Forest dormouse
Encyclopedia
Dryomys is a genus
of dormouse
found throughout much of Eurasia
, known collectively as the forest dormice. They generally occur in forest
s or thickets.
Head and body is 8 centimetre, and tail length is 6 centimetre. The animals weigh 18 gram.
in hollows or in burrow
s, but nightly nesting is done in low branches or shrubs. They are quite at home in an arboreal setting. The animals are nocturnal
.
They are omnivorous
feeding on seed
s, acorn
s, buds, invertebrates, eggs
, and bird nestlings.
Forest dormice breed from March to December in the southern part of their range
and May to August in the north. Gestation
is 21-30 days and 2-5 young are born at a time.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of dormouse
Dormouse
Dormice are rodents of the family Gliridae. Dormice are mostly found in Europe, although some live in Africa and Asia. They are particularly known for their long periods of hibernation...
found throughout much of Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
, known collectively as the forest dormice. They generally occur in forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s or thickets.
Head and body is 8 centimetre, and tail length is 6 centimetre. The animals weigh 18 gram.
Natural history
These dormice hibernateHibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
in hollows or in burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
s, but nightly nesting is done in low branches or shrubs. They are quite at home in an arboreal setting. The animals are nocturnal
Nocturnal animal
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by activity during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal"....
.
They are omnivorous
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
feeding on seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s, acorn
Acorn
The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
s, buds, invertebrates, eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
, and bird nestlings.
Forest dormice breed from March to December in the southern part of their range
Range (biology)
In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...
and May to August in the north. Gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
is 21-30 days and 2-5 young are born at a time.
Species
- Woolly DormouseWoolly DormouseThe Woolly Dormouse is a species of rodent in the Gliridae family.It is endemic to Turkey.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 29 July 2007....
, Dryomys laniger - Balochistan Forest Dormouse (Niethammer's Dormouse)Balochistan Forest DormouseThe Balochistan Forest Dormouse is a species of rodent in the Gliridae family.It is endemic to Pakistan.-References:* Gippoliti, S. 2002. . Downloaded on 29 July 2007....
, Dryomys niethammeri - Forest DormouseForest DormouseThe Forest Dormouse is a species of rodent in the Gliridae family found in eastern Europe, the Balkans and parts of western Central Asia...
, Dryomys nitedula