室内养殖雌性松鼠秋季换毛期被毛长度和保温性能变化

为了解松鼠东北亚种(Sciurus vulgaris manchuricus)秋季换毛期的被毛性状与保温性能变化的关系,选取2011年9月25日至12月15日期间采集的在哈尔滨室内人工养殖的27张雌性松鼠东北亚种生皮为材料,对背臀部毛皮样本进行传热性能测试,同时对该部位的披针毛、绒毛的长度和毛根出现无髓样本比例进行测量计算。结果表明:1)随着秋季换毛期的时间后移,新生冬毛长度不断增加,毛皮传热系数不断减小。当被毛生长结束时,保温性能达到恒定。2)披针毛长度、绒毛长度、披针毛毛根无髓段比例、绒毛毛根无髓段比例这4个被毛性状因子两两呈极显著正相关(P<0.01),且此4个性状因子皆与毛皮传热系数呈极显著负相关(P<0.01)。以上反映了在气温渐冷的秋季换毛期每时间阶段被毛的长度、生长程度、保温性能的具体变化及相互关系。

The changes of hair length and pelage thermal insulation in captive female squirrel, Sciurus vulgarize manchuricus, during autumn molting period

Pelage is one of the most important characteristics of mammals. The research about the association between molting and environment is an important aspect in the study of animal ecology. Mammals'' autumn molting is completely to taking off their summer hairs and growing rich hairs in winter. But the quantitative studies of thermal insulation of animals'' pelage which was changing in the autumn molting process have not been involved. Our objective was to find out the relationship between characteristics and heat insulation of hair in squirrel,Sciurus vulgaris manchuricus,that is molting in autumn. In order to study the association between hair length and pelage thermal insulation property, we measured hair length and tested thermal insulation of skins of 27 female squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris manchuricus) (twenty-five adults and two subadults) during autumn molting period. The hairs (5 intermediate guard hairs and 5 undercoat hairs) were sampled from the mid back of each skin and thermal insulation was tested at the same site. Results showed that 1) with the progression of autumn molting, the pelage thermal conductivity decreased in association with increment of winter hair length, and reached stable at the end of hair growth. 2) Significant positive associations were detected between pairs of four hair indexes namely the length of intermediate guard hairs, length of under hairs, root of medulla-absent proportion in intermediate guard hairs and under hairs (P<0.01). Meanwhile, these four indexes were also significantly negatively associated with thermal conductivity coefficient (P<0.01). These results suggest pelage thermal conductivity is effected by the thickness of under fur. In conclusion, the results reflect the specific changes and interrelation of hair length, the extent of growth and thermal insulation in the every time stage during autumn molting period.