What is a Mongolian gerbil?
The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is a popular pet, domesticated and found in many homes since the 1970s. In the wild, gerbils live in family colonies dominated by a monogamous male-female pair. Most young remain with the parents well into maturity.
Intergenerational Transmission of Prosocial Behavior in the Mongolian Gerbil
Helpers at the nest often contribute substantially to early life experience of young. These interactions may influence later life social preferences.
This project addresses the distribution of social caregiving within colonies of M. unguiculatus along dimensions of sex and litter order and track the care provided for and by individuals before and after weaning, as well as the relationship between the care received by an individual animal from groupmates and the care provided by that animal to groupmates.
Observation of seven colonies over an eight month period revealed significant social-role and life history effects on caregiving: parents provide more care than siblings, even after weaning, sexes contribute equally but females provide more care to other females, and first litters provided more care than second litters. Total care given by an individual also correlated with the care received throughout observed adulthood, suggesting transmission of high prosocial participation: an adaptation which may make colonies more cohesive and better the fitness of subsequent litters.
This research was conducted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampshire College, Amherst (MA) as a Division III Thesis.
This project addresses the distribution of social caregiving within colonies of M. unguiculatus along dimensions of sex and litter order and track the care provided for and by individuals before and after weaning, as well as the relationship between the care received by an individual animal from groupmates and the care provided by that animal to groupmates.
Observation of seven colonies over an eight month period revealed significant social-role and life history effects on caregiving: parents provide more care than siblings, even after weaning, sexes contribute equally but females provide more care to other females, and first litters provided more care than second litters. Total care given by an individual also correlated with the care received throughout observed adulthood, suggesting transmission of high prosocial participation: an adaptation which may make colonies more cohesive and better the fitness of subsequent litters.
This research was conducted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampshire College, Amherst (MA) as a Division III Thesis.