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Vocalization of sex partners in the house mouse (Mus Musculus)

  • Comparative and Ontogenic Physiology
  • Published:
Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Acoustic parameters of the house mouse male and female vocalizations accompanying the sexual behavior were studied. The spectral-temporal analysis of female defensive calls and male ultrasonic calls was conducted on adult house mice, CBA and C57BL/6 hybrid strains. The principal feature of the female defensive call was its harmonic structure formed by three–five fundamental harmonics with the fundamental frequency of about 3 kHz. The signal energy was concentrated in the frequency range below 25 kHz. The basic harmonic structure could be modified by frequency and amplitude modulations and/or noise. The call duration varied widely from 40 to 470 ms and averaged 180 ± 70 ms. The principal feature of the male ultrasonic vocalization was its low intensity and poorly defined noise components. Depending on the call’s semantic load, its fundamental frequency averaged 67.3 ± 8.5 or 45.6 ± 3.7 kHz. Male ultrasonic vocalizations were shorter than female defensive calls and their duration did not exceed 220 ms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia

    A. S. Lupanova

  2. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia

    M. A. Egorova

Authors
  1. A. S. Lupanova
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  2. M. A. Egorova
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Correspondence to M. A. Egorova.

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Original Russian Text © A.S. Lupanova, M.A. Egorova, 2015, published in Zhurnal Evolyutsionnoi Biokhimii i Fiziologii, 2015, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 283—289.

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Lupanova, A.S., Egorova, M.A. Vocalization of sex partners in the house mouse (Mus Musculus). J Evol Biochem Phys 51, 324–331 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0022093015040080

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0022093015040080

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