Use of Fluorescent Powder to Infer Mating Activity of Male Rodents

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Abstract
We tested the use of fluorescent powder to infer mating activity of male rodents. The ventral surfaces of adult, male house mice (Mus domesticus) were dusted with fluorescent powder; the males were paired immediately with unmarked adult females for 6 days. Some males were dusted once, others were dusted every day. The backs of females were checked daily for transfer of fluorescent powder. We repeated the procedures with female pairs in which one female was dusted either once or daily as a control for transfer of powder due to noncopulatory contact. The transfer of powder occurred more often in male-female pairs dusted once than in female-female pairs. Our results support the use of fluorescent powder to infer the activity of mating in male rodents.

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