Seasonal adaptation of dwarf hamsters (Genus Phodopus): differences between species and their geographic origin

Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology
D MüllerDietmar Weinert

Abstract

The genus Phodopus consists of three species--P. campbelli (Pc), P. sungorus (Ps), and P. roborovskii (Pr). They inhabit steppes, semi-deserts, and deserts in continental Asia with a climate changing from a moderate to a hard Continental one with extreme daily and seasonal variations. These different environmental challenges are likely to have consequences for hamsters' morphology, physiology, and behavior. Hamsters of all three species were investigated during the course of the year in the laboratory though using natural lighting and temperature conditions. Motor activity and body temperature were measured continuously, and body mass, testes size, and fur coloration every 1-2 weeks. With regard to the pattern of activity, nearly twice as many Pc as Ps hamsters (25 vs. 14%) failed to respond to changes of photoperiod, whereas all Pr hamsters did. Body mass and testes size were high in summer and low in winter, with the biggest relative change in Ps and the lowest in Pr hamsters. Changes of fur coloration were found in Ps hamsters only. All responding animals (that is excluding Pr), exhibited regular torpor bouts during the short winter days. In autumn, seasonal changes started considerably earlier in Ps hamsters. To investigate...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 25, 2016·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·Qing-Sheng ChiDe-Hua Wang
May 22, 2016·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Fritz GeiserThomas Ruf

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