THE COMMUNICATIVE FUNCTION OF SUPPLEMENTA RY SACCULI AT THE OPENINGS OF CHEEK POUCHES OF CAMPBELLS HAMSTER (PHODOPUS-CAMPBELLI) AND DWARF HAMSTER (PHODOPUS-SUNGORUS) - SIGNIFICANCE FOR RECOGNITION OF SEXES ANDTHE REPRODUCTIVE STATE OF FEMALES

The possible participation of the secretion of supplementary sacculi a t the openings of cheek pouches, the unique structures found only in t wo species of hamsters of the genus Phodopus, in chemical communicatio n was studied. The combined registration of both the time of two simul taneously presented different odours (observation) and the behavioural patterns on the territories with different odorous backgrounds showed , that the secretion can take part in the recognition of sexes and of the physiological condition of females. The supplementari sacculi at t he opening of the cheek pouches of dwarf hamster are important for the regulation of some physiological processes. The results of this study confirm the assumption, that integumentary glands are quite different in their functions.