In a previous study we found that in the intraspecific, resident?intruder fights of males of two vole species there were significant differences in the frequency of use of some of the behavior patterns used for attack and defense. To determine whether the species differences were due to differences in the behavior of the attacker (resident), defender (intruder), or some combination of both, a detailed frame?by?frame analysis of videorecorded sequences was conducted. The analysis revealed that prairie vole resident males would switch their biting attacks from the rump to the head if the defender turned to face the attacker. As tactics involving the defender standing his ground to fend off the attacker proved to be ineffectual, the defender fled following every attack. In contrast, the montane vole resident males persisted in attacking the rump of the defender. Therefore, defending montane voles adopted defensive tactics that involved facing the attacker. This study draws attention to some of the descriptive issues involved in making cross?specific comparisons in fighting behavior. © 1992 Wiley?Liss, Inc. Copyright © 1992 Wiley?Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company
Disentangling the contribution of the attacker from that of defender in the differences in the intraspecific fighting in two species of voles
