Induction of a Puberty-Regulating Chemosignal in Wild Mouse Populations

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Abstract
The density of females in wild house mouse populations confined to highway cloverleafs was experimentally altered by adding foreign females. Urine collected from resident females before and after the additions was tested for its ability to delay puberty in juvenile female mice. Only urine collected after density was increased caused a significant delay of puberty. These results suggest that a urinary chemosignal produced in response to increased density may reduce population growth rate by increasing generation time. In a separate study, the fate of female mice introduced to a highway cloverleaf population was examined. Intensive mark-recapture trapping during 3 weeks following introduction of foreign females revealed high mortality and/or emigration rates for this group. However, the interlopers remained on the cloverleaf long enough to transiently increase the female interaction rate, which presumably mediates production of the puberty-delay pheromone.