Body-rubbing, marking, and other scent-related behavior in some ground squirrels (Sciuridae), a descriptive study

1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (7) ◽  
pp. 889-906 ◽  
Author(s):  
André L. Steiner

In some ground squirrels, mainly Arctic and Columbian, body-rubbing can be comfort or marking behavior, depending on the context. The mouth-corner apocrine glands are probably involved in individual/group/mother–offspring recognition. These glands are also rubbed against the substrate, particularly by dominant males. This is apparently scent-marking and seems to express territorialism, dominance, and readiness to fight, particularly when accompanied by clawing of the ground, for the latter case. Marking is also performed in neighboring residences, where it frequently involves fighting and chasing away the intruder. The squirrel also rubs its anogenital area against the substrate. A liquid trail (urine? secretion of the anal glands? both?) is left behind, possibly an indicator of sex and (or) reproductive condition. The anal gland papillae pulsate during some agonistic encounters.Extensive scent dissemination and scent-sharing take place between group members and also their habitat. A dorsal-glandular area is also rubbed against the substrate. Both hostile (biting) and friendly (licking, grooming) responses are apparently focused on scent-producing or s cent-bearing body areas.

1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 1294-1306 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Keith Kivett ◽  
Jan O. Murie ◽  
André L. Steiner

Location and hisiology of integumentary glands were investigated in six species of ground squirrels of the genus Spermophilus found in northwestern North America; S. columbianus, S. undulatus, S. richardsonii, S. tridecemlineatus, S. lateralis, and S. franklinii. Among these species, glands in oral, dorsal, and anal regions were structurally similar. Locations of oral and anal glands were identical but location of individual glands in dorsal-gland fields varied considerably. Gland development was greater in S. columbianus and S. undulatus and least in S. franklinii. Active scent marking was most frequent and extensive in S. columbianus and S. undulatus, less frequent in S. lateralis and S. tridecemlineatus, and absent in S. franklinii. In most instances, greeting behavior (which is focused on the mouth-corner oral-gland area) and the degree of sociality paralleled levels of scent marking. A hypothetical scheme of development or scent marking in relation to habitat and social organization is presented. This scheme fits, in general, classical interpretations of phylogeny.


2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
pp. 640-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianluca Lo Coco ◽  
Salvatore Gullo ◽  
Gabriele Profita ◽  
Chiara Pazzagli ◽  
Claudia Mazzeschi ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Jennifer Lackey

Groups are often said to bear responsibility for their actions, many of which have enormous moral, legal, and social significance. The Trump Administration, for instance, is said to be responsible for the U.S.’s inept and deceptive handling of COVID-19 and the harms that American citizens have suffered as a result. But are groups subject to normative assessment simply in virtue of their individual members being so, or are they somehow agents in their own right? Answering this question depends on understanding key concepts in the epistemology of groups, as we cannot hold the Trump Administration responsible without first determining what it believed, knew, and said. Deflationary theorists hold that group phenomena can be understood entirely in terms of individual members and their states. Inflationary theorists maintain that group phenomena are importantly over and above, or otherwise distinct from, individual members and their states. It is argued that neither approach is satisfactory. Groups are more than their members, but not because they have “minds of their own,” as the inflationists hold. Instead, this book shows how group phenomena—like belief, justification, and knowledge—depend on what the individual group members do or are capable of doing while being subject to group-level normative requirements. This framework, it is argued, allows for the correct distribution of responsibility across groups and their individual members.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozer Birge ◽  
Mehmet Sait Bakır ◽  
Ceyda Karadag ◽  
Zivar Eldarova ◽  
Tayup Simsek

Abstract Background Hidradenoma papilliferum is a rare benign neoplasm arising from apocrine glands. It occurs commonly on the anogenital region of middle-aged women. It usually presents as a slow growing, solitary asymptomatic, skin colored or red nodule less than 1 cm in diameter. Case presentation The case is a 38-year-old, white woman who presented with a painful nodule occurring within a month in the himenal region of the posterior vaginal introitus. The nodule was excisied and the histology revealed a hidradenoma papilliferum. The diagnosis and treatment of hidradenoma papilliferum is possible with surgical removal and histopathological evaluation of nodules. Conclusion When an adult woman presents with a noduler lesion in the anogenital area, sexually transmitted diseases and other benign and malignant vulvar lesions, as well as malignant transformation is very rare but,should be kept in mind; however because it has been reported and long-term clinical follow-up is suggested


2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew C. Loignon ◽  
David J. Woehr ◽  
Misty L. Loughry ◽  
Matthew W. Ohland

Emergent states are team-level attributes that reflect team members’ collective attitudes, values, cognitions, and motivations and influence team effectiveness. When measuring emergent states (e.g., cohesion, conflict, satisfaction), researchers frequently collect ratings from individual group members and aggregate them to the team level. After aggregating to the team level, researchers typically focus on mean differences across teams and ignore variability within teams. Rather than focusing on the mean level of emergent states, this study draws on recent advances in multilevel theory and describes an approach for examining the specific patterns of dispersion (i.e., disagreement) across five emergent states. Our findings suggest that teams reliably demonstrate different patterns of rating dispersion that are consistent with existing theoretical frameworks and typologies of dispersion, yet have not previously been empirically demonstrated. We also present evidence that the different patterns of dispersion in emergent states are significantly related to key team outcomes, even after controlling for the mean levels of those emergent states. These findings underscore the importance of exploring additional forms of team-level constructs and highlight ways of extending our understanding of group-level phenomena.


1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
pp. 1765-1770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman B. Melnyk

Six- to 8-month cycles of food intake, body weight, moult and reproductive condition in captive Richardson's ground squirrels (Spermophilus richardsonii) kept in 12 h light: 12 h dark and 23 ± 3 °C for over a year are described. A decrease in efficiency of food utilization towards the end of the weight gain period may be associated with metabolic processes which determine an upper limit for body weight. The advantages of this species as a model for the study of spontaneous obesity are discussed.


1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (4) ◽  
pp. R644-R650 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Dark ◽  
N. F. Ruby ◽  
G. N. Wade ◽  
P. Licht ◽  
I. Zucker

Male golden-mantled ground squirrels held at 23 degrees C were fed high-fat (HF) or standard (chow) diets. In December, ambient temperature was reduced to 6 degrees C, food was removed, and frequency and duration of torpor bouts were monitored continuously by radiotelemetry. Reproductive condition and body composition were assessed upon terminal arousal in the spring. Juvenile males fed the HF diet weighed more than chow-fed controls before and throughout the hibernation season and had significantly greater lipid masses at terminal arousal. Testes masses and plasma testosterone concentrations were substantially higher in HF than in chow-fed juveniles. The accelerated reproductive development of fatter squirrels was not contingent upon increases in the total number of days spent in torpor, number of torpor bouts, or the average duration of each arousal from torpor. Access to the HF diet had no effect on body mass, adiposity, or reproductive status of adult male ground squirrels in spring. Threshold levels of white adipose tissue and associated differences in availability of metabolic fuels may be permissive for testicular growth during the hibernation season. Juveniles exceed this threshold only when fed the HF diet.


1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. Steiner

The different grooming behavior patterns, postures, and body cleaning motions, analyzed by cinephoto techniques, are first described in three species of ground squirrels, studied in captivity and in the field. Most patterns recorded appear to be widespread among mammals. Some of them, however, appear to be more specialized, reflecting apparently the propensity of some rodents, particularly sciurids, to assume a bipedal, sitting-up posture, and to use the forepaws in "manipulating" tasks. Some "cleaning" motions, particularly face washing and rubbing of some body parts with the limbs, might also represent scent-related behavior. Areas that are known to bear secretory apocrine glands, around the mouth corners for instance, are consistently rubbed. Other body areas, particularly the head region (cheeks, supra- and infra-orbital, occipital, and ear areas), one ventrolateral and anterodorsal area and possibly the root of the tail, dorsally, show darker zones, of oily appearance, that might also be involved in scent-related behavior, during grooming. Allogrooming, also, is often directed onto the above-mentioned areas, particularly the ones on the head. Allogrooming can also be affected by dominance/subordination and (or) agonistic relationships.


2000 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carey S. Ryan ◽  
Laura M. Bogart ◽  
Joshua P. Vender

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