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Ecology and activity of mesic Afrotropic mole-rats
LÖVY, Matěj
This Ph.D. thesis focuses on the ecology and activity of mesic Afrotropic mole-rats. In particular, ecological characteristics in habitats of two mole-rat species with different social system, the solitary Heliophobius argenteocinereus and social Fukomys whytei, were analysed in an area of sympatry and the results are discussed in relation with available ecological data on other species. Two studies bring to light novel data on the ecology and behaviour of the free-living largest social bathyergid, the giant mole-rat Fukomys mechowii, especially in relation to ecological characteristics in its natural habitat, burrow system architecture, kin structure and spatial and temporal activity patterns. In the final study, new data on the field metabolism of the silvery mole-rat H. argenteocinereus are presented. These new findings are discussed in further detail and expand upon existing explanations for low resting metabolism in subterranean rodents and the differences in field metabolism in relation to seasonality of habitat.
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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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Light perception in two mole-rat species, the silvery mole-rat \kur{(Heliophobius argenteocinereus)} and the giant mole-rat \kur{(Fukomys mechowii)}.
KOTT, Ondřej
Sight in subterranean mammals living in a dark ecotope has generally been assumed as not needed and therefore greatly diminished in its function. Recent neuroanatomical studies demonstrate unexpected preservation of the visual system of several African mole-rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia). Only a few behavioural studies, testing visual abilities and discussing their adaptive significance in these rodents, have been published to date. A spontaneous preference to light stimuli of two mole-rat species, the silvery mole-rat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus) and the giant mole-rat (Fukomys mechowii), was tested in this study. Assessed results showed convincingly that both species are able to perceive light. The following experiments provided the first behavioural support to the perception of short-wavelengths in this intensively studied group of subterranean rodents.
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