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Tuco-Tucos pp 221–247Cite as

Ecological Physiology and Behavior in the Genus Ctenomys

Abstract

The understanding of the diversity of behavioral and physiological responses associated with the challenges of underground life requires expanding our attention to groups of underground rodents that have not yet been considered in detail. Here we review data published in the genus Ctenomys considering behavioral and physiological responses to underground environmental conditions and food resources, as well as those exploring interactions with conspecific and heterospecific individuals. A wide scope of topics was covered, namely: (a) sensory biology; (b) stress response and individual condition; (c) energy, water balance, and thermoregulation; (d) intraspecific interactions, specifically, physiology, and behavior of territorial defense and reproduction; and (e) interspecific interactions, in particular, physiology and behavior of predator avoidance and immune defense against parasites and pathogens. The species studied represent only a quarter of the diversity of the genus, and several topics were assessed almost exclusively in C. talarum, which makes it difficult to identify general response patterns. However, while some patterns found regarding physiological and behavioral responses are clearly in accordance with what is expected for underground rodents, others are affected by different degrees of use of the underground habitat that characterize this genus.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to dedicate this chapter to Cristina Busch who initiated the study of ecology, physiology, and behavior of tuco-tucos in the Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. We are grateful to the editors for inviting us to contribute with this chapter. Our research was supported by grants from Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, Consejo Nacional de Investigacion Científica y Tecnológica and Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata.

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  1. Authors María Sol Fanjul, Ana Paula Cutrera and Facundo Luna have equally contributed to this chapter

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo ‘Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento’, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    María Sol Fanjul, Ana Paula Cutrera, Facundo Luna, Cristian E. Schleich, Valentina Brachetta, C. Daniel Antenucci & Roxana R. Zenuto

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  1. María Sol Fanjul
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Correspondence to Roxana R. Zenuto .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Thales Renato Ochotorena de Freitas

  2. Department of Genetics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Gislene Lopes Gonçalves

  3. Department of Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Renan Maestri

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Fanjul, M.S. et al. (2021). Ecological Physiology and Behavior in the Genus Ctenomys. In: Freitas, T.R.O.d., Gonçalves, G.L., Maestri, R. (eds) Tuco-Tucos. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61679-3_11

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