Rodents

We examined hematological parameters in four related sciurid species in the late summer -autumn to assess the role of habitat, elevation, body size, and behavior in shaping these parameters. Red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) and Arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii) were sampled in southwestern Yukon, yellow-pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus) in southern Alberta, and the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in southern Ontario. We obtained whole blood samples from each species and compared glucose levels, red blood cell characteristics (hematocrit, red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration), and white blood cell counts (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils) across species. We found species differences in glucose and red blood cell characteristics that may be a function of activity levels, phylogeny, or elevation, but not of body size, body condition, or adaptations to a semi-fossorial habitat. We also found species differences in white blood cell counts that remain unexplained by any single simple explanation and may be more useful for comparison of individuals within a given species than for interspecies comparisons. D

Here in Hawaii, the only ones in the rat race are mongooses, along with Federal and State officials wanting to kill both rats and mongooses.  However, there is a big flaw in the recent Federal and State proposal for statewide eradication of Hawaii's rodents and mongooses, currently under review.  Here is the argument against eradication.

Climate change is taking place more rapidly and severely in the Arctic than anywhere on the globe, exposing Arctic vertebrates to a host of impacts. Changes in the cryosphere dominate the physical changes that already affect these animals, but increasing air temperatures, changes in precipitation, and ocean acidification will also affect Arctic ecosystems in the future. Adaptation via natural selection is problematic in such a rapidly changing environment. Adjustment via phenotypic plasticity is therefore likely to dominate Arctic vertebrate responses in the short term, and many such adjustments have already been documented. Changes in phenology and range will occur for most species but will only partly mitigate climate change impacts, which are particularly difficult to forecast due to the many interactions within and between trophic levels. Even though Arctic species richness is increasing via immigration from the South, many Arctic vertebrates are expected to become increasingly ...

A meta-analysis approach was used to test for chromosomal speciation in rodents. Forty-one pairs of sister species, identified in the two most species-rich rodent families (Cricetidae and Muridae), were used as phylogenetically independent data points, each resulting from a speciation event. About 30% of sister species have an identical karyotype. There was a significant difference in the number of chromosomal differences between sympatric and allopatric sister species, compatible with a direct role of chromosomal rearrangements in speciation.

rodents take primary share due to their role as pests as well as vectors. They make both qualitative and quantitative losses by feed and egg consumption, losses to the structures, nuisance value causing loss of productivity in the farms. In addition, they transmit dreaded disease like Salmonellosis, Pasteurellosis, Mycoplasmosis, Hemorrhagic enteritis, Hymenolepiasis, Capilariasis, and Ascaridiasis to the birds. A Global level review was made on different rodent species responsible for these losses, the characteristic features of major pests. The procedures involved in inspection of the poultry premises and assessing the rodent infestation were spelled out to facilitate planning the rodent management measures. The available management practices of prevention of these unwanted creatures in to the poultry premises along with curative practices viz., using traps and rodenticides were spelled out.

The taxa of Haplomylomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae) are a subgenus of Peromyscus. It's are widely distributed in northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States, including several islands surrounding the Baja California peninsula (BCP). The taxonomy of Haplomylomys has been studied since the beginning of the 20th century, when the first classifications were proposed based on morphological characters. However, the genealogical relationships between islands taxa within the eremicus group remain poorly understood due to the presence of cryptic taxa. In this work, the goals were to assess the evolutionary history of Haplomylomys and identify the main geological and climatic events that might have affects its phylogeny. I tested the hypothesis that the island taxa of the subgenus Haplomylomys show limited genetic differences with respect to mainland taxa because its recent isolation process has been associated with the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Phylogenetic relationships were analyzed using three mitochondrial gene fragments (Cytb [800 base pairs (bp)], COI [658 bp], and COIII [700 bp]) from 61 individuals, considering both mainland and island populations belong to 11 taxa currently recognized as species, collected through the geographic range of Haplomylomys. As outgroup group the following species were included: Peromyscus maniculatus, P. sejugis, P. boylii, and P. leucopus. Genetic distances were calculated using the Jukes-Cantor and Kimura 2-parameter models of molecular evolution. To determine the best model of evolution of each gene mitochondrial and concatenated data set (2,158 bp), the Akaike information criterion was used. The parameters obtained from two evolutionary models for the phylogenetic approaches were used. For Cytb the model GTR+I+G was used, while for COI and COIII was the model TIM2+I+G. Phylogenetic inferences (Neighbor-Joining, Maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and molecular dating) identified two main clades. The first includes P. californicus; the second, all the species within the eremicus group divided into four clades with strong bootstrap support (> 90%). Phylogenetic analyzes, molecular dating, and the values obtained from measures of genetic distances suggest taxonomic changes at species and subspecies level in three clades identified for island taxa of the eremicus group. Molecular dating analysis indicate that the phylogeny of Haplomylomys is possibly correlated with the formation of the Colorado River, the latest embayment of the Gulf of California during the Neogene, and the LGM; the first two events had an effect at the species level, and the third one at the subspecies level for Haplomylomys taxa.

Different host species harbour parasite faunas that are anywhere from very similar to very different in species composition. A priori, the similarity in the parasite faunas of any two host species should decrease with increases in either the phylogenetic distance, the distinctness of the environments occupied or the geographical distance between these hosts. We tested these predictions using extensive data on the faunas of fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) and gamasid mites (Acari: Parasitiformes) parasitic on rodents across the Palaearctic. For each pair of host species, we computed the similarity in parasite faunas based on both species composition as well as the phylogenetic and/or taxonomic distinctness of parasite species. Phylogenetic distances between hosts were based on patristic distances through a rodent phylogeny, geographic distances were computed from geographic range data, and environmental dissimilarity was measured from the average climatic and vegetation scores of each host range. Using multiple regressions on distance matrices to assess the separate explanatory power of each of the three dependent variables, environmental dissimilarity between the ranges of host species emerged as the best predictor of dissimilarity between parasite faunas, especially for fleas; in the case of mites, phylogenetic distance between host species was also important. A closer look at the data indicates that the flea and mite faunas of two hosts inhabiting different environments are always different, whilst hosts living in similar environments can have either very similar or dissimilar parasite faunas. Additional tests showed that dissimilarity in flea or mite faunas between host geographic ranges was best explained by dissimilarity in vegetation, followed by dissimilarity in climatic conditions. Thus, external environmental factors may play greater roles than commonly thought in the evolution of host-parasite associations.

Ontogenetic variation in venom composition was examined in the Pacific rattlesnakes Crotalus viridis helleri and C. v. oreganus. Venoms were analyzed for protease, phospholipase A2, L-amino acid oxidase, exonuclease and elastinolytic activities, and toxicity toward a native prey (Sceloporus graciosus). Protease activity increased significantly with size; L-amino acid oxidase and exonuclease activities also tended to increase. Phospholipase A2 activity decreased significantly with size, as did venom toxicity. These factors produce a highly toxic venom with low protease activity in juvenile snakes, which facilitates efficient handling of lizards and young rodents. Analysis of gut contents of museum specimens showed that lizards constitute a major fraction of prey taken by juvenile rattlesnakes. Lizards continue to be taken with high frequency until snakes reach approx. 500 mm in total length; above this size, mammals are taken exclusively. As snakes increase in size, they feed on larger mammalian prey, and a functionally different venom is produced. Venom from adult Pacific rattle-snakes is less toxic but has high protease activity, aiding in the digestion of prey in a thermally variable environment.

Discovery of two new species of Myocricetodon genus in the Upper Miocene of Aït Kandoula basin (Morocco). The Aït Kandoula basin is known for its abundance of micromammal fauna. The systematic study of the fauna of two layers of the Afoud section (AF6 and AF5), highlights the presence of two new species: Myocricetodon afoudensis nov. sp. and Myocricetodon jaegeri nov. sp. These two layers are respectively dated at 10.1 and 6.3 Ma by magnetostratigraphic correlation.  2001 Académie des sciences / Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS rodents / Myocricetodon / Miocene / Morocco Résumé -Le bassin d'Aït Kandoula est connu par sa richesse en gisements de faune de micromammifères. L'étude systématique de la faune de deux gisements de la coupe d'Afoud (AF6 et AF5), met en évidence la présence de deux nouvelles espèces : Myocricetodon afoudensis nov. sp. et Myocricetodon jaegeri nov. sp. Ces deux gisements sont respectivement datés de 10,1 et 6,3 Ma par corrélation magnétostratigraphique.  2001 Académie des sciences / Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS rongeurs / Myocricetodon / Miocène / Maroc Abridged version

A survey of ectoparasites was carried out during Eco-Zoonoses Expedition in Bukit Aup Jubilee Park (BAJP), Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo from 5 th to 9 th June 2008. A total of nine individuals comprising two species of rodents were captured. The species of rodents screened for ectoparasites were Sundamys muelleri and Callosciurus notatus. Four genera and six species of ectoparasites were collected, namely, Ixodes granulatus, Ixodes sp., Laelaps sedlaceki, Laelaps nuttalli, Hoplopleura dissicula and Listrophoroides sp. Three species of the ectoparasites are known to have potential health risk. The species were Ixodes granulatus, Laelaps nuttalli and Hoplopleura dissicula. This survey produced the first list of ectoparasites in Bukit Aup Jubilee Park, Sarawak, Malaysia.

A study on seasonal population dynamics of rodents was carried out on Mount Chilalo from August, 2007 to April, 2008. Six habitats, namely grassland, bush land, montane forest, Erica forest, Afroalpine forest and moor land were identified to carry out live and snap trapping during wet and dry seasons in randomly selected grids. Seasonal species distribution, relative abundance and habitat association, weight, sex, age and reproductive status of rodents were studied. From 1,756 individuals captured, 985 (56.1%) and 771 (43.9%) were live trapped during wet and dry seasons, respectively. Species composition for live trapped individuals during wet and dry seasons was 9 and 10, respectively. These are: Arvicanthis abyssinicus, A. blicki, Lophuromys flavopunctatus, L. melanonyx, Mastomys natalensis, Mus mahomet, Otomys typus, Stenocephalemys albipes, S. albocaudata and S. griseicauda. Mus mahomet was trapped only during the dry season. There was no significant seasonal variation in the capture of young and sub-adult, while it is significant among adults with highest during wet season. Although more males than females were trapped during wet season, the sex ratio was not significantly different. The number of reproductively active males and females were higher during the wet than the dry season. The highest trap success (47.1%) was recorded during wet season. Biomass ranged from 9,231 g/ha (moor land habitat) to 55,507 g/ha (grassland habitat). From snap trapped rodents, pregnant females of A. dembeensis, R. rattus and M. mahomet were not obtained. Maximum number of embryo counted was 15 for M. natalensis and the least (2) was for O. typus.

This research provides an overview of the historical advances of the maze tests that are widely used to assess the cognitive impairments in rodents. Particularly, this study focuses on the issue of learning and memory behavioral tests, including dry and water mazes. Several types of mazes have been used in this setting, but their real advantages and applications depend on the type selected by the researcher. We answered some of the basic questions that any interested researcher in such studies may be faced with. The reviewed topics are as follows: the definition of maze learning, the role of the memory in the maze learning, the differences between several types of mazes, and foremost the rationale behind the maze constructions and designs.

Russian knapweed is a perennial weed found in many parts of the world, including southern California. Chronic ingestion of this plant by horses has been reported to cause equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia (ENE), which is associated with a movement disorder simulating Parkinson's disease (PD). Repin, a principal ingredient purified from Russian knapweed, is a sesquiterpene lactone containing an ␣-methylenebutyrolactone moiety and epoxides and is a highly reactive electrophile that can readily undergo conjugation with various biological nucleophiles, such as proteins, DNA, and glutathione (GSH). We show in this study that repin is highly toxic to C57BL/6J mice and Sprague-Dawley rats and acutely induces uncoordinated locomotion associated with postural tremors, hypothermia, and inability to respond to sonic and tactile stimuli. We also show that repin intoxication reduces striatal and hippocampal GSH and increases total striatal dopamine (DA) levels in mice. Striatal microdialysis in rats, however, has demonstrated a significant reduction of extracellular DA levels. These findings, coupled with the absence of any demonstrable change in striatal DOPAC levels, suggest that repin acts by inhibiting DA release, a hypothesis that is further supported by our demonstration that, in cultured PC12 cells, repin inhibits the release of DA without affecting its uptake. We believe, therefore, that inhibition of DA release represents one of the earliest pathogenetic events in ENE, leading eventually to striatal extracellular DA denervation, oxidative stress, and degeneration of nigrostriatal pathways. Since the neurotoxic effects of repin appear to be mediated via oxidative stress, and since repin is a natural product isolated from a plant in our environment that can cause a movement disorder associated with degeneration of nigrostriatal pathways, clarification of the mechanism of repin neurotoxicity may provide new insights into our understanding of the pathogenesis of PD. 1998

The diet composition of the Bam Owl, Tyto alba, was studied in the area of Al-Sareeh in northern Jordan. With over 55Yo of all food items, Meriones tristraml was the predominant prey. A comparison with other diet analyses in the Middle East showed that the Barn Owl is an extremely opportunistic feeder, foraging on a wide spectrum of animals as they become available.

Twenty five, four week old, crossbred rabbits (Dutch X Chinchilla) were used in a 91-day feeding trial to investigate the feed value of sugar cane scrapings meal (SCSM). SCSM was included in the diet at 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5 and 30%. Mean daily feed intake ranged from 52 to55g, mean daily weight gain from10 to 13g, feed conversion from 5.1 to 4.3 and dressing % from 60 to 62. There were no significant differences between treatment means for any of these parameters. Digestibility of dry matter increased to a maximum (65%) at 15% SCSM then decreased at to minimum (55%) at 30%. For all other proximate fractions digestibility was inversely proportional to SCSM level. Inclusion of SCSM in the diet reduced production cost by 7% and increased profit by 18%.

Esta enfermedad, transmitida por roedores silvestres, ha tenido una rápida emergencia en países latinoamericanos como Brasil, Argentina, Paraguay y Chile, considerándose ya una zoonosis panamericana, al ser conocida también en América del Norte. Los

Rodents are the most abundant and diversified order of living mammals in the world. Already since the Middle Ages we know that they can contribute to human disease, as black rats were associated with distribution of plague. However, also in modern times rodents form a threat for public health. In this review article a large number of pathogens that are directly or indirectly transmitted by rodents are described. Moreover, a simplified rodent disease model is discussed.

Arunachal Pradesh is one of the North Eastern States of India bordering PR China. It has rice biomass of bamboo species and their flowering coincide with rodent outbreak. An attempt was made to identify the rodent species of this State and spell out possible management measures to reduce the crop losses.

A chapter in the Book - Rats, Mice and People: Rodent Biology and Management. 2003. ACIAR Monograph No. 96, Canberra, 203-212. Eds: GR Singleton, LA Hinds, CJ Krebs and Spratt, DM. The review was made on problems in Agriculture (crop wise losses, post harvest losses) and Public health (Rodent borne zoonoses) caused by rodents in India, major pest/vector species, existing technical knowhow and the strategies adopted by Government to mitigate those issues. Also given history of rodent outbreaks in the country. Critical suggestions to avoid the problems were also given.

Effective management of pain is critical to the improvement of animal welfare. For this to happen, pain must be recognised and assessed in a variety of contexts. Pain is a complex phenomenon, making reliable, valid, and feasible measurement challenging. The use of facial expressions as a technique to assess pain in non-verbal human patients has been widely utilised for many years. More recently this technique has been developed for use in a number of non-human species: rodents, rabbits, ferrets, cats, sheep, pigs and horses. Facial expression scoring has been demonstrated to provide an effective means of identifying animal pain and in assessing its severity, overcoming some of the limitations of other measures for pain assessment in animals. However, there remain limitations and challenges to the use of facial expression as a welfare assessment tool which must be investigated. This paper reviews current facial expression pain scales ("Grimace Scales"), discussing the general conceptual and methodological issues faced when assessing pain, and highlighting the advantages of using facial expression scales over other pain assessment methods. We provide guidance on how facial expression scales should be developed so as to be valid and reliable, but we also provide guidance on how they should be used in clinical practice.

Urinary-tract disease is relatively common in pet rodents. Diagnostic principles and management regimens for these species are essentially the same as those used for dogs and cats with urinary-tract disease. The most common disorders of the urinary system include urolithiasis in guinea pigs, chronic interstitial nephritis in aged gerbils, amyloidosis and arteriolar nephrosclerosis in hamsters, chronic progressive nephrosis in rats, and neoplasia in both mice and rats. Many of the disorders are more common in geriatric rodents and may present late in the course of the disease. Supportive care for renal failure in all species is similar: dietary restriction of protein and calcium, fluid therapy, unrestricted water, and husbandry changes to accommodate increased urine output. Copyright 9 1998 by W. B. Saunders Company.

Abstract
In this review, information about over 200 species of small mammals, concerning their morphology, taxonomy, and distribution across more than 20 localities, covering the last 4.5 million years, is given. A detailed biostratigraphic scheme is developed which is compared with independent sources of chronology. The quantitative changes in the abundance of taxa in stratigraphic assemblages are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the possibility of distinguishing the role of local landscape peculiarities from those of global climate change. In this context, the paleoecological information provided by the local stratigraphic assemblages is correlated with global paleoclimatic evidence. It was found that during the Pliocene climate was warm and humid; towards the end of the period there was a trend towards aridization; during the Early Pleistocene, although the climate was colder, it retained a relatively high thermal balance and atmospheric humidity and promoted the spreading of meadow parksforests and forests; the progressive climatic continentality during the Middle and especially the Late Pleistocene led to the creation of modern forest vegetation during the interglacial and forest-steppes and steppes during the cold stages; in mountainous landscapes, the variable terrain differentiates the regional climate during the Last Glacial Maximum, with the local climate in protected sites allowing the survival of mesophilic elements. Morphological evolution within families is traced in the light of data from Europe and adjacent areas. The synthesis of these data allows identifying the essential aspects of the history of the fauna. Comparisons between bats and terrestrial micromammals, two groups differing in their dispersal ability, show differences in the way their faunas develop. In bats, the similarity between the Pliocene and the Holocene faunas is considerable. Conversely, in terrestrial micromammals it is low. These differences can be explained by the occurrence of physiographic barriers with W-E orientation (seas, mountain chains, and deserts) in the southern part of Palearctic. These barriers were easily overcome by the bats, so, they were able to survive in southern retreat areas during the cold climatic episodes; upon favorable conditions, they returned again. In contrast, these obstacles significantly hampered the S-N range shifting of terrestrial micromammals. As a result, in the course of the Quaternary, their fauna has undergone a significant gradual change associated with extinctions, expansion of cold-adapted species, and well pronounced morphological evolution in many phyletic lineages. Details of the faunal dynamics of both groups are presented, illustrating these processes.

The vast number of plant secondary metabolites
(PSMs) produced by higher plants has generated many efforts
to exploit their potential for pest control. We performed a
systematic literature search to retrieve relevant publications,
and we evaluated these according to PSM groups to derive
information about the potential for developing plant-derived
rodent repellents.We screened a total of 54 publicationswhere
different compounds or plants were tested regarding rodent
behavior/metabolism. In the search for widely applicable
products, we recommend multi-species systematic screening
of PSMs, especially from the essential oil and terpenoid
group, as laboratory experiments have uniformly shown the
strongest effects across species. Other groups of compounds
might be more suitable for the management of species-specific
or sex-specific issues, as the effects of some compounds on
particular rodent target species or sex might not be present in
non-target species or in both sexes. Although plant metabolites
have potential as a tool for ecologically-based rodent
management, this review demonstrates inconsistent success
across laboratory, enclosure, and field studies, which ultimately
has lead to a small number of currently registered PSMbased
rodent repellents.

Eight species belonging to Muridae and Viverridae family were documented and collected in the three sampling sites: Polomolok, South Cotabato; Upper Biangan, Malungon, Sarangani Province and; K'laja, Conel, General Santos City. Philippines contain unique small non-volant fauna, which can be seen in greater Mindanao, the second largest island of the country, that has not yet been studied that much and still lacks information predominantly on areas like South Cotabato, Sarangani and General Santos City. This study was conducted to determine the different species found in three sampling sites on agricultural landscapes in selected areas of SOCCSKSARGEN. Sampling was done on October – December of 2015 using baited Sherman trap cages that were set through the three sampling sites. Species Rattus everetti was the dominant and most abundant group along the three sites. Species diversity is low as well as endemism; furthermore, there is observed much significant difference in species evenness and species richness. However, the study provides vital information about the current diversity of small non-volant mammals residing on certain parts of SOCCSKSARGEN region.

(In Spanish)
Una sociedad comprometida con la conservación de la biodiversidad debe buscar e implementar fórmulas realistas y eficaces para conseguir objetivos loables como la  gestión de los recursos naturales, la protección estricta de las especies salvajes y la ecuanimidad social, de tal manera que sea la sociedad en su conjunto la que se haga cargo de esta tarea. Estamos convencidos de que esto no sólo es posible, sino que es una tarea factible a la altura de países modernos que presumen de biodiversidad y compromisos con la conservación de la naturaleza. El castor (Castor fiber), por su condición de especie estrictamente protegida en España y por su rol ecológico sin parangón en el mundo animal, es uno de los exponentes y mejores indicadores del compromiso ambiental de nuestra sociedad.
Tres especialistas en la especie han elaborado la primera guía digital de conocimientos sobre los castores en España, con el fin de resaltar su papel fundamental como especie salvaje protegida nativa, clave para los ecosistemas, e ingeniero natural que promueve la restauración de la biodiversidad en zonas húmedas continentales (ríos, lagunas, etc.). Esta guía de índole divulgativo, pretende aportar información contrastable fundamentada en el mejor conocimiento disponible como alternativa a las leyendas y exageraciones que rodean a esta especie, contribuyendo así a divulgar positivamente sobre el papel ecológico de los castores en nuestros ríos y zonas húmedas. Está redactada con un lenguaje sencillo y ameno, cuenta con infografía de calidad, y su objetivo es ofertar una herramienta digital que pueda contribuir a ayudar a los profesionales de la información a la hora de tratar noticias sobre castores y sus hábitats, así como también a la ciudadanía en general, para que amplíe sus conocimientos sobre este animal estrictamente protegido.

A b s t r a c t . Available data on the distribution and karyology of Nannospalax (superspecies leucodon) from the Carpathian Basin are summarized. We argue that four chromosomal forms of the species complex are endemic to the Carpathian Basin and their former and recent distribution based on museum specimens, literature overview and our own observations is mapped. Based on current distribution data, a preliminary extinction risk-assessment is presented for each of these forms. In spite of the current IUCN category applied for the whole superspecies (i.e. "Least Concern"), one of the chromosomal forms is regarded hereby as Vulnerable, one as Endangered, and two as Data Deficient.

More than 3000 mammals were captured and translocated during a rescue operation conducted in French Guiana during the ®lling of a hydroelectric dam, a unique opportunity to gather biological data on many aspects of the Guianan fauna. All animals were identi®ed, anaesthetized, measured, and biological samples (blood, skin biopsies) were collected and preserved. This study presents morphological data on all captured mammals belonging to 40 species of Marsupialia, Xenarthra, Primates, Carnivora, Artiodactyla, Rodentia and Sirenia. Data reported here include weight, shoulder height, head and body, tail, hind foot, head, and ear lengths, and some additional measurements for particular species. Some species were found to be larger than previously reported, which may be attributed to the large sample size, circumstances of data collection or to geographic variations. Such basic data appear to be hardly available on neotropical mammals, and thus provide useful comparative material for further studies.

Se presentan los resultados preliminares de los análisis Zooarqueológicos de roedores procedentes de los sitios Cañada Honda y Río Luján, ubicados en el norte de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Se evalúa su incidencia en la dieta y como potenciales agentes perturbadores del registro. En ambos conjuntos son muy abundantes los restos de roedores aunque existen ciertas diferencias: Myocastor coypus (coipo) es muy importante en los dos. Cavia aperea (cuis) es escaso en Río Luján, pero predomina en Cañada Honda; Ctenomys sp. (tucu-tucu) e Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris (carpincho) son escasos en ambos y Lagostomus maximus (vizcacha) sólo se halló en Cañada Honda. Uno de los objetivos de este trabajo fue evaluar, desde una perspectiva tafonómica, el ingreso de los huesos de roedores al contexto arqueológico, con este fin se analizaron modificaciones en las superficies óseas, fracturas, abundancia taxonómica y anatómica. Podemos proponer que fueron aprovechados M. coypus y L. maximus; C. aperea pudo ser explotado pero sólo en Cañada Honda, pues probablemente ingresó en el registro de Río Luján por cuestiones naturales; la presencia de Ctenomys sp. en ambos conjuntos se debería a causas naturales. H. hydrochaeris plantea una situación particular, pues aunque está ampliamente distribuido en la microregión y pudo haber contribuido con diversos subproductos, es escaso en estos sitios.

Die antike Fabel von der Stadtmaus und der Landmaus handelt von der Ernährung urbaner Eliten: Während der Landmaus eine bescheidene Auswahl regionaler Lebensmittel, v.a. Getreide, Hülsenfrüchte, Trockenobst und Nüsse zur Verfügung stehen, kann die Stadtmaus aus einer großen Vielfalt energiereicher und teils importierter Speisen schöpfen.

Aber besteht dieses Muster mit der Ruralisierung der frühbyzantinischen Städte auf dem Balkan nach dem Niedergang des Villensystems noch weiter? Wie veränderte sich die Ernährung in den Städten, als sich das Landleben zunehmend in die Städte verlagerte? Naturwissenschaftliche Analysen im südserbischen Caričin Grad zeigen auf, welche landwirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten und Tiere in die nur kurz im 6./7. Jh. bestehende Stadt gelangten und welche Ackerbau- und Vorratshaltungsstrategien dort verfolgt wurden.

Zu diesem Zweck wurde das Nordplateau von Caričin Grad, ein radial an die Nordmauer der Acropolis anschließendes Viertel der Oberstadt, geoarchäometrisch, archäozoologisch und archäologisch beprobt. Das beprobte Areal umfasst kleine schlichte Gebäude, Höfe, Straßen und den Getreidespeicher der Stadt.

Die Pflanzenfunde bezeugen eine diversifizierte lokale Land- und Sammelwirtschaft, die vermutlich auf eine hohe Resilienz angelegte Anbausysteme verfolgte. Die Weiterverarbeitung der halb gereinigt in die Stadt gelangten Kulturpflanzen erfolgte in öffentlichen und privaten Bereichen der Stadt, die Lagerung ebenfalls.
Die geoarchäometrischen Untersuchungen belegen Aktivitätszonen: In den Straßen fanden sich Spuren von Pflanzenfresserfäkalien, in den Häusern und im Hof wurden Knochen und tierisches Gewebe eingebracht. Bereiche der Nahrungszubereitung finden sich in den Gebäuden, Abfälle wurden im Hof entsorgt. Das nur kurz seinem eigentlichen Zweck zugeführte und später umgenutzte Horreum diente möglicherweise zeitweise als Stall.
Die Kleinsäugerfauna in den Häusern und dem Horreum ist eine typische Stadtfauna mit hohen Anteilen kommensaler Kulturfolger wie Hausratten und Hausmäusen. In den Straßen fanden sich fast keine Kleinsäugerreste, wohl aber in einem für die Vorratshaltung unzugänglichen Acropolisturm, dessen typische Gewöllefauna einen Einblick von der Kleinsäugerfauna im Umland gibt.

Of the many rodenticides available for rodent management, few provide immediate control on a large scale while also offering a high level of safety to non-target predators and scavengers in the food chain. These are minimum requirements for the control of rodents in broadacre crops and in certain other agricultural situations. The need to meet the combined objectives of high potency and high safety has led to renewed interest in zinc phosphide (ZP) as a suitable active constituent of rodent baits.

In 2006, an inventory of small mammals was conducted on the upper Seli River in central Sierra Leone on the southwestern fringe of the Loma-Man portion of the Guinea Highlands as part of the baseline surveys conducted for the Bumbuna Hydroelectric Project (BHP). We recorded a total of 35 mammal species, including three shrews (Soricomorpha), 19 bats (Chiroptera), 11 rodents (Rodentia), one primate, and one carnivore. New or first well-documented species for Sierra Leone are the shrew Crocidura nigeriae, the bats Myonycteris torquata, Rhinolophus denti knorri, and the rare horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ziama endemic to Upper Guinea. Also reported are two bat specimens apparently representing an undescribed species of Neoromicia related to N. nana. We support the creation of a protected area as an offset for areas lost to the inundation of the BHP reservoir.

El rol de la vizcacha (Lagostomus maximus) en los procesos de formación de los sitios arqueológicos de la llanura Interserrana argentina The role of the vizcacha (Lagostomus maximus) in the formation processes of archaeological sites from the Argentinian interhill plains Resumen El movimiento de sedimentos que generan los mamíferos cavadores constituye uno de los principales procesos de formación que sufren los sitios arqueológicos de la región pampeana. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de un estudio actualista realizado sobre una colonia de vizcachas ubicada en la localidad arqueológica El Trebolar, provincia de Buenos Aires. El objetivo principal fue describir el impacto que estos roedores generan sobre el paisaje, con el fin de identificar su accionar en los sitios arqueológicos de la región. A partir del relevamiento de 21 vizcacheras se pudo establecer que las vizcachas afectan al registro arqueológico de diferentes maneras. Por un lado, su actividad cavadora altera las secuencias estratigráficas y genera asociaciones de materiales de distinta cronología. Por otra parte, las vizcacheras son ocupadas por otros animales, dando lugar a conjuntos faunísticos con alta riqueza taxonómica. Además, estos roedores acarrean a sus madrigueras objetos disponibles localmente. Por último, un alto porcentaje de especímenes óseos presentan surcos que generan las vizcachas para mantener funcionales sus incisivos. En conclusión, las distintas evidencias presentadas permitirían reconocer el accionar de este roedor en el registro fósil, diferenciándolo de otros animales fosoriales que habitan la región pampeana.
The movement of sediments generated by digging animals/burrowing mammals is one of the main formation processes affecting the archaeological sites in the Pampas region. In this article, we present/report the results of an actualistic study conducted on a vizcacha colony, in the archaeological locality El Trebolar, province of Buenos Aires. The main objective was to describe the impact that these rodents generate on the landscape in order to identify their action on the archaeological sites of the region. The analysis of 21 vizcacheras showed that the vizcachas affect the archaeological record in different ways. Firstly, their digging activity alters stratigraphic sequences and generates associations of material of different chronology. Secondly, the vizcacheras are occupied by other animals, producing/giving rise to taxonomically rich faunal assemblages. In addition, these rodents carry locally available objects to their burrows. Finally, a high percentage of bone specimens present/shows grooves generated by vizcachas to keep their incisors functional. In conclusion, evidence would allow recognizing the action of this rodent in the fossil record, distinguishing it from other fossorial animals that inhabit the Pampas region.

Parasitic zoonoses of ferrets, rabbits, rodents, reptiles, pet birds, and nonhuman primates are reviewed. Included in discussion are ectoparasites, Dirofilaria, Toxocara, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Balantidium, Entamoeba histolytica, Hymenolepis, pentastomids, and helminths including those that cause sparganosis. Arthropod vectors found on reptiles which may transmit zoonotic disease are listed. Diagnostic tests and treatment regimens are covered. Copyright 9 1996 by W. B. Saunders Company.

Animal models are useful tools for better understanding the mechanisms underlying neurological deterioration after an ischemic insult as well as subsequent evolution of changes and recovery of functions. In response to the updated requirements for preclinical investigations of stroke to include relevant functional measurement techniques and biomarker endpoints, we here review the state of knowledge on application of some translational electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods, and in particular, electroencephalography monitoring and magnetic resonance imaging in rodent models of ischemic stroke. This may lead to improvement of diagnostic methods and identification of new therapeutic targets, which would considerably advance the translational value of preclinical stroke research.

The Philippines is known for its diverse mammal fauna and its mammal assemblages with high endemism. The study provides information on the species richness, composition and status of rodents across vegetation types and other non-volant mammals in the in Mt. Pinamantawan, Tangkulan range. The mountain remains partly explored due to political instability and other security concerns. Inventory of rodents and other mammals in Mt. Pinamantawan, Tangkulan range documented 9 species distributed to 7 families, and 8 genera. Of these, five are endemic species and one vulnerable species. The mountain being haven to vulnerable and endemic species of rodents and other mammals, threatened by deforestation, habitat loss, primitive trapping and hunting calls for conservation efforts by the stakeholders.

A new species of cricetid rodent, Megacricetodon vandermeuleni sp. nov., is described from the local biozone Db, middle Aragonian, from the Calatayud-Montalbán Basin and Loranca Basin (Spain). The large-sized Megacricetodon is characterized by the elongated anteroconid and anterolophulid on m1 and the robust and swollen cusps. Comparisons with other species of similar size and morphology are discussed. We consider M. bezianensis a valid species, based on the morphological differences with M. gersii. We propose a group of Megacricetodon species with close relationships including M. aff. collongensis, M. bavaricus, M. aff. bavaricus, M. bezianensis, M. lappi, M. aunayi and M. vandermeuleni nov. sp. The new species is of importance for Spanish biostratigraphy and the proposed Megacricetodon group is very useful for European faunal correlations and timing of migration events.

Работа посвящена разработке и апробации метода потоковой видеорегистрации для полевого изучения активности мелких млекопитающих, в первую очередь - мышевидных грызунов (Arvicolinae, включая леммингов), а также симпатрических землероек Sorex sp.