Golden hamsters are nocturnal in captivity but diurnal in nature

TitelGolden hamsters are nocturnal in captivity but diurnal in nature
MedientypJournal Article
Jahr der Veröffentlichung2008
AutorenGattermann, R., R. E. Johnston, N. Yigit, P. Fritzsche, S. Larimer, S. Ozkurt, K. Neumann, Z. Song, E. Colak, J. Johnston, and E. M. McPhee
JournalBiology letters
Volume4
Problem3
Seitennummerierung253 - 255
Veröffentlichungsdatum2008/06/23
ISB Nummer1744-95611744-957X
Zusammenfassung

Daily activity rhythms are nearly universal among animals and their specific pattern is an adaptation of each species to its ecological niche. Owing to the extremely consistent nocturnal patterns of activity shown by golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) in the laboratory, this species is a prime model for studying the mechanisms controlling circadian rhythms. In contrast to laboratory data, we discovered that female hamsters in the wild were almost exclusively diurnal. These results raise many questions about the ecological variables that shape the activity patterns in golden hamsters and the differences between laboratory and field results.

URLhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18397863



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