Effects of prior familiarity on female mate choice in the albino mouse (Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758): Olfactory and live-encounter tests reveal context-dependent decoupling
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54172/j567d580Keywords:
Familiarity, mate choice, Mus musculus, olfactory cues, inbreeding avoidance, dichotomous choice testAbstract
Familiarity influences mammalian behaviour and mating decisions, including inbreeding avoidance. This study investigated whether prior familiarity affects female mate choice in albino mice (Mus musculus) using two experimental contexts: odour-based tests and live-encounter tests. Female-female tests were included as social controls. Female responses were measured as the number of visits and the total time spent investigating each stimulus. In the odour tests, females spent more time investigating bedding from unfamiliar males than from familiar males (P = 0.000), whereas the number of visits did not differ (P = 0.813). Thus, initial approach behaviour was similar, but sustained interest favoured unfamiliar male odours. In live encounters, females visited unfamiliar males more frequently than familiar males (P = 0.000), but the time spent with each male did not differ significantly (P = 0.074). Female-female control tests produced a different pattern: females spent more time investigating bedding from familiar females (P = 0.000), whereas live female-female encounters showed no significant differences in visit rate (P = 0.792) or time spent (P = 1.000). These findings indicate that familiarity affects female mate choice in a context-dependent manner. Unfamiliar male odours elicited longer investigation, which is consistent with inbreeding avoidance; however, this preference did not translate into longer interaction time during live encounters. Male behaviour may have influenced these outcomes. The study highlights the need for multiple testing approaches to understand mate choice and shows that familiarity effects are more complex than previously assumed.
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