Olfactory control of aggression in lactating female housemice.

Wild female lactating mice were tested for aggression toward strange wild male mice doused with either the test female's own urine (Owns), the urine of other wild females (Novels), or water (Controls). Treatment effects were assessed against an aggression index comprised of 5 different behaviors shown to be related by a factor analysis. Females aggressed more toward Novel-scented opponents than toward either Owns or Controls, the latter 2 conditions failing to differ statistically. It was concluded that an olfactorily-mediated mechanism controls the recognition of intruders by aggressive lactating housemice.