Patterns of deposition of urine containing chemosignals that affect puberty and reproduction by wild stock male and female house mice (Mus domesticus)

House mice release chemosignals in their urine that influence the timing of puberty and reproductive condition in conspecific females. These experiments tested the possibility that mice depositing urine containing chemosignals that affect puberty and reproduction do so differentially with respect to urine cues from conspecifics. Mice were tested in cages containing samples of urine or water on cotton in wire mesh capsules protruding from the cage floor. Their urine deposition patterns were recorded on squares of filter paper positioned below the cages. Males deposited more urine than females housed in groups, estrous females, diestrous females, or prepubertal females. All groups of mice deposited urine in a nonrandom fashion with regard to urine cues from conspecifics. Male mice deposited more urine near locations previously soiled by females than near water or other males. Grouped females deposited more urine near male urine cues and avoided depositing urine near urine from other group-housed females. Both estrous and diestrous female mice deposited more urine near males than near other urine cues or water, possibly to attract mates. Prepubertal females avoided depositing their urine near male urine and urinated more near urine from grouped females than near other urine types or water. Young females may be avoiding possible male mates until they have attained puberty. This avoidance behavior may enhance the long-term reproductive success of the females that otherwise might mature and mate at too young an age.     

Urinary chemosignals,reproduction, and population size for house mice (Mus domesticus) living in field enclosures

The effects of urinary chemosignals influencing reproduction and puberty were studied in free-living house mice maintained in six 0.1-ha outdoor enclosures. Two enclosures were provided with urine and soiled bedding from male mice, two with urine and soiled bedding from group-caged female mice, and two with water and clean bedding as a control. Reproduction, puberty, recruitment, and population size all were affected by the urine treatments. Overall, populations reached significantly greater numbers in the enclosures treated with male urine and soiled bedding, intermediate levels with the water and clean bedding treatment, and were lowest for enclosures treated with urine and soiled bedding from grouped females. The population differences resulted from urinary chemosignal effects on adult female reproduction and female puberty; in general, females were in higher states of reproductive condition, more pregnancies occurred, and young females attained puberty earlier in male-treated enclosures and later in female-treated enclosures than in control enclosures. Urinary chemosignals that affect endocrine physiology and related reproductive processes may be one mechanism by which various factors influence population size in house mice.     

Rates of urine excretion by house mouse (Mus domesticus): Differences by age,sex, social status,and reproductive condition

A series of five experiments was used to test hypotheses about factors affecting excreted urine output per day in male and female house mice (Mus domesticus). Urine was collected in metabolism cages over a 24-hr period. Male house mice excrete urine at a rate 1.5–2.0 times that of females. Daily average urine output increases with age for both sexes and for mice of the same age; urine output per day is correlated with body mass. Females in estrus produce more urine than females in diestrus. Urine output per day increases during the latter two thirds of pregnancy and remains high throughout lactation. Density does not influence urine output per day for either sex over the range of densities tested. Castration reduces urine output per day in male mice, but ovariectomy in females does not alter rates of urine production. Dominant males produce more urine than subordinate males, but there are no similar effects for female mice. The findings have potential implications for our understanding of the functional and ecological uses of urine by house mice.     

Odor correspondence betweenMelitta females and males of their nest parasiteNomada flavopicta K. (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

Analyses have been performed with the help of combined capillary gas chromatography and mass spectrometry on volatile secretions emanating from the Dufour glands of femaleMelitta haemorrhoidalis andM. leporina and heads of maleNomada flavopicta, a nest parasite of theMelitta species. It was found that the cephalic secretions ofN. flavopicta males have definite similarities with the Dufour gland secretions of the two species ofMelitta. They all contain octadecyl butyrate as a major component. Monounsaturated alcohols of different chain lengths are also present in the secretions. Beside these compounds,Melitta has some other esters, notably C₁₂-, C₁₄-, C₁₆-, and C₂₀-butyrates as well as C₁₂- and C₁₆-acetates.     

Hydrocarbons from males,females, and larvae of pecan weevil:Curculio caryae (Horn)

As part of a program to identify as many as possible of the components of the pecan weevil,Curculio caryae (Horn), the hydrocarbons from males, females, and larvae were isolated by solvent extraction and column chromatography and subjected to gas liquid chromatographymass spectrometry analysis. n-Alkanes from C₁₄−C₃₂ in the larvae and unsaturated and branched chain hydrocarbons from C₂₀−C₃₂ in males and females were found. There are no significant differences between the hydrocarbons of the male and female pecan weevils.     

Comparison of electroantennograms from female and male cabbage looper moths (Trichoplusia ni) of different ages and for various pheromone concentrations

The electroantennogram (EAG) responses of both male and femaleTrichoplusia ni to two components of the female-released sex pheromone were determined over a range of concentrations of chemical and age of insect. The EAG was at a peak at a dose of 100 g for both dodecyl acetate and (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7–12OAc) for both sexes. The EAG responses varied with age of the insect. Responsiveness to both components was at a maximum at three days postemergence for males followed by a fairly rapid senescence, and for females it peaked at three days followed by a rapid senescence forZ7–12OAc but not for dodcecyl acetate.     

Selective Separation of Scandium(III) and Yttrium(III) from other Rare Earth Elements using Cyanex302 as an Extractant

Abstract

Liquid‐liquid extraction and selective separation of scandium(III) and yttrium(III) with Cyanex302 (bis(2,4,4‐trimethylpentyl)monothiophosphinic acid) has been carried out by controlling the aqueous phase pH. Scandium(III) and yttrium(III) were completely recovered from the organic phase using 5.0 M and 4.0 M nitric acid respectively and determined spectrophotometrically as their complexes with Arsenazo(III). The influence of extractant concentration, equilibration time, nature of diluents, stripping agents, and diverse ions on the extraction of scandium(III) and yttrium(III) was investigated. The extractability of scandium(III), yttrium(III), and other rare earth elements was exploited for sequential separation of scandium(III)‐yttrium(III)‐lanthanum(III) and other rare earth elements viz. lanthanum(III), cerium(IV), praseodymium(III), neodymium(III), gadolinium(III), dysprosium(III), and ytterbium(III) in binary mixtures. The method presented is simple and rapid for isolation of scandium(III) and yttrium(III) from associated elements and has been successfully applied for their selective separation from complex matrices of USGS standard soil GXR‐2 and Japanese standard stream sediment sample Jsd‐3.