Reproduction and postnatal development in the bush Karoo rat <i>Otomys unisulcatus</i> (Muridae, Otomyinae)

Pillay, Neville

doi:10.1017/s0952836901001017

Cited by 13 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Several developmental milestones were monitored (typically every second day from day 0 or 2), including: fur growth, locomotory proficiency, opening of the eyes, incisor eruption, hearing (assessed by the response of the young to a highpitched sound) and smell (assessed by moving food in front of the nose or exhaling gently in the proximity of the face, as described by Pillay 2001). The age of onset to completion of weaning was determined by observation of independent feeding behaviour (either nibbling at bedding or eating/ handling food), and changes in faeces colour from a light tan to dark brown when solids are eaten and remnants of solid food are visible.…”

Section: Postnatal Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reproduction and postnatal development of the bushveld gerbil Gerbilliscus (formerly Tatera) leucogaster

Lötter

Pillay

2008

Mammalian Biology

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The reproduction and postnatal development of the bushveld gerbil Gerbilliscus (formerly Tatera) leucogaster was studied in the laboratory. Nineteen pairs produced 23 litters. Mean litter size was 3.5 and gestation was 21-22 days. Neonates weighed 3.7 g on average and were altricial. Development was slow, with eyes usually opening 16-18 days after birth, and weaning occurring by about 24 days of age. The earliest age of sexual maturity was 6.6 weeks in females and 9.9 weeks in males. A comparison with other studies of G. leucogaster, and with closely and distantly related similar-sized murid rodents, indicates that reproduction generally varies with geographic location, and that the slow postnatal development of G. leucogaster appears to be phylogenetically constrained.

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Section: Postnatal Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One approach to understand the diversity of life-history traits is to compare them across taxa (Harvey and Read 1988), and a number of studies have used a comparative approach to investigate life-history (e.g. Case 1978;Creighton and Strauss 1986;Neal 1990;Pillay 2001 (Pillay 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction and postnatal development of the bushveld gerbil Gerbilliscus (formerly Tatera) leucogaster

Lötter

Pillay

2008

Mammalian Biology

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“…A value of 29 days for gestation in this arboreal oryzomyine compares well with other sigmodontine data presented by Moscarella and Aguilera (1999) Among the various "saturation" models available for linking eyelens weight and age, the Michaelis-Menten formula had the lowest Akaike IC (10.67) as compared to other models (see under Methods): its parameters (y = ax/(b+x)) were a = 17.4 (95% confidence interval 16.3 to 18.5) and b = 81.5 (60.5 to 97.4). Since the Gompertz model seems to be the one that best fits most mammalian growth curves (D'Andrea et al, 1996;Pillay, 2001;Zullinger et al, 1984), and for the sake of comparison with published studies, we applied this model to our data which resulted in a slightly higher Akaike IC (24.58) and in the following values for the main parameter: a = 15.42 (95% confidence interval 15.40 to 15.44); b = -1.82 ( -2.17 to -0.62), and c = -0.01 (-0.011 to -0.006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction and growth in a Neotropical arboreal mouse: Oecomys rutilus (Sigmodontinae: Cricetidae) in French Guiana

Catzeflis

2019

Biota Neotrop.

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Postnatal growth and development of the small Neotropical mouse Oecomys rutilus (Sigmodontinae: Cricetidae) were investigated from birth to day 143, in the laboratory. Morphometric measurements at age of 3 days, of both sexes combined, revealed body weight to be 3.4 ± 0.3 g, mean tail length as 27.4 ± 1.1 mm, and mean hind foot length as 9.3 ± 0.7 mm. Body weight was found to increase steadily until at least 69 days, whereas the instantaneous growth rates of other measurements declined earlier: the daily growth of hind foot length declined to a minimum at age of 24 days, and the growth of tail and of ear declined by the age of 33 days. Average litter size for 12 captive births was 2.5, ranging from 2 to 3. The preserved eye crystalline lens was weighted in 23 captive-born animals of known age, allowing a rough estimate of the age of reproduction in wild-caught animals. Based on the inferred relation between eye-lens weight and age, the youngest reproductive (pregnant) wild-caught females had an estimated age of 90 and 95 days. Reprodução e crescimento de um rato arbóreo neotropical: Oecomys rutilus (Sigmodontinae: Cricetidae) na Guiana FrancesaResumo: O crescimento pós-natal e o desenvolvimento do pequeno roedor neotropical Oecomys rutilus (Sigmodontinae: Cricetidae) foram investigados desde o nascimento até o dia 143, em laboratório. Mensurações morfométricas na idade de 3 dias, de ambos os sexos combinados, revelaram a massa corporal de 3,4 ± 0,3 g, comprimento médio da cauda de 27,4 ± 1,1 mm, e comprimento médio do pé de 9,3 ± 0,7 mm. A massa do corpo aumentou rapidamente até o dia 69, enquanto as taxas de crescimento instantâneo de outras medidas diminuíram mais cedo: o crescimento diário do pé diminuiu para o mínimo na idade de 24 dias, e os crescimentos da cauda e da orelha diminuíram na idade de 33 dias. O tamanho de prole médio para 12 nascimentos em cativeiro foi de 2,5, variando de 2 a 3. As lentes preservadas do cristalino do olho foram pesadas em 23 animais nascidos em cativeiro de idades conhecidas, permitindo fazer uma estimativa da idade de reprodução em animais capturados na natureza. Baseado na relação inferida entre peso da lente do cristalino e idade, as mais jovens fêmeas (prenhes) capturadas na natureza tiveram uma estimativa de 90 a 95 dias de idade. Palavras-chave: alometria, modelo de Gompertz, roedores, peso do cristalino do olho, história de vida.

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“…the « nest-protection » hypothesis). The nest-protection hypothesis maintains that litter size is related to the relative risk of predation and exposure to external environmental extremes, so that litter size is small when the nest is well protected (Willan 1990 ;Phillips et al 1997 ;Pillay in press).…”

Section: Ecological Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction and postnatal development in Littledale’s whistling rat Parotomys littledalei (Muridae, Otomyinae)

Pillay¹

2002

Mamm

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Littledale's whistling rat Parotomys littledalei is a member of the murid rodent subfamily Otomyinae, and is one of three otomyines that is endemic to the south-west arid biome of southern Africa. The breeding biology and postnatal ontogeny of P. littledalei was studied in captivity. Newly-formed pairs were kept apart with a wire-mesh barrier for two weeks until females were not aggressive towards males, and most males were removed just before parturition when females were aggressive again. Twenty-five litters were obtained from 20 pairings. Mean litter size was 2.4, gestation was 41 days, and reproductive effort was 0.98. Neonates had a mean mass of 12.71 g. Weaning was early, starting at 8 days and completed at 12 days. Males were significantly heavier and longer than females after weaning, and attained sexual maturity a week later than females (6 weeks vs 5 weeks). Compared to other otomyines, P. littledalei has a large litter size, females invest heavily in their offspring, and young are born precocial and have rapid growth and ontogeny. These features, which are characteristic of other arid-occurring otomyines, may allow P. littledalei to maximise reproduction under favourable environmental conditions.Resume. -Parotomys littledalei, rongeur Muride de la sous-famille des Otomyinae, est Tun des trois Otomyines endemiques du biotope aride du sud-ouest de l'Afrique du Sud. Le developpement postnatal et la reproduction de P. littledalei ont ete etudies en laboratoire. Les nouveaux couples formes furent separes par une cloison grillagee pendant deux semaines jusqu'ä ce que les femelles ne soient plus agressives envers les males. La plupart des males ont ete retires avant la parturition quand les femelles commen9aient ä redevenir agressives. Un total de 25 portees ont ete obtenues ä partir de 20 couples. La taille des portees etait de 2.4 en moyenne, la duree de gestation etant de 41 jours, et effort ä la reproduction de 0.98. Le poids moyen des nouveauxnes etait de 12.71 g. Le sevrage se fait rapidement, debutant le 8 c jour pour se tenriiner le 12 c jour. Les premiers accouplements reussis montrent que les femelles atteignent leur maturite sexuelle au bout de 5 semaines et les males au bout de 6 semaines. Parotomys littledalei a des portees plus grandes que les autres Otomyines, les femelles investissant enormement dans leur descendance; les petits naissent bien developpes et ont une croissance et un developpement rapides. Ces traits, qui sont aussi caracteristiques des autres Otomyines vivant en milieu aride pourraient permettre au P. littledalei d'accroitre au maximum sa reproduction dans des conditions environnementales favorables.

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Reproduction and postnatal development in the bush Karoo rat Otomys unisulcatus (Muridae, Otomyinae)

Cited by 13 publications

References 19 publications

Reproduction and postnatal development of the bushveld gerbil Gerbilliscus (formerly Tatera) leucogaster

Reproduction and postnatal development of the bushveld gerbil Gerbilliscus (formerly Tatera) leucogaster

Reproduction and growth in a Neotropical arboreal mouse: Oecomys rutilus (Sigmodontinae: Cricetidae) in French Guiana

Reproduction and postnatal development in Littledale’s whistling rat Parotomys littledalei (Muridae, Otomyinae)

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