Peter Fritzsche

Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg | MLU · Institute of Biology

Knowledge about species’ distributions is central to diverse applications in ecology, biogeography, and conservation science. Hot-spring snakes of the genus Thermophis share a distribution restricted to geothermal sites at the Tibetan Plateau (T. baileyi) and in the Hengduan Mountains (T. zhaoermii, T. shangrila). Although the suture zones of these...

We examined the natural population structure of the Turkish hamster (Mesocricetus brandti) by analysing partial mitochondrial sequences of the control region and the cytochrome b gene. Evolutionary lineages were defined on haplotype clusters in genetic trees and a median-joining network. Most significant divergence events in M. brandti nested in th...

Between 2009-2016, we investigated a population of smooth newts found in a 4 m 2 pond in the Eastern courtyard (Osthof) of the Zoological Institute of the Martin Luther University, Halle/Saale, Germany. We tested all individuals biometrically for the period of their presence and recognized individuals by taking photographs of their belly side. We f...

Monitoring daily activity patterns of animals in the field and in captivity often revealed different results. For example, Syrian hamsters Mesocricetus auratus showed diurnal surface activity in the field, but nocturnal patterns in the laboratory. The aim of our study was to monitor the field activity of a close relative of this species, the Ciscau...

The genus Phodopus consists of three species-P. campbelli (Pc), P. sungorus (Ps), and P. roborovskii (Pr). They inhabit steppes, semi-deserts, and deserts in continental Asia with a climate changing from a moderate to a hard Continental one with extreme daily and seasonal variations. These different environmental challenges are likely to have conse...

Circadian rhythms have been shown to influence learning and memory. In this study, cognitive functions of Djungarian hamsters revealing different circadian phenotypes were evaluated using a novel object recognition (NOR) task. Wild type (WT) animals show a clear and well-synchronized daily activity rhythm, whereas DAO hamsters are characterized by...

Aim Our aims were to investigate the geographical distribution, population history and demographics of the hot‐spring snake T hermophis baileyi , and to examine how the Pleistocene glacial stages and geomorphological configurations resulting from the uplift of the T ibetan– H imalayan orogen shaped the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of...

Dispersal is a key factor in shaping the genetic structure and population dynamics of species; thus, its understanding is a fundamental requirement in formulating appropriate conservation strategies. Higher rates of dispersal in one sex than the other are widespread in vertebrate species and often attributed to the genetic advantages of reduced inb...

Isolated juvenile golden hamsters produce ultrasonic and audible vocalizations, so-called isolation calls, as a reaction to being separated from their mother and nest and their cooling down. Their aim is to stimulate mothers to search and retrieve the pups. In this work, the vocalization of juvenile laboratory (Zoh:GOHA; Institute of Zoology, Marti...

Foraging theory posits that animals should maximize energy gains while minimizing risks, the largest of which is usually predation. For small burrowing mammals the best measure of risk avoidance may be the time spent in the burrow, although this measure is rarely examined. During the spring of 2005 and 2006 we recorded the foraging behavior of fema...

The hamsters of the genus Phodopus (P. campbelli, P. sungorus, P. roborovskii) inhabit different ecosystems facing them with different environmental challenges. This should have behavioural and physiological consequences, manifested genetically. Therefore, the present paper compares the daily activity rhythm of the three Phodopus species under vari...

Daily activity rhythms are nearly universal among animals and their specific pattern is an adaptation of each species to its ecological niche. Owing to the extremely consistent nocturnal patterns of activity shown by golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) in the laboratory, this species is a prime model for studying the mechanisms controlling circa...

All laboratory golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) originated from a sibling pairing back in 1930. Due to this extreme founder event, domestic golden hamsters are presumed to be one of the most bottlenecked animal populations. Nevertheless, domestic hamsters show no obvious signs of inbreeding depression in commonly used breeding stocks. To expl...

Currently, 4 species, Mesocricetus auratus, Mesocricetus raddei, Mesocricetus newtoni, and Mesocricetus brandti of the genus Mesocricetus are accepted as the valid taxa based on karyotype and morphologic features. A potential fifth species, Mesocricetus nigriculus, is under dispute and is currently listed as a subspecies of M. raddei, along with Me...

Abstract: Currently, 4 species, Mesocricetus auratus , Mesocricetus raddei , Mesocricetus newtoni , and Mesocricetus brandti of the genus Mesocricetus are accepted as the valid taxa based on karyotype and morphologic features. A potential fifth species, M e s o c ric e t u s nig ric ulu s , is under dispute and is currently listed as a subspecies o...

Ten polymorphic microsatellites were developed for the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), a widely used model organism in biological and medical researches. All loci were used to analyse the microsatellite variability in wild golden hamsters from Syria and in a sample of domestic animals comprising different strains. Average mean expected heter...

Telemetric investigations of various parameters are widely used to estimate an animal's state. However, the implantation of the transmitters includes anaesthesia and surgery and has short and longer lasting impacts on the studied object. The aim of the present paper was to evaluate these effects in Mongolian gerbils, namely the hypothermia caused b...

Running wheels are frequently used in behavioural and physiological experiments. The function of wheel-running activity in laboratory animals is controversial. In the present long-term study, the influence of this activity was evaluated in male golden hamsters over a period of 52 weeks. Four months after the start of the experiment, hamsters with a...

All laboratory golden hamsters originate from a sibling pairing back in 1930. To investigate possible differences between domesticated and wild conspecifics, descendants of both strains were maintained under standardized laboratory conditions individually and in unisexual groups. Body mass and food consumption were monitored from birth to 22 weeks...

The golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is one of the most frequently used laboratory animals, particularly in chronobiological studies. One reason is its very robust and predictable rhythms, although the question arises whether this is an inbreeding effect or rather is typical for the species. We compared the daily (circadian) activity rhythms o...

Two expeditions were carried out during September 1997 and March 1999 to confirm the current existence of Mesocricetus auratus in northern Syria. Six females and seven males were caught at different sites near Aleppo. One female was pregnant and gave birth to six pups. Altogether, 30 burrows were mapped and the structures of 23 golden hamster burro...

The consequences of group-keeping as a social stressor on the solitary-living golden hamster were studied. Two females at the same stage of the estrous cycle were kept together for 5 weeks. Behavioral observations showed that the dominance structures within groups were unstable. Intensity of aggression was highest at metestrous, whereas the greates...

Glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase activity in the liver of female golden hamsters being in various stages of the estrous cycle were investigated. Animals of the pro- and diestrous stage showed a significantly higher activity than those of the met- and estrous stage. The interpretation of the results in test series has to consider this fact. Possibi...

Halle, Univ., Diss. A, 1985 (Nicht f.d. Austausch).