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Abstract:
It has long been known that rodents emit signals in the ultrasonic range, but their role in social communication and mating
is still under active exploration. While inbred strains of house mice have emerged as a favourite model to study ultrasonic
vocalisation (USV) patterns, studies in wild animals and natural situations are still rare. We focus here on two wild derived
mouse populations. We recorded them in dyadic encounters for extended periods of time to assess possible roles of USVs
and their divergence between allopatric populations. We have analysed song frequency and duration, as well as spectral
features of songs and syllables. We show that the populations have indeed diverged in several of these aspects and that
USV patterns emitted in a mating context differ from those emitted in same sex encounters. We find that females vocalize
not less, in encounters with another female even more than males. This implies that the current focus of USVs being emitted
mainly by males within the mating context needs to be reconsidered. Using a statistical syntax analysis we find complex
temporal sequencing patterns that could suggest that the syntax conveys meaningful information to the receivers. We
conclude that wild mice use USV for complex social interactions and that USV patterns can diverge fast between
populations.
