RESPONSE OF ADULT DJUNGARIAN HAMSTERS (PH ODOPUS-SUNGORUS) TO ODOR SIGNALS OF INDIVIDUALS OF THE SAME AND OPPOSITE SEX IN DIFFERENT SEASONS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO BREEDING

Studies were carried out on adult Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungoru s) males living in familial pairs under natural thermal and light regi mes year-round. The response of hamsters to the odors of urine, secret ory substances of the midabdominal gland and additional saccules in th e ostium of cheek pouches, and faeces from conspecific males and femal es were studied. The results obtained suggest that the odors of urine and also feces play an important role in sexual recognition of individ uals. These odors are especially attractive for the males in summer, d uring the period of active breeding. The tested males examined the odo r of the midabdominal gland from individuals of the same sex reliably longer throughout the year, but in winter the interest in this odor wa s higher than in summer. These secretory substances appear to be impor tant in organization of territorial interactions between individuals. The results of observations on breeding and the data on sex ratio in t he broods from pairs with the tested males were compared to similar da ta obtained earlier for Roborovskii hamsters (Sokolov and Feoktistova, 1996). Similarities and differences were found in the course of breed ing in the studied species.