[ **up: [[Rodents]] | [[Mus (Genus)]]** ] --- # House mice (*Mus musculus*) --- ## Taxonomy *Mus musculus* - **[[Life (Biology)]]** - **[[Eukaryotes|Eukaryota (Domain)]]** - **[[Animals|Animalia (Kingdom)]]** - [[Chordates|Chordata (Phylum)]] - [[Mammals|Mammalia (Class)]] - [[Therians|Theria (Subclass)]] - [[Placentals|Eutheria (Infraclass)]] - [[Rodents|Rodentia (Order)]] - [[Muridae (Family)]] - *[[Mus (Genus)]]* - *[[House mouse|Mus musculus]] <small>HOUSE MOUSE</small> [[2025-0321. 'During speciation, changes in sex pheromones commonly form one basis of pre-mating isolation.'|'During speciation, changes in sex pheromones commonly form one basis of pre-mating isolation. This may explain the chemosignal differences in major urinary proteins and androgen binding proteins in Mus musculus subspecies in hybrid zones.’]][^1] --- ## Description > The house mouse (*Mus musculus*) is a small mammal of the order Rodentia, characteristically having a pointed snout, large rounded ears, and a long and almost hairless tail. It is one of the most abundant species of the genus *Mus*.[^2] The Western European House Mouse (*Mus musculus domesticus*) is a subspecies of *Mus musculus*.[^3] --- ## Distribution The house mouse has a [[2025-0310. 'Pheromonal cueing also could be used to time ovulation in adult females during the opportunistic shifting of home ranges that is common in feral populations.'|'near-global distribution’]].[^4] --- ## Habitat --- ## Habits [[2025-0313. 'Interestingly, diestrous females do not remain in their neutral box ... Mice value social contact so diestrous females may still prefer to be next to a social stimulus, especially once the male stops trying to mount them.'|’Mice value social contact …’]][^5] --- ### Territoriality [[2025-0310. In the house mouse, 'stable, high density, commensal populations are characterized by an insular division of the living space into demeterritories, each dominated by a single male.'|In the house mouse, 'stable, high density, commensal populations are characterized by an insular division of the living space into demeterritories, each dominated by a single male.']][^6] [[2025-0310. In the house mouse, 'stable, high density, commensal populations are characterized by an insular division of the living space into demeterritories, each dominated by a single male.'|'Feral populations typically are characterized by temporal, spatial, and social instability. Territoriality is improbable under such conditions, particularly given the necessity for large home ranges in most feral habitats.']][^7] #### Large-scale dispersal of young [[2025-0310. In the house mouse, 'stable, high density, commensal populations are characterized by an insular division of the living space into demeterritories, each dominated by a single male.'|'In both feral and commensal populations, however, male aggressiveness promotes the large-scale dispersal of young, all of which are potential colonizers.']][^8] --- ### Mate choice [[2025-0313. 'The process of choosing mates can be divided into three stages - (1) reception of signals broadcast by prospective mates; (2) evaluation of the signals by receptive mates; (3) decision to either mate or reject.'|The process of choosing mates can be divided into three stages: (1) reception of signals broadcast by prospective mates; (2) evaluation of the signals by receptive mates; (3) decision to either mate or reject. Many of the signals emitted by mates and used by choosers to decide have been identified, including … chemical signals in rodents.]][^9] #### Female mate choice [[2025-0313. Research suggests female house mice 'exhibit a flexible behavioral preference that is not absolute but instead arises from the comparison of males ... and which is modulated by the internal state.'|Research suggests female house mice 'exhibit a flexible behavioral preference that is not absolute but instead arises from the comparison of males ... and which is modulated by the internal state.']][^10] ##### Impact of oestrus on female mate choice When [[Paced mating|paced mating]] is permitted, [[2025-0313. 'The finding that females perform more re-entries in estrous is indicative that they chose one male and kept escaping and re-visiting him, which decreased the total amount of time spent with males compared to the diestrous condition.'|female house mice will ‘perform more re-entries in estrous is indicative that they chose one male and kept escaping and re-visiting him. …']][^11] ###### Female *musculus* preference for *musculus* males (compared to *domesticus* males) during oestrus [[2025-0313. 'We found a strong assortative preference of musculus females on estrous for musculus over domesticus males in the full mating condition...'|'We found a strong assortative preference of musculus females on estrous for musculus over domesticus males in the full mating condition: all females spent more time with the musculus male; 6 out of 7 females initiated their sexual interaction with a musculus male ...']][^12] For what it’s worth: [[2025-0313. Non-receptive house mice 'did not exhibit assortative preference'; they 'vigorously rejected' all males (both musculus and domesticus alike).|non-receptive house mice 'did not exhibit assortative preference'; they 'vigorously rejected' all males (both musculus and domesticus alike).]][^13] --- ## Food --- ## Reproduction [[2025-0310. The reproductive flexibility of house mice is probably complemented by genetic diversity among potential colonisers.|The ‘basic reproductive flexibility [of house mice] probably is complemented by genetic diversity among potential colonizers, genetic diversity which, in turn, stems from intra-population and regional selection.’]][^2] --- ### Pregnancy [[2025-0310. Mice ‘pregnancies were reckoned from the finding of the vaginal plug on the morning following copulation.’|[Mice] pregnancies were reckoned from the finding of the vaginal plug on the morning following copulation.’]][^14] ##### Lactation [[2025-0310. 'Where there are five or six young to the litter, all ten glands are suckled until weaning takes place; but where the litter is small ... glands may be neglected and allowed to regress some time before weaning.'|'Where there are five or six young to the litter, all ten glands are suckled until weaning takes place; but where the litter is small, consisting of two or three young, one, two, or more glands may be neglected and allowed to regress some time before weaning.']][^15] > “Twenty-four hours after weaning the ducts and alveoli are distended with secretion, which contains numerous small globules. The epithelium is very much attenuated, but contains droplets. Secretory activity has not yet ceased.[^16] > “The interval between sterile copulations is given by Parkes (1929) as about 12 days, but there seems to be a good deal of variation, pseudo-pregnancies as sort as six days being observed. > > For the first 9 days following copulation \[with mice who had undergone vasectomies about a fortnight earlier] the mammary gland of pseudo-pregnancy is indistinguishable from that of pregnancy, and at about 9 days after sterile copulation the development of the mammary gland reaches its peak. At about this time the œstrous cycle is resumed. At 12 days after sterile copulation the œstrous cycle is in met-œstrous and regression is clearly shown. In one specimen met-œstrous accompanied by very little regression was found at 16 days. Regression proceeds slowly until about 24 days after sterile copulation when it is apparently complete. Regression is probably hindered by the recurrence of œstrous.[^17] --- ### Reproduction and chemosignalling #### Major urinary proteins (MUPs) [[2025-0313. Major urinary proteins (MUPs) are molecules secreted in large quantities in male house mouse urine; 'they have been shown to be sufficient to underlie subspecies discrimination and recognition.'|Major urinary proteins (MUPs) are molecules secreted in large quantities in male house mouse urine; 'they have been shown to be sufficient to underlie subspecies discrimination and recognition.']][^18] [[2025-0323. 'This inherent cost ensures that scent-marking is a reliable indicator of male quality, and male house mice are known to modulate their scent-marking display depending on their health condition and perceived mating opportunities.'|’The urine of male house mice contains major urinary proteins (MUPs), which function to mediate the release of pheromones.’]][^19] [[2025-0323. 'This inherent cost ensures that scent-marking is a reliable indicator of male quality, and male house mice are known to modulate their scent-marking display depending on their health condition and perceived mating opportunities.'|'Despite being costly to synthesize, MUPs have been detected at high concentrations within scent marks. This inherent cost ensures that scent-marking is a reliable indicator of male quality, and male house mice are known to modulate their scent-marking display depending on their health condition and perceived mating opportunities.']][^20] ##### Darcin [[2025-0313. Major urinary proteins (MUPs) are molecules secreted in large quantities in male house mouse urine; 'they have been shown to be sufficient to underlie subspecies discrimination and recognition.'|Darcin is ‘a mouse pheromone capable of promoting attraction towards males carrying it ...’]][^21] [[2025-0320. 'Darcin provides a good example of the distinction between pheromones and individual odours.'|'Darcin provides a good example of the distinction between pheromones and individual odours.']][^22] Darcin is a [[Pheromones#Pheromones vs. signature mixes|signature mix]]. [[2025-0321. 'Darcin is secreted in the urine that dominant male mice use to mark territory signposts. ... She will seek out the male territory owner and mate with him, recognizing him by his individual odour.'|’Darcin is secreted in the urine that dominant male mice use to mark territory signposts. Females, attracted by volatile urine pheromones, sniff the urine into their second nose, the vomeronasal organ (VNO), where darcin, an involatile pheromone, is detected. Darcin prompts the female to remember the location of the signpost and also the individual odour of the male. She will seek out the male territory owner and mate with him, recognizing him by his individual odour.’]][^23] ##### Gland-secreting peptide 1 (ESP1) [[2025-0313. Major urinary proteins (MUPs) are molecules secreted in large quantities in male house mouse urine; 'they have been shown to be sufficient to underlie subspecies discrimination and recognition.'|’Another relevant chemical signal is the exocrine gland-secreting peptide 1 (ESP1), a mouse pheromone secreted in male tears and which increases female receptivity.’]][^24] ###### Capacity to induce female receptivity It has been long understood that the [[2025-0310. 'The remaining pheromonal phenomena (which can impact upon house mouse reproduction) can be conceptualized as a single cueing system that has three components.'|’urinary cues of socially dominant males can accelerate ovulation in females’.]][^25] However, [[2025-0313. Male house mice (both musculus and domesticus) can only use 'attractant' chemosignals to induce female receptivity when a no-choice condition (i.e. not paced mating) is applied.|male house mice (both musculus and domesticus) can only use 'attractant' chemosignals to induce female receptivity when a no-choice condition (i.e. not paced mating) is applied.]][^26] This is to say—female receptivity can only be induced via chemosignalling when [[Paced mating|paced mating]]/female choice is not permitted. That said, [[2025-0313. Male house mice (both musculus and domesticus) can only use 'attractant' chemosignals to induce female receptivity when a no-choice condition (i.e. not paced mating) is applied.|'males must emit different levels and females must be differentially sensitive to relative levels of these signals under conditions of comparison.']][^27] So there will certainly be natural variation in this regard. #### Other possible chemosignalling phenomena (1) [[2025-0310. 'The remaining pheromonal phenomena (which can impact upon house mouse reproduction) can be conceptualized as a single cueing system that has three components.'|’… female urinary cues may elevate pheromonal potency in adult males, thereby forming a feedback loop by which the females elicit their own ovulation …’]][^28] (2) [[2025-0310. 'The remaining pheromonal phenomena (which can impact upon house mouse reproduction) can be conceptualized as a single cueing system that has three components.'|’… the male’s action on prepubertal females can be blocked by urinary cues emanating from other females …’]][^29] [[2025-0310. 'Pheromonal cueing also could be used to time ovulation in adult females during the opportunistic shifting of home ranges that is common in feral populations.'|'Pheromonal cueing also could be used to time ovulation in adult females during the opportunistic shifting of home ranges that is common in feral populations.']][^30] (3) [[2025-0310. The pheromonal system of house mice seems to promote successful colonisation while avoiding pregnancy before dispersal (and promotes rapid ovulation once a home is assured).|'The pheromonal system would seem to promote successful colonization by allowing the avoidance of pregnancy before dispersal, while promoting rapid ovulation once a home is established and the probable success of pregnancy is assured.']][^31] --- ### Impact of environmental factors upon reproduction [[2025-0310. 'Of the ten or so environmental factors known to influence reproduction in house mice, seven probably are of routine importance in natural populations...'|'Of the ten or so environmental factors known to influence reproduction in house mice, seven probably are of routine importance in natural populations: diurnal modulation by daily light:dark cycles; caloric intake; nutrition; extreme temperature; agonistic stimuli; socio-tactile cues; and priming pheromones.']][^32] --- ### Female oestrus [[2025-0313. In house mice, the 'period of maximum receptivity occurs at about the time of ovulation, beginning at the end of proestrus and extending through early estrus.'|In house mice, the 'period of maximum receptivity occurs at about the time of ovulation, beginning at the end of proestrus and extending through early estrus.']][^33] #### Mammary glands [[2025-0310. 'From the observations on the mammary glands of unmated mice the important fact emerges that growth culminates at œstrous and is followed by rapid regression.'|'From the observations on the mammary glands of unmated mice the important fact emerges that growth culminates at œstrous and is followed by rapid regression.']][^34] [[2025-0310. '... there is no luteal phase in the mammary cycle of the unmated albino mouse, since growth ceases at œstrous.'|'... there is no luteal phase in the mammary cycle of the unmated albino mouse, since growth ceases at œstrous.']][^35][^36] #### ‘Peeking’ behaviour [[2025-0313. In female house mice, 'peeking' behaviour does not appear to fluctuate with cycle phase.|In female house mice, 'peeking' behaviour does not appear to fluctuate with cycle phase.]][^37] #### Increased female aggression during the oestrus period [[2025-0313. Research indicates that aggressiveness in female mice, against other female mice, does fluctuate according to the phases of the oestrus cycle.|Research indicates that aggressiveness in female mice, against other female mice, does fluctuate according to the phases of the oestrus cycle.]][^38] [[2025-0313. 'High aggression against other females during proestrus increases the individual female’s chances of mating by dispersing other females.'|'High aggression against other females during proestrus increases the individual female’s chances of mating by dispersing other females.']][^39] #### Motor activity peaks during the oestrus period [[2025-0313. 'Guttman et al. (1975) found that motor activity peaked during estrus and decreased between metestrus and diestrus' in female house mice.|'Guttman et al. (1975) found that motor activity peaked during estrus and decreased between metestrus and diestrus' in female house mice.]][^40] #### Reduced ‘conditioned avoidance performance’ (fear) during the oestrus period [[2025-0313. Gray (1977) found a reduction in 'conditioned avoidance performance' among female house mice during oestrus; 'he interpreted this as indicating a reduction in fear motivation during estrus, which he felt would be adaptive'.|Gray (1977) found a reduction in 'conditioned avoidance performance' among female house mice during oestrus; 'he interpreted this as indicating a reduction in fear motivation during estrus, which he felt would be adaptive'.]][^41] #### Socialising during the dioestrus period When [[Paced mating|paced mating]] is allowed, [[2025-0313. 'Interestingly, diestrous females do not remain in their neutral box ... Mice value social contact so diestrous females may still prefer to be next to a social stimulus, especially once the male stops trying to mount them.'|'diestrous females do not remain in their neutral box ... Mice value social contact so diestrous females may still prefer to be next to a social stimulus, especially once the male stops trying to mount them.']][^42] --- - *See also:* [[Oestrous]]. [^1]: Tristram D. Wyatt, ‘[[Wyatt. ‘Pheromones’, 2017.|Pheromones]]’, *Current Biology*, vol. 27, issue 15 (7 August 2017), p. R742. [^2]: ‘House mouse’, *Wikipedia*, updated 12 March 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_mouse. [^3]: ‘Mus musculus domesticus’, *Wikipedia*, updated 10 January 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus_musculus_domesticus. [^4]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^5]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6. [^6]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^7]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^8]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^9]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 1. [^10]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 2. [^11]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6. [^12]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6. [^13]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6. [^14]: H. A. Cole & Alan Sterling Parkes, ‘[The mammary gland of the mouse, during the œstrous cycle, pregnancy and lactation](app://obsidian.md/Cole%20&%20Parkes,%20'The%20mammary%20gland%20of%20the%20mouse,%20during%20the%20%C5%93strous%20cycle,%20pregnancy%20and%20lactation',%201933.)’, *Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character*, vol. 114, issue 787 (December 1933), p. 144. [^15]: H. A. Cole & Alan Sterling Parkes, ‘[The mammary gland of the mouse, during the œstrous cycle, pregnancy and lactation](app://obsidian.md/Cole%20&%20Parkes,%20'The%20mammary%20gland%20of%20the%20mouse,%20during%20the%20%C5%93strous%20cycle,%20pregnancy%20and%20lactation',%201933.)’, *Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character*, vol. 114, issue 787 (December 1933), p. 150. [^16]: H. A. Cole & Alan Sterling Parkes, ‘[The mammary gland of the mouse, during the œstrous cycle, pregnancy and lactation](app://obsidian.md/Cole%20&%20Parkes,%20'The%20mammary%20gland%20of%20the%20mouse,%20during%20the%20%C5%93strous%20cycle,%20pregnancy%20and%20lactation',%201933.)’, *Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character*, vol. 114, issue 787 (December 1933), p. 154. [^17]: H. A. Cole & Alan Sterling Parkes, ‘[The mammary gland of the mouse, during the œstrous cycle, pregnancy and lactation](app://obsidian.md/Cole%20&%20Parkes,%20'The%20mammary%20gland%20of%20the%20mouse,%20during%20the%20%C5%93strous%20cycle,%20pregnancy%20and%20lactation',%201933.)’, *Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character*, vol. 114, issue 787 (December 1933), p. 155. [^18]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6. [^19]: R. C. Firman, ‘[[Firman. ‘Female social preference for males that have evolved via monogamy_ evidence of a trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory sexually selected traits’, 2014.|Female social preference for males that have evolved via monogamy: evidence of a trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory sexually selected traits?]]’, *Biology Letters*, vol. 10 (October 2014), p. 1. [^20]: R. C. Firman, ‘[[Firman. ‘Female social preference for males that have evolved via monogamy_ evidence of a trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory sexually selected traits’, 2014.|Female social preference for males that have evolved via monogamy: evidence of a trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory sexually selected traits?]]’, *Biology Letters*, vol. 10 (October 2014), p. 1. [^21]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6. [^22]: Tristram D. Wyatt, ‘[[Wyatt. ‘Pheromones’, 2017.|Pheromones]]’, *Current Biology*, vol. 27, issue 15 (7 August 2017), p. R741. [^23]: Tristram D. Wyatt, ‘[[Wyatt. ‘Pheromones’, 2017.|Pheromones]]’, *Current Biology*, vol. 27, issue 15 (7 August 2017), p. R741. [^24]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6. [^25]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^26]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6. [^27]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6. [^28]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^29]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^30]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^31]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^32]: F. H. Bronson, ‘[[Bronson. 'The reproductive ecology of the house mouse', 1979.|The reproductive ecology of the house mouse]]’, *The Quarterly Review of Biology* 44, no. 3 (September 1979), p. 265. [^33]: Janet S. Hyde and Thomas F. Sawyer, ‘[[Hyde & Sawyer. ‘Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice’, 1977.|Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice]]’, *Hormones and Behavior*, vol. 9, issue 3 (December 1977), p. 294. [^34]: H. A. Cole & Alan Sterling Parkes, ‘[The mammary gland of the mouse, during the œstrous cycle, pregnancy and lactation](app://obsidian.md/Cole%20&%20Parkes,%20'The%20mammary%20gland%20of%20the%20mouse,%20during%20the%20%C5%93strous%20cycle,%20pregnancy%20and%20lactation',%201933.)’, *Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character*, vol. 114, issue 787 (December 1933), p. 157. [^35]: H. A. Cole & Alan Sterling Parkes, ‘[The mammary gland of the mouse, during the œstrous cycle, pregnancy and lactation](app://obsidian.md/Cole%20&%20Parkes,%20'The%20mammary%20gland%20of%20the%20mouse,%20during%20the%20%C5%93strous%20cycle,%20pregnancy%20and%20lactation',%201933.)’, *Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character*, vol. 114, issue 787 (December 1933), p. 143. [^36]: H. A. Cole & Alan Sterling Parkes, ‘[The mammary gland of the mouse, during the œstrous cycle, pregnancy and lactation](app://obsidian.md/Cole%20&%20Parkes,%20'The%20mammary%20gland%20of%20the%20mouse,%20during%20the%20%C5%93strous%20cycle,%20pregnancy%20and%20lactation',%201933.)’, *Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character*, vol. 114, issue 787 (December 1933), p. 159. [^37]: Janet S. Hyde and Thomas F. Sawyer, ‘[[Hyde & Sawyer. ‘Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice’, 1977.|Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice]]’, *Hormones and Behavior*, vol. 9, issue 3 (December 1977), p. 290. [^38]: Janet S. Hyde and Thomas F. Sawyer, ‘[[Hyde & Sawyer. ‘Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice’, 1977.|Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice]]’, *Hormones and Behavior*, vol. 9, issue 3 (December 1977), pp. 293–294. [^39]: Janet S. Hyde and Thomas F. Sawyer, ‘[[Hyde & Sawyer. ‘Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice’, 1977.|Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice]]’, *Hormones and Behavior*, vol. 9, issue 3 (December 1977), p. 294. [^40]: Janet S. Hyde and Thomas F. Sawyer, ‘[[Hyde & Sawyer. ‘Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice’, 1977.|Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice]]’, *Hormones and Behavior*, vol. 9, issue 3 (December 1977), p. 290. [^41]: Janet S. Hyde and Thomas F. Sawyer, ‘[[Hyde & Sawyer. ‘Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice’, 1977.|Estrous cycle fluctuations in aggressiveness of house mice]]’, *Hormones and Behavior*, vol. 9, issue 3 (December 1977), p. 290. [^42]: Léa Zinck and Susana Q. Lima, ‘[[Zinck & Lima. ‘Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State’, 2013.|Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State]]’, *PLOS One*, vol. 8, issue 6 (10 June 2013), p. 6.