TY - JOUR

T1 - Experimental Investigations of Hunting Behavior in the Mountain Voles Alticola strelzowi and Alticola Tuvinicus (Rodentia, Cricetidae)

AU - Panteleeva, S. N.

AU - Levenets, J. V.

AU - Novikovskaya, A. A.

AU - Reznikova, Zh I.

AU - Lopatina, N. V.

AU - Litvinov, Yu N.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by the Russian Federal Property Fund (project nos. 18-34-00119, 17-04-00269, and 17-04-00702) and the Fundamental Scientific Research Programs of State Academies of Sciences for 2013–2020, no. VI.51.1.10 (AAAAA16-116121410120-0 and AAAA-A16-116121410119-4). Publisher Copyright: © 2020, Pleiades Publishing, Inc. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2020/12

Y1 - 2020/12

N2 - In laboratory experiments, purposeful inter-relations with moving insects in the “predator–prey” manner have been revealed and described in two species of herbivorous mountain voles: the Tuva vole and the flat-headed vole. The patterns of the hunting behavior are similar in these species. The appearance of the full hunting stereotype in mountain voles does not require preliminary experience and does not improve, which indicates its innate nature. Unlike the rodent species studied earlier, mountain voles demonstrate “storing” behavioral patterns when operating with live prey. According to the characteristics of the interactions with prey, mountain voles are among the most successful and effective hunters for moving insects. Regarding the hunting tactics and the manners of their manipulations with prey, mountain voles are similar to the most “predatory” of omnivorous hamsters, Eversmann’s hamsters, but differ from them in an optional manifestation of the hunting stereotype. The frequency of occurrence of the stereotype and the success of hunting in mountain voles are twice as high as in the previously studied herbivorous narrow-head vole. Characteristics of a hunting behavior so unexpected in herbivorous rodents were revealed in mountain voles for the first time. The expansion of the diet due to the hunt for insects can be attributed to dwelling in arid places with a deficit of plant food resources.

AB - In laboratory experiments, purposeful inter-relations with moving insects in the “predator–prey” manner have been revealed and described in two species of herbivorous mountain voles: the Tuva vole and the flat-headed vole. The patterns of the hunting behavior are similar in these species. The appearance of the full hunting stereotype in mountain voles does not require preliminary experience and does not improve, which indicates its innate nature. Unlike the rodent species studied earlier, mountain voles demonstrate “storing” behavioral patterns when operating with live prey. According to the characteristics of the interactions with prey, mountain voles are among the most successful and effective hunters for moving insects. Regarding the hunting tactics and the manners of their manipulations with prey, mountain voles are similar to the most “predatory” of omnivorous hamsters, Eversmann’s hamsters, but differ from them in an optional manifestation of the hunting stereotype. The frequency of occurrence of the stereotype and the success of hunting in mountain voles are twice as high as in the previously studied herbivorous narrow-head vole. Characteristics of a hunting behavior so unexpected in herbivorous rodents were revealed in mountain voles for the first time. The expansion of the diet due to the hunt for insects can be attributed to dwelling in arid places with a deficit of plant food resources.

KW - attack

KW - hunting behavior

KW - insects

KW - manipulative activity

KW - mountain voles

KW - prey

KW - specialization

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85099343563&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1134/S1062359020080099

DO - 10.1134/S1062359020080099

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85099343563

VL - 47

SP - 1059

EP - 1065

JO - Biology Bulletin

JF - Biology Bulletin

SN - 1062-3590

IS - 8

ER -