Künzle H, Poulsen Nautrup C, Schwarzenberger F
Institute of Anatomy, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Pettenkoferstrasse 11, D-80336 Munich, Germany.
Anim Reprod Sci. 2007 Feb;97(3-4):364-74. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2006.02.011. Epub 2006 Mar 29.
The gestation length (GL) of Tenrecs (Tenrecinae, Afrotheria) is still uncertain. This lack of knowledge also applies to the lesser hedgehog tenrec, Echinops telfairi, the species most commonly bred and maintained in captivity. The animals used in this study were held under controlled conditions (light, temperature and humidity). In order to determine the GL, groups of female tenrecs were subjected to various mating procedures followed by isolation periods of different lengths. A total of n=249 pregnancies were analysed and the number of offspring per litter was 3.29+/-0.09. The length of gestation could be determined in n=199 pregnancies and a mean GL of 67.53+/-0.36 days was calculated. Initial attempts with isolation periods of less than 16 days did not allow to accurately define the GL. Experiments with longer isolation periods and females subjected to only one mating procedure (n=10) revealed a variation in the GLs of 57-79 days. However, in one female a GL of only 50 days was also observed indicating an even greater range in GL variation. There was a statistically significant tendency for shorter GLs in the animals that conceived later in the mating season, but no statistical evidence was found that age, parity or litter size played an essential role in determining the GL. In conclusion, an unexpected high variability in gestation length in E. telfairi was demonstrated although the study animals were kept under controlled environmental conditions. The factors and mechanisms regulating this high intra-species variability in gestation length need further investigations.
马岛猬（马岛猬亚科，非洲兽总目）的妊娠期长度（GL）仍不确定。这种知识上的欠缺也适用于最小刺猬猬，即圈养中最常繁殖和饲养的物种——泰勒马岛猬。本研究中使用的动物饲养在可控条件下（光照、温度和湿度）。为了确定妊娠期长度，将雌性马岛猬分组进行不同的交配程序，随后进行不同时长的隔离期。总共分析了n = 249次怀孕情况，每窝产仔数为3.29±0.09。在n = 199次怀孕中可以确定妊娠期长度，计算得出平均妊娠期长度为67.53±0.36天。最初尝试隔离期少于16天的情况无法准确确定妊娠期长度。对隔离期更长且只进行一次交配程序的雌性动物进行的实验（n = 10）显示，妊娠期长度在57 - 79天之间存在变化。然而，在一只雌性动物中还观察到妊娠期长度仅为50天，这表明妊娠期长度的变化范围更大。在交配季节后期受孕的动物中，妊娠期长度有统计学上显著的缩短趋势，但没有统计证据表明年龄、胎次或窝仔数在确定妊娠期长度方面起关键作用。总之，尽管研究动物饲养在可控的环境条件下，但泰勒马岛猬的妊娠期长度出现了意外的高变异性。调节这种物种内妊娠期长度高变异性的因素和机制需要进一步研究。
