Blocking olfactory input alters aggression in male and female California mice (Peromyscus californicus).

Olfactory input into the brain can be disrupted by a variety of environmental factors, including exposure to pathogens or environmental contaminants. Olfactory cues are often eliminated in laboratory rats and mice through highly invasive procedures like olfactory bulbectomy, which may also disrupt accessory olfactory pathways and detection of non-volatile odors. In the present study, we tested whether inducing anosmia through intranasal infusion of zinc gluconate alters aggression in a monogamous, biparental rodent species, the California mouse (Peromyscus californicus).

Curvilinear features are important for animate/inanimate categorization in macaques.

The current experiment investigated the extent to which perceptual categorization of animacy (i.e., the ability to discriminate animate and inanimate objects) is facilitated by image-based features that distinguish the two object categories.

Peromyscus as a model system for understanding the regulation of maternal behavior.

The genus Peromyscus has been used as a model system for understanding maternal behavior because of the diversity of reproductive strategies within this genus. This review will describe the ecological factors that determine litter size and litter quality in polygynous species such as Peromyscus leucopus and Peromyscus maniculatus. We will also outline the physiological and social factors regulating maternal care in Peromyscus californicus, a monogamous and biparental species.