Variability in the number of tail vertebrae in four species of field mice (Rodentia: Muridae: Apodemus) [Variabilita v početnosti ocasních obratlů u čtyř druhů myšic (Rodentia: Muridae: Apodemus)]

Pages

143–151

Citation

ŠTĚPÁNKOVÁ, Jana a VOHRALÍK, Vladimír. Variability in the number of tail vertebrae in four species of field mice (Rodentia: Muridae: Apodemus) [Variabilita v početnosti ocasních obratlů u čtyř druhů myšic (Rodentia: Muridae: Apodemus)]. Lynx, new series. Prague: National Museum, 2008, 39(1), 143–151. ISSN 0024-7774 (print), 1804-6460 (online). Also available from: https://publikace.nm.cz/en/periodicals/lns/39-1/variability-in-the-number-of-tail-vertebrae-in-four-species-of-field-mice-rodentia-muridae-apodemus-variabilita-v-pocetnosti-ocasnich-obratlu-u-ctyr-druhu-mysic-rodentia-muridae-apodemus

Lynx, new series | 2008/39/1

Variability in the number of tail vertebrae (TV) was investigated in 647 specimens of four Apodemus species (A. flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, A. uralensis and A. witherbyi) from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Anatolia (Turkey). These species significantly differed in number of TV, but considerable overlapping did not enable reliable species identification. The number of TV increased in the order A. uralensis, A. sylvaticus, A. witherbyi, A. flavicollis, which is consistent with their supposed level of arboreality. In A. uralensis, significant differences were found among Bohemian, Pannonian and Anatolian samples. In contrast, there was no variation between Bohemian and Anatolian A. flavicollis or between two Bohemian samples of A. sylvaticus. There was no significant difference between A. witherbyi inhabiting forest and open habitats. Character displacement in A. sylvaticus occurring sympatrically with a stronger (A. flavicollis) or the weaker (A. uralensis) competitor was not demonstrated.

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