Copulation and intermale aggression in rats.

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Abstract
Attack behavior of reliably aggressive male Long-Evans rats against unfamiliar male intruders was observed immediately following copulation to 1 or more ejaculations. Copulatory series to 5 ejaculations did not differ from copulation to a single ejaculation or from a noncopulatory control in affecting aggressive behavior. Repetitive biting attacks occurred in all conditions, with comparable wounding. The male postejaculatory state of insensitivity to sexual stimuli does not extend to stimuli eliciting intermale aggression. A 2nd experiment determined the attack-eliciting capacity of foreign males placed in the home cage of an actively copulating male. As intromissions increased and the interval to ejaculation decreased, the probability of intermale aggression and interruption of copulation diminished. Sexual and aggressive strategies of the copulating male are discussed.

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