| properties of proteins binding plasma progesterone in pregnant cape porcupines (hystrix africaeaustralis). | the properties of progesterone-binding proteins in plasma of pregnant cape porcupines were investigated using radiolabelled progesterone and either progesterone or cortisol as competing ligands as well as native plasma and heated (60 degrees c for 30 min) plasma. the results demonstrated that plasma from pregnant porcupines contains corticosteroid-binding globulin, but that it constitutes a significant portion of plasma progesterone-binding proteins only during the early stages of pregnancy. cor ... | 1992 | 1432942 |
| genetically engineered mengo virus vaccination of multiple captive wildlife species. | encephalomyocarditis virus (emcv), has caused the deaths of many species of animals in zoological parks and research institutions. the audubon park zoo, (new orleans, louisiana, usa) attempted vaccination of several species with a killed emcv vaccine with mixed results. this paper reports an attempt at vaccination against emcv using a genetically engineered, live attenuated mengo virus (vmc0) at the audubon park zoo and miami metro zoo, (miami, florida, usa) from december 1996 to june 1997. seve ... | 1999 | 10231768 |
| nuclear organization and morphology of cholinergic, putative catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurons in the brain of the cape porcupine (hystrix africaeaustralis): increased brain size does not lead to increased organizational complexity. | the distribution, morphology and nuclear organization of the cholinergic, putative catecholaminergic and serotonergic systems within the brain of the cape porcupine (hystrix africaeaustralis) were identified following immunohistochemistry for choline acetyltransferase, tyrosine hydroxylase and serotonin. the aim of the present study was to investigate possible differences in the complement of nuclear subdivisions of these systems in the cape porcupine in comparison with previous studies of these ... | 2008 | 18472246 |
| reproductive biology of the male cape porcupine, hystrix africaeaustralis. | the reproductive tract of the male cape porcupine is morphologically and histologically similar to that of new world hystricomorph rodents. males are reproductively active throughout the year and attained sexual maturity (complete spermatogenesis) at an age of 8-18 months. testes weight, epididymides weight and seminiferous tubule diameter attained asymptotic values at the age of 23-30 months. a tendency towards seasonality in the activity of accessory glands, preceded and accompanied by an incr ... | 2013 | 3701699 |
| nuclear organization of cholinergic, putative catecholaminergic, serotonergic and orexinergic systems in the brain of the african pygmy mouse (mus minutoides): organizational complexity is preserved in small brains. | this study investigated the nuclear organization of four immunohistochemically identifiable neural systems (cholinergic, catecholaminergic, serotonergic and orexinergic) within the brain of the african pygmy mouse (mus minutoides). the african pygmy mice studied had a brain mass of around 275 mg, making these the smallest rodent brains to date in which these neural systems have been investigated. in contrast to the assumption that in this small brain there would be fewer subdivisions of these ne ... | 2012 | 22554581 |
| development of primers to amplify mitochondrial dna control region of old world porcupines (subgenus hystrix). | eight primers were developed for the amplification of mitochondrial dna control region of old world porcupines (subgenus hystrix). successful amplifications of low-quality dna extracted from old (12 years old) and recent quills were performed, thus facilitating field sampling. successful cross-species amplifications were obtained for hystrix africaeaustralis, h. cristata and h. indica. length and structure of mitochondrial dna control region were analysed and its usefulness as genetic marker for ... | 2008 | 21585995 |
| burrowing and huddling in newborn porcupine: the effect on thermoregulation. | the newborn cape porcupine hystrix africaeaustralis is a precocial rodent. however, the newborn spends its first 9 weeks in the burrow. heat production (oxygen consumption--vo2) and body temperature (tb) were measured at various ambient temperatures (ta) in newborn (4-8-week-old) porcupines, with a body mass between 1340-1993 g during summer, from the colony kept at the mammal research institute, university of pretoria. to assess the effect of huddling, these parameters were also measured in adu ... | 1992 | 1523249 |
| urinary characteristics of the cape porcupine hystrix africaeaustralis: effects of photoperiod and temperature. | the cape porcupine hystrix africaeaustralis is a large (11-18 kg), nocturnal, burrowing and group-living rodent. it experiences a metabolic response to seasonal acclimatization and is a hind gut fermenter. changes in the urinary electrolyte and free urinary catecholamine concentrations of cape porcupines were related to combined changes of ambient temperature and photoperiod regime. three groups, a) ta = 25 degrees c, 12l:12d; b) ta = 32 degrees c, 16l:8d; c) ta = 10 degrees c, 8l:16d, were stud ... | 2006 | 1295573 |
| reproductive inhibition in the cape porcupine, hystrix africaeaustralis. | sexually mature female cape porcupines kept under natural conditions of illumination and temperature did not conceive while housed within their natal groups. before removal from their natal groups the sexually mature offspring copulated and experienced cyclic ovarian activity, but conception occurred only 70-120 days after dispersal. mean oestrous cycle length of these females (36.9 +/- 11.5 days; n = 34) was similar to that of breeding females (33.0 +/- 11.64 days; n = 16), but mean peak plasma ... | 1991 | 2056483 |
| metabolic rates, food consumption and thermoregulation in seasonal acclimatization of the cape porcupine hystrix africaeaustralis. | metabolic rates by means of oxygen consumption (vo(2)) at various ambient temperatures (t (a)) and food consumption as well as water intake and thermoregulation were compared between individuals of the cape porcupine hystrix africaeaustralis acclimated to t (a)=32°c with a photoperiod of 16l:8d summer-acclimated and t (a)=10°c; 8l:16d winter-acclimated. the lower critical temperature as well as overall minimal thermal conductance were lower for the winter-acclimated porcupines when compared to s ... | 1990 | 22160111 |
| functional anatomy of the ovaries of pregnant and lactating cape porcupines, hystrix africaeaustralis. | the constituent cell types of the ovary of the porcupine were similar to those of new world hystricomorph rodents and accessory corpora lutea and luteal bodies were formed through the luteinization of the membrana granulosa or theca interna of antral follicles. all luteal bodies were histologically similar. the total volume of luteal tissue per female was not affected by fetal age and was unrelated to circulating concentrations of maternal plasma progesterone. maternal plasma progesterone concen ... | 1986 | 3701700 |
| circulating progesterone, progesterone-binding proteins and oestradiol-17 beta concentrations in the pregnant cape porcupine, hystrix africaeaustralis. | circulating concentrations of progesterone, progesterone-binding plasma proteins (pbpp) and oestradiol-17 beta in pregnant porcupines remained relatively low until days 25-30 post coitum. progesterone values peaked (102-180 ng/ml; n = 3) 42-60 days post coitum and the rapid increase in oestradiol-17 beta concentrations approximated that of progesterone with peak values (170-210 pg/ml) being attained 60-85 days post coitum. the pattern of pbpp synthesis, as suggested by circulating concentrations ... | 1986 | 2422368 |
| sexual behavior of the female porcupine hystrix africaeaustralis. | porcupines are sexually active throughout the estrous cycle, and sexual behavior is not affected by the reproductive status and hormonal milieu of females. increased female-male interactions during estrus are the only indications of behavioral changes during estrus. the lack of aggression shown by females to known males as opposed to aggression shown to strange males, the greater interest shown by males toward certain females, and the superior breeding success of these females suggest a pair-bon ... | 1985 | 4085994 |
| circulating progesterone and oestradiol-17 beta concentrations in cyclic cape porcupines, hystrix africaeaustralis. | the general pattern of steroid secretion during the 30-day oestrous cycle of the cape porcupine is that of a surge (25-176 pg/ml) in oestradiol-17 beta secretion at the time of perforation of the vaginal closure membrane, followed by an increase in progesterone concentrations, the latter attaining peak values (mean 5.9 +/- 2.1 ng/ml) 8-19 days (13.8 +/- 2.8 days) after vaginal opening. copulation occurred after the oestradiol-17 beta surge and the length of the luteal phase of the cycle varied f ... | 1985 | 4067935 |
| reproduction in captive female cape porcupines (hystrix africaeaustralis). | captive females attained sexual maturity at an age of 9-16 months and conceived for the first time when 10-25 months old. adult females were polyoestrous but did not cycle while lactating or when isolated from males. the length of the cycle varied from 17 to 42 days (mean +/- s.d. 31.2 +/- 6.5 days; n = 43) and females experienced 3-7 sterile cycles before conceiving. pregnancy lasted for 93-94 days (93.5 +/- 0.6 days; n = 4) and litter intervals varied from 296 to 500 days (385 +/- 60.4; n = 10 ... | 1985 | 4067934 |
| scavenger activity in a peri-urban agricultural setting in the highveld of south africa. | scavenging animals often scatter skeletal remains of forensic interest and cause scavenging damage. this study aimed to identify scavenging animals in the peri-urban agricultural highveld of south africa, describe their scattering patterns, and the damage they cause to bone. ten pig carcasses (sus scrofa domesticus) (40-80 kg) were placed at the university of pretoria's mierjie le roux experimental farm (highveld) in summer and winter. motion-activated cameras recorded the scavenging. scavenger ... | 2020 | 32875396 |
| traditional medicinal animal use by xhosa and sotho communities in the western cape province, south africa. | the use of animals and animal-derived materials in traditional medicine constitutes an important part of the belief systems of indigenous african cultures. it is believed to be rapidly expanding in south africa, where traditional healers are estimated to outnumber western doctors by 2000:1 in some areas, with an overall clientele consisting of 60-80% of south african citizens. despite concerns about the impact of the trade in traditional medicine on biodiversity, there has been only limited rese ... | 2019 | 31288841 |
| evidence of scavenging behaviour in crested porcupine. | the vegetarian diet of many herbivorous mammals is supplemented with proteins of animal origin, especially in young individuals and in breeding females, to provide key proteins necessary for both growth and breeding. among porcupine species, only the cape porcupine (hystrix africaeaustralis) has been observed to consume carrion flesh. from june to august 2019, a pigeon carcass was placed together with corn in 7 study settlements and near 2 monitored capture-traps, in order to assess the carrion ... | 2020 | 32704027 |
| fatal aspergillus flavus rhinitis with gastrointestinal gaseous distension in a cape porcupine. | an adult female cape porcupine (hystrix africaeaustralis) was presented because of marked abdominal distension, acute dyspnea, and lethargy. physical examination and standard radiographs revealed marked and diffuse gaseous dilation of the stomach and intestines of undetermined origin. the porcupine died despite medical therapy and surgical intervention. postmortem examination revealed chronic fungal (aspergillus flavus) rhinitis. given that rodents are obligate nasal breathers, the rhinitis like ... | 2019 | 31113331 |