ECOLOGY OF SOCIALITY IN RODENTS: A CTENOMYID PERSPECTIVE

• DOI: 10.1644/ble-014
• Publication Date: 2005-01-03T21:01:34Z
• Authors: Eileen A. Lacey; John R. Wieczorek
• Keywords: Burrow; Sociality; Steppe; Group living; Population density

Group living is an important component of the social biology numerous rodent species. For past 2 decades, efforts to understand ecological factors associated with group in rodents have focused on subterranean taxa, particular African mole-rats family Bathyergidae. Comparative analyses habitats occupied by solitary and bathyergids suggest that occurs when combined effects sporadic rainfall, hard soils, patchily distributed food resources render energetic costs burrow excavation prohibitive for lone individuals. To determine whether these variables were other we characterized differences between a member phylogenetically independent lineage rodents, Ctenomyidae. Specifically, quantified soil conditions spatial distributions 1 population each Patagonian tuco-tuco (Ctenomys haigi) group-living colonial (C. sociabilis), both which occur Limay Valley southwestern Argentina. Our revealed while members species occurred relatively mesic mallin habitats, only C. haigi also arid steppe habitat. No found study sites. Significant conditions, however, detected; soils from habitat significantly harder penetrate than areas, suggesting may be higher haigi. Thus, data ctenomyids are not consistent explanations developed bathyergid mole-rats. Although comparisons over larger scales required, our interactions ecology more diverse previously realized.