Winter reproduction of  Eliomys quercinus  (Rodentia) in the orange groves of Sagunto (Valencia, Spain) / La reproduction en hiver d' Eliomys quercinus  (Rodentia) dans les orangeraies de Sagunto (Valence, Espagne)

José Antonio Gil-Delgado; Pauline Cabaret; Sophie Declercq; Jaime Gómez; Iván Sánchez

doi:10.1515/MAMM.2006.017

Article

Winter reproduction of Eliomys quercinus (Rodentia) in the orange groves of Sagunto (Valencia, Spain) / La reproduction en hiver d' Eliomys quercinus (Rodentia) dans les orangeraies de Sagunto (Valence, Espagne)

José Antonio Gil-Delgado , Pauline Cabaret , Sophie Declercq , Jaime Gómez and Iván Sánchez

Published/Copyright: February 1, 2006

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From the journal Mammalia Volume 70 Issue 1-2

Abstract

The colonisation of orange groves in Eastern Spain by the garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus and their reproduction were studied. Litter sizes and times of birth of garden dormice were studied during the winter of 2003/2004 until the month of May 2004. The main study area was a plot covered by orange trees that has been monitored since 1975. Litters in nest boxes placed around the plot for birds, as well as a few litters in nests built in trees, were observed to obtain information on reproduction. The nests found in trees include some built in old bird nests, most of them belonging to the blackbird Turdus merula . We weighed the cubs to determine their month of birth and identified the population trend by counting the number of nests occupied simultaneously. Results show that there are births during the winter, that the number of cubs per nest ranged from 4 to 13, but 6 cubs was the mode. A total of 34 litters were found, with an average size of 5.76 cubs per litter. The litter of 13 cubs was excluded from analysis. Colonisation was suspected after a first specimen was observed in 1997 in the surroundings of the study area. Occupation by garden dormice of both natural nests and nest boxes subsequently increased from 1 to 27 between 1999 and 2004. We suggest that mild winter temperatures allowed the population increase and winter reproduction.

Résumé

La colonisation et la reproduction du lérot Eliomys quercinus ont été étudiées à l'est de l'Espagne. La taille de la portée et la période de naissance chez le lérot ont fait l'objet d'une étude dans des orangeraies depuis l'hiver 2003/2004 jusqu'en mai 2004. L'aire d'étude principale est un terrain de culture d'orangers que nous contrôlons depuis 1975. Les informations concernant la reproduction proviennent des observations des portées rencontrées dans des nids naturels construits dans les arbres, dans des nichoirs normalement destinés aux oiseaux, ou encore dans des nids édifiés à partir de vieux nids d'oiseaux, principalement ceux du merle noir Turdus merula . Les mois de naissance ont été calculés à partir du poids des petits, et la tendance de la population au moyen du nombre de nids occupés simultanément. Les résultats montrent que des naissances ont eu lieu durant l'hiver, que le nombre de petits par portée varie de 4 à 13, 6 étant le nombre le plus fréquent. Le nombre de portées trouvées est de 34 avec une moyenne de 5,76 petits par portée. La portée de 13 petits a été exclue des analyses. La colonisation a été suspectée par les premières observations en 1997 à la limite de l'aire d'étude. Ensuite l'occupation des nids, qu'ils soient naturels ou artificiels, passe de 1 à 27 entre 1999 et 2004. Nous suggérons que les températures hivernales modérées permettent à la population de lérot d'augmenter et de se reproduire en hiver.

Keywords: citrus plantation; colonisation; cubs; Eliomys quercinus ; litter size; winter reproduction; orangeraies; portée; reproduction hivernale

Corresponding author gild@uv.es

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Published Online: 2006-2-1

Published in Print: 2006-2-1

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/MAMM.2006.017

Keywords for this article

citrus plantation; colonisation; cubs; Eliomys quercinus; litter size; winter reproduction; orangeraies; portée; reproduction hivernale