Effect of familiarity with the mother and kinship on infanticidal and alloparental behaviour in virgin house mice

Male and female Mus musculus killed related as well as unrelated pups. Females killed fewer offspring of females with whom they had cohabited until three weeks before the study, in comparison with the offspring of completely unfamiliar females. When females were exposed to the offspring of females of comparable familiarity but different relatedness, they devoted more parental behaviour towards more related pups. Thus, even if familiarity plays a major role in determining females' behaviour, kin recognition occurs and is responsible for differences in alloparental care distribution. -from Author