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Interspecific Variation in the Relationships of Mating Partners in Felids

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Abstract

Data are presented on the variation in the relationships of males and females in felids with different degrees of sexual dimorphism in body size. It was shown that, in the mating season of the Eurasian lynx, a species with the least sexual dimorphism, females determined the relationships with the partner to a large extent. These interactions were characterized by a high frequency of affiliative behavior and courtship elements, while the frequency of aggressive contact was very low. In species with a higher level of sexual dimorphism, the relationships of the partners were determined mainly by males.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to G. Alekseeva and A. Krylovich for help in keeping the animals and collecting the material.

Funding

FUNDING

This research with lynxes and Amur leopard cats was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 15-04-07845 A), and the experimental work with the domestic cat and the processing of materials was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 18-14-00200).

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Conflict of interests. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Statement on the welfare of animals. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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  1. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia

    M. N. Erofeeva & S. V. Naidenko

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Erofeeva, M.N., Naidenko, S.V. Interspecific Variation in the Relationships of Mating Partners in Felids. Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 47, 63–70 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359019060062

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