The wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) is a muridrodent native to Europe and northwestern Africa. It is closely related to the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) but differs in that it has no band of yellow fur around the neck, has slightly smaller ears, and is usually slightly smaller overall: around 90 mm (3.54 in) in length and 23 g in weight.[2] It is found across most of Europe and is a very common and widespread species, is commensal with people and is sometimes considered a pest.[1] Other common names are long-tailed field mouse, field mouse, common field mouse, and European wood mouse.[3] This species is a known potential carrier of the Dobrava sequence of hantavirus which affects humans and may pose serious risks to human health.[4]
"Harvest, Wood Mouse" illustration from British Mammals by A. Thorburn, 1920
Wood mice inhabit forests, grasslands, and cultivated fields, tending to seek out more wooded areas in winter.[5] Almost entirely nocturnal and terrestrial, wood mice burrow extensively, build nests of plants and live in buildings during harsh seasons. It is one of the most intensively studied species in the genus. In Europe, it ranges north to Scandinavia and east to Ukraine. The wood mouse is also found in northwestern Africa and on many Mediterranean islands.[6]
Dietedit
Wood mice are primarily seed eaters,[7] particularly seeds of trees such as oak, beech, ash, lime, hawthorn, and sycamore. If seeds are plentiful on the ground, they carry them back to their nests/burrows for storage.[8] They may eat small invertebrates such as snails and insects, particularly in late spring and early summer when seeds are least available. Later in the season they will eat berries, fruits, fungi and roots. In winter, they may prey on hibernating bats, but this is still debatable.[9]
Behaviouredit
Wood mice are mainly active during the dark, probably having evolved so to avoid predation, employing several anti-predatory strategies, though breeding females may be more active in daylight in order to collect sufficient food.[10] While foraging, wood mice pick up and distribute visually conspicuous objects, such as leaves and twigs, which they then use as landmarks during exploration.[11][12] If a wood mouse is caught by its tail, it can quickly shed the end of it, which may never regrow.[13] Despite its name, it prefers hedgerows to woodland. During the colder months, wood mice do not hibernate; however, during severe winter seasons they can fall into a torpid state, a decrease in physiological activity.
Predationedit
Predators of wood mice include foxes, snakes, weasels, birds of prey including owls, and also cats and dogs.[14]
Reproductionedit
The wood mouse has a breeding season from February to October in which multiple matings occur between males and females, resulting in scramble competition. Such behavioral characteristics result in sperm competition and multiple paternity litters. The society is polygynous with copulation resulting from scramble competition during reproductive periods. Males possess a sac known as the cauda epididymis, which stores sperm and lies underneath the scrotal protrusion. Temperature regulation ensures maximum sperm output.
One interesting observation about the species, in particular the males, is the morphology of the spermatozoa. They develop falciform (sickle-shaped) heads after meiosis and before spermiation (release during ejaculation). The hook located at the tip of the head adheres to the surface of the head prior to deployment. Propidium iodide staining revealed that only the basal surface of the hook is of nuclear origin. These apical hooks are deployed in the female reproductive tract (the mechanism responsible involved the remodeling of actin filaments in the hook). Deployed apical hooks combine with apical hooks and flagella of other spermatozoa. The aggregates of spermatozoa that result in form "mobile trains", which have experimentally been determined to possess better motility in the female reproductive tract.[15] The mobility of these mobile trains was also found to be influenced by premature acrosome reactions, altruistic acts performed by some spermatozoa for the benefit of other genetically similar gametocytes. This altruism follows a "green beard" mechanism in which spermatozoa discern the genetic similarity of surrounding gametocytes (such mechanisms are rare because they must code for a recognizable phenotype, as well as response mechanisms). Once spermatozoa of similar genotypes are identified, altruism genes are turned on to elicit a response that seeks to conserve the genes present in the other cell, even if it results in the destruction of the cell performing the action.
The gestation period of wood mice is of 25–26 days and each female produces on average four young per year. The offspring become independent after about three weeks and become sexually active after two months.
Galleryedit
Wood mouse nest dug out of an old bread loaf. The "straw" is made out of split matches.juvenile specimen
^ abSchlitter, D.; van der Straeten, E.; Amori, G.; Hutterer, R.; Kryštufek, B.; Yigit, N.; Mitsainas, G. (2021) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Apodemus sylvaticus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T1904A197270811. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T1904A197270811.en. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
^Alcántara, M. (1991). "Geographical variation in body size of the Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus L.". Mammal Review. 21 (3): 143–150. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.1991.tb00115.x.
^Weidmann, Manfred; Schmidt, P.; Vackova, M.; Krivanec, K.; Munclinger, P.; Hufert, F. T. (February 2005). "Identification of Genetic Evidence for Dobrava Virus Spillover in Rodents by Nested Reverse Transcription (RT)-PCR and TaqMan RT-PCR". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 43 (2): 808–812. doi:10.1128/JCM.43.2.808-812.2005. ISSN 0095-1137. PMC548048. PMID 15695684.
^J. L. Tellería; T. Santos; M. Alcántara (1991). "Abundance and Food-Searching Intensity of Wood Mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) in Fragmented Forests" (PDF). Journal of Mammalogy. 72 (1): 183–187. doi:10.2307/1381994. JSTOR 1381994. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^Fedriani, J. M. (2005). "Do frugivorous mice choose where or what to feed?". Journal of Mammalogy. 86 (3): 576–586. doi:10.1644/1545-1542(2005)86[576:dfmcwo]2.0.co;2. hdl:10261/54625.
^Phil Gates (6 September 2018). "Country diary: a close encounter with a wood mouse". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^Anne-Jifke Haarsma & Rutger Kaal (2016). "Predation of wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) on hibernating bats". Population Ecology. 58 (4): 567–576. doi:10.1007/s10144-016-0557-y.
^S. Halle & N.C. Stenseth (2012). Activity patterns in small mammals: An ecological approach. Springer. ISBN9783642182648. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^Stopka, P.; et al. (April 2003). "Way-marking behaviour: an aid to spatial navigation in the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)". BMC Ecology. 3: 3. doi:10.1186/1472-6785-3-3. PMC154096. PMID 12697070.
^"Mice make their own signposts". Nature. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
^Goaman, K., Amery, H. (1983). Mysteries & Marvels of the Animal World, p. 15.
^"The Mammal Society" (PDF). Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^Moore, Harry; et al. (2002). "Exceptional sperm cooperation in the wood mouse" (PDF). Nature. 418 (6894): 174–177. doi:10.1038/nature00832. PMID 12110888. S2CID 4413444.
Further readingedit
Fairley, J.S. 1975. An Irish Beast Book. Blackstaff Press Limited. ISBN 0-85640-090-4
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Apodemus sylvaticus.
Wikispecies has information related to Apodemus sylvaticus.
in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History MSW Scientific Names
Apodemus sylvaticus in the Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist
in Fauna Europaea
Apodemus sylvaticus in the Animal Diversity Web
The wood mouse, an excellent article in French
The market effect in the wood mouse, an excellent abstract of research done on grooming and reproduction in wood mouse
December 18, 2023
wood, mouse, wood, mouse, apodemus, sylvaticus, murid, rodent, native, europe, northwestern, africa, closely, related, yellow, necked, mouse, apodemus, flavicollis, differs, that, band, yellow, around, neck, slightly, smaller, ears, usually, slightly, smaller,. The wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus is a murid rodent native to Europe and northwestern Africa It is closely related to the yellow necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis but differs in that it has no band of yellow fur around the neck has slightly smaller ears and is usually slightly smaller overall around 90 mm 3 54 in in length and 23 g in weight 2 It is found across most of Europe and is a very common and widespread species is commensal with people and is sometimes considered a pest 1 Other common names are long tailed field mouse field mouse common field mouse and European wood mouse 3 This species is a known potential carrier of the Dobrava sequence of hantavirus which affects humans and may pose serious risks to human health 4 Wood mouseConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder RodentiaFamily MuridaeGenus ApodemusSpecies A sylvaticusBinomial nameApodemus sylvaticus Linnaeus 1758 Apodemus sylvaticus range in green SynonymsMus sylvaticus Linnaeus 1758 Upper front teeth with a smooth inner surface which distinguish the wood mouse from the house mouseContents 1 Habitat and distribution 2 Diet 3 Behaviour 4 Predation 5 Reproduction 6 Gallery 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksHabitat and distribution edit nbsp Harvest Wood Mouse illustration from British Mammals by A Thorburn 1920Wood mice inhabit forests grasslands and cultivated fields tending to seek out more wooded areas in winter 5 Almost entirely nocturnal and terrestrial wood mice burrow extensively build nests of plants and live in buildings during harsh seasons It is one of the most intensively studied species in the genus In Europe it ranges north to Scandinavia and east to Ukraine The wood mouse is also found in northwestern Africa and on many Mediterranean islands 6 Diet editWood mice are primarily seed eaters 7 particularly seeds of trees such as oak beech ash lime hawthorn and sycamore If seeds are plentiful on the ground they carry them back to their nests burrows for storage 8 They may eat small invertebrates such as snails and insects particularly in late spring and early summer when seeds are least available Later in the season they will eat berries fruits fungi and roots In winter they may prey on hibernating bats but this is still debatable 9 Behaviour editWood mice are mainly active during the dark probably having evolved so to avoid predation employing several anti predatory strategies though breeding females may be more active in daylight in order to collect sufficient food 10 While foraging wood mice pick up and distribute visually conspicuous objects such as leaves and twigs which they then use as landmarks during exploration 11 12 If a wood mouse is caught by its tail it can quickly shed the end of it which may never regrow 13 Despite its name it prefers hedgerows to woodland During the colder months wood mice do not hibernate however during severe winter seasons they can fall into a torpid state a decrease in physiological activity Predation editPredators of wood mice include foxes snakes weasels birds of prey including owls and also cats and dogs 14 Reproduction editThe wood mouse has a breeding season from February to October in which multiple matings occur between males and females resulting in scramble competition Such behavioral characteristics result in sperm competition and multiple paternity litters The society is polygynous with copulation resulting from scramble competition during reproductive periods Males possess a sac known as the cauda epididymis which stores sperm and lies underneath the scrotal protrusion Temperature regulation ensures maximum sperm output One interesting observation about the species in particular the males is the morphology of the spermatozoa They develop falciform sickle shaped heads after meiosis and before spermiation release during ejaculation The hook located at the tip of the head adheres to the surface of the head prior to deployment Propidium iodide staining revealed that only the basal surface of the hook is of nuclear origin These apical hooks are deployed in the female reproductive tract the mechanism responsible involved the remodeling of actin filaments in the hook Deployed apical hooks combine with apical hooks and flagella of other spermatozoa The aggregates of spermatozoa that result in form mobile trains which have experimentally been determined to possess better motility in the female reproductive tract 15 The mobility of these mobile trains was also found to be influenced by premature acrosome reactions altruistic acts performed by some spermatozoa for the benefit of other genetically similar gametocytes This altruism follows a green beard mechanism in which spermatozoa discern the genetic similarity of surrounding gametocytes such mechanisms are rare because they must code for a recognizable phenotype as well as response mechanisms Once spermatozoa of similar genotypes are identified altruism genes are turned on to elicit a response that seeks to conserve the genes present in the other cell even if it results in the destruction of the cell performing the action The gestation period of wood mice is of 25 26 days and each female produces on average four young per year The offspring become independent after about three weeks and become sexually active after two months Gallery edit nbsp nbsp Wood mouse nest dug out of an old bread loaf The straw is made out of split matches juvenile specimen nbsp portrait nbsp cherry stone hoard source source source source source source Wood mouse in an atticReferences edit a b Schlitter D van der Straeten E Amori G Hutterer R Krystufek B Yigit N Mitsainas G 2021 amended version of 2016 assessment Apodemus sylvaticus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021 e T1904A197270811 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2021 1 RLTS T1904A197270811 en Retrieved 23 April 2021 Alcantara M 1991 Geographical variation in body size of the Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus L Mammal Review 21 3 143 150 doi 10 1111 j 1365 2907 1991 tb00115 x Wrobel Murray 2006 Elsevier s Dictionary of Mammals Elsevier ISBN 978 0 444 51877 4 Weidmann Manfred Schmidt P Vackova M Krivanec K Munclinger P Hufert F T February 2005 Identification of Genetic Evidence for Dobrava Virus Spillover in Rodents by Nested Reverse Transcription RT PCR and TaqMan RT PCR Journal of Clinical Microbiology 43 2 808 812 doi 10 1128 JCM 43 2 808 812 2005 ISSN 0095 1137 PMC 548048 PMID 15695684 J L Telleria T Santos M Alcantara 1991 Abundance and Food Searching Intensity of Wood Mice Apodemus sylvaticus in Fragmented Forests PDF Journal of Mammalogy 72 1 183 187 doi 10 2307 1381994 JSTOR 1381994 Retrieved 2 November 2018 Encyclopaedia Britannica 2008 Wood mouse Fedriani J M 2005 Do frugivorous mice choose where or what to feed Journal of Mammalogy 86 3 576 586 doi 10 1644 1545 1542 2005 86 576 dfmcwo 2 0 co 2 hdl 10261 54625 Phil Gates 6 September 2018 Country diary a close encounter with a wood mouse The Guardian Retrieved 2 November 2018 Anne Jifke Haarsma amp Rutger Kaal 2016 Predation of wood mice Apodemus sylvaticus on hibernating bats Population Ecology 58 4 567 576 doi 10 1007 s10144 016 0557 y S Halle amp N C Stenseth 2012 Activity patterns in small mammals An ecological approach Springer ISBN 9783642182648 Retrieved 2 November 2018 Stopka P et al April 2003 Way marking behaviour an aid to spatial navigation in the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus BMC Ecology 3 3 doi 10 1186 1472 6785 3 3 PMC 154096 PMID 12697070 Mice make their own signposts Nature 2 May 2003 Retrieved 4 February 2020 Goaman K Amery H 1983 Mysteries amp Marvels of the Animal World p 15 The Mammal Society PDF Retrieved 2 November 2018 Moore Harry et al 2002 Exceptional sperm cooperation in the wood mouse PDF Nature 418 6894 174 177 doi 10 1038 nature00832 PMID 12110888 S2CID 4413444 Further reading editFairley J S 1975 An Irish Beast Book Blackstaff Press Limited ISBN 0 85640 090 4External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Apodemus sylvaticus nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Apodemus sylvaticus Apodemus sylvaticus in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History MSW Scientific Names Apodemus sylvaticus in the Catalogue of Life 2007 Annual Checklist Apodemus sylvaticus in Fauna Europaea Apodemus sylvaticus in the Animal Diversity Web The wood mouse an excellent article in French The market effect in the wood mouse an excellent abstract of research done on grooming and reproduction in wood mouse Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wood mouse amp oldid 1189712567, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
