Courtship behavior of the meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius)

Authors

Ethan A. Brem, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390Follow
William J. Israelsen, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390Follow

Abstract

We describe the first recorded observations of courtship behavior of the meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius) made in wild-caught and captive-reared animals. Male meadow jumping mice performed a series of courtship behaviors upon approach to the female, including rapid fanning of the muzzle with the forelimbs, self-grooming, muzzle fanning, retreat, and eventual mounting attempts. During courtship, female jumping mice may retreat, ignore the courting male, or bat at the male with forelimbs until the male retreats. Active rejection of the courting male by the female is suggestive of female mate choice in this species.


Describimos las primeras observaciones registradas de cortejo del ratón saltador de pradera (Zapus hudsonius). Se observaron animales tanto capturados como en cautiverio. Los ratones macho saltadores de la pradera realizaron una serie de comportamientos de cortejo al acercarse a la hembra que incluían la ventilación de aire por el hocico usando sus extremidades, el aseo personal, expulsión de aire por el hocico, retirase de la hembra, eventuales intentos de montaje. Durante el cortejo, la hembra puede retirarse, ignorar al macho que la corteja o golpear al macho con las extremidades inferiores hasta que el macho se retire. El rechazo activo por parte de la hembra hacia el macho que corteja sugiere que la elección de pareja es por la femina en esta especie.

Recommended Citation

Brem, Ethan A. and Israelsen, William J. (2021) "Courtship behavior of the meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius)," Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 81: No. 2, Article 11.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol81/iss2/11