ABSTRACT

The first information on hibernation and postnatal development of mouse-tailed dormouse (Myomimus roachi), live-trapped in the field reared and caged outdoors, is reported herein. They go into hibernation in the second half of November and arouse in the first half of April. They hibernate underground in hibernacula without nesting materials. Parturitions occurred in May 19, 1998 and in June 01, 1998, and litter sizes were 6 (4 males and 2 females) and 5 (2males and 3females) respectively. For eleven pups, the average body weight was 2.1 g (range=1.9-2.4 g) at day 0. All pups walked at day 12, and their eyes and ears had opened at day 15-19 and at day 12-19 respectively. First solid food intake and movement from the breeding nest co-occurred at day 19-22 with an average body weight of 7.67 g. They were weaned at day 29-31 when they had reached an average body weight of 9.6 g. The average adult weight was attained at the age of ca. 120 days after birth.

Keywords. Myomimus roachi, hibernation, postnatal development, litter size, parental behaviour, cannibalism.