No description available.

Tatera brantsii was numerically dominant in the small mammal community on the plateaux of the rehabilitated ash disposal sites of ESKOM's Hendrina Power Station in 1998 and 1999 (Vermaak 2000). The species seemed well adapted to exploit this environment and, through biopedturbation, had altered the topsoil structure and chemistry. The consequences of this and other activities also affected the rehabilitated plant community of the PFA-dam habitat. Burrowing appeared limited to just under the topsoil layer, and seemed more extensive than burrows of this species in natural ecosystems. The burrow system architecture was mapped and quantified, and localised increases in nitrates, phosphorous and organic carbon in immediately associated substrate were noted. However, this substrate enrichment was transient, and disappeared following the abandonment, and subsequent collapse of burrow systems, when gerbil colonies migrated away from the area. The mixing of soil horizons also resulted in a more homogeneous substrate, which was more friable, and thus drier. The high pH and salinity of the topsoil layer in areas undisturbed by gerbil burrowing, and concentrations of particular elements associated with either the topsoil covering or the ash, were reduced as a consequence of substrate mixing in disturbed areas. Gerbil impacts on the substrate of this habitat seemed to promote pedogenesis, eliminating the sharp distinction between the topsoil covering and the ash below, but the re-exposed ash of the burrow mounds would become subject to erosion, and reduce the effectiveness of the rehabilitation effort. Gerbil activities increased the number of plant species, especially ruderal forbs, comprising the plant community of the PFA-dam habitat, but plant community diversity was not significantly increased. However, numerical dominance by few tussock grass species was diminished , possibly reflecting burial under mounds of excavated substrate. The biomass and cover of some grass species were reduced in areas of gerbil impacts, and plant lifecycles appeared to be completed sooner in areas affected by gerbil activities. These effects may be as a result of the drier substrate produced following the collapse of the extensive network of abandoned burrows. The succession of this plant community towards an underutilised grassland state, the expected outcome of the rehabilitation effort, was minimally affected by gerbil activities. The effects of T.brantsii activities in this PFA-dam habitat were not as distinct as the effects noted by other authors studying fossorial rodent impacts in less disturbed habitats. This could be because further disturbances in this habitat would merely add to the currently disturbed state, whereas disturbance in more natural habitats, would show more of a change from the initial state. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Zoology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

No description available.

Orientador: Sanae Kasahara / Banca: Guaracy Tadeu Rocha / Banca: Ives José Sbalqueiro. / Banca: Orlando Moreira Filho / Banca: Alejo Mesa Larrambebere. / A data da defesa é 20/02/2006, sendo a entrega do original em dezembro de 2000 / Resumo: Foram coletados exemplares roedores de pequenos porte em diversas localidades do estado do Tocantins, distribuídas em 3 tipos de região de acordo a vegetação predominante: Norte sob a influência da Floresta Amazônica, Centro-Sul e Leste sob influência do Cerrado e Médio Araguaia constituído pelo complexo da Ilha do Bananal. As preparações cromossômicas foram submetidas à coloração convencional, assim como às técnicas de bandas G, C e RON. Diferenciação cromossômica foi produzida nos cromossomos de alguns indivíduos, após tratamento das células com brometo de etídio. Foram cariotipados um total de 102 exemplares distribuídos em 9 gêneros e 12 espécies: Bolomys lasiurus (2n=34 e NA=34), Calomys tener (2n=66 e NA=66), Calomys sp.n. (2n=46 e NA=66), Nectomys rattus (2n=52, 53 e NA=52, 54), Oligoryzomys flavescens (2n=64 e NA=66), Oligoryzomys sp.n. (2n=70 e NA=76), Oryzomys megacephalus (Cariótipo A com 2n=54 e NA=62; Cariótipo B com 2n=52/53 e NA=58/60), Oryzomys gr. subflavus (2n=46 e NA=56), Rhipidomys macrurus (2n=44 e NA=48), pertencentes à família Cricetidae; Proechimys roberti (2n=30 e NA=54), Trichomys apereoides (2n=30 e NA=54), pertencentes à família Echimyidae; e Rattus rattus (2n=38 e NA=58), pertencente a família Muridae. Da espécie Oecomys gr. concolor, não obtivemos preparações cromossômicas. A grande maioria das espécies tem ocorrência relatada para as regiões Norte e Centro-Oeste do Brasil e a respectiva cariologia já é conhecida. Observa-se que os cariótipos encontrados são, de maneira geral, similares ou idênticos àqueles descritos na literatura, com raros casos de polimorfismos cromossômicos. Alguns exemplares da (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Small rodents were collected at different sites in the state of Tocantins, distributed into three types of region according to the predominant vegetation: North, under the influence of the Amazon Forest, Mid-South and East under the influence of the Cerrado, and Middle Araguaia consisting of the complex of Bananal Island. The chromosomal preparations were submitted to conventional staining, as well as to G, C and NOR banding techniques. Chromosome differentiation was produced in the chromosomes of some individuals, after cell treatment with ethidium bromide. A total of 102 specimens were karyotyped, and they were distributed into 9 genera and 12 species: Bolomys lasiurus (2n=34 and NA=34), Calomys tener (2n=66 and NA=66), Calomys sp.n. (2n=46 and NA=66), Nectomys rattus (2n=52, 53 and NA=52, 54), Oligoryzomys flavescens (2n=64 and NA=66), Oligoryzomys sp.n. (2n=70 and NA=76), Oryzomys megacephalus (Karyotype A with 2n=54 and NA=62; Karyotype B with 2n=52/53 and NA=58/60), Oryzomys gr subflavus (2n=46 and NA=56), and Rhipidomys macrurus (2n=44 and NA=48), belonging to the family Cricetidae; Proechimys roberti (2n=30 and NA=54) and Trichomys apereoides (2n=30 and NA=54), belonging to the family Echimyidae, and Rattus rattus (2n=38 and NA=58), belonging to the family Muridae. Chromosome preparation from Oecomys gr. concolor were not obtained. The majority of the species have been reported to occur in the Northern and Mid-Western regions of Brazil and their karyology is already known. The...(Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Para o Brasil foram reportadas 53 espécies de ácaros trombiculídeos. Destas, 5 espécies parasitam anfíbios, 6 espécies parasitam aves, 4 espécies parasitam répteis, 25 espécies parasitam roedores, 8 espécies parasitam marsupiais e 12 espécies parasitam outros mamíferos (incluindo humanos). Assim que os primeiros casos de Febre Maculosa Brasileira (FMB) foram diagnosticados em São Paulo nos anos 30, os ácaros hematófagos, como os trombiculídeos, foram sugeridos como potenciais vetores. No entanto, o papel desses ácaros na epidemiologia da riquetsiose não foi confirmado. Dessa forma, a situação fragmentária dos registros de ocorrência dos trombiculídeos, sua complexidade taxonômica e a escassez de informações sobre sua participação na epidemiologia de riquétsias, foram os principais motivos que levaram à proposição do presente estudo. Com isso, os ácaros que estão depositados nas coleções acarológicas do Instituto Butantan (IBSP), do Museu de Zoologia da USP (MZUSP) e da FIOCRUZ (CAVAIS-IOC), foram examinados e identificados. Igualmente, aqueles obtidos de roedores e marsupiais coletados em algumas localidades do estado de São Paulo e Paraná foram também identificados, bem como, investigados para a presença de Rickettsia spp. No total, foram identificadas as espécies Arisocerus hertigi, Eutrombicula sp. n., Kymocta brasiliensis, Quadraseta azulae, Q. brasiliensis, Q. mackenziei, Q. mirandae e Trombewingia bakeri. Além do encontro da nova espécie de Eutrombicula sp. n., foi ainda constatado que E. butantanensis e E. alfreddugesi são espécies distintas. As espécies Q. azulae, Q mackenziei e Q. mirandae, são assinaladas pela primeira vez no país. Com excessão de Q. brasiliensis em M. americana, todos os hospedeiros são novos registros para as espécies de ácaros examinados, bem como todas as localidades são novos registros de ocorrência. Assim, o número de espécies de trombiculídeos no Brasil aumentou para 59. Os ácaros investigados para Rickettia foram também preservados em lâminas, como testemunhos. Entretanto, nos espécimes analisados, a presença da bactéria não foi detectada. / For Brazil were reported 53 species of chigger mites. Of these, 5 species parasitize amphibians, 6 species parasitize birds, 4 species parasitize reptiles, 25 species parasitize rodents, 8 species occur on marsupials, and 12 species parasitize other wild mammals (including humans). In the 30s, as soon as the first cases of Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF) in São Paulo were diagnosed, the haematophagous mites, such as chiggers, were suggested as potential vectors. However, the role of these mites in the epidemiology of the rickettsiosis was not confirmed. Thus, the fragmentary situation of the records of the chigger mites' occurrence, their taxonomic complexity, and the lack of information about their participation in the BSF epidemiology, were the main reasons that led to the present study proposition. So, the mites deposited in the collections of the Instituto Butantan (IBSP), Museu de Zoologia of USP (MZUSP) and FIOCRUZ (CAVAIS-IOC), were identified. Also, those obtained from rodents and marsupials collected in some localities of the state of São Paulo and Paraná were identified and investigated for the presence of Rickettsia spp. In total, the species Arisocerus hertigi, Eutrombicula n. sp., Kymocta brasiliensis, Quadraseta azulae, Quadraseta brasiliensis, Quadraseta mackenziei, Quadraseta mirandae, and Trombewingia bakeri, were identified. Besides of the new specie of Eutrombicula sp. n., the mites E. alfreddugesi and E. butantanensis were found to be distinct species. The species Q. azulae, Q. mackenziei, and Q. mirandae, are highlighted for the first time in the country. Except for Q. brasiliensis in M. americana, all other hosts are new records for the species of examined mites, as well as all locaties are also new occurences. Thus, the number of chigger mite species in Brazil increased to 59. The mites investigated to Rickettsia were also preserved in slides, as voucher. However, in the analyzed specimens, the bacteria could not be detected.

Orientador: Simone Baldini Lucheis / Coorientador: Wilma Aparecida Starke Buzetti / Banca: Márcia Marinho / Banca: Fábio Hiroto Shimabukuro / Resumo: A leptospirose é uma enfermidade infecto-contagiosa causada por diversas cepas da bactéria Leptospira interrogans, as quais infectam animais domésticos, silvestres e o homem. Os animais silvestres podem exercer papel fundamental na epidemiologia da doença, devido a grande disseminação de leptospiras para o meio ambiente e a possibilidade de infecção entre os animais e o homem, constituindo-se, portanto, em uma importante zoonose. Quando esses animais vivem em cativeiro, como em zoológicos, a infecção e a disseminação de patógenos podem ocorrer entre os animais silvestres do próprio zoológico, animais sinantrópicos, funcionários e o público visitante. Com o intuito de conhecer melhor a ocorrência e epidemiologia da leptospirose em animais silvestres e também em roedores sinantrópicos comensais, que co-habitam o local, foi realizado um estudo com animais em cativeiro e de vida livre, procedentes do Centro de Conservação da Fauna Silvestre de Ilha Solteira- SP (CCFS). Foram colhidas amostras sanguíneas de 41 animais em cativeiro e de 59 animais de vida livre, assim como 13 amostras de rim e fígado de ratos. As técnicas diagnósticas utilizadas foram a Soroaglutinação Microscópica (SAM), Reação em Cadeia pela Polimerase (PCR) para Leptospira spp. e cultivo de rim e fígado de ratos em meio de Fletcher. Pela SAM obteve-se 89 (89%) amostras positivas para um ou mais sorovares de Leptospira spp.; com prevalência do sorovar Andamana. Para a pesquisa do agente em fragmentos de fígado e rim dos ratos, 13 amostras de cada tecido foram cultivadas em meio de Fletcher, apresentando sete (53,8%) amostras positivas, sendo três amostras de rim e quatro de fígado e todos os animais com sorologia positiva. Pela técnica de PCR a partir do sangue dos animais de vida livre e em cativeiro 38 animais (38%) foram positivos para Leptospira spp., a partir de órgãos (rim e fígado) dos roedores sinantrópicos ... / Abstract: Leptospirosis is a disease caused by various strains of the spirochete bacterium Leptospira interrogans, which can infect domestic and wildlife animals, as well humans. Wild animals may play a key role in the epidemiology of the disease, due to the large spread of leptospires into the environment and the possibility of infection between animals and man, becoming therefore an important zoonosis. When these animals live in captivity in zoos, the infection and spread of pathogens can occur between the wild animals of the zoo itself, synanthropic animals, employees and visitors. In order to better understand the occurrence and epidemiology of leptospirosis in wild animals and in synanthropic rodents, which co-inhabit the place, a study was conducted with free-living animals and in captivity, found in Wild Fauna Conservation Center from Ilha Solteira-SP. Blood samples were collected from 41 animals in captivity and 59 free-living animals, as well as 13 samples of kidney and liver of rats. The diagnostic techniques used were the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and cultivation in Fletcher medium. MAT was positive in 89 (89%) samples for one or more serovars of Leptospira spp., with prevalence of serovar Andamana. For the research of agent into fragments of liver and kidney of rodents, 13 samples of each fragment were grown in Fletcher medium, with seven (53,8%) positive samples (three kidney samples and four liver samples). All rats were reactive by MAT. Related to PCR from the blood of free-living animals and in captivity, 38 animals (38%) were positive for Leptospira spp.; nine rodents (69,2%) presented positive fragments at PCR and four animals (30,8%) presented positive samples of the culture of the fragments at PCR for Leptospira spp. According to the results, we observed the occurrence of infection among the animals, needing the adoption of prophylactic measures to control this zoonosis in this place / Mestre

A capivara (Hydrochaeirs hydrochaeris ), maior roedor, pertence à subordem dos Histricomorfos, os quais caracteristicamente possuem subplacenta. Com o objetivo de descrever o desenvolvimento da placenta durante o terço inicial de prenhez analisaram-se 3 úteros e suas placentas (n=9) e 7 úteros vazios, os quais foram fixados em formol 10% em tampão fosfato, obtidas no Frigorífico Panamby-Porã. Cada placenta foi fixada em formol 10% PBS. Macroscopicamente o útero é duplo, com 1 óstio vaginal da cérvix, e em fêmeas prenhez possui regiões abauladas que representam as placentas, implantadas na face mesometrial, com conexões com a face antimesometrial por tiras esbranquiçadas. As placentas analisadas sinalizavam diferentes idades gestacionais pelo crow-rump dos fetos (11,5mm, 55mm e 58cm). A decídua capsular (3-5 mm) envolve o conjunto placentário e torna-se mais delicada e transparente com o avançar da prenhez. Os embriões estão envoltos pelo âmnio, e ventralmente comunicam-se com a placenta principal pelo cordão umbilical. As seguintes regiões placentárias foram identificadas como, decídua (capsular e basal), placenta vitelínica (visceral e parietal), âmnio, placenta principal e subplacenta. A inversão do saco vitelinico caracteriza-se pela placenta vitelínica visceral e parietal. A placenta principal é discóide e lobulada. Os lóbulos surgem na face fetal e desenvolvem-se em direção ao centro da placenta principal. A imunomarcação positiva da citoqueratina no cinsiotrofoblasto e da vimentina no endotélio dos capilares fetais comprovou a organização do labirinto. A subplacenta esta na interface da placenta principal com a decídua basal, e composta por lóbulos de sinciotrofoblasto citoqueratina positivos, dispostos sobre o eixo de mesênquima intensamente vascularizados. Estes resultados demonstram que a placentação da capivara é semelhante àquela descrita em guinea-pig, paca, cutia e mocó. / Capybara (Hydrochaeirs hydrochaeris), largest rodent, belongs to the suborder of the Hystricomorpha, which characteristically possesses subplacenta. Aiming to describe the development of the placenta during early gestation, it was analyzed seven control and three pregnant uterus and its placentas (n=9), which were fixed in a 10% PBS formol solution; the animals were acquired at the Panamby-Porã abattoir. Gross anatomically, the uterus was doubled presenting one vaginal ostium in the cervix; in the uterus of pregnant females it is observed swelling regions that represents the placenta, which is implanted in the mesometrial face, being connected to the anti-mesometrial face by white streaks. The fetuses crow-rump classification ? 11.5mm, 55mm and 58cm ? signaled different gestational periods. The capsular decidua (3-5 mm) involves the placental set and becomes more delicate and transparent during the pregnancy. The embryos are packed by the amnion, and are ventrally connected to the principal placenta by the umbilical cord. Placental regions were identified: capsular and basal decidua, visceral and parietal vitelline placenta, amnion, principal placenta and subplacenta. The inversion of the yolk sac was characterized by the parietal and visceral vitelline placenta. The principal placenta was discoid and lobulated. The lobules aroused in the fetal face and developed in direction to the center of the principal placenta. The positive immune labeling to citokeratin in the syncytium trophoblast and of vimetin in the capillar endothelium proved a labyrinth formation. The subplacenta aroused along the interface of the main placenta and the basal decidua and it is composed by lobules of positives citokeratin syncytium trophoblast disposed over the well developed vascular mesenchima. These results demonstrate that the placentation of the capybara is similar to guinea-pig, paca, agouti and mocó descriptions.

A capivara (Hydrochaeirs hydrochaeris ), maior roedor, pertence à subordem dos Histricomorfos, os quais caracteristicamente possuem subplacenta. Com o objetivo de descrever o desenvolvimento da placenta durante o terço inicial de prenhez analisaram-se 3 úteros e suas placentas (n=9) e 7 úteros vazios, os quais foram fixados em formol 10% em tampão fosfato, obtidas no Frigorífico Panamby-Porã. Cada placenta foi fixada em formol 10% PBS. Macroscopicamente o útero é duplo, com 1 óstio vaginal da cérvix, e em fêmeas prenhez possui regiões abauladas que representam as placentas, implantadas na face mesometrial, com conexões com a face antimesometrial por tiras esbranquiçadas. As placentas analisadas sinalizavam diferentes idades gestacionais pelo crow-rump dos fetos (11,5mm, 55mm e 58cm). A decídua capsular (3-5 mm) envolve o conjunto placentário e torna-se mais delicada e transparente com o avançar da prenhez. Os embriões estão envoltos pelo âmnio, e ventralmente comunicam-se com a placenta principal pelo cordão umbilical. As seguintes regiões placentárias foram identificadas como, decídua (capsular e basal), placenta vitelínica (visceral e parietal), âmnio, placenta principal e subplacenta. A inversão do saco vitelinico caracteriza-se pela placenta vitelínica visceral e parietal. A placenta principal é discóide e lobulada. Os lóbulos surgem na face fetal e desenvolvem-se em direção ao centro da placenta principal. A imunomarcação positiva da citoqueratina no cinsiotrofoblasto e da vimentina no endotélio dos capilares fetais comprovou a organização do labirinto. A subplacenta esta na interface da placenta principal com a decídua basal, e composta por lóbulos de sinciotrofoblasto citoqueratina positivos, dispostos sobre o eixo de mesênquima intensamente vascularizados. Estes resultados demonstram que a placentação da capivara é semelhante àquela descrita em guinea-pig, paca, cutia e mocó. / Capybara (Hydrochaeirs hydrochaeris), largest rodent, belongs to the suborder of the Hystricomorpha, which characteristically possesses subplacenta. Aiming to describe the development of the placenta during early gestation, it was analyzed seven control and three pregnant uterus and its placentas (n=9), which were fixed in a 10% PBS formol solution; the animals were acquired at the Panamby-Porã abattoir. Gross anatomically, the uterus was doubled presenting one vaginal ostium in the cervix; in the uterus of pregnant females it is observed swelling regions that represents the placenta, which is implanted in the mesometrial face, being connected to the anti-mesometrial face by white streaks. The fetuses crow-rump classification ? 11.5mm, 55mm and 58cm ? signaled different gestational periods. The capsular decidua (3-5 mm) involves the placental set and becomes more delicate and transparent during the pregnancy. The embryos are packed by the amnion, and are ventrally connected to the principal placenta by the umbilical cord. Placental regions were identified: capsular and basal decidua, visceral and parietal vitelline placenta, amnion, principal placenta and subplacenta. The inversion of the yolk sac was characterized by the parietal and visceral vitelline placenta. The principal placenta was discoid and lobulated. The lobules aroused in the fetal face and developed in direction to the center of the principal placenta. The positive immune labeling to citokeratin in the syncytium trophoblast and of vimetin in the capillar endothelium proved a labyrinth formation. The subplacenta aroused along the interface of the main placenta and the basal decidua and it is composed by lobules of positives citokeratin syncytium trophoblast disposed over the well developed vascular mesenchima. These results demonstrate that the placentation of the capybara is similar to guinea-pig, paca, agouti and mocó descriptions.

Os frugívoros desempenham papel fundamental na regeneração e controle de plantas em florestas tropicais, por meio da dispersão e predação de sementes. Na floresta Atlântica, as populações dos grandes frugívoros encontram-se altamente ameaçadas pela defaunação e fragmentação do habitat o que pode comprometer as interações e consequentemente os serviços ecológicos prestados pela fauna. Meu objetivo neste estudo, foi identificar os principais mamíferos que atuam na frugivoria na Floresta Atlântica, analisar as redes de frugivoria entre mamíferos, aves e plantas em um gradiente de defaunação e também avaliar as relações entre predadores e frugívoros diante do contexto da defaunação na Floresta Atlântica. Para isso, instalei armadilhas fotográficas sob árvores que estavam frutificando em seis áreas da Floresta Atlântica no sudeste de São Paulo e averiguamos a atuação dos visitantes e frugívoros. Para atender aos objetivos, utilizei análises de regressão linear, modelos de rede de interações e modelos lineares generalizados. Encontrei que as principais plantas que tiveram seus frutos removidos pertencem a família das Myrtaceae, Arecaceae e Rubiaceae e os principais frugívoros que removeram frutos foram majoritariamente predadores de sementes, como o esquilo (Guerlinguetus brasiliensis), pequenos roedores em geral, as queixadas (Tayassu pecari) e a paca (Cuniculus paca). Identifiquei que apenas um baixo percentual do número de visitas (5,6%), culminaram em frugivoria e que mesmo em áreas com baixo grau de defaunação, a frugivoria foi realizada principalmente por pequenos roedores e aves generalistas. Por fim, encontrei que pequenos frugívoros evitam temporalmente áreas com alta frequência dos grandes frugívoros e que os grandes frugívoros evitam os potenciais predadores. Porém, em áreas com alto grau de defaunação, esse padrão de visitação nem sempre é encontrado em todos os grupos estudados. Os resultados indicam que a defaunação pode alterar as interações entre plantas, frugívoros e predadores na Floresta Atlântica e que atualmente, os principais frugívoros que atuam na remoção de frutos no chão da floresta, são os pequenos e médios mamíferos e aves generalistas. As alterações nas interações de frugivoria poderá afetar quantitativamente e qualitativamente, os processos seguintes, como a dispersão de sementes e o recrutamento de plântulas. / The frugivores play a fundamental role in the regeneration and control of plants in tropical forests, through seed dispersal and predation. In the Atlantic forest, large vertebrates are highly threatened by habitat deforestation and fragmentation, which may compromise interactions and consequently ecological services provided by wildlife. The objective of this study was to identify the main frugivores species in the Atlantic Forest, to analyze the frugivory networks between mammals, birds and plants in a defaunation gradient, as well as to evaluate the relationships between predators and frugivores in the context of Atlantic Forest defaunation. To this end, we installed cameras trap under trees that were fruiting in six areas of the Atlantic Forest in southeastern São Paulo and investigated the performance of visitors and frugivores. To meet our objectives, we used linear regression analyzes, network models of interactions and generalized linear models. We found that the main plants that had their fruits removed belong to the family Myrtaceae, Arecaceae and Rubiaceae and the main frugivores that removed fruits are mostly seed predators, such as paca, squirrel, small rodents in general and white-lipped peccary. We also suggest that only a small percentage of the number of visits was aimed at frugivory and that even in areas with low defaunation, frugivory is mainly carried out by small rodents and generalist birds. Finally, we find that small frugivores temporarily avoid areas with high frequency of large frugivores and that large frugivores avoid potential predators. However, in areas with high defaunation, this pattern of avoidance is not always found in all groups studied. Our results suggest that the defaunation is altering the interactions between plants, frugivores and predators in the Atlantic Forest, and that the main frugivores that act to remove fruits on the forest floor are small and medium mammals and generalist birds. Changes in frugivory interactions may affect quantitatively and qualitatively the following processes, such as seed dispersal and seedling recruitment.

Maternal behavior in rodents is dependent, at least in part, on prolactin acting in the brain. Pheromones carried by male mouse major urinary proteins lower serum prolactin levels in female mice. Therefore, we hypothesized that virgin female C57BL/6J mice housed in split cages, where they had pheromonal but not physical contact with a male, would show suppressed maternal behavior. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found split-cage housed females were significantly faster to retrieve 3 foster pups on the first and second day of maternal behavior testing compared to mice housed in individual cages. The advancement in maternal behavior was replicated when virgin females were simply exposed to male mouse urine-soaked bedding. Ovariectomising the mice, to remove the influence of steroid hormones, prior to placement in the split cages, prevented the pheromonal advancement of maternal behavior. The data infer that an ovarian steroid-dependent action of male mouse pheromones primes virgin female mice to express maternal behavior more rapidly when mouse pups are introduced. This effect required greater than 14 days exposure to male pheromones. Male mouse pheromones are reported to suppress prolactin secretion. However, serum prolactin levels in split-caged housed females, where they had pheromonal but not physical contact with a male, were only briefly lowered and became significantly elevated from 24 hours until 72 hours of pheromonal contact. Despite the early increases in prolactin after pheromone exposure, levels were significantly lower in the pheromone-exposed females when maternal behavior was tested after 21 days. It has been previously reported that prolactin is important in the onset of maternal behavior, but is not required for the ongoing maintenance of maternal behavior. We hypothesised that the hyperprolactinemia observed in the first 24-72 hours of pheromonai exposure had subsequently led to the enhanced maternal behavior. To test this we injected a group of individually-housed mice with slow release prolactin for 48 hours to simulate the period of hyperprolactinemia, and blocked prolactin secretion in a group of split-caged housed females with bromocriptine, and tested their maternal behavior 18 days later. The mice injected with prolactin had enhanced maternal behavior, compared to controls injected with a placebo. By contrast, bromocriptine inhibition of prolactin secretion completely prevented the pheromonal enhancement of maternal behavior. This suggests that the pheromonal advancement of maternal behavior is specifically mediated by a 48-hour period of sustained hyperprolactinemia. It has been previously shown that pregnancy increases neurogenesis in the subventricular zone in a prolactin-dependent manner. Therefore, as the male pheromone-induced advancement of maternal behavior is prolactin-dependent and takes some time to occur, we hypothesized that long-term pheromonal contact initiates mitogenesis in the subventricular zone. Split-caged housed mice showed a significant increase in BrdU-labeled cells in the subventricular zone after 7 days of contact which reduced to baseline levels by 14 days of contact. The mice injected with BrdU on day 7 of contact and killed 21 days later showed a significant increase in labeled cells in the accessory olfactory bulb compared to controls. The data suggest that male mouse pheromones initiate mitogenesis in the subventricular zone of virgin C57B6 mice, in an exposure-dependent manner, and that these cells travel via the rostral migratory stream to the accessory olfactory bulb. As with the effect on maternal behavior, the pheromone-induced increase in neurogenesis was steroid- and prolactin-dependent. During pregnancy and lactation in rodents, prolactin receptor expression is increased in the MPOA, an adaptive change, which could lead to an increased neuronal response to serum prolactin levels, which are high just prior to parturition, and consequently could underlie the enhanced maternal responses seen in late pregnancy and after parturition. It is known that systemic prolactin can access the brain, but it is also possible that there could be local synthesis of brain prolactin acting in an autocrine or paracrine manner. Therefore we hypothesized that the pheromonal-induced changes in maternal behavior are being mediated by altered prolactin receptor expression/sensitivity and/or increased production of brain prolactin. Using RT-PCR to measure levels of prolactin receptor and prolactin mRNA, we found changed expression of the 3 short forms and the long form of prolactin receptor mRNA in the arcuate nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and MPOA with either exposure to male pheromones or pups. We also found changes in prolactin mRNA in the MPOA and paraventricular nucleus after exposure to pups or male pheromones. The data suggest that altered levels of expression of the receptor, coupled with local production of brain prolactin acting in an autocrine or paracrine manner, may cause a net change in prolactin cell signaling, which leads to adaptive responses which ensure reproductive success. There is extensive evidence that dopamine is a key neurotransmitter mediating maternal behavior. In addition, there is some evidence that serotonin may also be involved in regulating maternal behavior. Therefore, we hypothesised that the pheromonal-induced changes in maternal behavior would be associated with increased dopaminergic and/or serotonergic neuronal activity in the MPOA and other areas of the brain implicated in maternal behavior expression. Using HPLC to measure levels of dopamine and serotonin and their respective metabolites, we found a significant increase in serotonergic and dopaminergic neuronal activity in the MPOA of virgin female C57BL/6J mice after 24 hours of pheromonal contact. The neuronal activity returned to basal levels after exposure to pups. The data suggest that male mouse pheromones increase serotonergic and dopaminergic neuronal activity in the MPOA, but that dopamine and serotonin levels are tightly regulated within strict parameters dependent on what physical stimuli the female is receiving. Changes in prolactin levels are associated with altered responses to anxiety. There is an increased risk of anxiety and depression with sustained periods of hyperprolactinemia, and in the postpartum period, where there are fluctuations in prolactin levels, there is an increased risk of mood disorders. As pheromones change both serum and brain prolactin levels and prolactin modulates anxiety, we hypothesised that female mice exposed to pheromones would show altered behavioral responses to a standardized test of anxiety. We found that male pheromone-exposed mice showed decreased levels of anxiety on an elevated plus maze compared to individually housed controls. Female mice exposed to female pheromones displayed 2 disparate responses to the plus maze. One female from each cage showed increased anxiety, while her cage-mate showed decreased anxiety, yet both groups of female mice showed impaired maternal behavior. We infer, that in this model, male pheromones decrease anxiety, but anxiety and expression of maternal behavior are not directly correlated. The major signal transduction pathway activated by prolactin binding to its receptors in the brain is the JAK/STAT signalling pathway, and in some neurons, in particular, the STAT5B pathway. The expression of prolactin and its receptor affect maternal behavior in mice. Therefore, we hypothesised that if the JAK/STAT STAT5B pathway is involved in maternal behavior, then STAT5B-deficient mice would have altered maternal behavior. We found that there were no significant differences in expression of full maternal behavior between the STAT5B-deficient mice and wild-type controls. The data suggest that STAT5B is not required for normal expression of maternal behavior. We propose that the prolactin-mediated pheromonal increase in neurogenesis, alteration in monoamine synthesis, and alteration of prolactin and prolactin receptor mRNA levels facilitate expression of enhanced maternal behavior. We further propose that the pheromonal decrease in anxiety does not mediate enhanced maternal behavior. In addition, we propose that prolactin does not mediate maternal behavior through STAT5B. While pheromones have previously been reported to exert powerful actions on the reproductive system, these results demonstrate for the first time that male pheromones potentially complement the prolactin-mediated establishment of maternal behavior.