title: Food neophobia in wild and laboratory mice (Mus musculus domesticus).
abstract: In a conditioned taste aversion procedure we were specifically interested in the topic of food neophobia. Wild and laboratory mice were individually presented with a novel drink (0.1 % saccharin solution). Compared with the daily water consumption, the intake of this was lower. This decrease was greater: (1) in wild than in tame populations ; (2) in random-bred (Swiss-albinos) than in inbred (C57 B1/6, BALB/c) strains ; (3) in F1-hybrids (either wild x tame or inbred x inbred) than in the parental strains. These results are discussed: (1) in terms of a selective pressure linked to man's fight against rodents, leading to increased neophobia in wild mice ; and (2) by stressing the heterosis an inbreeding depression effects, which suggest that food neophobia is a component of Darwinian fitness.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie, E.R.A. au C.N.R.S. n° 700, Université Toulouse-3, F-31062 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kronenberger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Médioni