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Mate choice is a critical behavioral decision process with profound impact on evolution. However, the mechanistic basis of mate choice is poorly understood. In this study we focused on assortative mate choice, which is known to contribute to the reproductive isolation of the two European subspecies of house mouse,  Mus musculus musculus  and  Mus musculus domesticus . To understand the decision process, we developed both full mating and limited-contact paradigms and tested  musculus  females' preference for  musculus  versus  domesticus  males, mimicking the natural  musculus/domesticus  contact zone. As hypothesized, when allowed to mate we found that sexually receptive  musculus  females exhibited a robust preference to mate with  musculus  males. In contrast, when non-receptive, females did not exhibit a preference and rather alternated between males in response to male mount attempts. Moreover in a no-choice condition, females mated readily with males from both subspecies. Finally, when no physical contact was allowed, and therefore male's behavior could not influence female's behavior, female's preference for its own subspecies was maintained independently of the estrous state. Together, our results suggest that the assortative preference is relative and based on a comparison of the options available rather than on an absolute preference. The results of the limited-contact experiments highlight the interplay between female's internal state and the nature of the interaction with prospective mates in the full mating conditions. With these experiments we believe we established an assortative mate preference assay that is appropriate for the investigation of its underlying substrates.

Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State