帚尾豪猪活动节律及其与月光周期的相关性

2012年10月至2013年4月,在西藏墨脱县雅鲁藏布江河谷海拔1 200 m附近的山地亚热带常绿阔叶林生境中,使用固定红外相机拍摄的方法,对帚尾豪猪(Atherurus macrourus)的活动情况进行记录。将记录到帚尾豪猪在每月每日各时间段的出现频次与月光周期相对应,计算帚尾豪猪的夜行性指数、活动模式和相对丰富度指数,分析帚尾豪猪的活动节律与月光周期的相关性。结果显示,帚尾豪猪为典型的夜行性动物,其活动模式为单峰型,每天的活动高峰为21:00~0:00时。帚尾豪猪的活动节律与月光周期存在相关性(R2=0.897):新月期和残月期活动较频繁,在活动不频繁的满月期显现晨昏活动趋向;上弦月期仅在上半夜(20:00~1:00时)活动,下弦月期仅在下半夜(1:00~6:00时)活动。帚尾豪猪强烈回避月光,或许是为了降低捕食风险。

The Activity Rhythm of the Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine Atherurus macrourus and Its Correlation with the Phases of the Moon

During October 2012 and April 2013, we recorded the activities of the Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine, Atherurus macrourus in the subtropical upland evergreen broad-leaved forest (elevation at c. 1200m) of Yalu Tsangpo valley, Medog, Tibet, by using camera traps. Matching the occurrence of the Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine in each month and day with the moon period, we are aimed to discuss the correlation between the activity rhythm of the Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine and the phases of the moon. The results indicated that Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine was typically nocturnal with a single activity peak during 21:00 and 0:00. The activity rhythm of the Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine appeared to have a correlation with the phases of the moon (R2=0.8971): frequent occurrence were recorded at the new moon and waning crescent moon, while rare occurrence were at the full moon, and the occurrence during this period mostly concentrated on dawn and dusk; the occurrence were only recorded in in 20:00-1:00 at the waxing moon and 1:00-6:00 at the waning moon. The obvious avoidance of the Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine to the moonlight may bring about a low risk of predation, which is in accordance with the previous studies on other nocturnal rodents.