Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://hdl.handle.net/2440/5347
Citations | ||
Scopus | Web of ScienceĀ® | Altmetric |
---|---|---|
?
|
?
|
Type: | Journal article |
Title: | Body mass, age and sexual maturity in short-beaked echidnas, Tachyglossus aculeatus |
Author: | Rismiller, P. McKelvey, M. |
Citation: | Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular and Integrative Physiology, 2003; 136(4):851-865 |
Publisher: | Elsevier Science Inc |
Issue Date: | 2003 |
ISSN: | 1095-6433 1531-4332 |
Abstract: | During the course of this 12 year field study body masses of 11 hatchling echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus multiaculeatus) and 25 pouch young between the ages of 5 and 60 days were recorded. Body mass increased from 0.3 to approximately 50 g in the first half of pouch life. It then quadrupled before young were placed in a burrow at 45 to 55 days of age. There was a positive correlation between the body mass of the female and that of her young at weaning. From 33 subadult echidnas located, tagged and radio tracked during this study, body masses of 10 were monitored to sexual maturity, i.e. when first encountered in a courtship train. Minimum age of sexual maturity ranged between 5 and 12 years. As subadults, there was no difference between mean body masses of males and females. At sexual maturity, mean body mass of females was significantly higher. No correlation was found between age at sexual maturity and body mass nor was there a significant difference in age of males and females at sexual maturity. |
Keywords: | Animals Sex Factors Body Composition Sexual Maturation Time Factors Female Male Tachyglossidae |
DOI: | 10.1016/S1095-6433(03)00225-3 |
Published version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1095-6433(03)00225-3 |
Appears in Collections: | Anatomical Sciences publications Aurora harvest 5 |
Files in This Item:
There are no files associated with this item.
Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.