Sex ratio of a population of Anatolian ground squirrels Spermophilus xanthoprymnus in Central Anatolia, Turkey

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Abstract

We studied the sex ratio of a population of Anatolian ground squirrels, Spermophilus xanthoprymnus (Bennett, 1835), living in a steppe area about 50 km south of Ankara, Central Anatolia, Turkey in 1999-2001. The sex ratio among juveniles and yearlings did not differ from 1:1, but the sex ratio among adults (≥ 2 years old) was biased toward females. We concluded that from their second summer of life as yearlings onwards, males experienced higher mortality than did females. Such higher mortality is common in ground squirrels, and is likely due to the risks encountered when males disperse from their natal areas.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)61-67
Number of pages7
JournalActa Theriologica
Volume51
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2006

Keywords

  • Life span
  • Population demography
  • Predation
  • Sex ratio
  • Spermophilus
  • Survival

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