Are oestrus odours species specific?
Adult male rats were exposed to faeces odours of three animal species (rat, fox and horse). They displayed erections in the presence of faeces from oestrous females (whatever the species). In addition, fox faeces (whatever the gender or hormonal status) elicited an expected freezing reaction. It is suggested that oestrous female faeces of these three species share common odorants which depend on the hormonal status and characterize female receptivity.
Rampin
Olivier
O
Analyse and Modélisation en Imagerie Biologique, NOPA, UMR 1197, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique Université Paris Sud, Bât 325, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Jérôme
Nathalie
N
Briant
Christine
C
Boué
Franck
F
Maurin
Yves
Y
D000818:Animals; D003463:Cues; D004971:Estrus / Q000502:physiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity