Scent-marking behaviour of the honey badger, Mellivora capensis (Mustelidae), in the southern Kalahari
Scent-marking behaviour of the honey badger, Mellivora capensis (Mustelidae), in the southern Kalahari
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DOI：
10.1006/anbe.2003.2223
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发表时间：
2003-11-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.5
通讯作者：
Mills, MBL
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Begg, CM;Begg, KS;Mills, MBL
我们调查性和季节性模式的气味标记行为的蜜獾，习惯的个人（5名女性，4名成年男性，两名年轻男性）的直接观察。确定了四类气味标记行为：（1）厕所气味标记;（2）在觅食路径沿着的洞里象征性排尿;（3）在一次性使用场所蹲点标记;（4）功能性排泄。女性和年轻男性使用所有四种类型的气味标记，但成年男性没有观察到使用令牌排尿。一个战略的腹地气味标记，预测从大的家庭范围的男性和女性蜜獾。标记率有显着的性别差异：成年男性主要使用厕所和成年女性青睐令牌排尿。成年雄性蜜獾的厕所气味标记为“气味匹配”假说提供了支持。雌性在发情期会去厕所。然而，低水平的标记活动，在访问和密集的嗅觉建议气味匹配功能，而不是生殖广告。象征性排尿似乎与女性时空分离的维持有关，尽管我们也在年轻男性中观察到象征性排尿。虽然放置在觅食洞的尿液和成功的挖掘尝试提供了一些支持觅食效率的假设，我们认为这是不可能的，因为我们没有观察到它在成年男性，也没有季节性模式。蹲标记发生在广泛的条件下，男性和女性，可能与标记有价值的资源。蜜獾的气味标记很可能有许多功能。(C)2003年由Elsevier Ltd代表动物行为研究协会出版。
We investigated sexual and seasonal patterns in scent-marking behaviour of the honey badger, by direct observations of habituated individuals (five females, four adult males, two young males). Four categories of scent-marking behaviour were identified: (1) scent marking at latrines; (2) token urination in holes along the foraging path; (3) squat marking at single-use sites; and (4) functional excretion. Females and young males used all four types of scent marking, but adult males were not observed to use token urination. A strategy of hinterland scent marking was used, as was predicted from the large home ranges of both male and female honey badgers. There were significant sexual differences in marking rate: adult males primarily used latrines and adult females favoured token urination. Latrine scent marking in adult male honey badgers provides support for the 'scent-matching' hypothesis. Females visited latrines when they were in oestrus. However, the low level of marking activity during a visit and the intensive smelling suggested a scent-matching function rather than reproductive advertisement. Token urination appeared to be related to the maintenance of spatiotemporal separation in females, although we also observed token urination in young males. While the placement of urine in foraging holes and its relation with successful digging attempts offer some support for the foraging efficiency hypothesis, we consider this unlikely, because we did not observe it in adult males and there was no seasonal pattern. Squat marking occurred under a wide range of conditions in both males and females and may be related to marking valuable resources. It is likely that scent marking in honey badgers has many functions. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.