| Sciuridae Sciurus carolinensis (eastern gray squirrel) Image Caption: A male gray squirrel tries to make closer observation of the enlarged pink vulva of a female squirrel. Like other rodents, during estrus the vulva swells (Deanesly & Parks, 1933, p. 50) and probably emits a pheromone that attracts males. Male squirrels sometimes smell the genitalia of females they encounter, presumably to determine whether the female is nearing estrus, although the males are quickly rebuffed if they approach too closely when the female is not receptive (Steele & Koprowski, 2001, p. 113). About five days before behavioral estrous, males begin trailing the female (Steele & Koprowski, 2001, p. 114) in anticipation of possible copulation. |
Deanesly,
R. & Parkes, A. S. (1933). The Reproductive Process of
Certain Mammals. Part IV. The Oestrous Cycle of the Grey
Squirrel (Sciuris carolinensis). Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 222: 47-78. Steele, M. A. & Koprowski, J. L. (2001). North American Tree Squirrels. Washington and London: Smithsonian. |
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Location: Image Species: Sciurus carolinensis carolinensis (EXIF Information is accurate – stamped in UTC). Web Page and Pictures By Peter Leitheiser Updated: 2009AUG19 |
