Short-term early exposure to pups alters infanticide in adulthood in male but not in female wild house mice (Mus domesticus). 1990

M M McCarthy
Institute of Animal Behavior, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Male and female wild house mice (Mus domesticus) were allowed to remain in the cage of their parents until 30-35 days of age. When a second litter was delivered, the first litter was exposed to the younger pups for 2-10 days. In adulthood the male and female mice that had been exposed to pups as juveniles and an additional group that had cohabitated with their parents for the same length of time but were not exposed to pups were tested for infanticidal behavior. The frequency of infanticide by the adult female mice was not significantly different (55% vs. 70%, respectively). In contrast, the adult males that were exposed to pups as juveniles were significantly less likely to kill young in adulthood when compared with males that were not similarly exposed (35% vs. 80%, respectively). These data further demonstrate the strong influence of experience on the expression of infanticide by male mice and its relative unimportance to the expression of female infanticide.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008425 Maternal Behavior The behavior patterns associated with or characteristic of a mother. Maternal Patterns of Care,Maternal Care Patterns,Behavior, Maternal,Behaviors, Maternal,Care Pattern, Maternal,Care Patterns, Maternal,Maternal Behaviors,Maternal Care Pattern,Pattern, Maternal Care,Patterns, Maternal Care
D010332 Paternal Behavior The behavior patterns associated with or characteristic of a father. Behavior, Paternal,Behaviors, Paternal,Paternal Behaviors
D002190 Cannibalism Eating other individuals of one's own species. Cannibalisms
D005260 Female Females
D006185 Habituation, Psychophysiologic The disappearance of responsiveness to a repeated stimulation. It does not include drug habituation. Habituation (Psychophysiology),Habituation, Psychophysiological,Psychophysiologic Habituation,Psychophysiological Habituation,Habituations (Psychophysiology)
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012931 Social Environment The aggregate of social and cultural institutions, forms, patterns, and processes that influence the life of an individual or community. Social Context,Environment, Social,Social Ecology,Context, Social,Contexts, Social,Ecologies, Social,Ecology, Social,Environments, Social,Social Contexts,Social Ecologies,Social Environments
D051379 Mice The common name for the genus Mus. Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus
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