Influence of the hormonal state of female Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) on urinary chemosignals stimulating scent-marking behaviour of males

Investigated the influence of urine from female Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) at different endocrine conditions on urinary chemosignals that stimulate male scent-marking beheviour. The scent-marking behaviour of male Mongolien gerbils is increased by presence of females. This increase is mediated by non-volatile polypeptides excreted in urine by mature females. In the present study the scent-marking behaviour stimulating efficacy of female urine originating from ovariectomized and hormone-treated females and also from mature females during different estrous states was determined. Urine from overiectomized females end ovariectomized females treated only with progesterone did not increase the scent-marking frequencies of males in the open-field tests