Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key"

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{{Taxobox_begin | color=pink | name=Winter white russian hamster}}
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<table border="1" cellspacing="0" align="right" cellpadding="2" style = "margin-left: 0.5em;">
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{{Taxobox_image | | caption = [[]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_begin_placement | color = pink}}
 
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{{Taxobox_regnum_entry | taxon = [[Animal]]ia}}
 
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{{Taxobox_phylum_entry | taxon = [[Chordate|Chordata]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_classis_entry | taxon = [[Mammal]]ia}}
 
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{{Taxobox_ordo_entry | taxon = [[Rodentia]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_subordo_entry | taxon=[[Sciurognathi]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_infraordo_entry | taxon=[[Myodonta]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_superfamilia_entry | taxon = [[Muroidea]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_familia_entry | taxon = [[Cricetidae]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_subfamilia_entry | taxon = [[Cricetinae]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_genus_entry | taxon=Phodopus}}
 
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{{Taxobox_end_placement}}
 
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{{Taxobox_section_subdivision | color = pink |plural_taxon= '''Binomial name'''}}
 
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*Phodopus sungorus
 
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*Phodopus sungorus sungorus
 
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(see text)
 
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{{Taxobox_end}}
 
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'''Winter white russian hamsters''' are a species of [[hamster]] in the genus [[Phodopus]].They are typically half the size of the better known [[Syrian hamster]], so they are called dwarf hamster, like all Phodopus species. Their features include a dorsal stripe that is typically dark grey and furry feet. Their tail is so short that it hardly shows if the hamster is sitting. In the winter they will turn pure white with the exception of their dorsal stripe if temperature is low and the period of daylight is short. They will rarely turn white in captivity when kept in heated rooms. They need this color chance because they do not really [[hibernate]] and leave their burrows in winter frequently in order to forage or get food from separate store burrows.
 
  
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==Taxonomy==
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<tr><th align="center" bgcolor="pink">'''Golden or Syrian Hamster'''</th></tr>
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It is debated whether they are a subspecies of the [[Dwarf Campbell's Russian Hamster]] or a species unto themselves. In the first case, they are named ''Phodopus sungorus'' and ''Phodopus campbelli'', in the latter case ''Phodopus sungorus sungorus'' and ''Phodopus sungorus campbelli''. Campbell's hamsters and Winter White hamsters can mate and produce offspring that is sometimes fertile, sometimes not. These animals are known as [[hybrids]]. Crossing them is strongly discouraged by professional breeders.
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<tr><td>
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[[image:hamster.jpg]]<br>
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</td></tr>
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<tr><th align="center" bgcolor=pink>{{taxonomy}}</th></tr>
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<tr><td>
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<table align="center">
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<tr><td>{{Regnum}}:</td><td>[[Animal]]ia</td></tr>
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<tr><td>{{Phylum}}:</td><td>[[Chordate|Chordata]]</td></tr>
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<tr><td>{{Subphylum}}:</td><td>[[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]</td></tr>
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<tr><td>{{Classis}}:</td><td>[[Mammal]]ia</td></tr>
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<tr><td>{{Ordo}}:</td><td>[[Rodent]]ia</td></tr>
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<tr><td>{{Subordo}}:</td><td>[[Sciurognathi]]</td></tr>
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<tr><td>{{Superfamilia}}:</td><td>[[Muroidea]]</td></tr>
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<tr><td>{{Familia}}:</td><td>[[Cricetidae]]</td></tr>
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<tr><td>{{Subfamilia}}:</td><td>[[Cricetinae]]</td></tr>
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<tr><td>'''[[Genus]]''':</td><td>'''''[[Mesocricetus]]'''''</td></tr>
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<tr><td>'''[[Species]]''':</td><td>'''''auratus'''''</td></tr>
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</table>
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</td></tr>
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<tr><th align="center" bgcolor="pink">'''[[Binomial name]]'''</th></tr>
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<tr><th>''Mesocricetus auratus''<br><small>[[George Robert Waterhouse|Waterhouse]], [[1839]]</small></td></th>
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</table>
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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 5" to 7" in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years.
  
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==Whinter white russian hamsters as pets==
 
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They are often found on the [[pet]] market, in [[Europe]] more so than in the [[US]]. Care is similar to that of the syrian hamster. See [[hamster]] for general hamster care. They generally make excellent pets, but are very small so not good for very young children. They need bigger cages than syrian hamsters because they are more lively and require more small seeds in their food. Care must be taken not to feed food containing sources of [[simple sugar]] because they are at risk of developping [[diabetes mellitus]] from that.
 
  
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In general, dwarf hamsters typically have more of a family structure than the Syrian hamster.  Dwarf hamsters will happily live in mated pairs, with both male and female caring for the young. But same-sex pairs and larger groups will rarely get along well, as they wouldn't live together like that in nature. Frequent fighting may occur and be a great distress for them, or even lead to deadly incidents.
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==Biology==
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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]] dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" &#1571;&#1576;&#1608; &#1580;&#1585;&#1575;&#1576;.  If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25Kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.
  
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Winter White hamsters used to be only available in their typical light grey color, but they are now available in a variety of colors, However, these colors may be difficult to find. And the number of available colors is much smaller than in the dwarf Campell's hamster.
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Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters.  ''Teddy Bear'' is a term sometimes used for the longhaired variety of the Syrian Hamster, and the so-called ''Black Bear'' hamster is just a Syrian Hamster with black fur. All of them may well indeed be the descendants of a single mother.
  
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Golden Hamsters have been used in scientific research, in the study of many diseases, and also in the study of behaviour.  They have a number of [[fixed action pattern]]s that are readily observed, including scent-marking.
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It is widely used in medical research, particularly in airway and respiratory physiology research.
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== Discovery of the Syrian Hamster ==
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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. Around 1930, zoologist and Professor at the University of Jerusalem [[Israel Aharoni]] 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 the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], 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.
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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. 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.
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''See also [[Hamster]] for a general discussion of hamsters and hamsters as pets.''
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==External link==
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=10036&lvl=3&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Genome information]
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[[Category:Pets]]
 
[[Category:Muroid rodents]]
 
[[Category:Muroid rodents]]
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[[Category:Pets]]
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[[bg:&#1047;&#1083;&#1072;&#1090;&#1080;&#1089;&#1090; &#1093;&#1072;&#1084;&#1089;&#1090;&#1077;&#1088;]]
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[[de:Goldhamster]]
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[[he:&#1488;&#1493;&#1490;&#1512; &#1494;&#1492;&#1493;&#1489;]]
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[[fi:Kultahamsteri]]

Revision as of 22:12, 23 May 2005

Golden or Syrian Hamster

Hamster.jpg

Template:Taxonomy
Template:Regnum:Animalia
Template:Phylum:Chordata
Template:Subphylum:Vertebrata
Template:Classis:Mammalia
Template:Ordo:Rodentia
Template:Subordo:Sciurognathi
Template:Superfamilia:Muroidea
Template:Familia:Cricetidae
Template:Subfamilia:Cricetinae
Genus:Mesocricetus
Species:auratus
Binomial name
Mesocricetus auratus
Waterhouse, 1839

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 5" to 7" 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 25Kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.

Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. Teddy Bear is a term sometimes used for the longhaired variety of the Syrian Hamster, and the so-called Black Bear hamster is just a Syrian Hamster with black fur. All of them may well indeed be the descendants of a single mother.

Golden Hamsters have been used in scientific research, in the study of many diseases, and also in the study of behaviour. They have a number of fixed action patterns that are readily observed, including scent-marking.

It is widely used in medical research, particularly in airway and respiratory physiology research.

Discovery of the Syrian Hamster

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. Around 1930, zoologist and Professor at the University of Jerusalem Israel Aharoni 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 the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 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. 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 for a general discussion of hamsters and hamsters as pets.

External link

bg:Златист хамстер de:Goldhamster he:אוגר זהוב fi:Kultahamsteri

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