Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key"
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{{Taxobox | {{Taxobox | ||
| color = pink | | color = pink | ||
| − | | name = | + | | name = Syrian or Golden Hamster |
| − | | image = | + | | status = {{StatusEndangered}} |
| − | | image_width = | + | | image = 100_983.jpg |
| + | | image_width = 250px | ||
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia | | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | ||
| − | | phylum = [[Chordata]] | + | | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] |
| + | | subphylum = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]] | ||
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia | | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ||
| ordo = [[Rodent]]ia | | ordo = [[Rodent]]ia | ||
| + | | subordo = [[Sciurognathi]] | ||
| + | | superfamilia = [[Muroidea]] | ||
| familia = [[Cricetidae]] | | familia = [[Cricetidae]] | ||
| subfamilia = [[Cricetinae]] | | subfamilia = [[Cricetinae]] | ||
| − | | genus = ''[[ | + | | genus = ''[[Mesocricetus]]'' |
| − | | species = ''''' | + | | species = '''''M. auratus''''' |
| − | | binomial = '' | + | | binomial = ''Mesocricetus auratus'' |
| − | | binomial_authority = | + | | binomial_authority = [[George Robert Waterhouse|Waterhouse]], 1839 |
}} | }} | ||
| − | ''' | + | The '''Syrian Hamster''' or '''Golden Hamster''', ''Mesocricetus auratus'', is the best known member of the [[rodent]] [[subfamily]] [[Cricetinae]], the [[hamster]]s. They may now be [[extinct]] in nature, but are popular as house pets all across the world, and are also used in scientific research. Adults grow from 12.5 to 17.5 cm (5 to 7 inches) in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years. |
| − | + | ==Biology== | |
| − | + | Like most members of the subfamily, the Golden Hamster has expandable cheek pouches, which reach from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are [[larder hoarding|larder hoarders]], and they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. They can load a remarkable amount of food into their pouches; their name in the local [[Arabic language|Arabic]] dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" أبو جراب. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25 kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster. They are notoriously good at reproducing, with the shortest gestation period of any mammal. | |
| − | + | [[image:Jan2306_122.jpg|thumb|left|male teddy bear hamster]] | |
| + | Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. Originally, Syrian Hamsters came in just one color--the mixture of brown, black, and gold which gave them their "Golden" name — but they have since developed a myriad of color mutations such as cream, white, blonde, banded, tortoiseshell, calico, and sable. Therefore in pet stores today, ''Golden Hamster'' is only used to label the original coloration (also known as "agouti), while the other-colored short-hairs are banded under the lable ''Fancy Hamster''. ''Teddy Bear'' is a term used to describe the long-haired variety of the Syrian Hamster, named so for their remarkable resemblance to toy teddy bears. They are also sometimes known as "angora hamsters". Male teddy bear hamsters usually have much longer fur than the female variety, culminating in a "skirt" of longer fur around their backsides. ''Black Bears'' are a recent off-shoot of teddy bear hamsters (mutation discovered in 1985), with their major difference being their black-colored fur. It can be argued that black bears are just black teddy bears rather than their own breed; on the other hand, black bears are selectively bred for their larger size and more docile nature as well as their color. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Syrian Hamsters are wildly popular as housepets due to their docile, inquisitive natures and small size. They are popular as "first pets" for young children, as well as being classroom animals, because of their hardiness and relative ease of care. Some pet owners find them more attractive in relation to rats and other rodents due to their lack of visible tails. When kept as pets, however, Syrians must be housed, past the age of around 10 weeks, on their own. Syrian hamsters are notoriously territorial, and will frequently attack and, indeed, kill, other adult hamsters of the same sex. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Syrian Hamsters have also been used in scientific research--in the study of many diseases, as well as in the study of behaviour. They have a number of [[fixed action pattern]]s that are readily observed, including scent-marking. They are particularly used in airway and respiratory physiology research. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Discovery == | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Image:hamster.jpg|thumb|right|albino golden hamster]] | ||
| + | In [[1839]] [[Britain|British]] [[zoologist]] [[George Robert Waterhouse]] reportedly found an elderly female hamster in Syria, naming it ''Cricetus auratus,'' the Golden Hamster. The hamster's fur was on display at the [[British Museum (Natural History)]]. The Syrian Hamster was then ignored by European science for the next century. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 1930, [[Israel Aharoni]], a zoologist and professor at the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], found a mother and litter of hamsters in the [[Syria]]n desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining hamsters were given to his university, where they were successfully bred. They were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, so they were named ''Mesocricetus auratus'', although they were probably the same species. ''Mesocricetus auratus'' is the currently accepted scientific name of Syrian Hamsters. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Descendants of these hamsters were shipped to scientific labs around the world, for use as research animals. They arrived in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1931, and in 1938 reached the United States. Soon after their initial discovery, they were found to make great pets. Just about all Golden Hamsters are descended from the original litter found in Syria, except for a few that were brought into the United States by travellers who found them in the desert. A separate stock of hamsters was imported into the US in 1971, but it isn't known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | *[[Hamster]] | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[http://www.hamster-heaven.com Hamster Heaven] | *[http://www.hamster-heaven.com Hamster Heaven] | ||
| − | *[http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/ | + | *[http://www.xander.it/video.htm Xander.it] - Video collection of Syrian hamsters (page is in Italian) |
| − | *[http:// | + | *[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=10036&lvl=3&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Genome information] |
| + | *[http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/syrian_hamsters.htm Petwebsite Entry on Syrians] | ||
| + | *[http://hometown.aol.com/TheRiverRd/ The River Road Hamstery]- Very good information on hamster breeding, especially for coat types | ||
| + | *[http://www.hamsoc.org.uk/varieties.php The Hamster Society] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Animals kept as pets]] | ||
[[Category:Hamsters]] | [[Category:Hamsters]] | ||
| − | [[de: | + | [[bg:Златист хамстер]] |
| − | [[fr:Hamster | + | [[de:Goldhamster]] |
| − | [[ja: | + | [[fr:Hamster doré]] |
| − | [[pl:Chomik | + | [[it:Mesocricetus auratus]] |
| − | [[zh: | + | [[he:אוגר זהוב]] |
| + | [[nl:Goudhamster]] | ||
| + | [[ja:ゴールデンハムスター]] | ||
| + | [[pl:Chomik syryjski]] | ||
| + | [[fi:Kultahamsteri]] | ||
| + | [[sv:Guldhamster]] | ||
| + | [[zh:敘利亞倉鼠]] | ||
Revision as of 23:57, 6 June 2006
The Syrian Hamster or Golden Hamster, Mesocricetus auratus, is the best known member of the rodent subfamily Cricetinae, the hamsters. They may now be extinct in nature, but are popular as house pets all across the world, and are also used in scientific research. Adults grow from 12.5 to 17.5 cm (5 to 7 inches) in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years.
Biology
Like most members of the subfamily, the Golden Hamster has expandable cheek pouches, which reach from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are larder hoarders, and they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. They can load a remarkable amount of food into their pouches; their name in the local Arabic dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" أبو جراب. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25 kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster. They are notoriously good at reproducing, with the shortest gestation period of any mammal.
Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. Originally, Syrian Hamsters came in just one color--the mixture of brown, black, and gold which gave them their "Golden" name — but they have since developed a myriad of color mutations such as cream, white, blonde, banded, tortoiseshell, calico, and sable. Therefore in pet stores today, Golden Hamster is only used to label the original coloration (also known as "agouti), while the other-colored short-hairs are banded under the lable Fancy Hamster. Teddy Bear is a term used to describe the long-haired variety of the Syrian Hamster, named so for their remarkable resemblance to toy teddy bears. They are also sometimes known as "angora hamsters". Male teddy bear hamsters usually have much longer fur than the female variety, culminating in a "skirt" of longer fur around their backsides. Black Bears are a recent off-shoot of teddy bear hamsters (mutation discovered in 1985), with their major difference being their black-colored fur. It can be argued that black bears are just black teddy bears rather than their own breed; on the other hand, black bears are selectively bred for their larger size and more docile nature as well as their color.
Syrian Hamsters are wildly popular as housepets due to their docile, inquisitive natures and small size. They are popular as "first pets" for young children, as well as being classroom animals, because of their hardiness and relative ease of care. Some pet owners find them more attractive in relation to rats and other rodents due to their lack of visible tails. When kept as pets, however, Syrians must be housed, past the age of around 10 weeks, on their own. Syrian hamsters are notoriously territorial, and will frequently attack and, indeed, kill, other adult hamsters of the same sex.
Syrian Hamsters have also been used in scientific research--in the study of many diseases, as well as in the study of behaviour. They have a number of fixed action patterns that are readily observed, including scent-marking. They are particularly used in airway and respiratory physiology research.
Discovery
In 1839 British zoologist George Robert Waterhouse reportedly found an elderly female hamster in Syria, naming it Cricetus auratus, the Golden Hamster. The hamster's fur was on display at the British Museum (Natural History). The Syrian Hamster was then ignored by European science for the next century.
In 1930, Israel Aharoni, a zoologist and professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, found a mother and litter of hamsters in the Syrian desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining hamsters were given to his university, where they were successfully bred. They were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, so they were named Mesocricetus auratus, although they were probably the same species. Mesocricetus auratus is the currently accepted scientific name of Syrian Hamsters.
Descendants of these hamsters were shipped to scientific labs around the world, for use as research animals. They arrived in the United Kingdom in 1931, and in 1938 reached the United States. Soon after their initial discovery, they were found to make great pets. Just about all Golden Hamsters are descended from the original litter found in Syria, except for a few that were brought into the United States by travellers who found them in the desert. A separate stock of hamsters was imported into the US in 1971, but it isn't known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.
See also
External links
- Hamster Heaven
- Xander.it - Video collection of Syrian hamsters (page is in Italian)
- Genome information
- Petwebsite Entry on Syrians
- The River Road Hamstery- Very good information on hamster breeding, especially for coat types
- The Hamster Society
bg:Златист хамстер de:Goldhamster fr:Hamster doré it:Mesocricetus auratus he:אוגר זהוב nl:Goudhamster ja:ゴールデンハムスター pl:Chomik syryjski fi:Kultahamsteri sv:Guldhamster zh:敘利亞倉鼠
