title: Possible significance of anogenital licking by female rat during precopulatory behavioural patterns.
abstract: Possible significance of licking of anogenital region by female rat in the initial steps of precopulatory behaviour was studied in short bouts of 3 min each. The order of conspicuous events was--(1) exploratory behaviour, (2) partners pursuing each other, (3) head-to-tail orientation and mutual licking of anogenital regions; particularly when females were in oestrous and metoestrous stages and (4) obvious avoidance and even aggressive behaviour by female during dioestrous stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, M.S. University of Baroda, India.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ambadkar
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Raval
mesh_terms: D001003:Anal Canal; D000818:Animals; D003307:Copulation; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal