Copulatory behavior of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus): I. Normative data, subspecific differences, and effects of cross-fostering.

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Abstract
In experiment 1, normative data were collected on copulatory behavior in 16 male-female pairs of P. maniculatus bairdi, each mated for 5 tests. P. m. bairdi display a pattern with no lock, no intravaginal thrusting, multiple intromissions prerequisite to ejaculation and multiple ejaculations. They had a mean of 3.6 ejaculations, with the 1st ejaculation preceded by a mean of 6.4 intromissions spaced 72 s apart. In experiment 2, data from 17 male-female pairs of P. m. blandus were reported and compared with data from 2 samples of P. m. bairdi and a sample of P. m. gambeli from an earlier study. Although there were no qualitative differences among subspecies, significant quantitative differences were found for 11 of the 14 measures considered. In experiment 3, data from 17 males cross-fostered to Mus musculus parents on the day of birth were compared with those of deer mice reared by their own parents. Cross-fostering produced no major qualitative alterations of copulatory behavior, with significant differences from normally reared males in 4 of 18 comparisons.