Forschung

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
Neurons in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (DNLL) are relevant for binaural processing especially during reverberations. Their basic biophysical and synaptic properties have been documented, but are not understood on the cellular and molecular level. It remains so far unclear what voltage gated ion channels (VGIC) underly their functional specifications and how synaptic inputs are modulated. One specific question that will be answered his how different VGIC (potassium and sodium channels) interact to allow these neurons to generate high firing frequencies at high temporal precision. This biophysical phenotype indicates that these features are differently solved compared to other auditory brainstem neurons with similar tasks. Thus, this project aims to understand the moleculare organisaiton of the postsynaptic integration and spike generation mechanism. Since, the GABAergic DNLL neurons are reziprocally connected substantial GABA is liberated onto each neuron. GABA not only leads to fast inhibitory singalling but also is well-documented to generally be an important neuromodulator in the auditory brainstem. Therefore, the action of GABA mediated neuromodulation will be investigated by characterizing its effect on synaptic inputs and VGIC.

Resultate:

Javadova A, Felmy F.: GABAB receptor-mediated modulation in the developing dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. European Journal of Neuroscience (2024) Jan 5. doi: 10.1111/ejn.16246.

Drittmittelprojekt: DFG, 350.510 EUR

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
Bei Säugern nimmt mit der Kopfgröße auch die Größe des Gehirns und der Neurone zu. Eine Zunahme der Neuronengröße führt unweigerlich zu einer erhöhten Membrankapazität. Um die integrativen Leistungen der Neurone und die damit verbundene Funktion eines Nukleus invariant von der Hirngröße zu halten, müssen neuronale Eigenschaften wie der Eingangswiderstand, die dendritische Morphologie, die synaptische Leitfähigkeitsowie die Anzahl und Lage von Ionenkanälen und Synapsen proportional skalieren. Eine Grundvoraussetzung, um die zellulären Mechanismen einer solchen Skalierung zu untersuchen, ist eine evolutiv konservierte Neuronenpopulation die unabhängig von Kopf- und Gehirngröße die gleiche Funktion innerhalb eines Schaltkreises erfüllt. Mit den Neuronen des medialen Nukleus des Trapezkörpers (MNTB), welche an der binauralen Verarbeitung und der spektro-temporalen Integration in der aufsteigenden Hörbahn beteiligt sind, steht ein solcher Schaltkreis zur Verfügung. Die Quantifizierung der biophysikalischen und morphologischen zellulären Parameter von MNTB-Neuronen, ihrer synaptischen Eingangsgrößen sowie der Position von Ionenkanälen und Synapsen bei unterschiedlich großen Säugetierarten, wie zum Beispiel Etruskerspitzmäuse, Wüstenrennmäuse und Ratten, ermöglicht es uns, die Konsequenzen der hirngrößenabhängigen Neuronen-Skalierung zu verstehen. Die Ergebnisse dieser Untersuchungen werden in einem biophysikalischen Zellmodell münden, um ihre jeweilige funktionale Bedeutung zu verstehen. Darüber hinaus können wir diesen komparativen Ansatz nutzen, um die funktionelle Rolle der Dendriten von MNTB Neuronen, welche bisher weitgehend unbekannt ist, zu untersuchen. Insbesondere durch die quantitative Bestimmung des Einflusses von dendritischen synaptischen Eingängen auf die synaptische Latenz und den Erfolg der Aktionspotentialgenerierung, können wir ihre potenzielle Rolle bei der hochfrequenten Signalweiterleitung erfassen.

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
Etruscan shrews need to constantly hunt to meet their energy requirements; because of their small body size, their relative energy consumption is very large. To efficiently hunt in close range, these animals rely especially on tactile sensory cues. However, for long-range detection of prey these animals likely use their well-developed hearing. Due to their small body and head size, these animals are expected to hear in frqeuncy range above 5 kHz and therefore are an ideal model system to investigate high frequency hearing and adaptations to miniaturization of mammalian neuronal circuits. We attempt to describe their auditory brainstem strucutes by applying structural and functional markers. After the initial anatomical characterization we will use electrophysiological techniques to comparatively study the properties of adutiory brainstem neurons. Thereby we will focus on biophysical and synaptic size adaptations within conserved neuronal circuits.

Drittmittelprojekt: DFG Ra 50/23-1, 2, Houston Zoo, 344.938 EUR

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
Drivers of speciation are diverse and complex, ranging from large-scale geomorphological processes like the formation of mountains or rivers to small-scale mechanisms like intra-specific ecological plasticity, divergent habitat choice or colonization potential. Due to the lack of appropriate model regions and species, previous studies typically focused on single or dual factor approaches without investigating interactions between drivers. We propose a highly suitable model region in eastern Madagascar to better explore the principal evolutionary processes driving species diversification and their interactions. The proposed study region is traversed by several large rivers that differ greatly in age. The geology and vegetation is rather uniform with similar macro-habitats ranging from tropical lowland to highland rain forest along an elevational east-west gradient. The area harbors an outstanding lemur species richness of which three genera are chosen as models for this project. Thirteen model species belong to two exceptionally speciose genera, Lepilemur and Microcebus, in contrast to the less speciose but ecologically plastic genus of woolly lemurs (Avahi). Rivers and mountains are assumed to have played a crucial role during speciation of lemurs, providing refugia during Pleistocene glaciation events which supposedly facilitated speciation. We propose that river chronology is an additional major co-variate shaping diversification processes, colonization pathways and phylogeographic history of species. We aim to combine geomorphological reconstructions of relative river ages, (micro-)habitat characterizations, ecological niche modeling techniques and RADseq-based phylogeographic reconstructions of colonization routes to investigate the role and interactions of various drivers of speciation including chronology of riverine barriers, vagility, altitudinal tolerance, body size, and ecological plasticity. This interdisciplinary project will thereby illuminate the relative importance of various extrinsic (e.g., geomorphology, habitat) and intrinsic factors (e.g., ecological plasticity, vagility) for the evolutionary diversification of animal populations.

Resultate:

Tiley, G.P.*; van Elst, T.*; Teixeira, H.; Schüßler, D.; Salmona, J.; Blanco, M.B.; Ralison, J.M.; Randrianambinina, B.; Rasoloarison, R.M.; Stahlke, A.R.; Hohenlohe, P.A.; Chikhi, L.; Louis, E.E.; Radespiel, U.; Yoder, A.D. (2022): Population genomic structure in Goodman?s mouse lemur reveals long-standing separation of Madagascar?s Central Highlands and eastern rainforests. Mol. Ecol., 31, 4901-4918. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16632 (*: shared first authors)

 

Schüßler, D.#; Blanco, M.B.#; Salmona, J.; Poelstra, J.; Andriambeloson, J.B.; Miller, A.; Randrianambinina, B.; Rasolofoson, D.W.; Mantilla-Contreras, J.; Chikhi, L.; Louis, E.E. Jr., Yoder, A.D.; Radespiel, U. (2020): Ecology and morphology of mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.) in a hotspot of microendemism in northeastern Madagascar, with the description of a new species. Am. J. of Primatol., e23180. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23180 (#: joint first authors)

 

Poelstra, J.#; Salmona, J. #; Tiley, G.P. #; Schüßler, D.; Blanco, M.B.; Andriambeloson, J.B.; Manzi, S.; Campbell, C.R.; Bouchez, O.; Etter, P.D.; Iribar, A.; Hohenlohe, P.A.; Hunnicutt, K.E.; Johnson, E.A.; Kappeler P.M.; Larsen, P.A.; Ralison, J.M.; Randrianambinina, B.; Rasoloarison, R.M.; Rasolofoson, D.W.; Stahlke, A.R.; Weisrock, D.; Williams, R.C.; Chikhi, L.; Louis Jr., E.E.; Radespiel, U.* Yoder, A.D.*; (2020): Cryptic patterns of speciation in cryptic primates: microendemic mouse lemurs and the multispecies coalescent. Systematic Biology, syaa053. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syaa053 (#: joint first authors, *: joint senior authors)

Kooperationspartner:

Prof. Dr. M. Sauerwein, Universität Hildesheim

Dr. Jordi Salmona, Universität Toulouse, Frankreich

Dr. Lounès Chikhi, IGC, Oeiras, Portugal

Pr. Dr. Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Universität Antananarivo, Madagaskar

Pr. Dr. Solofonirina Rasoloharijaona, Universität Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Dr. Romule Rakotondravony, Universität Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Dominik Schüßler, Apl.Prof. Dr. Jasmin Mantilla-Contreras, Universität Hildesheim

Drittmittelprojekt: Deutscher Akadademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD-PROCOPE), 9.108 EUR

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
Nonverbale vokale Kommunikation beim Menschen enthält Informationen über den emotionalen Zustand des Senders, die wiederum vom Empfänger genutzt werden können. Diese emotionalen Hinweise weisen Ähnlichkeiten über verschiedene Säugetiertaxa auf, die auf evolutiven vormenschlichen Ursprung schliessen lassen (z. B. Davila Ross et al., 2009, Newman, 1985, Zimmermann et al., 2013). Im Gegensatz zum menschlichen Lachen und Schreien ist unser Wissen über andere nonverbale Laute wie das Seufzen begrenzt. Daher wurde in der vorliegenden Studie untersucht, ob mit dem menschlichen Seufzer vergleichbare Vokalisationen bei nichtmenschlichen Säugetieren zu finden sind und ob diese Vokalisationen mit dem emotionalen Zustand des Senders sowie mit der Qualität der sozialen Interaktion zusammenhängen. In der Ordnung Perissodactyla äussern Pferde und Nashörner den Ruftyp Schnauben, der als ein explosiver, mehr oder weniger gepulstes Laut charakterisiert ist. Die Funktion dieses Rufes ist noch nicht klar. Zum einen wurde vorgeschlagen, dass dieser Ruftyp eher eine hygienische Funktion als eine kommunikative Funktion haben könnte (z. B. Yeon et al., 2011, Linn et al., 2018). Zum anderen wird vorgeschlagen, dass das Schnauben ein Indikator für positive Emotionen oder zumindest einen relaxten Zustand signalisieren kann. Um die Funktion des Schnaubens zu klären und zu untersuchen, inwieweit es zumindest in der Ordnung Perissodactyla taxaübergreifende Ähnlichkeiten gibt, wollen wir die Schnauberproduktion zwischen Pferden und Nashörnern vergleichen.

Kooperationspartner:

Idu Azogu-Sepe, Serengeti Park Hodenhagen

Prof. Alban Lemasson, Rennes 1 University, France

Prof. Martine Hausberger, Rennes 1 University, France

Dr. Mathilde Stomp, Rennes 1 University, France

Planét Sauvage, Frankreich

Drittmittelprojekt: VolkswagenStiftung, 6.569 EUR

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
The project aims to employ modern genetic tools to identify lemur populations of high conservation value to help prioritizing conservation efforts and to develop and implement conservation strategy for the most threatened and valuable lemur populations. The following points constitute the major project objectives: Objective 1: Identify and sample suitable populations of two lemur model species in the study region. Objective 2: Characterize the populations with regard to their genetic diversity, genetic uniqueness, and genetic connectivity to identify the site(s) with the highest conservation value and concern.

Kooperationspartner:

Dr. Fano Ratsoavina, Universität Antananarivo, Madagaskar

Helena Teixeira, PhD, University of La Réunion, La Réunion

Drittmittelprojekt: BMBF - DLR Projektträger, Teilprojekt aus dem BIODIVERSA Programm der EU, 301.195 EUR

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
The global biodiversity crisis that is affecting ecosystems worldwide is a major subject of concern and is expected to worsen with ongoing global changes. Climate change together with other anthropogenic factors will lead to the displacement of many favorable environments in the next decades owing to fast altitudinal and latitudinal shifts, with greatest predicted impacts in biodiversity hotspots. These shifts will lead to an increase in Habitat Loss and Fragmentation (HL&F), the main threats to Biodiversity worldwide. There is therefore a need to understand the consequences of HL&F, and to identify the barriers to gene flow at various spatial and temporal scales. We study HL&F in the context of past and future environmental changes, across taxa and regions. We use Madagascar as a model region and use comparative genomic analyses to infer generalizable critical features of ecological networks across various taxonomic and spatial scales. In particular, we identify barriers to gene flow based on genomic datasets and study the effects of forest fragmentation on the vegetation, and the abundance and parasite load of two mouse lemur and two rodent species.

Resultate:

Mercado-Malabet, F.; Ramsay, M.S.; Chell, C.; Andriatsitohaina, B.; Radespiel, U.; Lehman, S.M. (2024). Where the small things are: Modelling edge effects on mouse lemur population density and distribution in northwestern Madagascar. Am. J. Primatol., 87, e23621. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23621.

 

Ramsay, M.S.; Sgarlata, G.; Barratt, C.D.; Salmona, J.; Andriatsitohaina, B.; Kiene, F.; Manzi, S.; Ramilison, M.L.; Rakotondravony, R.; Chikhi, L.; Lehman, S.M.; Radespiel, U. (2023): Effects of forest fragmentation on connectivity and genetic diversity in an endemic and an invasive rodent in northwestern Madagascar. Genes, 14(7), 1451. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14071451.

 

Kiene, F.; Springer, A.; Andriatsitohaina, B.; Ramsay, M.S.; Rakotondravony, R.; Strube, C.*; Radespiel, U.* (2023): Filarial infections in lemurs: Evidence for a wide geographical distribution and low host specificity among lemur species. Am. J. Primatol., 85(2), e23458. DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23458 (*: joint senior authors)

 

Kiene, F.; Antriatsitohaina B.; Ramsay, M.S.; Rakotondravony, R.; Strube, C.*; Radespiel, U.* (2021): Habitat fragmentation and vegetation structure impact gastrointestinal parasites of small mammalian hosts in Madagascar. Ecology and Evolution 11, 6766-6788. Doi: 10.1002/ece3.7526.

 

Andriatsitohaina, B.; Romero-Mujalli, D.; Ramsay, M.S.; Kiene, F.; Rasoloharijaona, S.; Rakotondravony, R.; Lehman, S.M.; Radespiel, U. (2020): Effects of habitat edges on vegetation structure and the vulnerable golden-brown mouse lemur (Microcebus ravelobensis) in northwestern Madagascar. BMC Ecology 20, 69. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12898-020-00337-z.

Kooperationspartner:

Dr. Lounès Chikhi, IGC, Oeiras, Portugal

Prof. Olivier Mazet, Universität Toulouse, Frankreich

Dr. Guillaume Besnard, Universität Toulouse, Frankreich

Dr. Jordi Salmona, Universität Toulouse, Frankreich

Prof. Shawn Lehman, Universität Toronto, Canada

Dr. Romule Rakotondravony, Universität Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Prof. Solofonirina Rasoloharijaona, Universität Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Travis Steffens, PhD, University of Guelph, Canada; Planet Madagascar

Drittmittelprojekt: DFG, 299.200 EUR

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie
Institut für Tiergenomik

Projektdetails:
Marked climatic oscillations between glacial and interglacial periods had worldwide consequences for vegetation as well as animal population dynamics. The importance of these shallow-time (on geological and evolutionary timescales) geographic dynamics for shaping current biodiversity and biogeography patterns is increasingly stressed, although rarely analyzed in an innovative integrated manner. One of the necessary steps in order to understand the drivers of biodiversity is to synergize the efforts from various research fields by, for example, reconstructing the interplay between the degree and frequency of historic forest cover changes and demographic changes of forest-dependent organisms. This study aims to integrate validated records of vegetation and climate dynamics with inferred population dynamics to reconstruct the dynamics of forest landscapes and of populations of forest dwelling species over space and time in a primate model endemic to Madagascar. Madagascar developed a unique biodiversity during its long isolated history. Despite the long-lasting interest in the natural history of the island, much is still unknown about the biodiversity dynamics and long-term ecology of this continental island. This multidisciplinary project aims to integrate demographic inferences based on molecular datasets of mouse lemurs with validated high resolution vegetation dynamics based on paleoecological reconstructions obtained from the same study sites reaching back to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). To reach these goals, study sites in northwestern and northern Madagascar were visited for the joint collection of (paleo)ecological and population datasets and samples of mouse lemurs in direct vicinity to each other. For the paleoecological part sediment cores from lakes were drilled and complemented with samples of modern pollen rain and vegetation data. The sediment cores are subjected to temporal high-resolution pollen and charcoal analyses, radiocarbon dating and multivariate modelling of the vegetation and climate dynamics over time and space. The lemur samples are analyzed by applying RADSeq and NextSeq sequencing techniques on various subsets of samples. This study will contribute substantially to a deeper understanding of the evolutionary history and future prospects of lemur populations in view of ongoing habitat fragmentation and future climate change.

Resultate:

Montade, V.; Bremond, L.; Teixeira, H.; Kasper, T.; Daut, G.; Rasoamanana, E.; Pamavovolona, P.; Favier, C.; Arnaud, F., Radespiel, U.; Behling, H. (2024): Montane rain forest dynamics under changes in climate and human impact during the past millennia in northern Madagascar. R. Soc. Open Science, 11, 230930. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230930.

 

Teixeira, H; Salmona, J; Arredondo, A.; Mourato, B; Manzi, S.; Rakotondravony, R.; Mazet, O; Chikhi, L.; Metzger, J; Radespiel, U. (2021): Impact of model assumptions on demographic inferences - the case study of two sympatric mouse lemurs in northwestern Madagascar. BMC Ecol. Evol. 21, 197. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-021-01929-z.

 

Teixeira, H.; Montade, V.; Salmona, J.; Metzger, J.; Bremond, L.; Kasper, T.; Daut, G.; Rouland, S.; Ranarilalatiana, S.; Rakotondravony, R.; Chikhi, L.; Behling, H.; Radespiel, U. (2021): Past environmental changes affected lemur population dynamics prior to human impact in Madagascar. Comm. Biol. 4, 1084. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-02620-1.

Kooperationspartner:

Prof. Hermann Behling, Universität Göttingen

Dr. Vincent Montade, Universität Montpellier, Frankreich

Dr. Lounès Chikhi, IGC, Oeiras, Portugal

Dr. Jordi Salmona, Universität Toulouse, Frankreich

Prof. Solofonirina Rasoloharijaona, Universität Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Dr. Romule Rakotondravony, Universität Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Drittmittelprojekt: BMBF, DFG (Ra 502/7), DAAD, VolkswagenStiftung, Bundesamt für Naturschutz, BIOPAT e.V., private Spender, 292.450 EUR

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
The development of effective conservation measures for endangered species requires a detailed knowledge on the remaining individual numbers, the distribution of species and the factors causing potential threats to their survival. Moreover, it is important to understand the degree of intra-specific differentiation (e.g. phenotypic, ecological, genetic) that can be the result of rather recent (anthropogenic) or ancient evolutionary processes (barriers, landscape). The aim of this project is to understand the population structure of different lemur species across their distribution in view of drastic anthropogenic disturbances. Ancient and recent processes of genetic differentiation shall be identified in order to develop effective conservation measures. With this analysis, we will gain important insights into the evolutionarily significant units as well as and the management units of these threatened primates that will be needed to formulate long-term management plans.

Resultate:

e.g.

 

Van Elst, T.; Sgarlata, G.M.; Schüßler, D.; Tiley, G.P.; Poelstra, J.W.; Scheumann, M.; Blanco, M.B.; Aleixo-Pais, I.G.; Evasoa, M.R.; Ganzhorn, J.U.; Goodman, S.M.; Hasiniaina, H.F.; Hohenlohe, P.A.; Ibouroi, M.T.; Iribar-Poluzuelo, A.; Jan, F.; Kappeler, P.M.; Le Pors, B.; Manzi, S.; Olivieri, G.; Rakotonanahary, A.N.; Rakotondranary, S.J.; Rakotondravony, R.; Ranaivoarisoa, J.F.; Randrianambinina, B.; Rasoloarison, R.M.; Rasoloharijaona, S.; Rasolondraibe, E.; Teixeira, H.; Zaonarivelo, J.R.; Louis, E.E. Jr.; Yoder, A.D.; Chikhi, L.; Radespiel, U.; Salmona, J. (2024): Integrative taxonomy clarifies the evolution of a cryptic primate clade. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 9, 57-72. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02547-w.

 

Schüßler, D.; Rabemananjara, N.R.; Radriarimanga, T.; Rafamantanantsoa, S.M.; Randimbiharinirina, R.D.; Radespiel, U.; Hending, D. (2024): Phaner furcifer - The ghost lemur of northeastern Madagascar? Lemur News, 24, 19-23.

 

Schüßler, D., Rafmantanantsoa, S.M.; Ratsimbazafy, J.H.; Richter, T.; Radespiel, U. (2023): Documentation of commercial and subsistence hunting of Critically Endangered Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia variegata) in northeastern Madagascar. Biodiversity and Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-023-02744-2.

 

Schüßler, D.; Rabemananjara, N.R.; Radriarimanga, T.; Rafamantanantsoa, S.M.; Randimbiharinirina, R.D.; Radespiel, U.; Hending, D. (2023): Extinct or elusive? New sightings of the Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemur (Allocebus trichotis), habitat characteristics and ecological niche modeling shed light on a small-bodied nocturnal lemur. Am. J. Primatol., 85(4), e23473. http://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23473.

 

Ramilison, M.L.; Andriatsitohaina, B.; Chell, C.; Rakotondravony, R.; Radespiel, U.; Ramsay, M.S. (2021): Distribution of the critically endangered Coquerel?s Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli) in a fragmented landscape. Afr. J. of Ecology 59, 350-358. Doi:10.1111/aje.12844.

Kooperationspartner:

Prof. B. Randrianambinina, University of Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Dr. R. Rakotondravony, University of Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Prof. S. Rasoloharijaona, University of Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Dr. L. Chikhi, Universität Toulouse, Frankreich

Prof. M.W. Bruford, Cardiff University, UK

Dr. D. Rakotondravony, University of Antananarivo, Madagaskar

Dr. F. Ratsoavina, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar

Prof. J. Ratsimbazafy, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar

Groupe d'Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar, Madagaskar

Kliniken/Institute:
Institut für Zoologie

Projektdetails:
Mouse lemurs are the smallest primates on earth. They are endemic to Madagascar, where they are increasingly endangered by anthropogenically caused habitat degradation. Mouse lemurs are unique primate models for evolutionary, aging and genomic research. They exhibit extraordinary species diversity with limited vs. broad ranges in the Malagasy tropical forests. They have a long longevity related to body size (up to 15 years in the laboratory, about 9 years in the field) which is, however, much shorter than for common anthropoid primate models. Furthermore, some, but not all, aging individuals develop an AD-like pathology as found in Alzheimer patients or show human-like aging-related diseases such as cancer or ocular pathologies (e.g. cataracts). Likewise mouse lemurs are one of the primate models, for which the full genome is published. In 1985, Elke Zimmermann founded the colony of gray mouse lemurs of the Institute of Zoology (IfZ), by two founder pairs coming from the University of Tübingen (Jörg Ganzhorn). Founder pairs stem from the Rotterdam Zoo and were tracked back to their origin in south-eastern Madagascar (Mandena). To increase the genetic diversity of the colony, the offspring of these founders (originally based at the University of Stuttgart-Hohenheim, moving later on to the University of Constance, the German Primate Centre and finally completely to the Institute of Zoology at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover) were cross-bred with mouse lemurs coming from the Rotterdam Zoo, the Netherlands, in 1993 and the Parc Zoologique de Vincennes, France, in 1996. The colony is a self-sustaining breeding colony for which the life history of each individual mouse lemur is documented from birth to death in a mouse lemur database. Tissues from these individually known mouse lemurs are collected for veterinary purposes, or after the natural death of an animal. This colony of mouse lemurs is registered in the European and International Studbook of the Cheirogaleidae. Animals are used for non-invasive integrative and comparative research in the field of behaviour, physiology, reproduction, sensory biology, communication, cognition, genetics/genomics, aging, conservation biology and veterinary medicine. Furthermore, they are used for comparative research projects that are conducted together with several academic institutions studying the effect of different factors (e.g. general maintenance conditions, different photoperiod regimes, enrichment, group composition, genetic lineages) on the physiology, behaviour, communication, cognition, reproduction, longevity and health status of the colonies.

Resultate:

e.g.

 

Wittkowski, J.*; Klein, A.*; Kollikowski, A.*; Scheumann, M.*; Schmidtke, D.*; Zimmermann, E.?*; Radespiel, U.* (2024): The mouse lemurs. In: The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals, 9th Edition. (H. Golledge, C. Richardson, eds.). John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (*: contributed equally to this chapter), pp. 662-682. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119555278.ch36.

 

Bleyer, M.; Radespiel, U.; Klein, A.; Kollikowski, A.; Ströbel, P.; Mätz-Rensing, K.; Gruber-Dujardin, E. (2024): Spontaneous soft tissue tumours in aged mouse lemurs. Journal of Comparative Pathology, 215, 47-54.

 

Liu, S.; Ezran, C.; Wang. M.F.Z; Li, Z.; The Tabula Microcebus Consortium*, Long, J.Z.; De Vlaminck, I.; Wang, S.; Kuo, C.; Epelbaum, J.; Terrien, J.; Krasnow, M.A.; Ferrell Jr., J.E. (2024): An organism-wide atlas of hormonal signaling based on the mouse lemur single-cell transcriptome. Nat. Commun., 15, 2188. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46070-9 (* U.R. is member of the Tabula Microcebus Consortium).

 

Zhao, J.; Wang, G.; Ming, J.; Lin, Z.; Wang, Y.; The Tabula Microcebus Consortium; Wu, A.R.; Yang, C. (2022). Adversarial domain translation networks for integrating large-scale atlas-level single-cell datasets. Nature Computational Science, 2(5), 317-330. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43588-022-00251-y (*:U.R. is member of the Microcebus Consortium).

 

Fritz, R.; Zimmermann, E.; Meier, M.; Mestre-Francés, N.; Radespiel, U.; Schmidtke, D. (2020): Neurobiological substrates of animal personality and cognition in a nonhuman primate (Microcebus murinus). Brain and Behavior, e01752. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1752.

Kooperationspartner:

Prof. Ingo Nolte, Klinik für kleine Haustiere

Prof. Fehr, Klinik für Heimtiere

Zoo Zürich, Schweiz; Zoo Frankfurt, Zoo Landau,

Zoo Vincennes, Frankreich; Zoo Pilsen, CZ

Prof. J.-M. Verdier, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris, Frankreich