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Phylogenetic relationships and evolution of the genus Acomys (Rodentia: Muridae)
Palupčíková, Klára ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Sedláček, František (referee) ; Mazoch, Vladimír (referee)
The geographical distribution and phylogeny of the spiny mice of the genus Acomys Geoffroy I., 1838 remains a controversial and open topic. This doctoral thesis deals with the intraspecific structure and geographical distribution of the genus Acomys from the northern, eastern, central and southern parts of Africa, the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Crete, the Turkish coast, the Arabian and Sinai Peninsula and Iran, using molecular analyzes. Molecular analyzes were based on both the mitochondrial gene sequences of the D-loop genes (publication I.) and cytochrome b, as well as the nuclear sequences of the Intraretinal Binding Protein gene (IRBP) (publication IV) and recombinant activation gene 1 (RAG1) (publication II.). Furthermore, the data were subjected to phylogenetic analyzes using the Maximum Probability, Bayesian, Maximum Parsimony, and Minimum Evolution analysis. The results of mentioned analyses confirmed that the Afro-Mediterranean Acomys cahirinus and Asian Acomys dimidiatus are clearly separated. The large similarity between the haplotypes of continental Africa and the northern Mediterranean (A. cahirinus sensu stricto) supports the hypothesis that the ancestors of A. nesiotes, A. cilicicus and A. minous are very likely to spread as commensal populations, thereby challenging their...
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Reproduction supression as a result of social interactions in rodents of the family Muridae
Berčíková, Marie ; Štolhoferová, Iveta (advisor) ; Mazoch, Vladimír (referee)
The thesis deals with suppression of reproduction in rodents of the family Muridae. Specifically, it focuses on reproductive suppression caused by social interactions between individuals of the same species and within a social group. The aim of the literature review is to summarize mechanisms of reproductive suppression found in the family Muridae, using examples from the genera Calomys, Microtus, Mus, and Meriones. In the discussion, the influence of ecology, social system, and sex is considered. As mechanisms of reproductive suppression, I found the delayed sexual maturation of juveniles, regulation of the number of breeding females, incest taboo, infanticide, or Bruce effect to be frequently reported. Concerning sex, females are more often suppressed in their reproduction and at the same time, they also more often suppress other individuals of either sex. Although the family Muridae represents a very diversified group in terms of ecology and social systems, the thesis demonstrates universality of reproductive suppression mechanisms across species. I suggest this could be attributed to widespread adaptations with the common goal to prevent inbreeding. Nonetheless, species can still differ in the number and complexity of reproductive suppression mechanisms. I further discuss whether reproductive...
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The influence of selected environmental and behavioral factors on the degree of sociality in the family Herpestidae
Poláková, Petra ; Landová, Eva (advisor) ; Mazoch, Vladimír (referee)
Sociality in mongooses (Heprestidae) is a frequently studied characteristic. It is not known which factors modulate the degree of sociality. There are hypotheses about influence of environmental factors (habitat openness, temperature, precipitation). In this thesis we tested the influence of these environmental factors, but we did not discover any relation. Yet we found a strong relation between versatility (ecological valence) and inhabited climate conditions. Sociality could be modified by reproductive parameters (adaptations in greater litter size, longer gestation period and longer lactation period). We discovered relations between sociality (number of individuals in a social group) and gestation period, sociality and lactation period and sociality and litter size. We used phylogenetical correlation and found that the relation between sociality and litter size is not significant. Greater litter size occurs in only one phylogenetical line; hence we consider greater litter size to be not a predisposition, but a result of transition to sociality. It is also not clear what is the ancestral state of sociality and used habitat on the base of the clade. Hypotheses say that the common ancestor of the mongooses was solitary and lived in a closed habitat, but based on our ancestral states reconstruction...
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Adaptive radiation of the genus Rattus
Skalíková, Hana ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Mazoch, Vladimír (referee)
Rats are an important group of rodents originating and living mainly in southeast Asia. They are important pests and reservoirs of zoonosis. Yet, about many species we only have basic information. Here, I summarized available information about 66 species of the genus Rattus and 10 species of the genus Bandicota, Diplothrix, Limnomys, Nesokia and Tarsomys. I focused on distribution, ecology and morphology (body lenght, tail lenght, hind food lenght and ear lenght) and their mutual relationships. The body lenght differs beetwen phylogenetic lineages and beetwen habitats. The other morphological characters (tail lenght, hind food lenght and ear lenght) correlated with body lenght. Further, I describe an adaptive radiation of rats. Rats are separated into several lineages, diferring in their geographic distribution and ecology. Moreover, many species are commensal, that is benefiting from close relationship with humans. Commensalism species can be found in several lineages of rats, therefore commensalism probably developped independently more than once. The commencalism was origined several times. I discuse why are some commensal species more successful than others. Key words: adaptive radiation, Bandicota, commensal species, ecomorphology, Rattus, rodents, southeast Asia
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Adaptive radiation of the genus Rattus
Skalíková, Hana ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Mazoch, Vladimír (referee)
Rats are an important group of rodents originating and living mainly in southeast Asia. They are important pests and reservoirs of zoonosis. Yet, about many species we only have basic information. Here, I summarized available information about 66 species of the genus Rattus and 10 species of the genus Bandicota, Diplothrix, Limnomys, Nesokia and Tarsomys. I focused on distribution, ecology and morphology (body lenght, tail lenght, hind food lenght and ear lenght) and their mutual relationships. The body lenght differs beetwen phylogenetic lineages and beetwen habitats. The other morphological characters (tail lenght, hind food lenght and ear lenght) correlated with body lenght. Further, I describe an adaptive radiation of rats. Rats are separated into several lineages, diferring in their geographic distribution and ecology. Moreover, many species are commensal, that is benefiting from close relationship with humans. Commensalism species can be found in several lineages of rats, therefore commensalism probably developped independently more than once. The commencalism was origined several times. I discuse why are some commensal species more successful than others. Key words: adaptive radiation, Bandicota, commensal species, ecomorphology, Rattus, rodents, southeast Asia
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Phylogenetic relationships and evolution of the genus Acomys (Rodentia: Muridae)
Palupčíková, Klára ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Sedláček, František (referee) ; Mazoch, Vladimír (referee)
The geographical distribution and phylogeny of the spiny mice of the genus Acomys Geoffroy I., 1838 remains a controversial and open topic. This doctoral thesis deals with the intraspecific structure and geographical distribution of the genus Acomys from the northern, eastern, central and southern parts of Africa, the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Crete, the Turkish coast, the Arabian and Sinai Peninsula and Iran, using molecular analyzes. Molecular analyzes were based on both the mitochondrial gene sequences of the D-loop genes (publication I.) and cytochrome b, as well as the nuclear sequences of the Intraretinal Binding Protein gene (IRBP) (publication IV) and recombinant activation gene 1 (RAG1) (publication II.). Furthermore, the data were subjected to phylogenetic analyzes using the Maximum Probability, Bayesian, Maximum Parsimony, and Minimum Evolution analysis. The results of mentioned analyses confirmed that the Afro-Mediterranean Acomys cahirinus and Asian Acomys dimidiatus are clearly separated. The large similarity between the haplotypes of continental Africa and the northern Mediterranean (A. cahirinus sensu stricto) supports the hypothesis that the ancestors of A. nesiotes, A. cilicicus and A. minous are very likely to spread as commensal populations, thereby challenging their...
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The influence of selected environmental and behavioral factors on the degree of sociality in the family Herpestidae
Poláková, Petra ; Landová, Eva (advisor) ; Mazoch, Vladimír (referee)
Sociality in mongooses (Heprestidae) is a frequently studied characteristic. It is not known which factors modulate the degree of sociality. There are hypotheses about influence of environmental factors (habitat openness, temperature, precipitation). In this thesis we tested the influence of these environmental factors, but we did not discover any relation. Yet we found a strong relation between versatility (ecological valence) and inhabited climate conditions. Sociality could be modified by reproductive parameters (adaptations in greater litter size, longer gestation period and longer lactation period). We discovered relations between sociality (number of individuals in a social group) and gestation period, sociality and lactation period and sociality and litter size. We used phylogenetical correlation and found that the relation between sociality and litter size is not significant. Greater litter size occurs in only one phylogenetical line; hence we consider greater litter size to be not a predisposition, but a result of transition to sociality. It is also not clear what is the ancestral state of sociality and used habitat on the base of the clade. Hypotheses say that the common ancestor of the mongooses was solitary and lived in a closed habitat, but based on our ancestral states reconstruction...
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Exploratory and spatial learning abilities in two African mole-rats with different social system.
MAZOCH, Vladimír
The goal of this study was to examine differences in the exploratory activity, spatial learning and memory between two strictly subterranean rodents with different social systems, solitary silvery mole-rat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus) and social giant mole-rat (Fukomys mechowii) in a maze resembling natural burrows. Although the giant mole-rats showed better performance in most of the parameters of the test, this could not be easily explained by superior learning abilities of social species. The differences found could be more attributed to different motivation in both species. The solitary mole-rat was remarkably more cautious and moved with lower velocity, spent more time in the maze, made more errors and traveled a longer path before reaching the reward box.
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