Graduate Student Profile : Kevin Theis
Efficient communication systems in animal societies coordinate group activities, modulate intragroup aggression, and facilitate complex social interactions. I am studying both vocal and chemical communication in the spotted hyena, although my primary focus is on the ontogeny and function of scent marking. Crocuta scent marking includes a conspicuous behavior called pasting, wherein hyenas deposit secretions from their anal glands on grass stalks and other objects in the environment. I am currently trying to determine the informational content of these marks, as well as the ultimate functions of pasting behavior by different age/sex classes of spotted hyena. Additionally, I am investigating the role bacteria play in this mammalian scent marking system.
theiskev [at] msu.edu