Document Detail


Thermal environment affects morphological and behavioral development of Rattus norvegicus.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  17341426     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Norway rats are widely distributed throughout diverse climates from the tropics to the arctic. As a result, the environmental air temperature experienced during postnatal life varies widely and should influence the development of body morphology and thermal preference. To quantify this relation, rats were housed from birth to adulthood in cool (17 degrees C), moderate (25 degrees C), and warm (33 degrees C) environments. Body morphology measures were recorded weekly and thermal preferences were assessed every 3 weeks. Compared to moderate-housed rats, cool-housed rats developed shorter ears, shorter tails, and a lower tail-length to body-length ratio. Warm-housed rats developed less mass, shorter bodies, and a higher tail-length to body-length ratio than moderate-housed rats. By postnatal day 42, cool-housed rats established and then maintained a preference for warmer air temperatures and warm-housed rats established and then maintained a preference for cooler air temperatures. These results quantify morphological and behavioral developmental plasticity by the Norway rat in response to the thermal environment.
Authors:
Jill A Villarreal; Whitney M Schlegel; Henry D Prange
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2007-02-08
Journal Detail:
Title:  Physiology & behavior     Volume:  91     ISSN:  0031-9384     ISO Abbreviation:  Physiol. Behav.     Publication Date:  2007 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2007-04-27     Completed Date:  2007-07-03     Revised Date:  2008-11-21    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0151504     Medline TA:  Physiol Behav     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  26-35     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States. jillavillarreal@yahoo.com
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aging / physiology
Animals
Behavior, Animal / physiology*
Body Temperature / physiology
Cold Temperature
Energy Metabolism / physiology
Environment*
Female
Foot / anatomy & histology,  growth & development
Growth / physiology*
Hot Temperature
Male
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Sex Characteristics
Temperature

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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