研究人員新近發(fā)現(xiàn)，企鵝可以聞出伴侶的氣味,，這可能有助于它們?cè)谄簌Z群中找到彼此。企鵝也可以辨識(shí)出近親的氣味,，免得發(fā)生近親交配,。
一些海鳥會(huì)利用嗅覺找食物，或者定位筑巢位置,。而對(duì)美國芝加哥布魯克菲爾動(dòng)物園里漢波德企鵝的研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，企鵝也能用氣味來區(qū)分親人和陌生人。研究發(fā)布于《公共科學(xué)圖書館.統(tǒng)合》,。
研究者使用了動(dòng)物園飼養(yǎng)的22只漢波德企鵝,，將它們分成2組。企鵝尾部有一種腺體,，能分泌油脂來保持羽毛清潔,，同時(shí)也具有嗅覺上的作用。在一個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)中,，相對(duì)陌生企鵝的氣味,，有伴侶的企鵝更喜歡伴侶的氣味。另一個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)中,，沒有伴侶的企鵝在聞陌生企鵝的氣味時(shí),，要花上比自己近親更多的功夫。
研究者表示,，很多動(dòng)物,，包括人類的嬰兒都會(huì)在新的氣味和線索上花上更多的功夫。在很多物種中,，氣味都被用于吸引配偶,，或者防止近親婚配。
漢波德企鵝在秘魯懸崖上筑巢,，會(huì)花上很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間在海里找食物,。在它們回到聚集地，數(shù)千只企鵝在一起時(shí),，氣味可能就能起到辨識(shí)身份的作用,。研究者表示，對(duì)在野外群居的鳥類,，比如企鵝來說,，知道誰是鄰居，可以幫助它們找到自己的筑巢地，也能了解自己該怎么跟鄰居相處,。(生物谷 Bioon.com)
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0025002
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PMID:
Odor-Based Recognition of Familiar and Related Conspecifics: A First Test Conducted on Captive Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti)
Heather R. Coffin1, Jason V. Watters, Jill M. Mateo
Studies of kin recognition in birds have largely focused on parent-offspring recognition using auditory or visual discrimination. Recent studies indicate that birds use odors during social and familial interactions and possibly for mate choice, suggesting olfactory cues may mediate kin recognition as well. Here, we show that Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti), a natally philopatric species with lifetime monogamy, discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar non-kin odors (using prior association) and between unfamiliar kin and non-kin odors (using phenotype matching). Penguins preferred familiar non-kin odors, which may be associated with the recognition of nest mates and colony mates and with locating burrows at night after foraging. In tests of kin recognition, penguins preferred unfamiliar non-kin odors. Penguins may have perceived non-kin odors as novel because they did not match the birds' recognition templates. Phenotype matching is likely the primary mechanism for kin recognition within the colony to avoid inbreeding. To our knowledge this is the first study to provide evidence of odor-based kin discrimination in a bird.
