Responses to olfactory stimuli in spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuts): II. Discrimination of conspecific scent.

Drea, Christine M.; Vignieri, Sacha; Kim, H. Sharon; Weldele, Mary L.; Glickman, Stephen E.

doi:10.1037/0735-7036.116.4.342

Cited by 62 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A prior study of a captive colony of spotted hyenas showed that they discriminated readily between the pastes of males and females in the colony, indicating that paste odor profiles, on a local scale, were sex specific (25). A different, population-level study of spotted hyenas in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, did not find evidence that sex affected paste odor profiles (24).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The major volatile constituents in paste are volatile fatty acids (VFAs), esters, hydrocarbons, alcohols, and aldehydes (23,24). Previous investigations have shown that the odors of spotted hyena pastes vary with individual identity, group membership, sex, and, potentially, female reproductive state (16,24,25). Effects of striped hyena traits on paste odors have not yet been investigated.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Symbiotic bacteria appear to mediate hyena social odors

Theis

Venkataraman²,

Dycus³

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

188

169

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

All animals harbor beneficial microbes. One way these microbes can benefit their animal hosts is by increasing the diversity and efficacy of communication signals available to the hosts. The fermentation hypothesis for mammalian chemical communication posits that bacteria in the scent glands of mammals generate odorous metabolites used by their hosts for communication and that variation in host chemical signals is a product of underlying variation in the bacterial communities inhabiting the scent glands. An effective test of this hypothesis would require accurate surveys of the bacterial communities in mammals' scent glands and complementary data on the odorant profiles of scent secretions-both of which have been historically lacking. Here we use next-generation sequencing to survey deeply the bacterial communities in the scent glands of wild spotted and striped hyenas. We show that these communities are dominated by fermentative bacteria and that the structures of these communities covary with the volatile fatty acid profiles of scent secretions in both hyena species. The bacterial and volatile fatty acid profiles of secretions differ between spotted and striped hyenas, and both profiles vary with sex and reproductive state among spotted hyenas within a single social group. Our results strongly support the fermentation hypothesis for chemical communication, suggesting that symbiotic bacteria underlie species-specific odors in both spotted and striped hyenas and further underlie sex and reproductive state-specific odors among spotted hyenas. We anticipate that the fermentation hypothesis for chemical communication will prove broadly applicable among scent-marking mammals as others use the technical and analytical approaches used here.animal behavior | animal communication | microbiome

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Symbiotic bacteria appear to mediate hyena social odors

Theis

Venkataraman²,

Dycus³

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

188

169

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Individual scent signatures have been shown, either chemically or behaviourally, to characterize a wide range of social species (bats [46]; voles [47]; spotted hyaenas [48]; lemurs [22,24]; humans [49]), suggesting that communication of identity is critical for maintaining social relationships, even between members of individualized societies. In lemurs, contraception altered otherwise stable patterns in female scent signatures (effectively changing their normal chemical identity) and decreased the chemical distance between females (effectively degrading the individual distinctiveness of their odours).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smelling wrong: hormonal contraception in lemurs alters critical female odour cues

2010

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Animals, including humans, use olfaction to assess potential social and sexual partners. Although hormones modulate olfactory cues, we know little about whether contraception affects semiochemical signals and, ultimately, mate choice. We examined the effects of a common contraceptive, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), on the olfactory cues of female ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta), and the behavioural response these cues generated in male conspecifics. The genital odorants of contracepted females were dramatically altered, falling well outside the range of normal female variation: MPA decreased the richness and modified the relative abundances of volatile chemicals expressed in labial secretions. Comparisons between treatment groups revealed several indicator compounds that could reliably signal female reproductive status to conspecifics. MPA also changed a female's individual chemical 'signature', while minimizing her chemical distinctiveness relative to other contracepted females. Most remarkably, MPA degraded the chemical patterns that encode honest information about genetic constitution, including individual diversity (heterozygosity) and pairwise relatedness to conspecifics. Lastly, males preferentially investigated the odorants of intact over contracepted females, clearly distinguishing those with immediate reproductive potential. By altering the olfactory cues that signal fertility, individuality, genetic quality and relatedness, contraceptives may disrupt intraspecific interactions in primates, including those relevant to kin recognition and mate choice.

show abstract

“…Male hyenas frequently sniff female conspecifics, presumably to evaluate each female's reproductive state via pheromonal cues (Drea et al, 2002b). It is, therefore, interesting that time to conception emerged here as the only significant female characteristic influencing a male hyena's decision to stay with a female after he has sniffed her ( Table 2).…”

Section: Male Reproductive Tacticsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Courtship and mating in free-living spotted hyenas

Szykman

Horn

Engh

et al. 2007

Behav

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SummaryFemale spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are larger and more aggressive than males, and their genitalia are heavily 'masculinized'. These odd traits in females pose unusual challenges for males during courtship and copulation. Here our goals were to describe and quantify the behavior patterns involved in courtship and copulation in Crocuta, and determine whether rates of affiliative behavior directed toward females by males vary with female age, social rank, or time to conception. We also inquired whether consort formation with a particular female was necessary for a male to sire that female's cubs. Behavioral observations and paternity data based on 12 microsatellite loci were collected over 11 years from free-ranging hyenas in Kenya. Several of the courtship displays exhibited by male hyenas differed from those found in other carnivores, and appeared to reflect intense motivational conflict between tendencies to approach and flee from females. Most male advances were either ignored by females or elicited aggression from females toward males. Rates of male affiliative behavior toward females peaked around the time of conception. Although males behaved similarly toward young and old females in the highest social rank category, males directed more affiliative behavior toward older than younger females that were mid-and low-ranking. Multiple short mounts usually preceded a long mount, but intromission and ejaculation appeared to occur only during long mounts. Female receptivity was indicated by inhibited aggression toward the male and assumption of a distinctive receptive stance. The only behavior indicative of female proceptivity was following of the male by the female in mating contexts. Some males who sired cubs formed consortships with females whereas others did not, suggesting that individual male hyenas may adopt alternative reproductive tactics to attract and acquire mates. Our results also suggest that low fertility may be an important cost of female virilization in this species.

show abstract

Responses to olfactory stimuli in spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuts): II. Discrimination of conspecific scent.

Cited by 62 publications

References 37 publications

Symbiotic bacteria appear to mediate hyena social odors

Symbiotic bacteria appear to mediate hyena social odors

Smelling wrong: hormonal contraception in lemurs alters critical female odour cues

Courtship and mating in free-living spotted hyenas

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About