Physical state of mother at the period of pregnancy and sexual maturation of descendants-sons of the water vole (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arvicola terrestris</Emphasis> L.) |
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Authors: | G G Nazarova V I Evsikov |
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Institution: | (1) Conservation Ecology Research Team (CERTS), Institute of Environmental Sustainability, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK;(2) Countryside Council for Wales, Llys Tawe, King’s Road, Swansea, SA1 8PG, UK; |
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Abstract: | The role of characteristics of the maternal medium (the mother’s physical state at periods of pregnancy and lactation, calendar
terms of birth, the number of pups, and the ratio of sexes in the litter) has been elucidated in regulation of growth and
the sexual maturation of the water vole male pups. The anogenital distance was used as an indirect supravital evaluation of
the mass of testicles. The physical state of females was estimated by a change of the body mass at the period of pregnancy
or lactation with aid of parameters characterizing deviation of the female body mass after the end of each reproductive cycle
stage from the calculated value found from the empirical regression equation. Sons of the females whose body mass increment
for the period of pregnancy exceeded the expected value or was equal to it were growing faster. Results of regression analysis
have shown that the anogenital distance in the 19-week old males is dependent statistically significantly only on the physical
state of the mother at the period of their embryonic development. |
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Keywords: | |
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