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Gastrointestinal passage time of seeds ingested by captive Japanese martens Martes melampus

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Tsuji Y., Shiraishi T., Miura S.

Acta Theriologica

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2011

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tom 56

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nr 4

The time it takes for ingested seeds to pass through the gut of animals is an important aspect of endozoochorous seed dispersal because it influences seed dispersal distance. Variations in the physical characteristics of seeds, such as their weight, volume, and specific gravity, can affect their movement through the gastrointestinal system of a given animal. We conducted feeding experiments with captive Japanese martens, Martes melampus (n = 4), at Toyama Municipal Family Park Zoo, central Japan to examine the effects of the physical characteristics of seeds on their passage times. The mean (±SD) transit time, mean retention time, and time of last appearance of four different types of commercial seeds were 2.6 ± 0.3 h (range 0.6–5.4), 9.7 ± 1.1 h (3.8–17.3), and 23.8 ± 3.1 h (12.2–51.8), respectively. All of these values are greater than those found during previous experiments conducted with mustelids. Similar to previous studies, however, none of these passage time variables was correlated with the physical characteristics of seeds. Our results thus indicate that martens disperse seeds of different plant species, whose size, volume, and specific gravity all fall within the range of those used in the present study, from parent plants at similar distances.

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Multi-annual variation in the diet composition and frugivory of the Japanese marten (Martes melampus) in western Tokyo, central Japan

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Tsuji Y., Yasumoto Y., Takatsuki S.

Acta Theriologica

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2014

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tom 59

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nr 3

To examine multi-annual variations in the food habits of the Japanese marten (Martes melampus), we analyzed the composition of marten feces in the Bonbori Forest Path in western Tokyo, central Japan, in two time periods a decade apart (1997–1998 and 2007–2008). The staple foods of martens in both periods were fruits/seeds and animal materials (mainly insects and mammals). The martens fed frequently on fruits/seeds and insects throughout the year in both periods, but the consumption of mammals, birds, and arthropods/other animals showed seasonal variations. The composition of fruits/seeds and the frequency of occurrence for each fruit-bearing species differed between the two periods. These results suggest that both the foraging strategy and role of martens as a seed dispersal agent changes yearly, presumably according to multi-annual variation in the availability of prey animals and/or fruits. We emphasize the importance of multi-annual studies both on food habits and to monitor food availability in the temperate region where the food environment changes among seasons, as well as years.

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Evolutionary history of the sable (Martes zibellina brachyura) on Hokkaido inferred from mitochondrial Cytb and nuclear Mc1r and Tcf25 gene sequences

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Ishida K., Sato J. J., Kinoshita G., Hosoda T., Kryukov A. P., Suzuki H.

Acta Theriologica

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2013

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tom 58

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nr 1

We examined sequence variation in mitochondrial and nuclear genes of seven species of the genus Martes (Mustelidae, Carnivora): Martes americana (American marten), Martes flavigula (yellow-throated marten), Martes foina (beech marten), Martes martes (pine marten), Martes melampus (Japanese marten), Martes pennanti (fisher) and Martes zibellina (sable), focusing on the phylogenetic history of the Hokkaido subspecies of the sable, Martes zibellina brachyura. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene confirmed the view that the Hokkaido sable population has lower genetic diversity. In contrast, network analysis of a nuclear gene related to coat colour, melanocortin-1 receptor (Mc1r), revealed two different haplogroups for this population: one shared with that of Russian sables and the other specific to this population but with a close relationship with the American and Japanese martens, implying that these endemic haplotypes are composed of uncharacterised ancestral lineages of a past population. We also examined the sequence variation in a neighbouring nuclear gene, transcription factor 25 (Tcf25), located about 5 kb upstream from the Mc1r gene, and found similar trends. The sable genome leaves the impression that Hokkaido hosted ancient marten lineages, with subsequent recent migrations from the continent. The validity of a candidate Mc1r mutation for the entirely yellow coat observed on Hokkaido sables was also discussed.

Ograniczanie wyników

3 Acta Theriologica

2 Tsuji Y.

1 Hosoda T.

1 Ishida K.

1 Kinoshita G.

1 Kryukov A. P.

1 Miura S.

1 Sato J. J.

1 Shiraishi T.

1 Suzuki H.

1 Takatsuki S.

1 Yasumoto Y.

1 2014

1 2013

1 2011

Gastrointestinal passage time of seeds ingested by captive Japanese martens Martes melampus

Multi-annual variation in the diet composition and frugivory of the Japanese marten (Martes melampus) in western Tokyo, central Japan

Evolutionary history of the sable (Martes zibellina brachyura) on Hokkaido inferred from mitochondrial Cytb and nuclear Mc1r and Tcf25 gene sequences