Mice modulate ultrasonic calling bouts according to sociosexual context.

Yui K Matsumoto,Kazuo Okanoya

doi:10.1098/rsos.180378

Yui K Matsumoto, Kazuo Okanoya

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.180378

Copy DOI

Abstract

Mice produce various sounds within the ultrasonic range in social contexts. Although these sounds are often used as an index of sociability in biomedical research, their biological significance remains poorly understood. We previously showed that mice repeatedly produced calls in a sequence (i.e. calling bout), which can vary in their structure, such as Simple, Complex or Harmonics. In this study, we investigated the use of the three types of calling bouts in different sociosexual interactions, including both same- and opposite-sex contexts. In same-sex contexts, males typically produced a Simple calling bout, whereas females mostly produced a Complex one. By contrast, in the opposite-sex context, they produced all the three types of calling bouts, but the use of each calling type varied according to the progress and mode of sociosexual interaction (e.g. Harmonic calling bout was specifically produced during reproductive behaviour). These results indicate that mice change the structure of calling bout according to sociosexual contexts, suggesting the presence of multiple functional signals in their ultrasonic communication.

Highlights

Mice produce ultrasonic vocalizations in a variety of social contexts, such as between a mother and pups, mother and father, and between adult mice
Ultrasonic vocalizations have been a particular focus of attention because Holy & Guo [1] showed that vocalizations in male–female (MF) mouse contexts consist of multiple vocal elements, similar to a song
We analysed mouse ultrasonic vocalizations recorded during direct interaction tests in the MM, MF and FF contexts (total number of calls in MM: 5691 (n = 11), MF: 11 160 (n = 11) and FF: 8369 (n = 10))

Summary

Introduction

Mice produce ultrasonic vocalizations in a variety of social contexts, such as between a mother and pups, mother and father, and between adult mice. Ultrasonic vocalizations have been a particular focus of attention because Holy & Guo [1] showed that vocalizations in male–female (MF) mouse contexts consist of multiple vocal elements, similar to a song (figure 1). These mouse vocalizations in an MF context are considered to be ‘courtship’ songs because adult males produce most of the vocalizations in response to females or female urine [2,3,4,5].

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion