Premium
Maturity, castration and behaviour of male Bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus (Mammalia)
Author(s) -
Gipps J. H. W.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1983.tb05783.x
Subject(s) - biology , clethrionomys glareolus , castration , sexual maturity , bank vole , zoology , adult male , population , maturity (psychological) , ecology , demography , endocrinology , developmental psychology , psychology , hormone , sociology
This paper discusses the relationship between aggressive behaviour and sexual maturity, prepubertal castration and wounding in male Bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus. In neutral arena tests in the laboratory, sexually mature males exhibited more aggressive components of behaviour than immature males or than adult males that had been castrated prepubertally. Mature males also exhibited fewer amicable components than the immature or castrated males. During several months residence in large outdoor enclosures, mature males consistently had more fresh skin wounds (inflicted by other voles) than did either immature or castrated males. The relevance of these results to the population ecology of Bank voles is discussed.