Meriones crassus
The role of the physical rearing environment in the domestication of the mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)
Gerbils reared in tunnel systems responded to a visual stimulus by fleeing, foot-thumping and remaining concealed, whereas many gerbils reared in laboratory cages responded in the same situation by approaching the stimulus. The critical factor in tunnel-rearing was the opportunity to flee to shelter during maturation. Neither isolation from illumination nor isolation from stimuli associated […]
Social suppression of female reproductive maturation and infanticidal behavior in cooperatively breeding Mongolian gerbils
In several cooperatively breeding species, reproductively suppressed, nonbreeding females are attracted to infants and routinely provide alloparental care, while breeding females may attack or kill other females’ infants. The mechanisms underlying the transition from alloparental to infanticidal behavior are unknown. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that this transition is associated with cessation of […]