Abstract
This study reports a high rate of VV in 2 species of the African four striped mouse -13 Rhabdomys- and explores its causes. VV postures were observed in 67% encounters with14 mating attempts, in both species and during intra- and interspecific trials, although15 discrimination between the species occurred (i.e. duration of sexual behavior or social16 investigation varied between intra- and interspecies encounters). Striped mice displayed more17 investigatory behavior during encounters with VV coitus postures than during encounters18 without mating attempts or with only dorso-ventral (DV) postures. Furthermore, mating19 solicitation was greater in females than in males exclusively when VV coitus occurred,20 suggesting that females’ initiative could explain the high rate of VV postures in our model21 organism. We propose different hypotheses among which the role of pleasure through its22 supposed direct and indirect adaptive implications in triggering female initiative.