ABSTRACT

The study is based on 88 adult and 25 young edible dormice collected in central Slovenia between May 17 and September 13, 1997. The sex ratio of adults did not deviate from 1:1, but June sample was significantly male biased while the August sample was significantly female biased. As evident from trapping results, females terminated hibernation and appeared aboveground ca 40 days later than males. Reproductive activities started at the beginning of July and pregnant females were collected between July 28 and August 9; litter size varied between 4 and 9, mean 5.8. The young of the year were collected for the first time on September 13. Body mass of adult dormice was between 62 and 214 g and fat contributed 0 - 22.5% of the total weight; it was highest in May and June and lowest in July and August. Sex dimorphism was evident only in the weight of the spleen and kidney which both had higher values in females. Liver weight was significantly more variable in males. The skin did not deviate from the isometric relation with the body weight, while all the remaining morphometric structures showed negative allometries. Reproductively active females were heavier than non-active ones and also attained significantly higher values in muscle, heart, liver, and kidney weights. A major fraction of the dormouse body was muscle (52%), followed by skin (15.7%) and skeleton (5.3%), while the internal organs (heart, liver, kidneys, spleen) contributed 5.4%.