The Relationship Between Dominance Rank and Spatial Ability Among Male Meadow Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

Males of many mammalian species exhibit contest competition and scramble competition for mates, but the relationship between these 2 forms of competition remains poorly understood. The authors measured dominance rank and spatial ability as traits likely to be selected by contest and scramble competi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of comparative psychology (1983) 2004-09, Vol.118 (3), p.332-339
Main Authors: Spritzer, Mark D, Meikle, Douglas B, Solomon, Nancy G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal
Animal behavior
Animal Dominance
Animal Mating Behavior
Animal populations
Animal reproduction
Animals
Arvicolinae
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Competition
Dominance Hierarchy
Genotype & phenotype
Male
Maze Learning
Rodents
Social Dominance
Space Perception - physiology
Spatial Ability
Spatial Behavior - physiology
Spatial Memory
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Summary:Males of many mammalian species exhibit contest competition and scramble competition for mates, but the relationship between these 2 forms of competition remains poorly understood. The authors measured dominance rank and spatial ability as traits likely to be selected by contest and scramble competition, respectively, among male meadow voles ( Microtus pennsylvanicus ). The spatial ability of males was assessed using water maze tests, and dominance rank was determined using paired trials in a neutral arena. Dominant males had better spatial-learning ability and tended to have quicker learning speed but did not have better spatial memory than less aggressive subordinates. Therefore, the authors found no evidence that contest and scramble competition have favored alternative reproductive phenotypes among male meadow voles.
ISSN:0735-7036
1939-2087
DOI:10.1037/0735-7036.118.3.332