Determining the age of bank voles - a laboratory study

Abstract

Gustafsson T. G., Andersson C. B. & Westlin L. M., 1982: Determining the age of bank voles — a laboratory study. Acta theriol., 27, 20: 275—282 [With 2 Figs. & Plate VII] A method is described for determining the age of bank voles, Clethrio-nomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780), over 30 days of age. The method is based on the root length of the first lower molars. Four measurements of root length were made of 664 teeth from laboratory bank voles of known age. The best measurement was the length of the oral root from the upper part of the neck of the tooth, which allows age esti-mation of bank voles from the age of 30 days. The measurements of length of separate roots used by most earlier workers allowed age to be determined only in animals older than approximately 75 days and was thus considered less useful. The rate of growth of molar roots in this study was similar to that found in field studies. [Dept. Zool., Univ. Lund, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden]