scholarly journals Biological characteristics, feeding and structure of tunnels of the greater mole-rat (Spalax microphthalmus) in the area of the regional landscape park “Velikoburlutskyi Steppe”

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Length ◽  
The Body ◽  
Couch Grass ◽  
Foot Length ◽  
Mole Rat ◽  
Longitudinal Strip ◽  
Hind Foot ◽  
Regional Landscape ◽  
Burrow Structure

New data on the greater mole-rat’s biology in the territory of the Regional landscape park «Velikoburlutskyi steppe” (Kharkiv region, Ukraine) concerning nutrition, burrow structure and social structure are presented. The greater mole-rat has only one litter consisting of 1–3 pups during the year. Contrary to the prevailing general opinion that mole-rats lead solitary way of life we have found cohabitation of a female, a male and their young of the current year at three of the seven areas of our study. Young mole-rats settle in a new place at the end of June – early July. They can be found above ground often at this time. In the greater mole-rat population from the Regional Park “Velikoburlutskyi steppe” males are characterized by the body length of 220–260 mm, by hind foot length of 27–30 mm, by the body weight of 219–520 g. For adult females the average body length is 200–250 mm, the hind foot length is about 26–30 mm, the body weight ranges from 284 to 409.6 g. Many greater mole-rat specimens on the forehead or occiput have an individual light spot (yellowish-white) or a white longitudinal strip by which we can identify individuals at repeated catching. Eating the underground parts of plants, the mole-rat makes very long tunnels conducting by them horizontally and closely to the surface and throwing along them the large piles of soil (up to 0.5 m in diameter). Soil emissions marking feeding tunnels had a base diameter of up to 50–60 cm. In the nest part of the hole the number of habitable chambers and chambers for stocks can be up to 10, and they are located at the depth of 3.5 m. Digging activity of the mole-rat grows in late March – early April and in the autumn at the end of September – early October. We have repeatedly noted the appearance of emissions in the winter during the thaw. Mole-rats harm the agriculture with their digging activity (damage cultivated areas, digging under the plants and so on); in addition, mole-rats sometimes directly eat potato tubers, onion and other root vegetables. The total weight of one mole-rat stock can reach 16 kg. In one of burrows excavated by us near the vegetable gardens of locals in Nesterivka village of Velikoburlukskyi district in Kharkiv region we found 8 kg of potatoes, 4 kg of carrots, 3 kg of greater burdock roots, 0.6 kg of couch grass roots.

Somatic characteristics and reproduction potential of snow vole and Tatra vole (Rodentia) in Slovakia

Biologia ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Baláž ◽  
Michal Ambros
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Length ◽  
Reproductive Potential ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
The Body ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Foot Length ◽  
Chionomys Nivalis ◽  
Reproduction Season ◽  
Hind Foot

AbstractSomatic features (morphometric or meristic features, i.e., body weight, length of body, tail, hind foot and ear) and reproduction characteristics (number of embryos in uterus, reproduction potential, duration of reproduction season) are the basic attributes of the biology of a species. In the present paper, biometry of somatic characteristics and reproduction potential of two mountain vole species, the Tatra vole (Microtus tatricus) and the snow vole (Chionomys nivalis) which originate from various sites of Slovakia, were investigated. Among somatic features, the body length, tail length, hind foot length, length of ear and body weight were assessed. The highest variability was found in body length and the lowest one in the hind foot length. These characteristics were evaluated separately for sub-adult and adult individuals, and males and females. Values of somatic features and body weight of both species are larger in males than in females. Throughout the life of these rodents, the ratio between the length of tail and length of body does not vary considerably. The reproductive potential of the two species is, compared to other small mammals, very low and the length of reproductive season is shorter in the extreme conditions of the mountain environment. Thanks to a sufficient data set, it was possible to evaluate the influence of altitude on somatic features as well as on reproduction potential of M. tatricus and it was found that the average values of somatic features and body weight increased with increasing altitude.

Growth and development of Rattus lutreolus (Rodentia : Muridae) in the laboratory

1979 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 945 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJ Fox
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Length ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Body Measurements ◽  
Breeding Colony ◽  
Reproductive Maturity ◽  
Stages Of Growth ◽  
Hind Foot ◽  
Developmental Features ◽  
Laboratory Breeding

A laboratory breeding colony of R. l. lutreolus was used to obtain data on the growth in the length of head, hind foot, tail, head and body, and body weight during the first 130 days of life. The development of external body features was compared to that known for other Australian Rattus. The young are blind and naked at birth and are not fully furred until 13 days. Incisors are visible at day 8 (5-11) and erupt about day 12 (8-15) with the eyes opening at 17 days (15-18). Independence was achieved at about 25 days (23-30) with the first signs of reproductive maturity at about 60-70 days. Five stages of growth can be related to developmental features from teeth eruption to puberty and reproductive maturity. The onset of hearing (14-15) days appear to be as important in development as does the opening of the eyes. Body measurements show sigmoid relationships to a linear equivalence of weight (W*0.33), except for head and body length which is linear. R. l. lutreolus belongs to the fast-growing group in Australian murids. Measurements from laboratory-bred animals are in agreement with those for field animals, with head and body length the best single parameter for obtaining approximate ages.

scholarly journals Foot Length as a Predictor of Weight in Children up to Five Years

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
Md Shameem ◽  
Nazneen Akhter Banu ◽  
ANM Nurul Haque Bhuiyan ◽  
Ariful Islam
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Linear Regression ◽  
Regression Line ◽  
The Body ◽  
Critically Ill Children ◽  
Linear Regression Line ◽  
Foot Length ◽  
Measured Weight ◽  
Variable Weight

Weight measurement is essential for the management of pediatric patients to calculate the dose of the drugs. But it is not possible to move the child to a weighing scale for determination of body weight when the child is in a critical condition. The purpose of this study was to check if foot length correlates with child’s body weight in our situation and to devise a formula for prediction of weight based on foot– length observed. This Cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Pediatrics, Sir Salimullah Medical College, Mitford hospital, Dhaka over a period of 12 months between January 2008 and December 2008. A total of 300 children, between 0 day to five years, meeting the predefined eligibility criteria were included in the study. Using the available data, simple linear regression analysis was performed between the dependent variable weight and independent variable foot length. The estimated linear regression line was: Predicted weight (kg) = a+ [b× foot length]. Data were analyzed using correlation coefficient (r) between foot length and children’s weight. In this study correlation between foot length and weight (r) was 0.92(P<0.001) indicating a perfect linear relationship between them. In the present study determination of correlation (r2) was 0.85 meaning that 85% of the variability in weight might be explained by variation in foot length. The estimated linear regression line was: Predicted weight (kg) = - 4.64 + [1.12 X foot length], where- 4.64 was the intercept and 1.12 was the slope of the regression line. Comparison between measured weight and predicted weight revealed that94% of variation between measured weight and predicted weight was within ±2kg. More than half of the cases (58.3%) the above-mentioned variations were within ±1kg.  This study concluded, there was a strong correlation between foot length and weight in children up to five years. The body weight in children from 0 days up to the age of 5 years can be predicted from foot length. Prediction of weight simply by foot-length measurement could be a great help to the health care provider including doctors and health workers for drug dose calculation in critically ill children. TAJ 2018; 31(2): 39-44

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

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
François Catzeflis
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
French Guiana ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Crystalline Lens ◽  
Postnatal Growth ◽  
Morphometric Measurements ◽  
Daily Growth ◽  
Foot Length ◽  
Average Litter Size ◽  
Hind Foot

Abstract: 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.

scholarly journals Are there sex differences in the body size of the Eurasian red squirrel in Slovakia?

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Čanády ◽  
Ladislav Mošanský ◽  
Peter Krišovský
Keyword(s):  
Function Analysis ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
The Body ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Sexual Interaction ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Foot Length ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Hind Foot ◽  
Males And Females

Abstract Sexual dimorphism of the Eurasian red squirrel on five somatic variables (head-and-body length, tail length, hind foot length, ear length and body weight) was evaluated on 55 squirrels. The overlap of values of the measured traits among sexes was high, but in all traits (with exception of the tail length) males seem to exhibit slightly higher mean values than females. However, these differences were non-significant, with the exception of a small significant difference in the tail length and tail-to-head-and-body ratio. Similarly, the results of discriminant function analysis show no differences between the sexes. Positive correlation analyses, together with PCA values, confirmed that tail length and hind foot length are traits that play a significant role in overall variability. We suggest that this relationship could explain their mutual importance in locomotion, where the feet are essential for movement in the trees. By contrast, the tail maintains balance on thin branches, or during jumps from one crown to another. Longer tails also demonstrate differential selection on males and females for a locomotor trait. Similarly, we discuss whether variations in tail length were connected to female reproductive success. Our results suggest that the non-significant results regarding SSD provide the benefit of the same size for both sexes in the protection of territory as well as inter- and intra-sexual interaction.

Body size, sexual dimorphism, and seasonal mass fluctuations in a larger sika deer subspecies, the Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis Heude, 1884)

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 154-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masatsugu Suzuki ◽  
Manabu Onuma ◽  
Mayumi Yokoyama ◽  
Koich Kaji ◽  
Masami Yamanaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Body Length ◽  
Sika Deer ◽  
Cervus Nippon ◽  
Total Body Mass ◽  
Foot Length ◽  
Hind Foot ◽  
Total Body ◽  
Cervus Nippon Yesoensis

Measurements of shoulder height, body length, hind-foot length, and total body mass were collected from 309 Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis Heude, 1884) (115 males and 194 females) and analyzed statistically for sexual dimorphism and seasonal body mass fluctuations. The von Bertalanffy equation was fitted to the growth curves that resulted. Asymptotic shoulder height, body length, and hind-foot length were 106.2, 112.6, and 52.9 cm in males and 94.8, 103.9, and 49.4 cm in females, respectively. Total body mass showed distinct seasonal fluctuations, ranging between 102.8 and 151.0 kg in adult males and 68.0 and 99.8 kg in adult females. Male/female ratios in shoulder height, body length, hind-foot length, and total mass were 1.12, 1.08, 1.07, and 1.51, respectively. These results indicate that the Hokkaido sika deer is one of the largest subspecies, at least in skeleton size. A larger body and longer hind foot would seem to be evolutionary adaptations to Hokkaido's cold, snowy environment.

scholarly journals Morphometrics and genetic diversity of Tegal, Magelang and their crossbred ducks based on Cytochrome b gene

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
H. Henrik ◽  
D. Purwantini ◽  
I. Ismoyowati
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Genetic Distance ◽  
Cytochrome B ◽  
Body Length ◽  
The Body ◽  
Chest Circumference ◽  
Neck Length ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Cyt B Gene

This experiment was conducted to study the morphometric and genetic diversity of Tegal, Magelang, and their crossbred ducks. Each ten female about twenty weeks old ducks from Tegal, Magelang, Gallang, and Maggal ducks, respectively, were used as the group materialss. The body weight, chest circumference, body length, shank length, neck length, and pubis width were recorded and tested by analysis of variance of one way classification as the morphometric characteristics. Polymorphism of cytochrome b (cyt b) gene on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was analyzed by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Genetic distance was analyzed based on value of heterozygosity, whereas the phylogeny tree was reconstructed using MEGA6 software. The results showed there were highly significant difference (P<0.01) on body weight, chest circumference, body length, and neck length between population, while shank and pubis width were not significant different. The genetic distance between Gallang and Maggal ducks (0.206) was higher than Tegal and Magelang ducks (0.169). It is concluded that the reciprocal crosses increased the morphometric and genetic diversity of Indonesian local duck population.

Morphometric differentiation of Moroccan indigenous Draa goat based on multivariate analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 81-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ibnelbachyr ◽  
I. Boujenane ◽  
A. Chikhi
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Length ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Group Method ◽  
Morphometric Traits ◽  
Mahalanobis Distances ◽  
Live Body Weight ◽  
Improvement Programs

SummaryThe Moroccan goat livestock is characterized by the existence of different phenotypes distributed among diverse geographic locations. The objective of this study was to analyse the morphometric traits that differentiate the Draa breed from the other local populations raised in areas close to its cradle zone. Eight morphometric measurements were taken on 287 goats in South-eastern and Southern Morocco. The variance analysis, fitting a model that included the random effect of animal and the fixed effects of population, gender and age of animal, was used. Mahalanobis distances were calculated between identified populations and an Unweighted Pairs Group Method Analysis tree was built. Draa goats had the highest height at withers (61.5 cm), heart girth (74.4 cm), body length (64.6 cm) and live body weight (27.2 kg). These morphometric traits varied significantly among populations as well as the age and the gender of animal. The most discriminating traits between the identified populations were the body length, the heart girth, the hair length, the horn length, the ear length and the live body weight. Draa animals had the largest genetic distances from the other populations and appeared more distinguished from them. This differentiation can contribute in defining the phenotypic standard of the breed and in orienting its genetic improvement programs in the future.

Prediction of body weights of Nellore sheep under field condition

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Rani ◽  
B. Ekambaram ◽  
B. Punya Kumari
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Length ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The Body ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Body Weights ◽  
Chest Girth ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Nellore Sheep

Data on 1350 Nellore sheep of 2, 4, 6 and 8-teeth age, reared under field conditions in 12 mandals of Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh were utilized for development of prediction equations and study the phenotypic association among body measurements and body weights. The coefficients of correlation between body weight with the height at withers, chest girth, paunch girth, hip width and body length were positive and high in magnitude in both males and females in majority of the age groups studied. Step-down regression equations were fitted to predict the body weight based on biometrical measurements at different ages. The height at withers, chest girth, paunch girth, hip width and body length have contributed significantly to the expression of body weights at the majority of the ages studied. High coefficient of determination (R2) value was observed in males at 6 and 8-teeth age as 88 per cent, while in females 50 per cent at 2-teeth age.

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