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Territoriality and social relationships in field mice of the genus Apodemus
Cholevová, Kristýna ; Stopka, Pavel (advisor) ; Vohralík, Vladimír (referee)
1 Territoriality is a phenomenon associated with resource use and social system in animals. This phenomenon reached the highest level in birds (Aves) and mammals (Mammalia). Wood mice (Apodemus) can be a good genus for research. Due to that they are abundant and well studied, they can be used for checking existing knowledge of territories, social relationships and reproductive strategies. Differences in ecology between species can help us investigate a lot of phenomena, including the phenomenon sometimes called monogamy-polygyny shift, using comparative studies.
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Chemical communication in field mice of the genus ApodemusApodemus
Obstová, Lucie ; Stopka, Pavel (advisor) ; Vohralík, Vladimír (referee)
The bachelor thesis deals with a special sebaceous organ that probably serves as a chemical communication means with four species of Apodemus field mouse - A. flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, A. agrarius and A. microps. This organ is found on the ventral side of a tail, so it is classified as a caudal organ. It consists of significantly enlarged sebaceous glands. It is particularly developed mainly with males; however, both females and infants have it as well. Its morphological structure has the same base regardless of the species, gender, and/or age; however the extent of development varies among species. The organ releases a secretion whose chemical content is unknown so far. Thanks to the gas-liquid chromatography, researchers have found out that there are both variations in the secretion contents among individual species, as well as within the same species. This kind of secretion is basically a characteristic feature of an individual, as it bears information about the species, gender, age and even the population affiliation. Functions of the organ stay unknown as well. It might serve to mark the territory, to play a role in social interactions (i.e. agonistic behaviour) and/or to be an important part of copulatory behaviour.
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Diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. infecting rodents from genus Apodemus in the Czech Republic
ČONDLOVÁ, Šárka
We investigated the species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium infecting wild rodents from the genus Apodemus in ten areas in the year 2012 in the Czech Republic. A total of 207 faecal samples, 182 samples of Apodemus flavicollis and 25 of Apodemus sylvaticus, were screened for presence of Cryptosporidium spp. using both the aniline-carbol-methyl violet staining method and molecular tools. Microscopy examination revealed the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocyst in 24 samples of Apodemus flavicollis and 1 sample of Apodemus sylvaticus. Genomic DNA was isolated from both microscopy positive and negative samples. Using the nested PCR amplifying gene encoding the small ribosomal subunit (SSU rRNA) 25 samples were detected positive for the presence of Cryptosporidium-specific DNA. The same results were obtained also in the nested PCR amplifying gene encoding actin. All microscopy positive samples were also PCR positive. Only 19 samples were successfully sequenced, following phylogeny analyses showed presence of two new genotypes. First genotype is phylogenetically related to Cryptosporidium ubiquitum (1 sample) and the second genotype (consisting of several subgroups) related to C. canis (18 samples). The new genotypes seem to be host specific, however this hypothesis needs to be verified using experimental infection in the future. This is the first report of these Cryptosporidium genotypes in Apodemus spp. and for the first time ever.
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