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1 February 2006 AGE-RELATED VARIATION IN PHYSICAL AND REPRODUCTIVE CONDITION OF MALE DAUBENTON'S BATS (MYOTIS DAUBENTONII)
Jorge A. Encarnação, Uwe Kierdorf, Klemens Ekschmitt, Volkmar Wolters
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

We studied age-related variation in body mass and epididymal distension in male Daubenton's bats. Examination of data on epididymal distension in young of the year indicates that some reach sexual maturity by the year of birth, whereas others do so in their 2nd summer. Body mass and epididymal distension were positively correlated in young of the year and adults, suggesting that early sexual maturation and reproductive condition during later life are dependent on body condition. Older males tended to be heavier and in better reproductive condition than younger ones. Examination of our data suggests that physical and reproductive condition of males increase after the initial onset of fertility until 3 years of age. This late physical maturation is in line with other life-history traits characterizing long-lived bats as K-strategists among small mammals.

Jorge A. Encarnação, Uwe Kierdorf, Klemens Ekschmitt, and Volkmar Wolters "AGE-RELATED VARIATION IN PHYSICAL AND REPRODUCTIVE CONDITION OF MALE DAUBENTON'S BATS (MYOTIS DAUBENTONII)," Journal of Mammalogy 87(1), 93-96, (1 February 2006). https://doi.org/10.1644/04-MAMM-A-141R2.1
Accepted: 1 July 2005; Published: 1 February 2006
KEYWORDS
banding
body mass
Daubenton's bat
epididymal distension
Germany
life history
maturation
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