Abstract: From 2003 to 2004,the seasonal changes in digestive tract morphology in Eothenomys melanogaster from Yiwu, Zhejiang Province were determined. Significant seasonal variations were found in length,wet and dry weight of total gut. The results howed:winter > spring > summer > autumn in length;spring > winter > autumn > summer in wet weight; and winter > spring > autumn > summer in dry weight. For the separate organs of the total gut,stomach did not change seasonally except for length which was the longest in winter. The wet and dry weights of small intestine showed significant changes among different seasons. The results were:spring > autumn > winter > summer in wet weight;and winter > spring > autumn > summer in dry weight. No significant seasonal variation was found in length for small intestine. The wet weight of caecum showed significant seasonal changes and increased significantly in winter and spring. No significant seasonal variations were found in dry weight and length for caecum. Seasonal acclimatization caused large intestine to change dramatically,being larger in spring and winter than in the other two seasons. Our results showed that different organs showed different responses and changed by different magnitudes,to the seasonal acclimatization. This suggests that the adjustments in capacity and size of the gastrointestinal tract play an important role in their digestive strategies of Eothenomys melanogaster in the natural environment.

Key words: Eothenomys melanogaster, Digestive tract length, Digestive tract weight, Digestion, Seasonal variation

关键词: 黑腹绒鼠, 消化道长度, 消化道重量, 消化, 季节变化