Abstract
The bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) is a common European rodent, which is relatively easy to breed in laboratory conditions. In this species, similarly to other mammals, chemical compounds present in urine, faces or skin gland secretions can serve as olfactory signals for conspecifics (Marchlewska-Koj, 1984; Stoddard and Sales, 1985). In a natural population, adult females are territorial, and during the breeding season each female’s home range overlaps with the home range of several males (Bujalska, 1973). The results of laboratory experiments indicate that marking behavior in bank vole males is correlated with the hierarchical status of the animals, and it has been suggested that the urine of adult males contains chemical signals involved in maintaining their social organization (Rozenfeld et al., 1987). This is consistent with observations of bank vole females, which show an increase of behavioral activity in response to chemosignals from dominating adult males (Kruczek and Pochroń, 1997).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bruce, H. M., 1960, A block to pregnancy in the mouse caused by proximity of strange males, J. Reprod. Fert. 1:96–103.
Bujalska, G., 1970, Reproduction stabilising elements in an island population of Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber 1980), Acta theriol. 15:381–412.
Bujalska, G., 1973, The role of spacing behaviour among females in the regulation of reproduction in the bank vole, J. Reprod. Fert. (Suppl), 19:465–474.
Clarke, J. R., 1985, The reproductive biology of the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) and the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), Symp. Zool. Soc. Lond. 55:33–59.
Clarke, J. R., and Hellwing, S., 1977, Remote control by males of ovulation in bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus), J. Reprod. Fert. 50:155–158.
Clarke J. R., Clulow, F. V., and Greig, F., 1970, Ovulation in the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus, J. Reprod. Fert. 23:531.
de la Maza H., Wolff J. O., and Lindsey A., 1999, Exposure to strange adults does not cause pregnancy disruption or infanticide in the gray-tailed vole, Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 45:107–113.
Jemiolo B., Marchlewska-Koj, A., and Buchalczyk, A., 1980, Acceleration of ovarian follicle maturation of female caused by male in Microtus agrestis and Clethrionomys glareolus, Folia Biol. (Kraków) 28:269–277.
Kalela, O., 1957, Regulation of reproductive rate in subarctic populations of the vole, Clethrionomys rufocanus (Sund), Ann. Acad. Sci. Fenn. Ser. A IV Biol. 34:1–60.
Kapusta, J., Marchlewska-Koj, A., Olejniczak, P., and Kruczek M., 1996, Removal of the olfactory system modifies male bank vole behaviour in the presence of females. Behav. Process., 37:39–45.
Kruczek, M., 1997, Male rank and female choice in the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus, Behav. Process. 40:171–176.
Kruczek, M., 1998, Male chemical signals and female choice in the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus - Jagiellonian University - Kraków - Monography no 334:1–52.
Kruczek M., and Marchlewska-Koj, A., 1986, Puberty delay of bank vole females in a high-density population, Biol. Reprod. 35:537–541.
Kruczek, M., Marchlewska-Koj, A., and Drickamer, L. C., 1989, Social inhibition of sexual maturation in female and male bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) - Acta theriol. 34:479–485.
Kruczek M., and Pochroń, E., 1997, Chemical signals from conspecifics modify the activity of female bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus), Acta theriol. 42:71–78.
Marchlewska-Koj, A., Kolodziej, B., and Filimowska, A., 1989, Aggressive behavior of adult bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) towards conspecifics, Aggr. Behav. 15:381–387.
Marchlewska-Koj, A., 1983, Pregnancy blocking by pheromones, in: Pheromones and Reproduction in Mammals, (J. G. Vandenbergh ed.), Acad. Press Inc., New York, pp. 151–174.
Marchlewska-Koj, A., 1984, Pheromones and mammalian reproduction, in: Oxford Reviews of Reproductive Biology, Vol. 6, (J. R. Clarke ed.), Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, pp. 266–302.
Milligan, S. R., 1974, Social environment and ovulation in the vole, Microtus agrestis, J. Reprod. Fert. 41:35–47.
Rozenfeld, F. M., Boulange, E., and Rasmont, R.,1987, Urine marking by male bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus Schreber, 1780; Microtidae, Rodentia) in relation to their social rank, Can. J. Zool. 65:2594–2601.
Saitoh, T., 1981, Control of female maturation in high density populations of the red-banked vole, Clethrionomys rufocanus bedfordial, J. Anim. Ecol. 50:79–87.
Stoddart, D. M., and Sales, G. D., 1985, The olfactory and acoustic biology of wood mice, yellow-necked mice and bank voles, Symp. Zool. Soc. Lond. 55:117–139.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Marchlewska-Koj, A. (2001). Pheromonal Regulation of Bank Vole (Clethrionomys Glareolus) Reproduction. In: Marchlewska-Koj, A., Lepri, J.J., Müller-Schwarze, D. (eds) Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 9. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0671-3_53
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0671-3_53
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5187-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-0671-3
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive