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Dr. Eileen A Lacey |
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Research Title |
Sociality and population genetics of subterranean rodents. |
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Research Keywords |
Animal Behavior, Sociality, Subterranean Rodents, Ctenomys. |
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Location |
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Study Species |
Ctenomys sociabilis, Ctenomys haigi |
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Of the 19 genera of rodents that are typically recognized as subterranean, only 5 are known to contain species in which adults of one or both sexes routinely share burrow systems. I am using comparative field studies of two group-living species, the colonial tuco-tuco (Ctenomys sociabilis) and the coruro (Spalacopus cyanus) to explore the ecological bases of sociality in these animals. By combining data from these two South American rodents with published information from social African mole-rats, I am building a comprehensive picture of the extent to which group living in these biogeographically and phylogenetically distinct taxa reflects shared versus taxon-specific ecological factors. |