INFANTICIDE AND MATERNAL AGGRESSION - SYNCHRONY OF MALE AND FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES IN MICE

Thirty-six percent of male mice from three strains attacked newborn pups sired by another male. No male attacked its own offspring. Females did not show differential aggression toward males likely (strangers) or unlikely (sires) to attack their pups. Both forms of aggression were unaffected by housing in rooms which did or did not contain the aggression targets. The three strains differed in strength of maternal aggression but not in the incidence of infanticide. Females showed more aggression when mated with males of the same, rather than a different, strain but not differences with intruders of the same or a different strain. Infanticide by males is best viewed as a postcopulatory, intermale-competition strategy, and maternal aggression as a counter strategy.