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Biology of the Rice Rat (Oryzomys palustris natator) in a Laboratory Environment
Author(s) -
Park A. Wallace,
NowosielskiSlepowron B. J. A.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
anatomia, histologia, embryologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.34
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1439-0264
pISSN - 0340-2096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0264.1974.tb00766.x
Subject(s) - biology , weaning , body weight , sexual maturity , zoology , physiology , ecology , endocrinology
Summary The pattern of body growth ranging from weaning to old age has been examined by means of parameters of weight and head‐body length from 370 rice rats. The differences between the sexes were found to emerge after 20 days until clear demarkation existed in both weight and length by 30 days. Weight was found to have a greater rate of increase relative to length. The males were found to continue to increase weight until 20 months old while length had ceased by 16 months. The females were found to increase weight and length until 14 and 12 months respectively. Since the onset of maturity, both sexual and in body, begins earlier in the female than the male, the cessation of such processes would occur earlier and later respectively. These growth periods occupy the earlier months and are regarded as representatives of growth in length whereas the later increases cannot be placed in the same category.