Sex differences in social odor discrimination by southern giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei)

Rodents are known to signal using odors to communicate information including their sex, age, reproductive state, and unique identity. Conspecifics can recognize these signals and behaviorally respond in sex‐specific ways. However, we know little about how males and females might differ in their responses to signals from individuals or how the sexes might differ in their ability to recognize their own identity. Such signals of identity are important because they can modulate the behavior of receivers, and allow for responses related to aggression, territory maintenance, affiliation, and reproduction. To assess how males and females might differ in their responses to individual familiar and novel social signals, and their own individual signals compared to novel same‐sex conspecifics, we tested southern giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) using a habituation–discrimination paradigm. Only females showed individual recognition and discriminated among males, preferring novel males. Females also discriminated between their own scent and a novel conspecific odor. Males did not discriminate or demonstrate individual recognition. Male and female differences in response to opposite‐sex odors demonstrated that males do not discriminate between familiar and novel reproductively available females, but females discriminate and prefer to investigate novel males. Female pouched rats discriminated between urine odors from novel and familiar males, but male pouched rats did not discriminate between urine odors from novel and familiar females. Other sex differences in social odor discrimination are discussed to understand sex‐specific behaviors.