Promiscuity in Mice Shows Genetic Benefits

Mice are gettin' busy, IF you know what we mean.

That's right. Previous studies show, in fact, that mice can gain genetic benefits from females mating with more than one male (Shocking!) However, researchers have been unclear about the conditions in which female mice will mate with multiple partners.

According to Kerstin Thonhauser and colleagues from Vetmeduni Vienna, they conducted a series of experiments in order to determine the female's mating patterns, which show that males who have a chance to reproduce with a female are unlikely to kill her young. However, the study shows that virgin males may kill the offspring of a mouse that is not theirs.

The researchers found that females were more likely to mate with multiple males based on similar scent markings. For instance, females in search of partners were likely to do the deed with a single male when they detected his scent. This was a determinant factor when choosing sexual contact.

Findings showed that litters conceived by more than one male tended to be bigger than single-litters alone, yet this also only happened when intense competition happened among the other males.  "Our results shed some new light on questions about the sexual behaviour of mice, but we still don´t have all the answers", lead author Kerstin Thonhauser said, via a press release. "We need further studies to understand why litters are larger when there is intense competition between males. Another interesting question that has remained unresolved so far is how multiple paternity affects the fitness of the young."

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the Journal of Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.