Kinship and familiarity as factors affecting social transfer of food preferences in adult Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus).
Experiments were carried out with Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) to assess whether a socially mediated acquisition of diet selection exists in this species. Results showed that a gerbil was influenced in its diet choices by information extracted during a brief period of interaction with a familiar conspecific that had recently eaten a novel food. Data revealed that the acquisition of a food preference from a conspecific depends on the existence of a social bond between the interacting gerbils. Either genetic relatedness (being brother or sister raised in different litters) or familiarity (being bred in the same litter or being member of a reproductive pair) is necessary for the transfer of information. Unfamiliar and unrelated observer gerbils did not selectively choose their demonstrator's food.
Valsecchi
P
P
Dipartimento di Biologia Evolutiva e Funzionale, Università degli Studi di Parma, Italy. valsecchi@biol.unipr.it
Choleris
E
E
Moles
A
A
Guo
C
C
Mainardi
M
M
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D005849:Gerbillinae / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D010152:Pair Bond; D012801:Sibling Relations; D012903:Smell; D012931:Social Environment; D013045:Species Specificity; D013649:Taste; D014163:Transfer, Psychology