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Abstract In most species, individuals must be able to identify threats, peers, and potential mates to survive. The distinction of kin from non‐kin and novel conspecifics from familiars is essential to the successful categorization of these identities. Although oxytocin (OXT) signaling has been implicated in social recognition, little is known about the contributions of distinct OXT‐producing cell groups to distinguishing conspecific type. To determine whether OXT‐producing neuronal populations differentially respond to novelty or kinship status, we conducted immediate early gene tests in male spiny mice (Acomys dimidiatus), a communally breeding species that we previously showed distinguishes between novelty and kinship status. Immunohistochemical analysis of brain tissue revealed that the OXT cell populations in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and the anterior hypothalamus did not differentially respond to the kinship or novelty status of same‐sex conspecifics. However, while OXT‐producing neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis did not distinguish between kin and non‐kin spiny mice, this cell group was more responsive to familiar than novel conspecifics. These results suggest that extrahypothalamic OXT neurons may be involved in aspects of processing the novelty status of a conspecific. 

Abstract In complex social environments, individuals may interact with not only novel and familiar conspecifics but also kin and non-kin. The ability to distinguish between conspecific identities is crucial for most animals, yet how the brain processes conspecific type and how animals may alter behavior accordingly is not well known. We examined whether the communally breeding spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) responds differently to conspecifics that vary in novelty and kinship. In a group interaction test, we found that males can distinguish novel kin from novel non-kin, and preferentially spend time with novel kin over familiar kin and novel non-kin. To determine whether kinship and novelty status are differentially represented in the brain, we conducted immediate early gene tests, which revealed the dorsal, but not ventral, lateral septum differentially processes kinship. Neither region differentially processes social novelty. Further, males did not exhibit differences in prosocial behavior toward novel and familiar conspecifics but exhibited more prosocial behavior with novel kin than novel non-kin. These results suggest that communally breeding species may have evolved specialized neural circuitry to facilitate a bias to be more affiliative with kin, regardless of whether they are novel or familiar, potentially to promote prosocial behaviors, thereby facilitating group cohesion. 

A major issue in neuroscience is the poor translatability of research results from preclinical studies in animals to clinical outcomes. Comparative neuroscience can overcome this barrier by studying multiple species to differentiate between species-specific and general mechanisms of neural circuit functioning. Targeted manipulation of neural circuits often depends on genetic dissection, and use of this technique has been restricted to only a few model species, limiting its application in comparative research. However, ongoing advances in genomics make genetic dissection attainable in a growing number of species. To demonstrate the potential of comparative gene editing approaches, we developed a viral-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 strategy that is predicted to target the oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) gene in >80 rodent species. This strategy specifically reduced OXTR levels in all evaluated species (n= 6) without causing gross neuronal toxicity. Thus, we show that CRISPR/Cas9-based tools can function in multiple species simultaneously. Thereby, we hope to encourage comparative gene editing and improve the translatability of neuroscientific research.