title: Peromyscus as a model system for understanding the regulation of maternal behavior.
abstract: The genus Peromyscus has been used as a model system for understanding maternal behavior because of the diversity of reproductive strategies within this genus. This review will describe the ecological factors that determine litter size and litter quality in polygynous species such as Peromyscus leucopus and Peromyscus maniculatus. We will also outline the physiological and social factors regulating maternal care in Peromyscus californicus, a monogamous and biparental species. Because biparental care is relatively rare in mammals, most research in P. californicus has focused on understanding the biology of paternal care while less research has focused on understanding maternal care. As a result, the social, sensory, and hormonal cues used to coordinate parental care between male and female P. californicus have been relatively well-studied. However, less is known about the physiology of maternal care in P. californicus and in other Peromyscus species. The diversity of the genus Peromyscus provides the potential for future research to continue to examine how variation in social systems has shaped the mechanisms that underlie maternal care.
authors.affiliation: Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA. Electronic address: bestej@spu.edu.
authors.forename: Janet K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Bester-Meredith
authors.affiliation: Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA.
authors.forename: Mariah F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Conley
authors.affiliation: Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA.
authors.forename: Grace E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Mammarella
authors.affiliation: Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA.
authors.forename: Nathaniel D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D023421:Models, Animal; D010542:Peromyscus / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Biparental; Maternal; Neuropeptide; Paternal; Peromyscus; Social behavior