The Role of Scent Marking in Mate Selection by Female Pumas (Puma concolor)

Mate selection influences individual fitness, is often based on complex cues and behaviours, and can be difficult to study in solitary species including carnivores. We used motion-triggered cameras at 29 community scrapes (i.e. scent marking locations used by multiple individuals) and home range data from 39 GPS-collared pumas (Puma concolor) to assess the relevance of communication behaviours for mate selection by female pumas in California. Female pumas visited community scrapes irregularly and visitation bouts appeared to be correlated with oestrus. Female pumas on average selected from 1.7 collared males, and selection was based on multiple cues that varied among the different time periods measured (i.e. the female’s visitation bout and in 90 days previous to the consorting event). Female mate selection over the course of a visitation bout was based on frequency of the male visitation, mass, and age. In the 90 days previous to consorting, the number of scrapes a male created was the most important contributor to selection, which was likely related to his residency status. We also found that at least 14% of females mated with multiple males, thus possibly confusing paternity. Our findings provide a mechanistic understanding of how female pumas use scent and auditory communication at community scrapes to select dominant resident males to mate with.配偶选择影响个体适合度，其通常基于复杂的信号线索与行为模式，且在包括食肉目动物在内的独居物种中难以开展相关研究。本研究在29处公共刮擦标记点（即多个个体共同使用的气味标记位点）布设运动触发式相机，并结合39只佩戴GPS项圈的美洲狮（*Puma concolor*）的家域数据，以评估加利福尼亚州雌性美洲狮的配偶选择与通讯行为之间的关联。雌性美洲狮对公共刮擦标记点的访问并无固定规律，单次访问事件似乎与其动情期存在相关性。雌性美洲狮平均会从1.7只佩戴项圈的雄性个体中遴选配偶，其配偶选择基于多种信号线索，且这些线索在不同观测时段（即雌性的访问事件以及交配事件前90天）中存在差异。在单次访问事件期间，雌性美洲狮的配偶选择依据雄性的访问频次、体重与年龄。而在交配事件前90天内，雄性创建的刮擦标记点数量是影响配偶选择的最关键因素，这一结果可能与其定居身份相关。本研究还发现，至少14%的雌性美洲狮会与多只雄性交配，这可能会导致父权鉴定出现混淆。本研究结果从机制层面阐明了雌性美洲狮如何通过公共刮擦标记点的嗅觉与听觉通讯，遴选具有统治地位的定居雄性个体进行交配。