The endogenous activity patterns of Africa ’s smallest terrestrial mammal, the pygmy mouse (Mus minutoides)

Canadian Journal of Zoology, e-First Articles. The endogenous rhythmicity of the locomotor activity and subsequent entrainment by light cycles of the pygmy mouse (Mus minutoides A. Smith, 1834) was investigated under laboratory-controlled conditions. Seasonal trapping in the field was used to assess the predominant activity phase in their natural habitat, and determine whether seasonal variation in activity occurs in the field. Mus minutoides were subjected to a series of light cycles starting with a 12 h light (L) : 12 h dark (D) cycle (2 weeks) to determine whether they entrain their activity patterns to light cues, after which they were maintained in constant darkness (3 weeks) and the endogenous rhythm allowed to free run; the tau for each animal ’s endogenous activity rhythm was then calculated. This was followed by another 12 h L : 12 h D cycle (2 weeks) before the cycle was inverted to 12 h D : 12 h L (2 weeks) to assess the rate of re-entrainment. The animals were then exposed to long (16 h L : 8 h D) and short (8 h L : 16 h D) photope riods for a 6-week period under each lighting regime. Changes in foraging behaviour and body mass were recorded throughout the study. Mus minutoides is strictly nocturnal in both the laboratory and the field, it caches food in its nest, and it cannot be trapped during the winter months in this envir onment.
Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology - Category: Zoology Authors: Source Type: research