Pregnancy blocking in the vole, Microtus agrestis. I. Effect of the social environment.
Pregnancy failed in a high proportion of newly mated Microtus agrestis females when they were exposed to a strange male between 48 and 72 hr after mating with a stud male. This effect of the strange male was testosterone dependent. Direct contact with the strange male was normally necessary, and even a single barrier of wire mesh between the female and strange male prevented the male from exerting his pregnancy-blocking effect. The results suggest that the stimuli mediating pregnancy blocking in the vole may differ from those operative in the mouse.
D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D012377:Rodentia / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior