MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGE IN WILD AND CAPTIVE OLDFIELD MICE PEROMYSCUS POLIONOTUS SUBGRISEUS

As evidenced by domesticated species, generations in captivity can alter morphology in mammals and other taxa. This study examined morphological change in a captive wild mammal, the oldfield mouse (Peromyscus polionotus subgriseus). Specifically, cranial and mandibular size and shape were compared u...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of mammalogy 2004-12, Vol.85 (6), p.1130-1137
Main Author: McPhee, M. Elsbeth
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Animal morphology
Animal populations
Biological and medical sciences
Biology
Cranium
effects of captivity
FEATURE ARTICLES
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
geometric morphometrics
Landmarks
Mammalia
Mammalogy
Mammals
Mandible
mandibular morphology
Mice
Peromyscus polionotus
Peromyscus polionotus subgriseus
Phenotypic traits
Population dynamics
Skull
skull morphology
Teeth
Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
Wildlife conservation
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Summary:As evidenced by domesticated species, generations in captivity can alter morphology in mammals and other taxa. This study examined morphological change in a captive wild mammal, the oldfield mouse (Peromyscus polionotus subgriseus). Specifically, cranial and mandibular size and shape were compared using geometric morphometric techniques. These data show that magnitude of change increased with generations in captivity, but physical changes between populations were not cumulative or progressive. Observed changes were likely due to relaxed selective pressures associated with captivity, coupled with founder effects. The results of this study have significant implications for captive management of mammals, particularly for those populations used for conservation. Biologists who bring animals into captivity need to be aware that morphological changes, as well as other changes, most likely have or will occur over generations in captivity. This, combined with changes taking place in wild populations, is likely to result in captive populations that are significantly different from their wild counterparts.
ISSN:0022-2372
1545-1542
DOI:10.1644/BPR-017.1