Turano Alexandra, Brummer Stacey P, Young Julie K, Freeman Sara M
Utah State University, Biology Department, Logan, UT, USA.
National Wildlife Research Center - Predator Research Facility, USDA, Logan, UT, USA.
Behav Processes. 2023 Mar;206:104832. doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104832. Epub 2023 Jan 21.
Social monogamy is a unique social system exhibited by only 3-5% of mammalian taxa; however, all wild canid species exhibit this social system. Despite the high prevalence of social monogamy among canids, little is known about how they form selective social attachment relationships among non-kin. Thus, we aimed to quantify monogamous behavior in a highly ubiquitous canid, the coyote (Canis latrans). We adapted the three-chambered partner preference test, which was originally developed for prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), to assess social preference in mated pairs of captive coyotes at the USDA Predator Research Facility. We quantified monogamy-related behaviors, such as time spent in spatial proximity to a pair-mate versus a stranger. Our behavioral ethogram also included visual seeking, olfactory investigations, ears down, scent marking, and affiliative behavior. Test subjects showed significantly greater affiliative behavior toward their partner than toward a stranger. However, there was extremely high variability both within and between coyote pairs across behavioral measures. These data suggest the need for larger sample sizes when working with species with high individual variability, as well as the need for species- and facility-specific modifications to this testing paradigm and/or ethogram to better adapt it from its laboratory and rodent-based origins.
社会性一夫一妻制是一种独特的社会体系，仅在3% - 5%的哺乳动物分类群中存在；然而，所有野生犬科动物都呈现出这种社会体系。尽管社会性一夫一妻制在犬科动物中普遍存在，但对于它们如何在非亲属之间形成选择性的社会依恋关系却知之甚少。因此，我们旨在量化一种非常常见的犬科动物——郊狼（犬属 草原狼）的一夫一妻制行为。我们采用了最初为草原田鼠（橙腹草原田鼠）开发的三室伴侣偏好测试，以评估美国农业部捕食者研究设施中圈养的郊狼配偶之间的社会偏好。我们量化了与一夫一妻制相关的行为，比如与配偶而非陌生个体在空间上接近所花费的时间。我们的行为观察记录表还包括视觉搜寻、嗅觉探查、耳朵下垂、气味标记和亲和行为。测试对象对其配偶表现出的亲和行为明显多于对陌生个体的。然而，在行为测量方面，郊狼配偶内部和配偶之间都存在极高的变异性。这些数据表明，在研究个体变异性高的物种时需要更大的样本量，同时也需要针对该测试范式和/或观察记录表进行特定物种和设施的修改，以便更好地使其从基于实验室和啮齿动物的起源进行适配。
