Multi-male mating, probability of conception, and litter size in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)

Wolff, Jerry O.; Dunlap, Aimee S.

doi:10.1016/s0376-6357(02)00022-0

Cited by 45 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…In this population, more than half of the sampled females had litters sired by more than one male. These data are consistent with laboratory studies in which females mated with more than one male (Evans and Dewsbury 1978;Wolff and Dunlap 2002). Our results raise the possibility that extra-pair copulations may be common in at least some prairie vole populations and that the monogamy previously inferred for this species may be more social than genetic.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Multiple paternity in socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

Solomon¹,

Keane²,

Knoch³

et al. 2004

Can. J. Zool.

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Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster (Wagner, 1842)) exhibit behavioral, morphological, and neuroendocrinological traits associated with monogamy and are considered a model system to examine the biological foundations of monogamy in mammals. We examined allelic polymorphism at microsatellite loci to assess mating exclusivity in wild prairie voles sampled in east-central Illinois and found evidence of multiple paternity in five of nine litters (56%) analyzed. Thus, a female in this socially monogamous mammal with extensive mechanisms for pair bonding does not always mate solely with its partner and raises the paradox of why some pair-bonded females mate multiply.Résumé : Les campagnols des prairies (Microtus ochrogaster (Wagner, 1842)) possèdent des caractéristiques comportementales, morphologiques et neuroendocriniennes associées à la monogamie; ils sont d'ailleurs utilisés comme système modèle pour étudier les fondements biologiques de la monogamie chez les mammifères. Nous avons examiné le polymorphisme des allèles à des locus microsatellites pour évaluer en nature l'exclusivité des accouplements chez les campagnols des prairies échantillonnés dans le centre-est de l'Illinois; nous avons trouvé des indices de paternités multiples dans cinq (56 %) des neuf nichées que nous avons analysées. Ainsi, une femelle de ce mammifère à monogamie sociale qui possède d'importants mécanismes de renforcement du couple ne s'accouple pas toujours uniquement avec son partenaire; se pose alors le paradoxe à savoir pourquoi certaines femelles vivant en couple s'accouplent avec plusieurs partenaires.[Traduit par la Rédaction] Solomon et al. 1671

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Multiple paternity in socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

Solomon¹,

Keane²,

Knoch³

et al. 2004

Can. J. Zool.

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“…Tethering involves using a plastic zip-tie as a collar connected to a lightweight chain attached to the apparatus and does not inhibit animals from normal activities (e.g. moving, eating or mating; Ophir et al 2007; Wolff & Dunplap 2002). Females were given a 20 min acclimation period to adjust to the collars following tethering and were observed during this period for discomfort and distress (i.e.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A preference to bond? Male prairie voles form pair bonds even in the presence of multiple receptive females

Blocker

Ophir

2016

Animal Behaviour

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Pair bonds are the cornerstone of a monogamous relationship. When individuals of the same species engage in monogamy and promiscuity (i.e. alternative reproductive tactics) it can be difficult to determine which tactic confers greater fitness, as measures of fitness can be difficult to ascertain. However, in these circumstances, whether animals preferentially establish pair bonds can reveal decisions that presumably reflect the animals’ assessment of how to best maximize reproductive success. In nature, the majority of prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster, establishes pair bonds and engages in social monogamy while a minority of individuals remains single and presumably mates promiscuously. The existence of these two tactics raises the interesting question: do bonded male prairie voles choose to ‘settle’ (for just one partner) or are they preferentially ‘settling down’? To determine which of these two tactics is preferred, we provided single male prairie voles simultaneous access to two sexually receptive females for 24 h and then subsequently tested males in ‘partner preference tests’ with each female independently contrasted with a novel female. We aimed to determine whether males would form a pair bond with one, both or none of the original females. We found that males formed pair bonds with one of the two females. We also investigated male- and female-initiated aggression and found that during the bonding process males were more aggressive with females that they did not ultimately form a bond with. In the partner preference tests, males showed more aggression towards unfamiliar females than towards familiar females. Mismatches in male- and female-initiated aggression suggest that aggressive interactions may be perpetuated more by males than by females. Taken together, our results demonstrate that under conditions that are ideal for forgoing bonding and engaging in multiple matings, males choose to establish a pair bond, suggesting that selective pressures may have facilitated bonding by males.

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“…To begin a choice test, males serving as either a PAR or NPAR stimulus male were tethered in one of two separate 'holding' chambers in a three-chambered apparatus following the design and methods of Wolff and Dunlap [2002]. PAR and NPAR males were counterbalanced for side from one trial to the next.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female-Directed Aggression Predicts Paternal Behavior, but Female Prairie Voles Prefer Affiliative Males to Paternal Males

Ophir

Crino²,

Wilkerson

et al. 2007

Brain Behav Evol

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In the socially monogamous prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster, male affiliation and parental care are influenced by the neuropeptide arginine vasopressin and expression of its receptor V1aR. If parental care and adult affiliation can be considered a behavioral syndrome, females might use male affiliative behavior as a cue to choose a good father. We investigated three questions: (1) do females prefer affiliative males; (2) do males that are affiliative with females demonstrate paternal behavior with pups; and (3) is male V1aR expression related to male behavior or female preference? We evaluated paternal behavior of individual males, then offered sexually receptive females a choice between paternal and non-paternal males and measured the proportion of time each male spent engaging in affiliative behavior with the choosing female. Females showed a preference for more affiliative males, but affiliation was not predictive of paternal care. Thus females did not discriminate between paternal and non-paternal males. Perhaps surprisingly, paternal behavior was correlated with the relative amount of aggression males directed toward females. Finally, females did not discriminate between males with high or low V1aR expression and V1aR expression did not predict male affiliative behavior or parental care. These data suggest that male affiliative behavior, but not paternal care, is associated with female mate choice.

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Multi-male mating, probability of conception, and litter size in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)

Cited by 45 publications

References 21 publications

Multiple paternity in socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

Multiple paternity in socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

A preference to bond? Male prairie voles form pair bonds even in the presence of multiple receptive females

Female-Directed Aggression Predicts Paternal Behavior, but Female Prairie Voles Prefer Affiliative Males to Paternal Males

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