Sex ratio of a population of Anatolian ground squirrels Spermophilus xanthoprymnus in Central Anatolia, Turkey

GUR H., Barlas N.

ACTA THERIOLOGICA, cilt.51, sa.1, ss.61-67, 2006 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 51 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2006
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/bf03192656
  • Dergi Adı: ACTA THERIOLOGICA
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.61-67
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: life span, population demography, predation, sex ratio, Spermophilus, survival, LIFE-HISTORY, ANNUAL CYCLE, REPRODUCTIVE EFFORT, BODY-COMPOSITION, FOOD RESOURCES, DEMOGRAPHY, DYNAMICS, DISPERSAL, CITELLUS, BEHAVIOR
  • Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

We studied the sex ratio of a population of Anatolian ground squirrels, Spermophilus xanthoprymnus (Bennett, 1835), living in a steppe area about 50 km south of Ankara, Central Anatolia, Turkey in 1999-2001. The sex ratio among juveniles and yearlings did not differ from 1: 1, but the sex ratio among adults ( >= 2 years old) was biased toward females. We concluded that from their second summer of life as yearlings onwards, males experienced higher mortality than did females. Such higher mortality is common in ground squirrels, and is likely due to the risks encountered when males disperse from their natal areas.