Scent marking in wild banded mongooses: 3. Intrasexual overmarking in females

摘要: In contrast to numerous studies of scent marking in male mammals, female are relatively rare. We have previously shown that communally breeding banded mongooses, Mungos mungo, more likely overmark the other females. Here we describe overmarking patterns detail, and discuss these results relation hypotheses potentially explaining such ‘female intrasexual overmarking’. To our knowledge, this is first study investigate any wild mammal. First, although found some evidence individually distinctive marks females, no suggest was related competition for food, as feeding infrequent, unrelated scores. also females involved reproductive suppression. Females with highest lowest scores each group were mate-guarded by males similar durations. Finally, little males. Although score tended be better condition than score, a female’s affected neither amount harassment she received from nor frequency mating attempts received. These discussed light untested overmarking.