Common yellow-toothed cavy
| Common yellow-toothed cavy | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Caviidae |
| Genus: | Galea |
| Species: | G. musteloides
|
| Binomial name | |
| Galea musteloides Meyen, 1832
| |
The common yellow-toothed cavy (Galea musteloides) is a species of rodent in the family Caviidae, closely related to the domesticated guinea pig.[2] It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. It's karyotype has 2n = 68 and FN = 136.[2] G. musteloides is the most common and widely found member of Galea, and is present at elevations ranging from 20 to 5000 m above sea level.[1] It has yellow teeth.
A recent study reveals there are five subspecies of G. musteloides: boliviensis, demissa, leucoblephara, littoralis and musteloides. These are recognized on the basis of pelage coloration, size and shape of skull, auditory bullae size and tooth shape. The species is found within a range from southern Peru to central Argentina.[3] Evidence is mounting that the lowland form of G. musteloides is an independent species and should be called G. leucoblephara". [4]It is a “diurnal herbivore of squirrel size that lives in groups and occupies open habitat” [5]
Female and male common yellow-toothed cavies average 37.6 g and 36.4 g at birth, respectively. G. musteloides reproduces for the first time at one to three months of age; the minimum age needed to reproduce is twenty-eight days. Gestation lasts fifty-three days and lactation for three weeks. Litter size averages 2.7.[6]
In Peru, Galea sometimes associates Ctenomys; the common name for rodents of this genus is tuco-tuco. According to Sanborn and Pearson, Galea use tuco-tuco burrows and seeks in response to tuco-tuco alarm calls. [6] Galea uses their burrows and as they seek cover they respond to the alarm calls of Ctenomys. G. musteloides is mostly found in moist areas such as stream edges and croplands.[7]
G. musteloides do not engage in parental activities at once. They are aggressive to their male offspring but not to female descendants. So, it is obviously observed that young adults experience violence from adults, who are the same sex. There is interesting information about nurturing of female adults to their offspring. Female adult lactate and nurse their offspring of other females. Females other than their mother nurture a number of the fetus. It does not mean that the mother does not care for their own babies but they differentiate their babies from others when they treat them. They love more their pups.[8]
Galea musteloides is a major species within Galea group and it is interesting to see how this species socially associated to each other. G. musteloides interacts intimately with other males and females in large groups. The mating mechanism is very interesting observed in the laboratory. G. musteloides established obviously linear dominance hierarchies. Aggressive behavior is almost every time detected between the individuals of the same sex and the opposite. Their mating method is very promiscuous because females have intercourse with various males as their estrus is more than 17 times (in 7 different groups, in 13 individual females). Because the dominant males in the hierarchies failed guarding subordinates, while estrus, a number of males can approach to any females. Hence, a female starts to run around without notice, stops unexpectedly, and restarts again; then, she can attract the attention of many males.[9]
As G. musteloides is promiscuous, while studying of diversity of mating systems, it allows people to compare it to other species abundantly. If a male has larger testis size than other organs or body size, it is more likely to be sexually active and to be more promiscuous.[10]
References
- ^ a b Template:IUCN2008
- ^ a b Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1554. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ Dunnum, Jonathan, L. (2010). "Phylogeny, evolution, and systematics of the Galea musteloides complex (Rodentia: Caviidae)". Journal of Mammalogy. 91 (1): 243–259. doi:10.1644/08-MAMM-A-214R1.1.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ ADRIAN, O., & SACHSER, N. (2011). Diversity of social and mating systems in cavies: a review.Journal Of Mammalogy, 92(1), 39-53. doi:10.1644/09-MAMM-S-405.1
- ^ Kunkele. J., & Hoeck H.H. (1995). Communal suckling in the Cavy Galea musteloides. Springer Link. Doi:10.1007/BF00170585. Retrieved from: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00170585
- ^ a b Eisenberg, J. F., & Redford, K. H. (1999). Mammals of the Neotropics: The Central Neotropics (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil). Chicago: University of Chicago press.
- ^ DUNNUM, J. L., & SALAZAR-BRAVO, J. (2010). Phylogeny, evolution, and systematics of the Galea musteloides complex (Rodentia: Caviidae).Journal Of Mammalogy, 91(1), 243-259. doi:10.1644/08-MAMM-A-214R1.1
- ^ ADRIAN, O., & SACHSER, N. (2011). Diversity of social and mating systems in cavies: a review.Journal Of Mammalogy, 92(1), 39-53. doi:10.1644/09-MAMM-S-405.1
- ^ Sachser, N., Schwarz-Weig, E., Keil, A., & Epplen, J. T. (1999). BEHAVIOURAL STRATEGIES, TESTIS SIZE, AND REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN TWO CAVIOMORPH RODENTS WITH DIFFERENT MATING SYSTEMS. Behaviour, 136(9), 1203-1217.
- ^ HAYES, L. D., BURGER, J., SOTO-GAMBOA, M., SOBRERO, R., & AEBENSPERGER, L. (2011). Towards an integrative model of sociality in caviomorph rodents. Journal Of Mammalogy,92(1), 65-77. doi:10.1644/10-MAMM-S-039.1