Journal
ZOO BIOLOGY
Volume 33, Issue 5, Pages 388-393Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21173
Keywords
suckling performance; competitive interactions; nipple order; lynx
Categories
Funding
- Program Bioresources of Russian Academy of Sciences [3.8]
- Russian Foundation of Basic Research [13-04-01465]
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There is substantial evidence in the literature that the offspring of many mammal species prefer a particular pair of nipples. There is also a definite nipple order in individual litters in which each young predominantly uses one or two particular nipples. In combination with early competitive interactions, such constancy can play an important role in the social development of the young. In this study, we reveal an unequal use of different pairs of mothers' nipples by 42 Eurasian lynx cubs in 16 litters and investigate the relationship of this phenomenon with the early competitive interactions of the cubs and their physical development. For the lynx cubs, the most often used pair of nipples is the middle pair. There is also definite nipple order in each litter. We found a negative correlation between nipples use by the offspring and their competitive activity. No influence of nipple order on the cubs' growth rate was detected. (C) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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