Mammals of the Lyallpur Region, West PakistanSequences of Precopulatory Behavior of the Jackal (Canis aureus L.)

A seven-month (October-April) survey was made of the mammals in that region of the Indus Valley around Lyallpur, West Pakistan. Evidence concerning 42 species was obtained and 260 individuals of 26 species collected. The results include data on reproduction, abundance, and ecology, organized into species accounts, and a discussion of the faunal changes which have resulted from the introduction of irrigation over the last century. Irrigated agricultural land has largely replaced the tropical thorn scrub. Cropland, human habitations, plantation forests, marshes, relict areas of thorn scrub, and the eastern edge of the extensive Thal Desert were studied as mammalian habitats. Species thought to have been eliminated from this region, by direct reduction or habitat change over the last century or more, include: caracal, tiger, lion, cheetah, hog deer, and Gangetic dolphin. Species much reduced in number include: wolf, Bengal fox, striped hyaena, desert cat, fishing cat, nilgai, blackbuck, chinkara, Wagner's gerbil, Indian hairy-footed gerbil, and desert gerbil. Species encouraged by recent ecological changes include: house shrew, Asiatic jackal, jungle cat, wild boar, northern palm squirrel, house rat, house mouse, short-tailed bandicoot-rat, and Indian gerbil.The present paper presents a first order description of the precopulatory behavior of the golden jackal (Canis aureus syriacus) without using emotionally-toned words. The coarse structure of this behavior which extends over 4 months prior to copulation is described. During this time, jackals roam the fields in pairs, each pair in a particular area. From time to time they perform certain series of actions while circling each other in a specific manner. The term "T-sequence" is used for this behavior which might be defined as precopulatory. A detailed fine-grain description of selected actual sequences of four captive pairs and three wild pairs is presented. Common features and variation in performance, with special emphasis on the latter, are summarized. Precopulatory behavior of jackals might be viewed as a complex of three groups of events superimposed on one another: the group of events which constitute the T-sequences (such as circling, standing perpendicularly to the mate, putting the head on the mate's back, etc.) is superimposed on a group of patterns which are performed during the first phase of precopulatory behavior - sniffing the ground, urination and scraping. Later, a third group of patterns is superimposed on the first two groups: this group includes the male licking the female's vulva, the female mounting the male and other patterns. At this stage, the frequency of appearance of patterns of the first two groups decreases gradually; the male starts to mount the female, and a few days later copulations follow. Variation in performance was found in the following acts: 1) In certain pairs the male always forms the top of the T during T-sequences, in others the female, and in still other pairs both mates take turns at forming either the top or the base of the T. Relative body position during T-sequences is in correlation with the distribution of events between the mates. It also affects the time of onset of the week of copulations. 2) Some "agonistic" patterns were observed during T-sequences only in captivity. 3) Certain behavior patterns are performed by some pairs but not by others. 4) Some behavior patterns are performed in different "styles" by different individuals. The performance of T-sequences is related to the following factors: a) sequential relation of events to copulation, b) time of day, c) change in environment, d) howling, e) duration of pair bond, f) individual differences. Motivational models as well as quantitative analysis were avoided, since the variability of the material calls for the development of special methods for fine-grain analysis. This material deserves phenomenological treatment, in the sense that regularity should be looked for first in the structure of concrete specific behavior sequences, and only then in the behavior in general. /// Es wird das der Paarung vorausgehende Verhalten der Goldschakals objektiv beschrieben. Während der vier Monate vor der Läufigkeit des ♀ durchstreifen die Partner gemeinsam das Gelände. Von Zeit zu Zeit umkreisen sie einander in ganz bestimmten Abfolgen, wobei sie unter anderem eine Stellung zueinander einnehmen, die dem ganzen Ablauf die Bezeichnung T-Sequenz eintrug. Eingehend beschrieben sind gewisse ausgewählte Handlungsfolgen von 4 gefangengehaltenen und drei freilebenden Paaren, sowohl in den allen gemeinsamen Zügen, wie auch den individuellen Unterschieden. Drei zeitlich einander übergreifende Handlungsgruppen lösen sich ab. Erstens: den Boden Beschnuppern, Beharnen und Scharren. Zweitens: die T-Sequenzen, d.h. Umeinanderkreisen, senkrecht zum Partner stehend ihm den Kopf auf den Rücken legen, und anderes mehr. Drittens: er leckt sie an der Vulva, sie reitet ihm auf, und anderes mehr. In dieser Phase verschwinden allmählich die Handlungen der ersten beiden; jetzt beginnt er, ihn aufzureiten, einige Tage später wird sie läufig, und die Paarungen folgen. Es ergaben sich viererlei individuelle Verschiedenheiten: 1. Bei manchen Paaren bildet immer das ♂ den waagerechten Balken des T und das ♀ den senkrechten, d.h. sie legt ih den Kopf auf den Rücken; bei anderen Paaren ist es regelmässig umgekehrt, bei dritten wechselt beides miteinander ab. Diese Stellungen stehen in Beziehung zu der Verteilung sonstiger Verhaltensweisen zwischen den Partnern, zum Zeitabstand von der Läufigkeit und den Kopulationen. 2. Nur bei den gefangen gehaltenen Paaren gab es während der T-Sequenzen agonistisches Verhalten. 3. Manche Paare zeigen bestimmte Eigenheiten, welche anderen fehlen. 4. Manche Individuen haben für gewisse Verhaltensweisen ihren eigenen Stil. Wie oft es zur T-Stellung kommt, das hängt ab von dem zeitlichen Abstand bis zur nächsten Läufigkeit, der Tageszeit, Umweltveränderungen, dem Heulen, der Zeit, die das Paar schon zusammenhält, und persönlichen Unterschieden. Motivationsmodelle und quantitative Analyse wurden vermieden, da diese so ausserordentlich wechselnden Tatbestände besondere Methoden der Feinanalyse erfordern. Sie müssen phaenomenologisch behandelt werden, in dem Sinne dass man vorerst regelmässig auftretende bestimmt strukturierte Verhaltensfolgen aufdeckt und erst danach das Gesamtverhalten.