title: Social variables influence female sexual behavior in the musk shrew (Suncus murinus).
abstract: The role of social variables in the mediation of sexual behavior was examined in the female musk shrew (Suncus murinus). Two social variables were manipulated: amount of reproductive experience and exposure to male-related chemical cues. Virgin females took significantly longer to achieve receptivity than did sexually experienced females. In addition, exposure to soiled bedding taken from a male's cage for 24-hr prior to testing reduced receptivity latencies in all females. Even a brief (30 min) exposure to male-related cues was effective in facilitating receptivity in virgins. The converse was noted for female aggressive behavior. Virgin females attacked more frequently than experienced females, and preexposure to male-related cues reduced aggressiveness. These findings suggest that social variables play an important role in female sexual behavior in this primitive eutherian mammal.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003307:Copulation; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D011247:Pregnancy; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D012788:Shrews; D012931:Social Environment