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Breeding Biology Of Oryzomys Palustris, The Marsh Rice Rat, In Eastern Virginia, Robert K. Rose, Erin A. Dreelin
Breeding Biology Of Oryzomys Palustris, The Marsh Rice Rat, In Eastern Virginia, Robert K. Rose, Erin A. Dreelin
Virginia Journal of Science
The objectives of our study were to determine the age of maturity, litter size, and the timing of the breeding season of marsh rice rats (Oryzomys palustris) of coastal Virginia. From May 1995 to May 1996, monthly samples of rice rats were live-trapped in two coastal tidal marshes of eastern Virginia, and then necropsied. Sexual maturity was attained at 30-40 g for both sexes. Mean litter size of 4.63 (N= 16) did not differ among months or in mass or parity classes. Data from two other studies conducted in the same county, one of them contemporaneous, also were …
Year-Round Diet Of The Marsh Rice Rat, Oryzomys Palustris, In Virginia Tidal Marshes, Robert K. Rose, Shannon W. Mcgurk
Year-Round Diet Of The Marsh Rice Rat, Oryzomys Palustris, In Virginia Tidal Marshes, Robert K. Rose, Shannon W. Mcgurk
Virginia Journal of Science
The marsh rice rat, Oryzomys palustris, is the dominant semi-aquatic rodent living in tidal marshes of the Virginia coastal plain. Described as highly carnivorous, this species is known to consume a range of animal foods, including crustaceans, mollusks, fish, and arthropods, as well as some plant foods. Analysis of stomach contents from rice rats collected from Eastern Shore tidal marshes throughout an annual cycle revealed that all 103 stomachs contained dicots, 82 percent had monocots, 61 percent had crabs and insects, and 38 percent had snails. Thirty-eight percent of stomachs contained foods in all five categories, no stomach was …