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Physiol Behav

Title:		Day length influences proceptive behavior of female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)
Author(s):		Moffatt CA; Nelson RJ;
Address:		"Department of Psychology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218"
Journal Title:		Physiol Behav
Year:		1994
Volume:		55
Issue:		6
Page Number:		1163 - 1165
DOI:		10.1016/0031-9384(94)90405-7
ISSN/ISBN:		0031-9384 (Print) 0031-9384 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Prairie voles typically do not breed during the winter; instead, they typically confine breeding to the spring and summer. One proximate cue contributing to this seasonal change in breeding among males is photoperiod. However, photoperiod does not appear to affect female fecundity. Female prairie voles are induced into estrus by chemosensory cues in the urine of male conspecifies. Females are exposed to these cues when they groom the ano-genital region of males. Females that do not groom the ano-genital region of males rarely become estrus. Ano-genital grooming can be considered a proceptive behavior because the onset of estrus is dependent upon females exhibiting this behavior. This study addressed whether or not photoperiod influenced the proceptive behavior of female prairie voles. The results indicated that females maintained in a long photoperiod groomed the ano-genital region of anesthetized stimulus males more frequently than females maintained in a short photoperiod. This change in proceptive behavior may contribute to the seasonal changes in breeding exhibited by prairie voles"
Keywords:		"Animals Estrus/physiology Female Grooming/physiology *Light Male Pregnancy *Seasons Sex Attractants/physiology Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology Social Environment;"
Notes:		"MedlineMoffatt, C A Nelson, R J eng NICHD HD22201/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. 1994/06/01 Physiol Behav. 1994 Jun; 55(6):1163-5. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(94)90405-7"