Abstract
We examined seasonal variation of food habits in the Japanese dormouse (Glirulus japonicus) by fecal analysis. We inspected 164 nest boxes that had been putted up on trees along forestry roads and a stream in Kawakami Forests, University of Tsukuba, Nagano, and feces evacuated in the nest boxes were collected about every ten days from May to October, 2011. A point-frame method was used to evaluate contents of feces quantitatively. We classified the contents into the following five categories; arthropods, fruits, pine pollens, other pollens and seeds. In June and July, the proportion of arthropods occupied over 50%, and also accounted for about 30% in the other seasons. The proportion of fruits and seeds was higher in September and October. Pine pollens, other pollens, and seeds were contained in some seasons. Pine pollens accounted for 20% in May. Fecal analysis showed that dormice fed on arthropods and fruits during all active periods but their diets varied seasonally. This suggests that some arthropods, which accounted for over 25% in dormice’s feces throughout their active periods in this study, are especially important food items for them.
