Response of Rattus rattus towards conspecific urinary pheromones
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Date
2019
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
Urinary pheromones being chemical signals play an important role in communication among
the individuals of same species. Present study aimed to observe the response of mature male
and female Rattus rattus towards conspecific natural urine and synthetic urinary compounds
of same and opposite sexes. Urine of mature and immature as well as of individual and
grouped male and female rats and of mature female rat different stages i.e. proestrous,
diestrous, estrous, metestrous, preganancy and lactation was collected and exposed to both
the mature male and female rats. Different concentrations (2, 3, 5 and 7%) of synthetic
urinary compounds namely, 1-chlorodecane, 1-nitropentane, n-hexane and cyclo-hexane were
also exposed to mature male and female rats. Rats were exposed to urine under laboratory
conditions, in maze experiments and under simulated storage condition. Effect of urine on
behaviour of rats was determined in the form of bait consumption from treated and untreated
sides. Results revealed a characteristic behaviour of both the mature male and female rats
towards the urine. The mature female rats showed strong attraction towards the urine of
individual and grouped mature male rats and the urinary compound 1-chlorodecane. The
mature male rats were attracted towards urine of individual and grouped mature female rats,
females at different stages except in pregnant stage, and urinary compounds 1-nitropentane
and n–hexane. Study suggests the use of urine/urinary compounds in mitigating poison bait
and trap shyness in R. rattus thereby managing their population.
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