短報

Alopecia Alopecia in captive }apanese nectar ，fruits and irnrnature seeds (Nakajirna ， 1993 ; dormice ， Glirulus japonicus Minato et al. ， 1997 ; Minato ，2000 ; Iwabuchi et al. ， 2008). 2008). Their feeding habits make rearing in c旦ptivity quite quite difficult. Herε ，we have attempted to feed Tetsuo Morita 1 i，Miho Shinmura 1) ， dormice on an alternative diet that is rnore readily Kimiyuki Tsuchiya 2) and Shusaku Minato: l ) available. available. We found some abnorrnalities in captive

1) 1) Division of Animal Sciencε ， Faculty of dormice reared on a basic diet using comrnercial feeds. Agriculture ，University of Miyazaki ， Miyazaki Miyazaki 889-2192 ， Japan Materials and lVI ethods Z) Laboratory of Bioresources ， Applied Biology

Co 叫 Ltd. ，Minato-ku ，Tokyo 107-0062 ， ]apan 3) 3) KEEP Dormouse Museum ，Hokuto ， Four adult males and one fernale dormouse ， Yamanashi 407-0301 ， Japan originating from Yamanashi Prefecture on the island of Honshu ，were maintained under a photoperiod of 12 hours hours daylight and 12 hours darkness (lights on 0800h) (Received (Received Decer 巾巴r10 ，2008 ; Accepted Dec 巳mber 30 ，2008) at at an ambient temperature of 23 :t 30C from December 3， 1999 to September 16 ，200 1. Each animal was housed individua11y individua11y in a plastic cage (210 x 320 x 120mm) and Abstract wood shavings were provided as bedding. Moist We report the development of alopecia in captive cornrnercial dog food (“ Super Run" ; Nisshin Pet Food

Japanese dormice ， Glirulus japonicus (Schinz ， 1845). Inc. ， Japan) and water were provided ad libitum. This Dormice fed on commercial dog food ，mealworms was supplemented daily with three Tenebrio and oranges ， developed alopecia and anorexia. (mealworrn) pupae and a segment of Satsuma Supplementation Supplementation with a salt and soil block for caged mandarin orange. Dormouse body condition was birds ， or zinc carbonate ， resulted in successful hair visually inspected and intake of dog food was regrowth. regrowth. This finding suggests that the development measured daily of of alopecia in captive dormice may involve the Initially ，we tried to habituate the dormice to a nutritional nutritional status of zinc. pelleted diet for laboratory rats and mice (MF ， Oriental Oriental Yeast Inc. ，J apan) by replacing mealworms

Keywords : Glirulz 必 japonicus ， alopecia and oranges gradually over a period of four weeks. However ， the animals rarely consurned it ， eating the supplements instead. The low palatability of the ドッグフード、ミールワーム、ミカンを給与して長期 pe11eted diet might be associated with feeding habits ， 飼育したニホンヤマネで税毛現象が頻発した。脱毛が'1 漫 J apanese dormice preferring soft feeds to hard ones 性化した伺体に、塩土または炭酸亜鉛含有寒天を補助飼 (Minato ， 2000 ; Nakajirna ， 2001). Therefore ，we used a 料として与えたところ、回復が認められた。飼育個体で moist type of dog food in the basic die t. The diet was 見られる脱毛は必須微量元素である亜鉛との関連性が示 selected based upon the rations fed to a small 唆される。 insectivorous rnarsupial ，Sminthopsis crassicaudata (Holloway (Holloway and Geiser ，1995) ，because their feeding habits habits and body mass are very sirnilar to those of Introduction Introduction ]apanese dormice.

The J apanese dormouse ， Gliru/us japonicus (Schinz ， Results and Discussion

1845) ，is a protected species in Japan. The development of of proper rearing systerns is necessary because The intake of dog food was sufficient to maintain dormice dormice are sometimes accidentally found in lumber dorrnice body weigh t. but four to seven months after mills ，cabins ， or during logging operations ，and are the feeding regimen started ，a11 of the males developed subsequently subsequently raised in captivity (Koba et al. ， 2005). alopecia (hair loss). Two males exhibited partial They are known to feed rnainly on insects ，pollen ， alopecia ， while another showed systernic alopecia. The

Jpn. Jpn. J Environ. Entomo 1. Zoo 1. 20 (1) : 35 - 38 (2009) 環動昆第20 巻第]号 35 - 38 (2009) Corresponding Corresponding author : [email protected]

-35- Tetsuo Morila ef a!

Fig 且1. Systemic alopecia in a captive Japanese donnouse. Left picture is a dorsal view and right picture is a ventral view

two animals affected by partial alopecia recovered study ， supplementation with zinc carbonate-enriched spontaneously without treatment ， but systemic agar containing lOOOppm Zn and honey also increased alopecia alopecia lasted more than one year in the remaining hair regrowth in a different dormouse with systemic individual individual (Fig. 1). U sing the chronically alopecic alopecia. The dramatic restoration of hair growth after animal ，we studied the cause of alopecia and sought the supplemen ta tion is most likely d ue to treatment treatment for it. replenishment of zinc. According to the nutrient Sarcoptes was not found microscopically ，and values supplied by the feed company ， the zinc content treatment treatment with ivermectin ， an ectoparasiticidal agent of the dog food was 113mg/kg ，which is about four to (Baumans et al. ，1988) ，was not effective ，therefore the ten times more than the daily zinc requirement of persistent persistent alopecia was not attributed to scabies. mice (National Research Council ，1995). This suggests

A verage daily food intake for eight days tended to an interspecies difference ，wi 江川tけh d( 肝)げ rm 口凶 吋1IC 切e ha 引、吋、 be be lower in the alopecic animal compared with the ml 山叱Ich higher zinc req 中叩uirement than mice. 臼Since the normal animals (O.90g vs. 3.4 2 :t O.95g). Alopecia and female dormouse nεver exhibit 伐ed alopecia and ， the anorexia anorexia are known to be symptoms of zinc deficiency degree of alopecia varied among male animals ，it is (Underwood ， 1977 ; National Research Council ， 1995) possible that the dietary level of zinc might be so so we examined simple means for improving mineral marginal or deficien t in J apanese dormice fed on status. status. Geophagy ， or soil eating ， in large herbivores is artificial food. associated associated with deficiencies in mineral nutrients Here ，we found that geophagy facilitated recovery (Kreulen and J aeger ， 1984). Soil eating has been from alopecia ， presumably by rectifying a zinc observed observed in the garden dormouse ， Eliomys quercinus ， in deficiency. However ， further study is needed to Slovenia Slovenia by Krystufek (Pers. com m.). Therefore ， the elucidate the role of zinc in alopecia and to determine dormouse was given a salt and soil block for caged the zinc requirements of the Japanese dormouse birds ，which the animal did ingest judging from the bite bite marks on the surface of the bloc k. Hair regrowth Acknowledgements was observed within a week and normal pelage was fully fully recovered in about three w 問 ks. In an additional We thank Y. Horii and P. Morris for their helpful

-36- Alopecia Alopecia in caplive ]apancse dormice ，Glirufus jμpυ l1l CUS

comments ， Kreulen. D. A. and T. Jaeger (1 984) The significance of of soil ingestion in the utilization of arid References rangelands by large herbivores with special reference reference to natural licks on the Kalahari pans. In

Baumans ， V" R. Havenaar ，and H. van Herck (1988) “Herbi ν ore nutrition in the tropics and subtropi 口.. (F. The use of repeated treatment with Ivomec and M. C. Gilchrist and R. 1. Mackie. eds.). pp. 204 Neguvon spray in the control of murine fur mites 22 1， The Science Press. Craighal l.

and oxyurid worms. La horato η Animals 22 : 246 249. Minato. S. ，M. Wakabayashi. and T. Hidal 王a (1997)

Holloway ，J. C. and F. Geiser (1 995) Influence of Ecology of the Japanese dormouse ，Glirulus torpor on daily energy expenditure of the japonicus. Natura Croatic α6 : 263 - 269. dasyurid marsupial Sminthopsis crassicaudata. Minato. S. (2000) Do you know dormice? Tsukijishokan ， Comparative Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 112A : 59 - 66. Tokyo. (In Japanese)

Iwabuchi. Iwabuchi. M. ，S. Sugiyama ， C. Minato ， C. Wakabayashi ， National Research Council (1 995) N μtrient requirements

and S. Minato (2008) Food habits of the J apanese 。1laboratory μnimals. National Academy Press ， dormouse. Glirulus japonicus and their seasonal Washington. D. C.

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