Self‐Grooming as a Tactic Used by Prairie Voles Microtus ochrogaster to Enhance Sexual Communication

Abstract

Observations of numerous mammals suggest males self‐groom more than females in response to the odours of opposite‐sex conspecifics. Two experiments tested the hypothesis that self‐grooming may be a tactic used by males to attract mates in prairie voles Microtus ochrogaster. In the first experiment, we measured the amounts of time voles self‐groomed during exposure either to male‐scented cotton bedding, female‐scented cotton bedding, or clean cotton bedding. Results from this experiment support the hypothesis and also show that female prairie voles self‐groom in response to odours of males. In addition, male prairie voles groom more in response to male odours than to female odours, suggesting that self‐grooming also serves a role in male–male competition. In the second experiment, male and female voles spent more time investigating scent marks of opposite‐sex conspecifics that recently self‐groomed at a higher rate than those of opposite‐sex conspecifics that self‐groomed at a lower rate. Female, but not male prairie voles, spent more time investigating scent marks of opposite‐sex conspecifics that self‐groomed at a high rate than those of same‐sex conspecifics that self‐groomed at a high rate. For prairie voles, self‐grooming may increase the detection of their scent marks by conspecifics. By self‐grooming, prairie voles may be attempting to attract opposite‐sex conspecifics, and males may also be attempting to deter encounters with male conspecifics.