Moderate water restriction differentially constrains reproduction in two species of dwarf hamster (Phodopus)

Abstract

The dwarf hamsters Phodopus campbelli and P. sungorus are found in semi-arid areas of Siberia and northern Mongolia, but habitat and diet differences suggest species differences in water regulatory efficiency. These differences were investigated by examining the effect of moderate water restriction (50% of ad libitum consumption) on solitary dams and on their reproductive success. In response to water restriction, P. sungorus dams lost less body mass than P. campbelli dams, and despite similar litter sizes, P. sungorus produced heavier litters and pups than P. campbelli, indicating that P. sungorus pups were larger. These results suggest that P. sungorus is more tolerant of water restriction than P. campbelli. In a second experiment the possibility that paternal care may mitigate the effects of water restriction was examined by leaving the mated pair together throughout lactation. Pairing reduced mass loss by P. campbelli dams and increased the proportion of large P. campbelli pups at weaning, but had no effect on these measures in P. sungorus, eliminating interspecific differences in responses to water restriction. Results suggest that biparental care may be a facultative response to environmental stress in P. campbelli.

Urinary volatile compounds differ across reproductive phenotypes and following aggression in male Siberian hamsters

“…These data suggest that ventral gland signaling is used more during periods of reproductive quiescence [25], whereas urinary signaling may be used more so during periods of reproductive activity [21]. During the breeding season, hamsters survive with little rainfall therefore produce highly concentrated urine [27,28]. This corroborates high concentrations of urinary compounds that have previously been reported in laboratory derived male hamsters; females have low levels when compared to males [29].…”

Diet salinity and vasopressin as reproduction modulators in the desert-dwelling golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus)

“…[19,37] for Acomys, and Refs. [19,32,39] for other species). It is therefore possible that the observed alterations in reproductive parameters found in this study were not caused directly by the increased blood osmolality but resulted from decreased body mass, which has previously been correlated with fecundity [3,20].…”

The Effects of Peptides on Partner Preference Formation Are Predicted by Habitat in Prairie Voles

“…California mice inhabit chaparral, which undergoes significant dry periods. Djungarian hamsters are found in very harsh, dry, and cold environments and it has been argued that biparental care helps reduce water loss (Scribner and Wynne-Edwards, 1994). Further, the closely related Siberian dwarf hamster (P. sungorus), which inhabits a wetter environment with predictable rainfall, is not monogamous.…”