Bone Growth as an Age Criterion in the Cottontail Rabbit

Thomsen, Hans Peter; Mortensen, O. A.

doi:10.2307/3796079

Cited by 21 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…Despite the plethora of work on the determination of age in leporids (Hale, 1949;Hockett, 1999;Kolb, 1992Kolb, , 1994Lechleitner, 1959;Parer and Libke, 1991;Robson, 1993;Smith et al, 1995;Taylor, 1959;Thomsen and Mortensen, 1946), the majority of methods used by biologists are non-osteological, and so are not particularly useful for archaeologists. Some methods, such as thin-sectioning the mandible, are destructive and therefore not desirable with archaeological specimens.…”

Section: Identification Of Agementioning

confidence: 98%

“…As mentioned earlier, examination of the range of ages of rabbits in an assemblage may help to Table 1 Fusion schedule of selected Oryctolagus cuniculus elements (after Habermehl, 1985;Hale, 1949;Myers and Gilbert, 1968;Taylor, 1959;Thomsen and Mortensen, 1946;Tyndale-Biscoe, 1955;Watson and Tyndale-Biscoe, 1953) (Table 1), a significant difference in the distributions of the three indicators of unweaned rabbits presented here and the relative abundance of all unfused elements in the assemblage would suggest that juvenile rabbits were being taken both from the warren and on the landscape. One potential problem with the construction of age profiles using these indicators stems from the potential for under representation of juveniles for reasons unrelated to individual versus mass collecting.…”

Section: Identification Of Agementioning

confidence: 99%

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Prey choice, mass collecting, and the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Jones

2006

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology

119

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Section: Identification Of Agementioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Identification Of Agementioning

confidence: 99%

Prey choice, mass collecting, and the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Jones

2006

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology

119

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“…Examining the condition of epiphyseal cartilage was originally proposed by Thomsen and Mortensen (1946) Carson (1961) found that, within certain limits, squirrels could be placed in three age classes (juvenile, subadult, and adult) based on condition of the epiphyseal cartilage of the radius and ulna. The epiphyseal cartilage had three distinct thicknesses during the longitudinal growth of these bones.…”

Section: Sampling Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maturation and reproduction of northern flying squirrels in Pacific Northwest forests.

Villa¹,

Carey²,

Wilson³

et al. 1999

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Northern flying squirrels are the primary prey of northern spotted owls and are important dispersers of fungal spores in Pacific Northwest forests. Despite the importance of these squirrels in forest ecosystems, information is lacking on life history and methods for determining age and reproductive condition. In the laboratory, we measured epiphyseal notch, femur length, rostrum length, least interorbital breadth, rump pelage length and color, and tail width of dead squirrels. We analyzed weight, pelage color, and reproduction for field-collected data from live squirrels. We also described age-class differences in facial features and tail size and shape in the Puget Trough. A birth-year-based age-class system had several advantages over the traditional juvenile-subadult-adult class system. Three age classes can be distinguished in the field, each with varying degrees of accuracy. Reproduction of northern flying squirrels can be reliably determined in live-trapping studies. Enlargement, turgidity, and redness of genitalia are detectable signs of reproductive activity, whereas reduction, flaccidity, and paleness signal inactivity for both males and females. Nipple length is the best indicator for distinguishing sexual maturity of inactive females. The most effective way to avoid mistakes and ambiguity about age and reproductive status in the field is to take descriptive notes. Maturation and reproductive patterns were similar among the Puget Trough, Olympic Peninsula, and northern Cascade studies in Washington. Squirrels in the Coast Range of Oregon, however, displayed different patterns. Regional populations differed in proportion of females reproductively active, the reproductive maturity of yearling females, and survivorship across age classes. Regional variations suggest accurate assessment of age and reproduction is a prerequisite for understanding flying squirrel ecology.Keywords: Northern flying squirrel, maturation, reproductive biology, Oregon, Washington, live-trapping, necropsy. AbstractThere has been substantial research on old-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) forests and wildlife that depend on them (Ruggiero and others 1991). Northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus [Shaw 1801]) have been of particular interest because they seem to be keystone species in late-seral forests-a main prey of strigids and mustelids on one trophic level, and a consumer and disseminator of fungal spores on another. Through its mission to develop forest management practices that steward biodiversity, the Ecological Foundations of Biodiversity Research Team has focused research on the relation between northern flying squirrels and forest health.Despite the importance of northern flying squirrels in Pacific Northwest forest ecosystems, information is lacking on life history and methods for determining age and reproductive condition. We began studying flying squirrel populations in 1985 in Douglas-fir forests of the Coast Ranges physiographic province in southwestern Oregon (Franklin and Dyrness 19...

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“…and epiphyseal closure (Thomsen and Mortensen 1946) and two age categories were established as follows.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction of Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) in southern Saskatchewan

Dh¹

1972

Can. J. Zool.

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Adult Richardson's ground squirrels (n = 238) were collected near Regina, Saskatchewan in April and May of 1969 and 1970. The adult sex ratio (males: females) of collected animals was 1:3.3 compared with a juvenile sex ratio of 1:1 obtained by live trapping in 1967and 1968. The breeding season extended from 3 to 28 April but 77.8% of all conceptions occurred between 7 and 16 April. All yearlings seemed to be sexually mature and the mean litter size for all females baaed on living embryos was 6.93 ± 0.18. Mortality of embryos was 6.83%. Yearlings were smaller than adults but mean litter sizes of yearlings and adults did not differ. Ground squirrels collected from cropland had a significantly larger mean litter size, were somewhat heavier, and had significantly longer humeri than those from native grassland.

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Bone Growth as an Age Criterion in the Cottontail Rabbit

Cited by 21 publications

References 0 publications

Prey choice, mass collecting, and the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Prey choice, mass collecting, and the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Maturation and reproduction of northern flying squirrels in Pacific Northwest forests.

Reproduction of Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) in southern Saskatchewan

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