Copulation and intermale aggression in rats. 1979

D H Thor, and K J Flannelly

Attack behavior of reliably aggressive male Long-Evans rats against unfamiliar male intruders was observed immediately following copulation to one or more ejaculations. Compulatory series to five ejaculations did not differ from copulation to a single ejaculation or from a noncopulatory control in affecting aggressive behavior. Repetitive biting attacks occurred in all conditions, with comparable wounding. Evidently, the male postejaculatory state of insensitivity to sexual stimuli does not extend to stimuli eliciting intermale aggression. A second experiment determined the attack-eliciting capacity of foreign males placed in the home cage of an actively copulating male. As intromissions increased and the interval to ejaculation decreased, the probability of intermale aggression and interruption of copulation diminished. The results are discussed in reference to sexual and aggressive strategies of the copulating male.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D004542 Ejaculation The emission of SEMEN to the exterior, resulting from the contraction of muscles surrounding the male internal urogenital ducts. Ejaculations
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000374 Aggression Behavior which may be manifested by destructive and attacking action which is verbal or physical, by covert attitudes of hostility or by obstructionism. Aggressions
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
D012726 Sexual Behavior, Animal Sexual activities of animals. Mating Behavior, Animal,Sex Behavior, Animal,Animal Mating Behavior,Animal Mating Behaviors,Animal Sex Behavior,Animal Sex Behaviors,Animal Sexual Behavior,Animal Sexual Behaviors,Mating Behaviors, Animal,Sex Behaviors, Animal,Sexual Behaviors, Animal
D051381 Rats The common name for the genus Rattus. Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus

Related Publications

D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
January 2010, Zhurnal vysshei nervnoi deiatelnosti imeni I P Pavlova,
D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
September 1972, Journal of comparative and physiological psychology,
D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
March 1980, Modern veterinary practice,
D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
March 1983, Behavioural processes,
D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
March 1988, Behavioural processes,
D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
December 1982, Physiology & behavior,
D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
June 1987, Behavioural processes,
D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
February 1972, Physiology & behavior,
D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
January 2013, Behavioural brain research,
D H Thor, and K J Flannelly
January 2006, International review of neurobiology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!