The Morphological Analysis of Mus domesticus and Mus macedonicus (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Turkey (original) (raw)
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Specimens collected from Veliköprüsü in Thrace (European Turkey), Akçaalan (Abant, Bolu), Akkuş, (Ordu), and Meryemana (Trabzon), which is the type locality of M. majori, were examined according to morphological, external, cranial, bacular, phallic and karyological characters. Specimens from Thrace were included in Microtus subterraneus. Populations of M. subterraneus in Thrace karyologically differ from those in Anatolia, the former having 2n = 52 chromosomes, NFa = 56, NF =60, and the latter 2n = 54 chromosomes, NFa = 56, NF = 60. The karyotype of M. majori at its type locality contains 2n = 54 chromosomes along with NFa = 56 and NF = 60. The tail length, phallus and karyological characters distinguish M. subterraneus from M. majori.
TURKISH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, 2014
Currently, 4 species, Mesocricetus auratus, Mesocricetus raddei, Mesocricetus newtoni, and Mesocricetus brandti of the genus Mesocricetus are accepted as the valid taxa based on karyotype and morphologic features. A potential fifth species, Mesocricetus nigriculus, is under dispute and is currently listed as a subspecies of M. raddei, along with Mesocricetus raddei raddei and Mesocricetus raddei avaricus. UPGMA cluster analyses performed with biometrical measures confirm, only partially, the common separation of Mesocricetus hamsters into a Transcaucasian group with Mesocricetus newtoni, Mesocricetus brandti, and Mesocricetus auratus, and a Ciscaucasian group including the M. raddei subspecies. The status of M. nigriculus could not be resolved by these analyses. Biometric measurements group M. nigriculus and M. auratus together. M. raddei were found to be the most divergent species according to its biometrical characteristics. In addition to this, there are no morphologic or biometric differences in the subspecies level between M. r. raddei and M. r. avaricus; however, the differences among taxa might be explained by the fact that the species inhabits mountainous areas and that body measures and coloration reflect ecological adaptation more than true phylogenetic position. Morphometric data revealed an increasing similarity in M. brandti from the eastern to the western part of its range. M. newtoni proved to be an intermediary between M. auratus and M. brandti.
Turkish Journal of Zoology
We studied, for the first time, the age structure of Eremias strauchi strauchi (Kessler, 1878) from a sample (18 adults) of a population living in the vicinity of Iğdır (eastern Turkey) using the skeletochronological method. The maximum observed longevity was 7 years for males and 5 years for females. The age of males ranged from 4 to 7 years (mean 4.91, n = 12), while that of females ranged from 4 to 5 years (mean 4.66, n = 6). The average snout–vent length (SVL) was 61.10 mm in males and 60.82 mm in females. The differences in mean age and SVL between sexes were not statistically significant. Intersexual differences in body size were male-biased, but this state was not statistically significant. Age and SVL were positively correlated in both sexes.
Sakarya Havzası Kirmir Çayı’nın Bentik Makroomurgasız Faunası Üzerine Organik Kirliğin Etkisi
2008
Kirmir Cayi Turkiye’nin Orta Anadolu Bolgesinin en onemli nehirlerinden biri olan Sakarya Nehri’nin bir koludur. Kirlilik dunya uzerindeki hemen hemen her su kaynagini etkisi altina almistir. Yalnizca Su kaynaklarinin kirlenme yuzdesi farklilidir. Evsel ve gida endustrusu atiklari gibi organik kokenli atiklar aritma yapilmaksizin Kirmir Cayi’na birakilmaktadir. Bu calismada, Kirmir cayinin makroomurgasizlarinin kalitatif ve kantitatif ozellikleri ve mevsimsel dagilimlari incelenmistir. Bu amacla, bir yil sureyle aylik su ve sediment ornekleri almak icin uc farkli istasyon secilmistir. Kirmir Cayi’nin bentik faunasinin 13 hayvan grubundan olustugu saptanmistir. Bunlarin biyomas miktarlari tesbit edilmistir. Gruplarin yuzdeleri, istasyon 1’de %58,32±21.69% Tubificidae, % 17.69±13.82 Physidae, % 14.35±20.85 Chironomidae ve % 9,64 diger; istasyon 2’de % 56.37±33.00 Tubificidae, % 15.79±27.88 Libellulidae, % 9.29±18.44 Physidae, % 18,55 diger; istasyon 3’de % 98.23±4.07 Unionidae, % 1,77...
1. Afshan et al., 2013, Pakistan Journal of Zoology
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) based on the presence of external genitalia has extensively been documented in mammals, which however, poses impediments in the identification of the sex of specimens based on morphometric traits. Recent advances in geometric morphometric (GM) and multivariate analyses can assist to differentiate sexual dimorphism in animals. The present study was based on morphometric measurements taken from adult Norway rats. The results showed that the magnitude of SSD with regards to the shape and size differs among the sexes. Males were consistently larger in all morphometric measurements than females but considerable overlap between the sexes resulted in no single measurement being a useful discriminator of sex. A principal components analysis on a correlation matrix of nine morphometric measurements indicated that the first principal component was a good 'body size' indicator explaining 49% of the variance in the original matrix. The new characters ratios tail length/body length (BL), BL/body weight (BW), length of front foot/width of front foot and length of hind foot/width of hind foot were introduced, which increases the discrimination tendency up to 60%. The results of the study accentuate the need to incorporate GM methods in rodent taxonomy and in the identification of specific features rendering sexual dimorphism in murid rodents.
External morphology of the glans and baculum are important characters for specific delimitation, especially for rodents (Simson et al. 1995). However, for Erethizontidae there are few descriptive works; in fact, for Neotropical porcupines of the genus Coendou there is just one brief contribution for an indeterminate species by Pocock in 1922. In this work, the morphology of the glans and baculum of Coendou quichua is described. The specimen was collected at the municipality of San Vicente de Chucurí, Santander, Colombia. The penis was dissected and fixed in formaldehyde for one day, and later preserved in ethanol. The baculum was extracted and cleared with potassium hydroxide to be visualized, photographed and measured. The glans and baculum were compared with the description of others porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum and Hystrix brachyura) available in literature, and three additional Neotropical caviomorph rodents (Cuniculus paca, Dasyprocta punctata and Cavia tschudii). The glans length is almost twice the glans head width (Table 1) and comprises the third part of the total penis length. The penis presents a tenuous dark coloration on the head and small tegumentary protuberances formed by 3-4 small spines (Figure 1A). As in other hystricomorph rodents, the glans exhibits an invagination at its tip (sacculus urethralis) which has corrugated walls and presents two conspicuous spikes at the bottom (Figure 1C). Furthermore, the baculum is as large as the C. quichua glans, dorsally concave and ventrally convex (Figure 1B). Although the glans and baculum of C. quichua and E. dorsatum are similar, the latter presents larger glans (Table 1), and the sacculus urethralis lacks of corrugated walls and spiny protuberances. When comparing C. quichua and H. brachyura, the only difference is that the bottom of the sacculus ure-thralis, near to the spikes is smooth, without spiny protuberances. In contrast, the glans of three other Neotropical caviomorphs are remarkable different from C. quichua, where they present more complex and densely distributed tegumentary protuberances above the glans. Overall, the baculum is the most varying structure for all species, with marked differences in length and width (Table 1) and the shape of the ends. Although the family Erethizontidae is more closed related to the Cavioidea than to Hystricidae, the glans of individuals of the family Erethizontidae are more similar to the glans of the Hystricidae. In addition, for these species, both glans and baculum present important characters that might be used for taxonomic identification. However, the differences of both structures within Coendou are unknown, therefore it is necessary the description of the genitalia of additional species. La morfología externa del glande y báculo son caracteres importantes para la delimitación de especies, en especial para roedores (Simson et al. 1995). Sin embargo, para Erethizontidae existen pocos trabajos descriptivos; de hecho, para los puercoespines neotropicales del género Coen-dou solo hay una breve contribución publicada por Pocock en 1922. Aquí, se describe la morfología del glande y báculo de Coendou quichua. El espécimen se recolectó en el municipio de San Vicente de Chucurí, Santander, Colombia. El pene fue extraído y se fijó en formaldehido por un día, para después ser preservado en etanol. El báculo se extrajo del glande y se transparentó con hidróxido de potasio para ser visualizado, fotografiado y medido. El glande y báculo fueron comparados con la descripción de otros puercoespines (Erethizon dorsatum e Hystrix brachyura) disponibles en literatura y adicionalmente con tres roedores caviomorfos neotropicales (Cuniculus paca, Dasyprocta punctata y Cavia tschudii). La longitud del glande es cerca de dos veces el ancho de la cabeza del glande (Tabla 1) y comprende la tercera parte de la longitud total del pene. El pene presenta una coloración oscura tenue en la cabeza y protuberancias epiteliales pequeñas formadas por 3-4 espinas (Figure 1A). Al igual que el resto de roedores histricomorfos, el glande presenta una invaginación en la punta (sacculus urethralis) la cual tiene paredes corrugadas y presenta dos púas conspicuas en el fondo (Figure 1C). Por otro lado, el báculo es igual de largo al glande de C. quichua, cóncavo dorsalmente y convexo ventralmente (Figure 1B). Aunque los glandes y báculos de C. quichua y E. dorsatum son similares, el último presenta un glande más grande (Tabla 1) y el sacculus urethralis no tiene las paredes corrugadas y con protuberancias espinosas. Al comparar C. quichua y H. brachyura, la única diferencia es que en el fondo del sacculus urethralis, cerca de las púas, es liso y sin protuberancias espinosas. En contraste, los glandes de los otros tres caviomorfos neotropicales son bastante distintos del de C. quichua, donde los de ellos presentan protuberancias epiteliales más complejas y más densamente distribuidas sobre todo el glande. En general, el báculo es la estructura con mayor variación para todas las especies, con diferencias marcadas en el largo y ancho (Tabla 1) y la forma de cada uno de los extremos. A pesar de que la familia Erethizontidae está más relacionada con Cavioidea que con Hystricidae, el glande de los individuos de la familia Erethizontidae es más similar al glande de Hystricidae. Además, para estas especies, el glande y el báculo presentan importantes caracteres que podrían ser usados en taxonomía. Sin embargo, las dife-rencias dentro de Coendou son desconocidas, por lo cual es necesario la descripción de la genitalia de especies adicionales del género.
Sociedad Colombiana de Mastozoología, 2018
Mammalogy Notes -Notas Mastozoológicas es una revista científica bianual revisada por pares dedicada a la publicación de artículos y notas sobre historia natural de mamíferos. Editada y publicada por la Sociedad Colombiana de Mastozoología, busca llenar el vacío en publicaciones seriadas que publiquen notas breves y observaciones sobre la distribución e historia natural de mamíferos. Notas mastozoológicas recibe manuscritos en inglés y español durante todo el año. Toda contribución debe ser enviada a notas_mastozoologia@gmail.com. A continuación, se indica el formato de las contribuciones. Los contenidos, ideas u opiniones en los artículos o secciones de esta revista son responsabilidad de los autores y no reflejan necesariamente la opinión de Mammalogy Notes ni de la Sociedad Colombiana de Mastozoología. Se permite la reproducción parcial o total de la información aquí publicada, siempre y cuando se nombre la fuente y se utilice sin fines de lucro.