of the motivational systems. Interactions and overlaps between the motivational systems are also considered. It is concluded that the organization of agonistic behavior may be similar across all species of muroid rodents. Generalizations are complicated by the profound effects of ontogenetic factors. Four categories of behaviors differ from species to species: Scent‐marking, submissive behaviors, threat behaviors, and alarm signals. The possible phylogenetic and ontogenetic factors in these differences are considered.

Inferring associations among parasitic gamasid mites from census data

“…The abundance of these mites will likely vary among hosts if intraspeciWc agonistic interactions are more frequent in some host species than others. InterspeciWc variation in the level of intraspeciWc aggression is pronounced in small mammals (Adams 1980). Another explanation for preferences of one host species over another host species by any haematophage may involve interspeciWc diVerences in blood composition (e.g., amino acid ratio; Harrington et al 2001;Lehane 2005).…”

Inferring associations among parasitic gamasid mites from census data

“…The abundance of these mites will likely vary among hosts if intraspeciWc agonistic interactions are more frequent in some host species than others. InterspeciWc variation in the level of intraspeciWc aggression is pronounced in small mammals (Adams 1980). Another explanation for preferences of one host species over another host species by any haematophage may involve interspeciWc diVerences in blood composition (e.g., amino acid ratio; Harrington et al 2001;Lehane 2005).…”

Structure, contents, and distribution of roof rat (Rattus rattus) burrows in a rain forest.

“…Because there was little evidence of food or other defendable resources in the immediate vicinity of the burrows, it is not immediately clear that site selection was influenced solely by ecological factors. Since the burrow itself appears to be a focus of territorial behavior for Norway rats (Boice & Adams, 1983; Calhoun, 1962; Nikoletseas & Lore, 1981; Telle, 1966), the gross similarity in the spacing of the present sample of R. rattus burrows and those of R. norvegicus observed by Lore and Flannelly (1978) suggests that the spacing of burrows may in some way reflect the extent of defended areas or territories (Adams, 1980; Davies, 1978) in both populations.…”

Effects of reactivity to dorsal stimulation and social role on aggressive behavior in laboratory rats

“…Thus, consistent with research by Cairns [ 19731 on the role of reactivity in escalated aggression, reactive intruders seem to have escalated the aggressive exchanges in the resident-intruder test. The importance of intruder reactivity and the unimportance of resident reactivity seems reasonable in the context of the different social roles for residents and intruders [Adams, 1980;Blanchard and Blanchard, 19771. With the overall pattern of the data, it is somewhat surprising that the latency measures did not result in statistically significant differences among groups, especially with respect to intruder behavior.…”

Inferring associations among parasitic gamasid mites from census data

“…The abundance of these mites will likely vary among hosts if intraspeciWc agonistic interactions are more frequent in some host species than others. InterspeciWc variation in the level of intraspeciWc aggression is pronounced in small mammals (Adams 1980). Another explanation for preferences of one host species over another host species by any haematophage may involve interspeciWc diVerences in blood composition (e.g., amino acid ratio; Harrington et al 2001;Lehane 2005).…”

Structure, contents, and distribution of roof rat (Rattus rattus) burrows in a rain forest.

“…Because there was little evidence of food or other defendable resources in the immediate vicinity of the burrows, it is not immediately clear that site selection was influenced solely by ecological factors. Since the burrow itself appears to be a focus of territorial behavior for Norway rats (Boice & Adams, 1983; Calhoun, 1962; Nikoletseas & Lore, 1981; Telle, 1966), the gross similarity in the spacing of the present sample of R. rattus burrows and those of R. norvegicus observed by Lore and Flannelly (1978) suggests that the spacing of burrows may in some way reflect the extent of defended areas or territories (Adams, 1980; Davies, 1978) in both populations.…”

Effects of reactivity to dorsal stimulation and social role on aggressive behavior in laboratory rats

“…Thus, consistent with research by Cairns [ 19731 on the role of reactivity in escalated aggression, reactive intruders seem to have escalated the aggressive exchanges in the resident-intruder test. The importance of intruder reactivity and the unimportance of resident reactivity seems reasonable in the context of the different social roles for residents and intruders [Adams, 1980;Blanchard and Blanchard, 19771. With the overall pattern of the data, it is somewhat surprising that the latency measures did not result in statistically significant differences among groups, especially with respect to intruder behavior.…”

Inferring associations among parasitic gamasid mites from census data

“…The abundance of these mites will likely vary among hosts if intraspeciWc agonistic interactions are more frequent in some host species than others. InterspeciWc variation in the level of intraspeciWc aggression is pronounced in small mammals (Adams 1980). Another explanation for preferences of one host species over another host species by any haematophage may involve interspeciWc diVerences in blood composition (e.g., amino acid ratio; Harrington et al 2001;Lehane 2005).…”

Structure, contents, and distribution of roof rat (Rattus rattus) burrows in a rain forest.

“…Because there was little evidence of food or other defendable resources in the immediate vicinity of the burrows, it is not immediately clear that site selection was influenced solely by ecological factors. Since the burrow itself appears to be a focus of territorial behavior for Norway rats (Boice & Adams, 1983; Calhoun, 1962; Nikoletseas & Lore, 1981; Telle, 1966), the gross similarity in the spacing of the present sample of R. rattus burrows and those of R. norvegicus observed by Lore and Flannelly (1978) suggests that the spacing of burrows may in some way reflect the extent of defended areas or territories (Adams, 1980; Davies, 1978) in both populations.…”

Effects of reactivity to dorsal stimulation and social role on aggressive behavior in laboratory rats

“…Thus, consistent with research by Cairns [ 19731 on the role of reactivity in escalated aggression, reactive intruders seem to have escalated the aggressive exchanges in the resident-intruder test. The importance of intruder reactivity and the unimportance of resident reactivity seems reasonable in the context of the different social roles for residents and intruders [Adams, 1980;Blanchard and Blanchard, 19771. With the overall pattern of the data, it is somewhat surprising that the latency measures did not result in statistically significant differences among groups, especially with respect to intruder behavior.…”