Mechanisms of sibling recognition in meadow voles

Abstract

Individuals of Microtus pennsylvanicus preferred the odor of familiar siblings to that of unfamiliar nonsiblings, and agonistic acts were less frequent between sibling than between nonsibling dyads. Reduced agonistic behavior between and preferences for littermates versus nonlittermates, independently of genetic relatedness, suggest that among meadow voles sibling recognition is based on prior association through common rearing. -from Authors

Publication Title

Canadian Journal of Zoology

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