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标题：Phenology of reproductive condition varies with age and spring weather conditions in male Myotis daubentonii and M. nattereri (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
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作者：Danielle M. Linton ; David W. Macdonald
期刊名称：Scientific Reports
电子版ISSN：2045-2322
出版年度：2020
卷号：10
期号：1
页码：1-10
DOI：10.1038/s41598-020-63538-y
出版社：Springer Nature
摘要：We examine the extent to which intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence reproductive phenology in male bats at the population level. Using data from thirteen breeding seasons (2006–2018), encompassing the reproductive histories of 1546 Myotis daubentonii and 530 M. nattereri males, we compare rates of sexual maturation and the temporal distribution of phases of spermatogenesis between juvenile (born that season) and adult (born in previous seasons) males. We found that (i) higher proportions of M. daubentonii (50.81%) than M. nattereri (12.85%) became sexually mature as juveniles, (ii) the proportion of juveniles in reproductive condition per annum was influenced by spring weather conditions, (iii) in both species males that reached puberty as juveniles had higher body mass, on average, than immature juveniles, (iv) older males (aged ≥4 years old) commenced spermatogenesis earlier than young adult males (aged 1–3 years old), whilst juveniles that commenced spermatogenesis did so later in the year than adults, in both species, and (v) M. daubentonii commenced and completed spermatogenesis earlier than M. nattereri in the equivalent age class. Our findings suggest that selection pressure exists for early mating readiness and synchronisation with female receptivity.