Kinship structure and mating system in a solitary subterranean rodent, the silvery mole-rat

0335104 - ÚBO 2011 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Patzenhauerová, Hana - Bryja, Josef - Šumbera, R.
Kinship structure and mating system in a solitary subterranean rodent, the silvery mole-rat.
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. Roč. 64, č. 5 (2010), s. 757-767. ISSN 0340-5443. E-ISSN 1432-0762
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA601410802
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519
Keywords : subterranean rodent * kinship structure * mating system * dispersal
Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology
Impact factor: 2.565, year: 2010

The African mole-rats are subterranean rodents that have evolved a wide range of social organisations. Due to some unusual features of their breeding and social systems, much attention has been focussed on social species, with solitary species being virtually ignored. Here, we present the first genetic study on the mating system of any solitary mole-rats, the silvery mole-rat. Microsatellites were used to analyse the mating system and the kinship structure. Isolation by distance between individuals was apparent in two studied populations, but not in the third, probably as a result of barriers limiting dispersal. Polygyny was found to be a mating system in this population with a strongly female-biased adult sex ratio. Large distances between the burrow systems of mating partners exclude the possibility of belowground searching for mates, suggesting that the males might seek females above ground. Interestingly, among analysed litters, one multiple-sired litter was found.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0179671