VOCALIZATIONS OF SEX PARTNERS IN THE HOUSE MOUSE (MUS <i>MUSCULUS)</i>
Acoustic parameters of the house mouse male and female vocalizations accompanying the sexual behavior were studied. The spectral-temporal analysis of female defensive call and male ultrasound call was carried out for adult house mice - hybrids of outbreed strains CBA and C57Bl/6. The principal feature of the female defensive call is its harmonic structure formed by three-five main harmonics with the fundamental frequency about 3 kHz. The major energy of the signal is concentrated below 25 kHz. The basic harmonic structure could be modified by frequency and amplitude modulation or/and noise. Call duration varied widely from 40 up to 470 ms with the average value of 180 ± 70 ms. The principal feature of male ultrasound vocalization is its low intensity and rareness of noise components. Depending on semantic load of the call, its fundamental frequency averaged 67.3 ± 8.5 or 45.6 ± 3.7 kHz. Male ultrasound vocalizations were shorter than female defensive calls and their duration did not exceed 220 ms.