Rodents are defined by their unique masticatory apparatus and are frequently separated into three nonmonophyletic groups--sciuromorphs, hystricomorphs, and myomorphs--based on the morphology of their masticatory muscles. Despite several comprehensive dissections in previous work, inconsistencies persist as to the exact morphology of the rodent jaw-closing musculature, particularly, the masseter...

Glycolysis, glucose oxidation, palmitate oxidation, and cardiac function were measured in isolated working hearts from ground squirrels and rats subjected to a hypothermia-rewarming protocol. Hearts were perfused initially for 30 min at 37 degrees C, followed by 2 h of hypothermic perfusion at 15 degrees C, after which hearts were rewarmed to 37 degrees C and further perfused for 30 min. Functi...

Different monkey species have different foraging behaviors based on their preferred food quality and its availability. We compared foraging behavior of focal individuals of 3 monkey species: Alouatta palliata (howler monkey; a folivore), Ateles geoffroyi (spider monkey; a frugivore) and Saimiri oerstedii (squirrel monkey; an omnivore on fruits and insects). We predicted that howler monkeys woul...

1. Throughout much of Britain, Ireland and north Italy, red squirrels ( Sciurus vulgaris L.) have been replaced by alien grey squirrels ( S. carolinensis Gmelin) introduced from North America. We have studied squirrels in two mixed woodlands in north Italy and two conifer forests in north England. In each country, one site was occupied by red squirrels and one site by both species. 2. We have p...

The head's inertia produces forces on the neck when the body moves. One collective function of the vestibulocollic and cervicocollic reflexes (VCR and CCR) is thought to be to stabilize the head with respect to the trunk during whole body movements. Little is known as to whether their head-movement kinematics produced by squirrel monkeys during whole body rotations are similar to those of cats ...

The metabolism of cholesterol was studied in baboons, rhesus monkeys, and squirrel monkeys while they were being fed either a low fat, low cholesterol (basal) diet or the basal diet supplemented with saturated fat and cholesterol (atherogenic diet). When the diet was changed from basal to atherogenic, the mean total serum cholesterol concentration increased from 70 to 180 mg/dl in the baboon, f...

Non-native species are frequently considered to influence urban assemblages. The grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis is one such species that is widespread in the UK and is starting to spread across Europe; it predates birds' nests and can compete with birds for supplementary food. Using distance sampling across the urbanisation intensity gradient in Sheffield (UK) we test whether urban grey squ...

(1) Our campus squirrel population provides ample opportunities to explore squirrel feeding preferences or scatterhoarding behaviors. Many of the findings summarized in a series of papers by Steele and Smallwood (e.g., “What are squirrels hiding? Natural History 10: 40-44. 1994. and other findings reported in their articles) offer challenging field experiment ideas. For example, given that spec...

Received: Revised: Accepted: July 17, 2010 September 30, 2010 October 8, 2010