Sex- and age-related differences in tooth row length of small mammals: voles

• Main Authors: Balčiauskienė, Laima, Balčiauskas, Linas, Mažeikytė, Janina Reda
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Lithuanian; English
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Voles; Tooth row length; Sex- and age-related difference; Body weight and length; Common vole; Microtus arvalis
• Online Access: http://lmavb.lvb.lt/LMAVB:ELABAPDB5342456&prefLang=en_US

The article analyses sex- and age-related differences in tooth row length (TRL) in four vole species - bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), common vole (Microtus arvalis), root vole (M. oeconomus), and short-tailed vole (M. agrestis) - found in Lithuania and the correlation between their body weight, length, and TRL. Sexual dimorphism was found in M. oeconomus, in which body measurements and mandibular TRL were larger in females. The mandibular TRL was slightly larger in males of C. glareolus as well (p < 0.10). Age-related differences in the length of the maxillary and mandibular tooth row were found in all the three Microtus species. In C. glareolus, the maxillary and j mandibular TRLs were shorter in young animals only. The correlation of the maxillary and mandibular TRL with the body weight and length was positive, strong and significant in Microtus voles. We outlined the limits of the maxillary and mandibular TRLs in these voles, within which it is possible to predict the age group of an individual, its body length (with a lower degree of accuracy) and weight (with the lowest degree of accuracy). In C. glareolus, such prediction is impossible.