THE TERRITORY SCENT MARKING IN GERBILS - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF 4 MERIONES SPECIES

Sex-age and seasonal variability of the ventral glands and different s tereotypes of scent marking behaviour in four Meriones species (M. ung uiculatus, M. meridianus, M. libycus, M. tamariscinus) have been studi ed in nature and under semi-natural conditions. Two major ways of olfa ctory marking are considered: by secretion of the ventral glands and b y ''signal heaps'' with urine and feces. Intraspecific and inter-speci es variability of marking activity is investigated. The ventral glands start to fuction at the period of preparation of a generative system to reproduction. The peak of secretary activity of gland and maximum o f two types of marking activity is observed in spring and early summer , i.e. the period of active reproduction. The maximum of two types of the marking activity is observed during this period. In M. tamariscinu s and M. meridianus the marking by the ventral gland is prevailing mod e of the territory scent marking, while Mongolian gerbils (M. unguicul atus) prefer to use ''signal heaps'' Libyan gerbils (M. libycus) in th is relation take an intermediate position. At the non-productive perio d a level of marking activity is on 10-20 times lower than at the repr oductive season. Besides hormonal, social factors were also important for regulation of marking activity. By influence of these factors the differences in the level of marking activity in high-rank and low-rank individuals and differences in patterns of a spatial distribution of scent marks in individuals of different hierarchical rank is explained . Functional significance of various ways of territory scent marking i s discussed.