Sexual excitation function of hamster vaginal secretion

Sexually naive male hamsters were paired with ovariectomized females or with castrated males. On half of the trial days, the stimulus animals were scented with vaginal secretion from estrous females, and on half of the trials they were left unscented. Added vaginal secretion resulted in an increased frequency of mounting and decreased latency to mount, and an increase in the amount of time the males remained near the stimulus animals. These results demonstrate that the vaginal secretion has attractant and sexual excitant effects on naive males and thus is a source of sex pheromones. Presence of the secretion also resulted in a decrease in some measures of agonistic behavior, suggesting anti-aggressive functions as well.