Behavior

Question 1

What are the social groups wild mice form called? Which individuals are contained in each social group? What is the breeding of the group characterized by?

Answer 1

Demes
Dominant breeding male, hierarchy of females, subordinate males, and juveniles
Inbreeding

Question 2

Characterize wild mice (3)

Answer 2

Crepuscular, territorial, and omnivorous

Question 3

Coprophagy is what percentage of ingesta?

Answer 3

1/3

Question 4

What is the function of releaser pheromones?

Answer 4

Immediate behavior

Question 5

What is the function of signaler pheromones? (3)

Answer 5

Convey individual or group identity, mediate parent-offspring recognition, mate choice

Question 6

Where are pheromones found?

Answer 6

Urine and lacrimal, salivary, mammary, preputial, and plantar glands

Question 7

What is the function of primer pheromones?

Answer 7

Slow developing and longer-lasting endocrine response

Question 8

What structures detect pheromones? (4)

Answer 8

VMO, olfactory epithelium, septal organ of Masera within the olfactory epithelium, Gruenberg ganglion at anterior end of nasal cavity

Question 9

Where do the signals from pheromones travel?

Answer 9

To ganglion layer of olfactory bulb to the rest of the brain.

Question 10

What does Mups stand for? On which chromosome are they found?

Answer 10

Major urinary proteins
Chromosome 4 contains cluster of 21 Mups genes and pseudogenes

Question 11

What is the structure of Mups?

Answer 11

Lipocalins - Small soluble proteins

Question 12

What is the function of Mups?

Answer 12

Bind small organic chemicals (pheromones) and transport and stabilize them. Contributes to slow release and serves as a protein pheromone.

Question 13

What sex excretes more Mups? List one sex-dependent Mup.

Answer 13

Male
Darcin - Female attractant

Question 14

What are kairomones?

Answer 14

Chemical signals between species

Question 15

Why are Mups a human concern?

Answer 15

Potent human allergens, particularly Mus m1 (Ag1 or MA1)

Question 16

What is the Lee-Boot effect?

Answer 16

Suppression of estrus cyclicity in group-housed females isolated from males.

Question 17

Generally, what do MHC proteins determine? List four specific examples.

Answer 17

Genetic relatedness
Social preference, mating, recognition of young, and male aggression

Question 18

Describe ultrasonic communication in mice.

Answer 18

Used by males to communicate and attract females. Songs are genetically innate and strain unique, can be learned to limited extent.