Reproductive development in male deer mice exposed to aggressive behavior.
Male deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) were reared in a long photoperiod and housed individually from 3 weeks of age until they were killed 2, 4, or 6 weeks later. Males that were exposed to aggressive females for 2 min, three times per week, were of normal body weight and healthy, but had smaller reproductive organs than did males exposed to a control treatment. Reproductive development in male deer mice is responsive to at least two classes of social stimuli: pheromones and aggressive behavior.
D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size; D010542:Peromyscus; D012098:Reproduction; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000254:growth & development; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D012931:Social Environment; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development